Jen Browne

I like a lot of what I've tried from Patagonia but their Rhythm Hooded Sweatshirt isn't high on my list. The material is a little rigid. I like it for going places where I don't plan on being very active but for hiking, climbing and kayaking it hasn't fit the bill for me.

They're sacks. They keep your stuff dry. They have loops on the side so you can secure them. What's not to love here? The Outdoor Research Hydroseal Dry Sacks do what you buy them to do and they look good doing it. Ever been on vacation and decide to take a cheesy kayak tour out in the bay and they hand you the very ugly, very plastic-looking dry sack that is such a monster you risk getting your stuff wet rather than using it? This sack is the opposite of that.

We took the family camping this weekend. 3 of the kids (teen girls) used this bag. Two of them (a low body fat gymnast and similarly slim basketball player) thought it wasn't warm enough (it was close to that 30-degree mark for the overnight low) but they were toasty once they zipped their bags together. The third (my competitive swimmer who packs a little more padding on her body) thought it was great. I like the pockets for the sleeping pad and the pillow. The Big Agnes Air Core pillow fits perfectly into the pocket and the Clearview Air Pad works well with this bag.

I'm very happy with the Big Agnes Clearview Air Pad. Four of my kids slept on this pad this weekend and all 4 raved about it. The regular size (20 x 72) fit inside their Big Agnes Gunn Creek sleeping bag slots. The pad was easy for them to blow up and very comfortable to sleep on. The pad folded down very small and was easily stored inside the sleeping bag stuff sack along with their Big Agnes Air Core pillows without straining the sacks' seams.

The Outdoor Research Backcountry Kitchen 4 keeps us organized. I like having everything in one place, labeled, so I don't have to remember everything every time we camp. History has shown that I won't. The weekend we camped without salt still comes up in casual conversation at the dinner table. Besides being a great organizer, this case is small, light and easy to clean.

The Coleman Roadtrip Pro Grill is big. It's heavy. It has enough room to cook up a meal for a family of 7 -- we used it all weekend. If you take your family car camping and have enough room in your trunk for it, this grill is a great pick, but it's heavy. It's built for the 16.4 oz propane cylinders but if you're cooking for more than one or two people you're going to blow through a cylinder every meal. It would make more sense to get the adapter and use the 20-pound propane tank with it. It heats up fast and heats evenly. Clean-up is reasonably easy. Did I mention how heavy it is?

I like the Kokatat Orbit Tour Life Jacket a lot. It's not bulky. It's easy to adjust the fit. There's plenty of room to allow arm movement and shoulder rotation without restricting movement. It's a type III PFD. But I can't give it 4 stars because I find the pullover style difficult and slightly uncool.

The Big Agnes Air Core Pillow is good for camping. It's not as comfortable as the pillow I use at home, but my tent isn't as big as my house, either. I don't let my kids bring their pillows from home when we camp because they aren't vigilant at keeping them out of the dirt. These pillows are easily dusted off if they get kicked around the campsite. They fit well in the Big Agnes Gunn Creek and Big Agnes Dream Island sleeping bag pillow slots. They're light. They pack down small enough to tuck into the sleeping bag stuff sacks. One of my daughters didn't like the pillow except as a base underneath the regular pillow she snuck out from her bed. Two of my daughters, my husband and I thought it was reasonably comfortable for a camping experience. My son says it's very comfortable if you let a little of the air out.

The Big Agnes Dream Island sleeping bag is a great couple's bag. I like having zippers on both sides because my husband is a warm sleeper while I'm a cold sleeper. When he feels a little warm he can unzip his side a bit for a breeze while I stay toasty. At 5'11" he is comfortable with the length of the bag. I also like the pockets for the sleeping pad and pillows. The Big Agnes Air Core pillows and the Hinman 50" x 78" sleeping pad work well with this bag.

I waited until the morning I was going to pick up my kayak before taking the Thule Hull-a-port Kayak Carrier out of the box. I was stoked to find that installation required no tools!! It's all included in the box with a great directions page. The only tricky part is the bowline. If, like me, it's been a long time since you tied one of these (something about the rabbit hopping out of a hole and around a tree... ), just hop on YouTube. It will come back to you in about 3 minutes. The hardware is solid.

After trying my first pair of SmartWool Adrenaline Ultra Light Mini Socks I knew I found the perfect sock. I don't like heavy socks, even when I'm hiking, so these are just the right weight. Even as an ultralight they hold up to hard work while keeping my feet dry and comfortable. These socks don't slide down. I just bought 3 more pairs.

The Mountain Hardwear Mesa Short was one of 3 different pairs of hiking shorts I bought this summer, and they came out on top. I love the tough and comfortable material. The longer inseam keeps them from riding up and bunching the way shorts can when you're all sweaty and gritty from a long day on the trails.

The waist rolls and they're not very cute on but they work okay for hiking.

I like wearing shoes in the house but, with 5 kids, we have a rule about removing shoes to try to save the carpets. These toast & jam shoes solve that problem perfectly. They are cute and get a lot of comments but the green is brighter than in the picture and the back of the shoe rubs a bit.

Props to Patagonia for understanding that outdoor women want their underwear functional AND cute! These boy shorts stayed put on me under my hiking shorts. I didn't have any trouble with them riding up until I wore them with a tight pair of jeans.

I love SmartWool! These socks are very comfortable. Out hiking in 90-degree-plus weather they keep my feet cool and dry. They stay put, too, which is unusual for me when it comes to socks. Normally I have to adjust my socks a couple of times an hour but these handle half-day hikes without sliding down the back of my foot.

I wasn't sure about wool for underwear, but these Icebreaker boy shorts are soft and comfortable. They keep me cool and dry while hiking with no riding up or chafing. I'm not a fan of the high waistband but their other great qualities more than make up for it.

I like the velcro closures on the side pockets of these North Face shorts. They keep things from falling out without being difficult to get into. The material feels great and the shorts dry quickly. I'm not a fan of the drawstring but the shorts fit me without using it.

I purchased the women's Aqua Haze/Brittany Blue KEEN Newport H2 Sandal primarily for kayaking but they're cute enough for hanging out with friends and comfortable enough for hiking. These fit true to size for me and they fit my narrow foot well. They didn't require any break-in time.