WTB Foul Weather Gear for Kids

davidlamontadams

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I am looking for some foul weather gear for kids. I have a 3 and 7 year old and we just need a good jacket to handle the spray. I guess I could buy new but it is a lot of money for fast growing kids.

Dave Adams

Ottawa Ontario

 

shaggy

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Try ll bean.. (love the squall jacket on my 3rd one) eddie baur has some good ones as well. Not fowelies per say, but they are cheeper, they go on sale sometimes, can be used for otnher stuff and the kids are going to outgrow everything antway so why pony up hfor minie Healy's? if you must, go to west marine... Cheaper and they will suffice for a year or so........

 

Canon

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yes
We use MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op). Great quality for the price (if you read the reviews).

 

davidlamontadams

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Thanks for all your advice. It sounds like you are all suggesting rain coats and that is great. That is a good default.

But this weekend was a bit of an eye opener because we took the kids out in 25 knots of breeze in our Wayfarer. We all survived but the kids only complaint was the spray. I think they would have had a better time if they had a proper jacket. And since we cruise our Wayfarer, I need to be prepared for heavy weather.

I checked Gill, Henry Lloyd, Gull, WestMarine and none of them make gear for small kids.

The best I have found is the Helly Hansen Jr Salt Jacket

http://shop.hellyhansen.com/ca-en/item/jr-salt-jacket-40076/

 

Not My Real Name

Not Actually Me
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Thanks for all your advice. It sounds like you are all suggesting rain coats and that is great. That is a good default.

But this weekend was a bit of an eye opener because we took the kids out in 25 knots of breeze in our Wayfarer. We all survived but the kids only complaint was the spray. I think they would have had a better time if they had a proper jacket. And since we cruise our Wayfarer, I need to be prepared for heavy weather.

I checked Gill, Henry Lloyd, Gull, WestMarine and none of them make gear for small kids.

The best I have found is the Helly Hansen Jr Salt Jacket

http://shop.hellyhansen.com/ca-en/item/jr-salt-jacket-40076/
Guy Cotten had some kid sized stuff a few years back. Not as heavy as grownup stuff, but the right basic shapes.

And check out Opti racing gear. Spray tops, salopettes etc. in pretty small sizes, though it isn't cheap.

 

shaggy

Super Anarchist
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Thanks for all your advice. It sounds like you are all suggesting rain coats and that is great. That is a good default.

But this weekend was a bit of an eye opener because we took the kids out in 25 knots of breeze in our Wayfarer. We all survived but the kids only complaint was the spray. I think they would have had a better time if they had a proper jacket. And since we cruise our Wayfarer, I need to be prepared for heavy weather.

I checked Gill, Henry Lloyd, Gull, WestMarine and none of them make gear for small kids.

The best I have found is the Helly Hansen Jr Salt Jacket

http://shop.hellyhansen.com/ca-en/item/jr-salt-jacket-40076/
IMHO It sounds like you are talking yourself into a big $$$$ purchase.... If you layer it right a 3 and 7YO will be perfectly comfortable in a trash bag as they aren't sitting on the rail for hours and are not doing anything more than pulling a line from the cockpit from time to time. Anything you buy now will end up being outgrown in 6 mo let alone last till next season. Unless the 3yo will be using the 7yo jacket in 3 yrs or they are doing an opti campaign, buying anything remotely foul weatherish will be a waste of $$$. Also, the ll bean and Eddie Bauer stuff is wayyyy more than just a rain coat and well worth a look, but to each his own....

 

shaggy

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Coleman camping ponchos. Can be trimmed to fit and cost about $5 ;)
Ha.... Actually have 2 of those on the boat in case the newbs forget that it rains a bit here sometimes. Actually had to use the full suit 1 day when the guy just brought a hoodie and sweats. Worked pretty good until about hour 3 (the last race at Dillon) when all of the seams gave up simultaneously and it actually exploded during one particularly interesting Gybe.....

 

dralyagmas

Anarchist
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South Oz
I just went though the same thing for my 5 and 3 YO. I went with a Rainbird spray jacket. They are very small and light as they are only a shell then you can layer the kids up underneath to keep them warm.

Biggest plus was that the jacket was $35 compared to the $200 I got quotes for a softshell jacket from Kathmandu. Big sailing brands don't make stuff that small (in Australia anyway)

 

curm

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I'd look at some of the Rugged Bear stuff. Not too expensive. Their stores are mostly in New England, but they sell through Amazon, J.C. Penney, etc. I know they have hooded rain jackets, but I'm not sure about the pants.

 

TwoLegged

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When I was a lass my gear consisted of shorts regardless of weather, a t-shirt, mum's hand-knitted wool-pullover, and a cheap old spray-jacket from a high-street store. Bouyancy aid which offered all the freedom-of-movement of a straitjacket. Plus, in my case, a rope ... which was used to tie me to the mast until I had understood that trying to jump off the boat into the sea was unwise. (Some time after the age of 2, I'm told, before I grasped that idea).

My first proper waterproof jacket came when I was 12. Waterproof trousers when I was 16.

Why not just get your kids any old vaguely waterproof jacket that still offers freedom of movement? The sort of lightweight thing that folds into a pouch does a great job at keeping the wind out, and quite dry enough for dinghy sailing.

 

sailak

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AK
REI has great breathable foulies for kids under their brand name. West Marine sells the PVC stuff that isn't too bad either. I have purchased sets from both places.

Pic of the West Marine stuff getting the full Alaska test on a 5 year old. 3 years later and it is still the goto gear for real rain.

WM raingear.jpg

 

shaggy

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+100 on the cheap stuff, they are going to outgrow anything so layers are your friend..... and I agree, anything that is actually fowlies is gonna hinder them more than hurt them and be wayyyyyy to expensive to boot..

REI has great breathable foulies for kids under their brand name. West Marine sells the PVC stuff that isn't too bad either. I have purchased sets from both places.

Pic of the West Marine stuff getting the full Alaska test on a 5 year old. 3 years later and it is still the goto gear for real rain.

attachicon.gif
WM raingear.jpg
 
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