Our little hamlet at 9,000 feet averages 200” of snow a year and temperatures regularly hit the negatives, so it’s crucial to have the right winter gear for baby.

But people here live for the winter and skiing, and while I tend to live for the summer and the trails, I endure the winter because it’s one of the most spectacular places on earth. I can enjoy the snow capped peaks for a while. Hibernating is not an option. Get outside or bust is always our motto.

Warm Gear Makes Winter Enjoyable… or at Least Tolerable

Greg even went as far as buying us some epic Fjallraven jackets, which we think of as the nicest dog walking jackets ever. 

You really can’t overestimate the value of warm gear in this climate. It makes everything doable. It even makes many a frigid powder day downright enjoyable. 

We had West in April so we had some time to figure out how to dress a baby before we had to figure out how to dress a baby for five degrees. 

But by the end of winter, we had dialed that system in. We only froze the fat on West’s cheek once (yuck!), which is apparently a thing (scary!) and we felt really bad about it, but he was no worse for the wear. 

For us, the core of the cold weather baby system hinged on buntings and snow suits. A must in these pieces is arms and legs that fold over those little hands and feet. In the larger gear category, we love our Burley trailer that converts for skiing.

Winter Essentials:

Here are our go-tos to delight in those winter pursuits:

• Patagonia Micro D Fleece Bunting: This was our most used layer. As the seasons changed it became the perfect midweight layer. Once it got really cold, we layered it under puffy snow suits. 
• Patagonia Hi-Loft Down Sweater Bunting: This puffy snowsuit is a workhorse when it comes to keeping tiny kids warm. We used it over the fleece bunting down to temperatures around ten degrees. It is warm, wind resistant, and light moisture resistant. Expensive, but goes the distance. Patagonia kids clothing tends to run big, but that just leaves room to grow. 
• Columbia Infant Snuggly Bunny Bunting: In slightly warmer temps (20 degrees and over), we used this Columbia Bunting. Warm and winner of cute designs. 
• Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Pad: Having a dry spot with some insulation to set a kid for snack breaks is winning. 
• Burley Encore X: We really like this trailer. It can serve as a stroller, bike trailer, or cross-country ski trailer. It is easy to convert from one to the next. While you certainly notice you are towing something, it is fairly light and agile.  Plus, it kept West warm and snug, while cold snow whipped around him. As a bonus, we use it for all our outdoor concerts. It carries our whole music setup including table, chairs, blanket, and baby, when we bike to our summer music series.

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