It Doesn't Have to be the Weekend to Wear These!

   

I received a sample pair of Columbia Women's Saturday Trail II Knee Pants last week, and couldn't wait to test them out. Ironically, I tried them out last Saturday when we went for a little hike. 

These knee pants are straight leg with articulated knees, and have a mid-rise waist. They are lightweight and the slight stretch they have makes them quite comfortable. They feature Omni-Shade™ UPF 50 rated sun protection, as well as, OmniShield™ moisture and stain repellent technology. They have typical pants pockets, as well as a small zippered security pocket on the leg that is perfect for my one addiction - Chapstick lip balm! The leg hems can cinch to make the cuff loose or snug to customize your preference. It should be noted that although the legs do have some stretch to them, the waistband itself does not. This works perfectly fine for me as I'm smaller in the waist but larger through the thigh. If you are person who has a thicker waist then you might have to go up a size to accommodate the waist portion of the pant.  

The Columbia Women's Saturday Trail II Knee Pants are available in 4-6 colours, and in a range of sizes from 2-16 in Regular, and Plus size from 16W-24W.  Columbia, in fact, has quite a few Plus sized clothing items available online. 

The Columbia Women's Saturday Trail II Knee Pants retail in Canada for $69.99 for Regular sizing and $74.99 in Plus. In the U.S., Regular sizing retails for $50, and $55 in Plus.

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Columbia's Arcadia II Rain Jacket Will Keep You Stylish & Dry!

   

If you're looking for a great women's raincoat, there's no need to resort to the dull yellow traditional fisherman style jacket. While there's nothing wrong with wearing that, it's nice to be able to find something functional but also stylish instead. Columbia's Women's Arcadia II Rain Jacket gives you not only functionality but pizzazz as well! 

This 100% nylon rain jacket features a mesh polyester lining, and Columbia's Omni-Tech waterproof technology. This technology allows the fully seam sealed fabric to breathe, while keeping water out. It can be customized for comfort and to keep the rain out by adjusting the drawstring in the hem and in the attached storm hood, and by adjusting the wrist cuffs. 

These jackets do fit on the small side, so I highly suggest you do the measurements in Columbia's Size & Fit Guide if you will be purchasing online. I had originally ordered the numerical size I usually take, but upon receipt, I realized I should have gotten a larger size. Once I measured myself based on their Size & Fit Guide, I was able to figure out the exact size I would need, and did so correctly the second time around. 

I like the jacket! As a Mom who has to walk her child to the bus stop no matter the weather, this jacket will come in handy not only this summer, but also in the spring and fall. It is a very light rain jacket, which is great for the warmer temps, and can be used in cooler weather by adding warmer layers underneath. Another reason to measure yourself accurately with their Size & Fit Guide! Make sure you have some extra room to layer with, and you can get more use out of it throughout the year.  I also love that it is machine washable and dryer safe on low. 

The hem is a bit longer than your typical jacket, giving you great coverage during precipitation, and the Velcro on the front of the jacket is quite strong, keeping the flap over the zipper well secured. The storm hood is great! It comes out much farther than a typical hood, and as previously mentioned, it's adjustable by tightening the drawstrings on it. This is great not only when it's raining, but also when it's windy! Who hasn't ever had to try and hold their hood up during a windy rainstorm?! The zippered pockets are fantastic not only for safe keeping, but also to keep your items dry. Having this coat fold up into one of its zippered hand pockets is also a huge bonus. 

There are different colours available in Canada & the U.S. and some of the colour schemes in the U.S. also feature a flattering stripe down the side. It would be nice if we had the same colour choice and stripe selection in Canada as well.  

If you are looking for an upgrade to this version, their EvaPOURation jacket features Columbia's EVAP advanced evaporation technology, and underarm venting. This style will cost you more than the lower priced Arcadia II Rain Jacket though. If you don't require the underarm venting or the additional EVAP technology, then the Arcadia II Rain Jacket is the way to go. All around, it's a great choice!

In Canada & the U.S., the Columbia Women's Arcadia II Rain Jacket is available for purchase in a variety of sport apparel stores and online. They retail in both countries for approximately $89.99 in sizes XS-XL, and $99.99 for Plus sizes 1X-3X. 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

Columbia's Conspiracy Razor OutDry Shoes Make You Feel Like You Could Outrun A Conspiracy!

   

Have you ever wanted a multi-purpose sneaker that had amazing tread and wouldn't let you get a soaker on a wet day? 

Columbia's Women's Conspiracy Razor OutDry shoes feature Columbia's OutDry Absolute Waterproof welded construction which creates an impermeable but breathable shoe. Their Techlite superior cushioning midsole provides high energy return, and their OmniGrip high traction non-marking rubber tread will be sure to grip the ground no matter the terrain. The tread practically feels like you're walking on rubber cleats, but in running shoe form. Imagine getting serious traction while chasing your toddler as he runs away from you laughing! Or keeping up with your older child on a hike! Or maybe even taking some much needed "me" time outdoors. These are definitely a formidable competitor in the active shoe market.

The Conspiracy Razor OutDry shoes make you you feel like you could outrun a conspiracy. There's no doubt that these shoes are strong and have incredible tread. They are also roomy & wide enough to be able to put on thick socks during cooler weather. You can also lace them up tighter to reduce some of the width if you have a narrower foot or if you are wearing thin socks. I do find them to be a bit stiff initially, but they would soften up with some breaking in, I'm sure. 

Women's Conspiracy Razor OutDry shoes are available in sizes 5 to size 12 and include 1/2 sizes. Each shoe weighs about 1/2 a pound, and come in 3 colour choices:

1) Kelp & Fresh Kiwi

2) Red Hibiscus & Coral Glow

3) Platinum & Afterglow (Pictured above.)

You can find these shoes and other Columbia products online, and at many large sporting stores across Canada and the U.S. In Canada, the Columbia Women's Conspiracy Razor OutDry shoes retail for approximately $130, and in the U.S. for approximately $110. 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

Columbia Minx Boots Are Functional & Foxy!‏

   

I don't know about you, but finding good winter boots this year has been harder than finding a soul mate! Ok, maybe not that hard, but close enough! LOL I wanted to find winter boots that fit and felt like running shoes, but that were also waterproof and warm. Is that too much to ask? I have kids that are always eager to play in the snow, and I have to walk them to and from the bus stop each school day, so practicality and comfort are a must!

After visiting approximately a dozen stores, I finally found the boots I'd been looking for! I discovered the Columbia Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ boot! Like dating, we often times bypass what was right in front of us all along. You see, most of the stores that I had visited carried my dream winter boots, but I misjudged and dismissed them based on their stylish look as not being practical. Boy was I wrong! When I eventually tried them on, I kicked myself for not giving them a chance at the 1st store I had seen them at. All that time and gas wasted driving from store to store when they were right there all along!

I had originally been looking for ones that had a rubber foot with fabric on the upper part. But after trying on pair after pair of those and various other styles and brands, I could not find one pair that fit snugly or comfortably to my liking.

As I've already said, they are stylish. They looked awesome both on the shelf and on my feet! As soon as I put them on, I knew they were the "one"! They actually felt like running shoes! I had also been looking for boots with laces so that I could adjust the tightness depending on what legwear I would be wearing and to keep the boots nice and secure on my feet. These boots addressed everything I'd been searching for. And they barely weigh anything!

Many boots that I looked at in my travels were heavy already and when you factor in trying to drudge through heavy, wet or deep snow, that's just going to add to the strain of maneuvering through it. The flexibility of the Minx Mid II is an added bonus. If the boot has relatively hard components while in the store at room temperature, then you know that it's going to become harder in colder temps. I love that they are flexible, leaving them malleable no matter how cold it is outside. This just adds to the comfort, and the faux fur trim on the collar and tongue make them really cozy. Their Omni-Grip™ non-marking traction rubber outsoles reduce the chance that you will slip in icy conditions.

Columbia's 2014 Minx Collection features their patented Omni-Heat Reflective Technology and 200g  insulation which are rated for -32C. This, along with their woven synthetic fabric, ensures that your feet will stay warm and dry. While I have not actually tried them in water or slush yet, I have faith that they will do what Columbia has claimed. To provide even more waterproof protection, you could spray them with water repellent which is available at most shoe stores. There are a number of waterproofing spray products on the market and they're typically inexpensive. 

The Columbia Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ boots come in both a typical full boot style and a Shorty version. The regular boots come in grey, red, white, black & tan, and the Shorty boots come in red, brown, black and a tan print. Here in Canada, the full boots retail for approximately $140 and the Shorty boots for about $110. You can find them in many shoe stores and department stores that typically carry Columbia footwear. Some stores only carry certain colours, so call ahead if you have a specific version in mind. If you are a person who likes to wear thicker socks during the winter months, I would suggest going a 1/2 size larger to give you room. From what I saw, most stores appeared to sell only full sizes. If you require a 1/2 size, you might have better luck purchasing online.  They are also available in youth sizes!

Personally, I favour the full boots in grey. I want them to be deep enough to go out in the snow throughout the winter.  And from experience, I personally find that salt stains and dirt don't show up as much with the grey colour, keeping them looking newer longer. This is why I requested grey for my sample pair.

As a mom who wants and needs to maximize her ability to stay comfortably outside with her kids during winter activities, the Columbia Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ boots are a product that I love! Not only are they comfortable and functional, they look awesome! If you're going to be out playing in the snow, you might as well look good doing it! :)

For a list of winter activities to do with your children this season, check out InfoMommy's 45 Indoor/Outdoor Winter Activities For Your & Your Kids!

To keep up to date with their other products, check out Columbia on Facebook and Twitter!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****