Winter layers for your outdoor baby

Over the past eleven months of taking my infant on a hike, nothing has been more stressful or time-consuming than figuring out: 

1. How to dress him, 
2. Where to go, and 
3. What to take on our hike. 

I plan to tackle all of these topics in their respective blog posts. Today, we’re addressing item #1 on the list. 

After dozens of hikes and countless trips to the park for playtime on the outdoor blanket or a stroller nap while mom runs, I finally have Arlo’s winter layering down to a science! I have found three staple pieces I will continue to purchase at every stage. 

Three must-have items (and options to consider for each)

1. Merino wool base layer – lightweight

If you are purchasing for someone aged 0-24 months, Iksplor is the only option. I say this both as a figure of speech and as an absolute fact. Luckily, their products are beautiful, comfortable, easy to care for, and quality pieces that will withstand being handed down an impressive number of times. *More on why I love this brand below. 

2. Merino wool base layer – midweight

Again, Ikspolor is really the only option here. During the shoulder season, at least in East Tennessee, you can often get by dressing your little one in a mid and a base layer. And depending on the outer layer, this is often my preferred mid-layer. 

3. Fleece mid-layer – heavyweight

There are significantly more options in this category. And in my experience, it’s pretty common to find gently used options at consignment shops or online at places like Poshmark or eBay. Of all the options I’ve tried, Columbia might be my favorite. The fold-over hands and feet are greatly appreciated touches. The well-fitting hood adds the perfect amount of warmth and fits comfortably over a thin wool beanie. This combination is truly my favorite. 

Carter’s fleece layers are great for tooling around town, but they are thin and will never be an option I choose for a cold day outside. 

I recently purchased a fleece jumpsuit from Reima. The beautiful knit fabric on the outside means it’s one of Arlo’s more “nice” looking pieces. But the biggest bonus is brushing leaves off is a bit easier than a Columbia or similar piece with exposed fleece on the outside. However, it’s missing the foldover hands, feet, and hood. This might make it more comfortable in the long run. But now I must add extra layers and accessories like booties, mittens, and balaclava. I miss the simplicity of all of these “built-in” features. 

Reasons I love Iksplor

1. The obvious: they are the only merino wool baby base layers on the market at the time of this writing. If another one comes along later, it will be difficult to give them a shot because of the reasons listed below. 
2. They are a women-owned and operated company based in Jackson Hole, WY.
3. They make such sustainable products! I won’t get into the sustainability of wool and natural fibers. But I will tell you all about the iron-on patches! That’s about all there is to tell. You can buy patches that match their beautifully bright sets for when your crawling baby wears holes through the knees of their most loved and worn layers. 
4. You can buy pre-loved pieces directly from their website! Even better, you can list your pre-loved items and receive a 110% credit for every piece sold on their website. What!? I haven’t used this service yet, but I look forward to it. 

Outer layers

The sky is the limit when finding an outer layer that meets your needs.

Stroller bunting

Arlo was a winter baby, so we spent a lot of time outside during the 0-3 month stage to keep me from losing my sanity. We walked three miles every single day, from 10 days to about four months, when I finally got back to the gym. Anyway, I usually wore Arlo for our walks because it was 1) more comfortable for me and 2) we didn’t have a stroller with shocks, so he was jarred awake with every tiny twig in the road. Even so, sometimes I knew he needed some time to stretch and look around outside, so we’d spend at least part of our walk in the stroller before I switched over to wearing him. A sleeping bag-style bunting was perfect for these times. You can’t beat 7AM Enfant when it comes to warmth and quality. We purchased ours on Poshmark. This brand seemed relatively abundant on resale sites, so I highly recommend searching for a pre-loved option if you’re in the market. 

Puffer

We love Primary and can’t get enough of their bright colors and quality outerwear. We’ve had a puffer suit and jacket in a few sizes now. They are not the thickest layers available, but honestly, that’s one of the reasons I love them. Arlo always has layers on underneath, so these are as thick as I want or need them to be. The only downside to these is that the material is pretty slippery, and they aren’t exactly made for ample time crawling around. Though we somehow haven’t torn a hole in one yet, these are best suited for longer treks in the hiking pack or stroller walks. Unfortunately, they no longer come with hand and foot cuffs once they reach the 18-month stage. 

Snowsuit

To be honest, we haven’t put this to use yet. However, I couldn’t pass up purchasing it during one of Reima’s summer sales. Though I assume we will get a lot of use out of it this coming winter, I’m also assuming Arlo will start walking before the end. Otherwise, I can’t imagine a scenario where we’re using this, as I’d probably choose other options for the stroller or hiking pack. 

Hat 

Much like the base layers, we will always have an Iksplor beanie. The website touts that this is the one beanie your little one won’t try to rip off their head – and they are right. I should probably purchase one for myself, but I have other beanies that I can tolerate. Arlo has a dozen other beanies, but this one is somehow the thinnest, warmest, softest, AND most snug of all the options. I don’t know how they managed that, but they did. And you need one. 

We also have a cotton-lined merino wool balaclava from Reima. This piece may only be necessary if you plan to layer your little one in a fleece bunting without a hood. If your little one is a long little dude like Arlo, you can extend the life of some of your layers by adding a balaclava or booties to your winter wardrobe arsenal. We quickly grew out of our 6-12 month layers around ten months because Arlo was too long for them. With the 12-18 month pieces we are in right now, I’m relying more on separate pieces to encapsulate him fully. This also allows for more freedom of movement, which he appreciates, too. 

Mittens 

I’ve got to hand it to Reima on the mitten design. They are long, extending to mid-forearm, cinch around the wrist, and have a zipper!  We’ve only used these once for a frigid stroller run. I had Arlo clad in four layers (two wool base layers, one fleece mid-layer, and a puffer), and getting the mittens over the top was a feat. We got them on, which was all I was going for, but his hands were nowhere near the end. 

Booties

We used these for the first time on the same outing where we tested out the mittens. I wish Reima had utilized a side zipper on these like the mittens. I struggled even more getting these over Arlo’s four layers. Much like the mittens, my goal was to get them on him, but I couldn’t get them pulled far enough up his calf for his foot to sit in the footbed. But there was no concern that these would fall off, so that’s all that matters for a frigid stroller nap. 

Tip: When it comes to retail, for most everything – watch for sales in the off-season and stock up for the upcoming seasons ahead. 

Maybe everyone already knows this about Poshmark, and I was just late to the game, but if you “heart” an item, chances are good that the seller will return sometime in the next couple of days and offer you the piece you are watching at a discount! You can also submit an offer!