October 2019 • 59Gearing up the family
START EARLY! TIPS FOR FINDING YOUR KIDS GEAR
However, with the increase in quality, the
cost has gone up as well. And while I may
spring for a name brand snowmobiling
outfit for myself with the justification
that it will be used for several years, it is
much harder to drop that type of cash on
a growing kid.
This gearing-up obstacle has
many people leaving their kids
at home or introducing them
to the snowmobile sport
when they are older. Bad
idea!
Getting your family
involved in the activities
you love helps to foster
family bonding, andsnowmobiling provides an opportunity to
get out during winter, when most kids
are facing a screen with glazed-over eyes
and a zombie expression. If a good day
riding is a boost for your mental health,
imagine if your whole crew participates!■ (^) Assessing Your Needs
The first step is creating a
chart with everything your
family needs from head to
toe and their sizes. (See a
sample chart, p. 61.) Keep
in mind when your kids get
a little older (as is the case
with our 10-year-old Ella),
there are two sizes that may
work between kids and adult sizes. With
shoes, a good rule of thumb is to add 2
sizes to the youth size to get the adult
women’s version.
Another part of the assessment is tak-
ing stock of what you already have. If you
have something, cross it off the list and
put it in a place where you will be able to
find it later. Also, let your family and
friends know you are shopping. We’ve
found some great items via family mem-
■ FAMILY TIME HEIDI THOMPSON
FAMILY RIDE PREP Make sure the kiddos are all properly equipped for comfort and safety and every family outing will be a winner.
Equipment has improved over the years. Most of us no
longer use Wonder Bread bags as boot liners, and the insu-
lated coats of yesteryear that had Randy from the movie classic A
Christmas Story exclaiming, “I can’t put my arms down!” are a
thing of the past.