Category: Outdoors

Outdoor Tuesday – Vaude Carrier Review

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On May 15, 2012

In Outdoors

Vaude is a European company that produces environmentally friendly products and are the first outdoor company to receive EMAS certification.

We have the Farfalla Comfort  baby carrier by Vaude.  This is their top end carrier.  We originally chose this one based on cost and the sales persons recommendation.  We purchased it when our daughter was 6 weeks old so we were not able to try her out in it at the time of purchase.

Paige loves being in this pack and will sing and bounce as we hike along.

Pros:
– Easily adjustable and many areas of adjustment are available on this carrier to get the best fit.  We love the ease of adjusting so that if my husband and I trade off the pack during a hike Paige doesn’t really have to wait long before we are on the move again.
– It can fit many heights of both the little one and the adult carrying them
– Large pack for storing all of those items you may want to take with you on a hike.
– 2 good sized outer pockets on either side of the carrier that will take a larger water bottle.
– Front pillow for our little one to be able to rest her head on to go to sleep.
– Rear head support for our little one if she chooses to sleep upright rather than leaning forward.
– Footrests for once Paige is a little taller to help prevent her feet from falling asleep
– Comfortable fit and weight distribution for long hikes
– Change pad is included in the pack


Cons: (Many of these are not really cons, but rather observations, since there are pros to some of these notes as well)
– The sun canopy could be extended a little further to shade the face a little more when out hiking on sunny days.  This may be better once Paige is taller and closer to the top of the canopy.  Not a huge issue since she usually has a bucket hat, sunglasses and some sunblock on.
– Waist belt pocket is only large enough to hold 1 key, would be nice if it were a little bigger to hold a small camera (many carriers have the slightly larger pouch on the waist).
– No rear view mirror (did not know that carriers even had these until we were out hiking yesterday and a couple moms had these) which would be handy to check on your little one if they are fussing.
– The carrier supports around the little one are padded and very supportive which I love for Paige’s comfort, however in the summer this may become rather warm.  Some carrier have made some of these mesh instead, although you do lose some of the support.

Overall, we love this carrier, it is comfortable to use and I am able to hike for long distances with Paige on my back.  I have done a number of faster paced 10-10+km hikes with her on my back without any issues.  I think this is a great pack that will last us many years since it will grow with Paige.  It still looks like new and this pack gets tons of use (minimum 3-4 times per week).

Return portion of a 10+km hike on the Seaton trail

Outdoor Tuesday – Some Ontario wildflowers & plants

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On May 1, 2012

In Outdoors

It is that time of year when the wildflowers start showing their beautiful flowers.  There are also some plants one needs to be mindful of when out on the trails.  Today I thought I would post about some of the plants and flowers one might find on Ontario trails.  Some of these you can even find at your local nursery to add to your garden.

The white trillium is the Ontario provincial flower.  These flowers have recently opened in some areas and are getting ready to open in other areas.  They create a beautiful blanket in the forest this time of year. You may also spot the dark purple ones as well when out and about.

One of my favourites is the star flower which typically blooms between May and June.
Another personal favourite is the bunch berry. This produces a nice white flower in the summer and in the fall it may have little red berries in place of the flower. You will find these in wooded areas and near bogs.
>One plant I have seen quite a bit near our place and wondered for some time what it was is the may apple. It is one of the first plants to come up in the spring. You will generally see these in a wooded area. The flowers it produces are generally not visible as they appear under the leaves. It is a small white flower that will appear. Many of the plants will not flower each year.
>Mustard garlic is another hearty wild plant that makes a fairly early showing. This is an invasive species that is not native to North America. You can identify mustard garlic quite often before you see it by the garlic smell in the air. It will produce a white flower every other year.
The marsh marigold is a nice bright yellow in the spring. It is a welcome bit of colour after the winter months. You will find these on the edge of streams and rivers, in marsh areas and areas that were once marsh.
Some plants to watch out for on the trails are: Blood root, this is now up and can give you a scab like sore on your skin if touched.
Poison ivy can leave you very itchy and create a rash. This is identifiable by its three leaves.
Poison oak is another 3 leaf plant and will create a similar reaction as poison ivy.
What is your favourite wildflower? Have fun trying to identify some of these out on the trails.

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