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Five Ten Freerider – Kids’ Bike and Hiking Shoe Review
We bought these two years ago, sized way up, and our kid is still wearing the same pair. The best bike-to-trail shoe we tested. Just not the one for a big hike.
Patagonia Block-the-Sun Hat Review
Quincy wore it, then passed it to Oren. Good ethics, good build, good coverage. The catch: at $39, it costs about twice as much as the Sunday Afternoons Play Hat, and the Play Hat has better retention.
Flap Happy Kids’ UPF 50+ Swim Hat Review
The fastest-drying hat we tested and the only one made from swimsuit fabric. The catch: no chin strap, and Oren removed it every time he noticed it was on his head.
addie & tate Kids’ Animal Sun Hat Review
We felt silly buying a shark hat for a gear review. Then Cypress chose it over seven other hats and wore it to school. Catch: low neck coverage.
Reima Rantsu Sun Hat Review
We ordered a 3–4 year size. Our nine-year-old niece wore it all week at Gulf Shores without being reminded. Catch: it's direct-buy only — no Amazon, no REI.
Sunday Afternoons Kids’ Ultra Adventure Hat Review
Same gold-standard retention as the Play Hat, plus a wicking sweatband for trail use. The catch: it's $15 more, and those extra features matter most on the trail, not at the beach.
JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Quick-Dry Sun Hat Review
This hat arrived to us already used — three kids before Oren, multiple countries, brim a little wonky. Everything else still works. That's the case for buying it.
Turtle Fur Way Out 5 Panel Hat — Kids’ Sun Hat Review
Technically an adult hat. Our four-year-old stole it, wore it to Mexico, and hasn't given it back. The catch: no neck coverage, so sunscreen on the ears and neck is non-negotiable.
Columbia Arcadia II Rain Jacket — Girls’ Review
A no-frills girls' waterproof jacket tested at Great Sand Dunes and Steamboat Springs — lightweight, genuinely waterproof, and the hood fits over a bike helmet. Rowyn put it on without a fight because it matched her helmet.
L.L. Bean Kids’ Trail Model Rain Jacket Review
The L.L. Bean Trail Model is our runner-up for kids' rain jackets — tested on a rainy Cincinnati park day where Cypress, 4, found the chest pocket in ninety seconds and never stopped using it.
