BASE CAMP
Dressing them for life in the fast lane. PHOTO: MARTIN LORTZ
Camping Clothes Let’s hope they never grow out of them
THE DERMATOLOGIST ASSURED MY MOTHER and me that many other 10-year-old boys also suffered from what he called crotch rot. In case you avoided this itchy ailment, blue jeans and cotton swimsuits don’t dry quickly and where things don’t dry, fungus grows. Trust me. The treatment was a small jar of white cream, applied liberally
twice daily. The solution however is to spend more time—and sometimes money—when shopping for kids’ outdoor gear. A friend of mine is a manager in a very posh ski shop north
of Toronto, a place where the skintight ski suits are trimmed with furry hoods. Yet many of her well-to-do customers refuse to spend $59 on snowboard helmets for their kids. Why? Because they say they’ll just grow out of them. To me, helmets for kids are a no-brainer in any gravity or ac-
tion sport. Of course they will grow out of them, but what about now? Aren’t their heads worth protecting no matter what size? Nobody runs, jumps, falls, rolls and climbs more than camp kids—rain or shine. In my mind we should be dressing them in hard-shelled, quick-drying, fuzzy, waterproof, breathable, cool, bug-proof and rugged clothing; whatever it takes to protect them, but also whatever it takes to make their time outside as enjoyable—and rash free—as possible. The sun is probably the most dangerous and underestimated
hazard our children encounter. Too much sun can ruin any camp- ing trip, not to mention cause long-term damage to their skin and eyes. Properly fitting sun hats with good coverage and SPF-rated beachwear are worth it. After five summers guiding whitewater rafts I can barely open my eyes on a sunny day without a good
pair of shades. Some parents don’t bother with sunglasses for their kids because they say they’ll just break or lose them. Do you remember being dressed in a garbage bag instead of
a raincoat? How expensive were raincoats that it made more sense for our parents to blow through a box of garbage bags ev- ery camping trip? Not to mention the fact that plastic sacks with three big holes cut in them really aren’t that dry. Socks that fall down in boots are not only annoying, sweaty
bare feet in boots get blisters. Companies like Smartwool and Wigwam have virtually eliminated this childhood nuisance, not to mention that these socks dry quickly and resist odours. Smart shoppers save money by buying clothes that will serve
double duty, like long underwear for camping in the summer and skiing in the winter. They choose colours that both boys and girls will wear as they are passed down, or ferret out other outdoor families through the Scouts or ski clubs and buy, sell or trade clothes. Shopping out of season can save you up to 50 per cent. While rooting around at a used clothing store we found a $28 MEC sunhat for $3. Don’t limit yourself to camping brands; just consider the styles and fabrics that will keep kids dry and warm or cool and shaded. I want my two kids to enjoy their time camping as much as
we do and outfitting them with good gear has been worth every penny. I’ve stopped thinking of this as an expense, but rather an investment. If we don’t invest and outfit our kids with gear that allows them to be warm, dry and safe it won’t only be the clothes they grow out of, it will be the outdoors. —Scott MacGregor
FAMILY CAMPING 3
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