How many of you hiking Moms out there are desperate to get out on the trails as much as possible, but are limited by having little ones in tow?  Count me in!  I love being outside with my boys, but oftentimes we are juggling several things in a day…preschool, a park playdate, library storytime, naps, snacks, meals, playing with trucks, reading books, and hopefully a cherished walk in nature.  Transitioning from one activity to the next is notably hard on children, but how about the caregiver?  Yep, you always have to be prepared with the right clothing and gear for yourself, but also your little ones. Two products that I love that enable me to hop from one activity to another are REI Co-op’s Beyonder Tote and the Revelcloud II Jacket.

REI Co-op’s Beyonder Tote Review

What I love about the REI Co-op Beyonder Tote is its versatility. I am not a fan of always having a diaper bag with me.  I don’t have a newborn, so I really don’t need to carry as many “baby supplies” as I did in the past.

This Beyonder Tote is in my view a hybrid purse/diaper bag, but functions as an awesome all day bag for Moms who don’t need all the newborn items of a diaper bag.  All of my purse contents can easily fit in the Beyonder Tote, plus water bottles, extra layers of clothing for changing weather conditions, books, a laptop, and of course space for a couple of emergency diapers and wipes.

What I love about the REI Co-op Beyonder Tote:

• • Pockets & Pouches! There is a main compartment with two water bottle pouches (I always seem to be carrying 2-3 water bottles these days), an internal zippered pocket, an external zippered pocket on the side of the bag for small things like toys/tissues/a diaper/wet wipes, and a padded laptop pocket with zippered access.
  • Unisex. The tote can be set up as tall and thin (as shown in my pictures), or cinched down into a square shape (check out the REI Co-op pictures).  My husband loves it too when he cinches down the sides.  He borrows it as his laptop bag when I’m not looking!
  • Sustainably made.  I love this!  It is made with bluesign approved materials, which conserve resources and protect the environment.
  • Removable roll-top pouch.  It comes with a removable bag! A sweet bonus 🙂 Wet clothes? No problem, stash them in here. Snacks/lunches – no problem, keep them separate there.

The bottom line is that I love the Beyonder Tote. It is lightweight, super durable, stain resistant, and has a lot of key features that make it perfect for a full day of being out and about with children. (Note: the Beyonder Tote is also a great travel bag – it is so rugged yet refined!)

REI Co-op’s Revelcould II Jacket

The other item that is practical for moms on the go is the REI Co-op Revelcloud II Jacket. Its feminine lines make it an easy transition from a hike to a mom’s meeting, or even onto a casual date night. Here in California, our spring days are cool in the mornings and evenings, so the Revelcloud II takes me through the whole day. It packs down into itself, and can easily stash in my favorite Beyonder Tote that I just gushed about above. It is less bulky than other puffers, and it keeps me dry in a light rain.

What I love about the REI Co-op Revelcloud II Jacket:

• • Functional AND stylish. Long-time readers of Hiking Lady know that my pet peeve is hiking clothes for women that are not flattering. Why bother to wear something that doesn’t make you look good? There’s absolutely no reason that gear for mom’s, hikers, anyone for that matter should not be flattering. I love this Revelcloud II Jacket because it was designed with fashion and function in mind.
  • Made sustainably. Frankly, if clothing and gear isn’t made sustainably nowadays, I turn the other way. Patagonia and REI Co-op have led the charge to make products that minimize the impact on our environment and people. The Revelcloud II is made from recycled nylon and polyester. I like knowing that the insulation is comprised of 55% recycled water bottles. I carry my REI Co-op Hydroflask Water Bottle while wearing this jacket, knowing that I’m helping the planet! 🙂

What gear do you hiking moms like? Please share tips and tricks with the Hiking Lady community.

Happy trails!

Disclosure: Hiking Lady occasionally receives products or services from companies for free or at-cost for review purposes, and in some cases may receive a small percentage of sales if a product is purchased. As always, companies whose products are being reviewed are NOT allowed to exercise creative or editorial control over content.