OutGrown

Morrison Outdoors Baby Sleeping Bags Upgrade Family Camping Trips

  2. Share
Linzay Davis Linzay Davis
0 0

Helping Babies and Kids Sleep Better When Camping

The number one thing we are asked at Hike it Baby when it comes to camping is, "how do you camp with a baby?". The fear of late-night crying, unsafe sleeping conditions because of all the sleeping bags and pillows around, and the endless layers of PJ's and sleep sacks to get through during a nighttime diaper change can be enough to make a parent hold off on family camping until "later," whenever that is. But when Tavis Malcolm's son Morrison was born he knew there had to be a better way. "We could not find anything that was easy to pack, safe to use, and warm enough for nights in the Colorado backcountry," said Malcolm. "So, in early 2018, we decided to make our own." The result was the Morrison Outdoors Little Mo sleeping bag for babies and toddlers six to 24 months with options for 20- and 40-degree temperature ratings. And earlier this year they launched the Big Mo, extending their size offerings to 24-48 months and a trade-in program to give parents cash-back for sleeping bags after they are outgrown. We asked some real Hike it Baby families to try out the Little and Big Mo sleeping bags on their little ones and this is what they had to say.

Deanna Curry

Children: Charlie (7) Joey (1.5)  Homebase: Tacoma, WA   Favorite place to camp: Sheep Lake and Lake Cushman  Instagram: @Shinydayadventures We love our Little Mo!! My daughter Joey sleeps so well in it and I'm able to get a good night's sleep not having to worry about her safety. Joey is small for her age and she has plenty of room to grow with this bag. She can walk, crawl, and move around in the bag no problem! On our backpacking trip, the nights got down into the 30's and she was a perfect temperature in it with just wearing her merino wool pj's. She didn't need a bunch of layers to be warm. Diaper changes during the night are super easy thanks to the zipper at the bottom. You don't need to get baby completely out. It packs up small—barely taking up any room in my pack and is lightweight. This is my favorite sleeping bag for camping and backpacking with babies and toddlers. I highly recommend the Morrison Outdoors bags if you like to camp with littles!

Vanessa Wright

Children: Tatum (2) and Torey (4) Homebase: San Diego, CA Favorite place to camp: It is so hard to pick an all-time favorite place we have ever camped, but probably our favorite place we camped the past year was Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park.  Instagram: none I am incredibly impressed by our Morrison Outdoors Big Mo 40 degrees sleeping bag. Whoever designed it obviously knows children well and knows exactly what they need, because it is clear every last detail was planned out to perfection. We go camping with our two young children roughly once a month and I feel like most nights I am constantly waking up to check to make sure the kids haven’t kicked off or rolled out of their blankets and traditional sleeping bags. However, with this sleeping bag in the shape of a sleep sack, I don’t have to worry about that and they can roll all over and will still stay warm. I have the sleeping bag sized for 2-4-year-olds and it fits both my just turned 2 year old and my almost 5-year-old, so we will definitely get many years of use out of this bag. The sleeves fold over themselves to keep their hands toasty warm, and the collar is lined with a soft fleece to keep them comfortable, including a cover for the zipper. The sleeping bag has a double zipper which is so useful for quick and warm diaper changes, and the top zipper has an easy to find pull tab. It even comes with its own stuff sack and compresses to a small size which makes it easy to travel with. Honestly, I am so bummed I did not discover this product 5 years ago when my first child was born because this sleeping bag is seriously a camping-with-young-children game changer! I can only imagine how amazing it would be to use their smaller version for babies who are too young to safely use blankets, instead of the battle I used to do countless layers for warmth. I could not recommend this sleeping bag more and can’t wait to use it on future camping trips.  

Olivia Taylor

Children: Audrey (4), Callum (2), Natalie (7mo) Homebase: Ashland, OR Favorite place to camp: By a beautiful backcountry lake.  Instagram: @hiking.ashland @oli555 We’ve been getting so many compliments on this baby sleeping bag. It’s pretty cool to have something designed specifically to keep my youngest daughter warm while we camp. I can tell the bag is very comfortable with room for her to wiggle and a soft fleece neckline. I’d say this bag is best for babies that sleep independently since doubled up with an adult sleeping bag would be far too warm. It worked well for us, and I can say it was the best camping sleep ever since she snoozed away the whole night without needing any comfort nursing. Score!

Elicia Giffin

Children: Will (1.5) Homebase: Olympia, WA Favorite place to camp: Trillium Lake with our little one and puppy dog IG: @elgiff2 On Will's first camping trip at 6 months old, a friend said, "You have to borrow my kiddos new sleeping bag!" Lo and behold she dropped off the Morrison Outdoors bag and I was so thankful!  Will was still getting swaddled but could roll over, the bag kept arms free, but still gave the security of a swaddle.  Nights dropped into the '40s, but when we went to bed and I checked Will's forehead and felt great about the temperature. This time around Will is a lot more wiggly, so getting into the bag is a challenge. It's been warmer nights, so once sleep has fallen, I unzip the bag since toddler sweats are real and I don't want to be worried about overheating.  We are big fans of the Morrison Outdoor Sleeping Bag and would 100% recommend you try it for your kiddo on your next adventure!

Kiera Wickliffe Berger

Children: Nathan (2) and Daniel (5)  Home base: Eastchester, NY Favorite place to camp: Red River Gorge Instagram: @asterdreaming We had been having perfect camping and sleeping bag weather for our COVID backyard camping, but unfortunately, as soon our Morrison Outdoors sleeping bag arrived, it brought summer temps that stayed too hot at night to use as it’s not recommended for use in temperatures 60 degrees and warmer. When it arrived, the company had accidentally sent the wrong size, but their customer service is amazing! I emailed them with the order number and what happened, not expecting to hear from them for a day or more because of COVID. I heard back a couple of hours later and they shipped the sleeping bag with a return label for the other that day. While we haven’t gotten to use it for camping yet, my son loves to grab it and wear it in the house for a bit. Just about everything is perfect. The length is great. He has room to grow up. The body as well as the neck is wide enough for someone his body shape and size. I thought he would have issues with his hands being covered, but he has none. The one issue we have with it for the short times we have used it is I feel that we will soon rip the armpit seam. Because of the arms being a bit tight and no give in that area, a toddler his size that’s an active mover when trying to go to sleep or while sleeping may end up with a rip here. We have already noticed the seams straining a little bit in the right armpit area. Otherwise, it seems to be made really well. It seems like the perfect solution to keeping little arms and hands warm. I’m really looking forward to using this as the weather cools! It seems perfect for around the tent, both before, during, and when they wake up. Make sure a good night's sleep isn't the weak link on your next camping trip. Check out Morrison Outdoors baby and kids sleeping bags for your next backyard or wilderness camping adventure.

Hike it Baby works to be the most effective hub of tools, information, and community inspiring all families with babies and young children to get outside and connect with nature. Learn more about Hike it Baby's mission and how you can get involved.
 

About Hike it Baby

Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.
 
Images courtesy of Deanna Curry, Vanessa Wright, Olivia Taylor, Elicia Giffin. 
 
Editors Note:
 
We hope you enjoyed reading this article from Hike it Baby. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you.
 
But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We do not make this ask lightly, but if you are able to afford it, make a donation, and become a Hike it Baby member.  A membership also makes a great gift for that new parent in your life. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. If you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.
This post is sponsored by Morrison Outdoors. However, we would not recommend something that our children do not love. Our opinions are our own or those of the authors.

Community tags

This content has 0 tags that match your profile.

Gear

Camping Gear
Hiking Gear

Camping

Camping Tips
Camping with Babies
Camping with Children

Comments

To leave a comment, login or sign up.

Related Content

0
5 Insider Tips to Booking a Stress Free Family Camping Trip
Plan Ahead, They Said. We’ve all been there. After a seemingly endless winter springtime arrives, the weather warms up and you start your summer camping plans only to find out all the places you want to visit are already booked solid. “Plan ahead,” they said. Easier said than done. When I was a kid, my dad enlisted my sister and me, every aunt, uncle and cousin, neighbor and friend. We were armed with the Yosemite Valley campground reservation number, ready for the clock to strike 7am PST on the 14th of the month, five months in advance of our anticipated camping date. It was a well-oiled machine and it worked until technology kicked in. I can just imagine the laughs the recreation.gov staff would give us now if we tried calling in to make a reservation for a campground that was booked solid by 7:01am.    Insider Tactics for Booking the Perfect Family Camping Trip Here are 5 tricks of the trade to get you that perfect family campsite with lots of shade for tent naps, plenty of room for toddlers to run around, close proximity to the bathroom for late-night potty training bathroom trips, but also not too close: 1. Mark reservation dates in your calendar. Do some research to find out which camp sites to go for and when reservations open. Mark those campsite numbers and dates down in your calendar and set an alarm to remind you a day or so ahead of time.  2. Plan ahead and book early even if you aren’t positive you can make it work. Planning and children can be challenging concepts to put together.  In the event you can’t make the trip you booked you can usually cancel for a nominal fee. So, just in case that week in June will work out, book it now. 3. Get the kids involved. Depending on their age they may not be able to hit redial like my sister and I did, but you can still get them excited and involved. Ask them what kind of trees or animals they’d like to see and plan your location around that. And make sure to print off their very own packing list so they can help pack and have some extra fun at the campground.  4. Take advantage of technology. If you’re looking to book specific dates, check out websites like Campnab that use software to monitor campground reservation sites and will alert you when they have cancellations.  5. Try somewhere new. If all efforts fail and you don’t get that coveted campsite not all is lost. Take to Google to find another family-friendly campground. Maybe you’ll fall in love with it and won’t need to worry so much about trying to snag that other “perfect” spot.  Download The Kids Camping Packing List Need some help with that Kids’ Camping List? Here’s where you can pick everything up: Compass Binoculars Flashlight or headlamp Camp Pillow Camp blanket Do you have any insider tips for scoring the best camping locale for your family? Drop them in the comments (if you are willing to share ;). Happy Camping! The best way to get insider tips is from a community of inclusive parents dedicated to getting their kids outside, no matter what it takes. Become a member of Hike it Baby today and find your outdoor family community. Learn more about membership options. About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. This post is sponsored by L.L.Bean. We would never recommend a product we do not love. All opinions are our own. Photos courtesy of Michelle Pearl Gee.
0
10 Things You Wouldn't Think to Bring On Your Next Camping Adventure But You Should
Are you planning a family camping adventure this season? If so, you have likely seen the extensive gear checklists and suggestions for what to bring with you. We have a pretty awesome one located in our Ultimate Guide to Camping with Kids. However, there are a few items the majority of these lists leave out that we think can make a family camping trip a whole lot better. Versatile, durable slip-on shoes If you have ever woken up in a tent in the middle of the night to the undeniable urge to use the bathroom, you know that the thought of finding and lacing up your hiking shoes in the dark while trying to not wake the whole tent is daunting enough to have you consider holding it. And, anyone with little kids knows that asking a child to hold it isn’t an option (or at least not a wise one). Bring slip-on shoes for the whole family that are easy to pull on, closed-toe so your toe doesn’t meet a rock in the dark and can double as a hiking shoe. Merrell’s classic Jungle Moc collection fits these criteria while also being stylish with options for every member of your family. Pre-prepped meals When camping with kids, you never know how the night will go so bring along some pre-prepped meals and ingredients to save your sanity. Here are a few options to make camp cooking a cinch: Pre-scrambled eggs - Break your eggs into a large Ziploc bag, add your milk and salt/pepper, seal the bag and store it. When ready to cook, simply shake the bag to mix, pour into your camp pan and you’re good to go! Less mess and you won't have to worry about keeping the eggs from breaking in the cooler. Pancakes - Mix together the ingredients for pancakes into a Ziploc bag and store it. When ready to cook, simply cut the corner off the bag and squeeze a little in the pan at a time. Freeze stew or soup - Make your stew/soup ahead of time and freeze in a large Ziploc bag. Throw it into the cooler before you leave and it doubles as an ice pack (this works for meat, like hotdogs too!) By the second night, it will be thawed enough to heat quickly in a pan and enjoy. Foil Packet Meals - These pre-prepped meals are super versatile, and all you have to do pull them out of the cooler and plop them on the grill. Check out this article for more information. Kids Play Tent This could be a pop-up tent you don’t mind getting dirty or an old tent you no longer use. Give your kids their own space to play with toys, relax or read in the shade while you set up camp and keep everyone happy. Rag mat or Astroturf for Outside Your Tent This provides the perfect spot to take off your shoes before entering your tent without tracking excess dirt and debris into the tent. Plus, you’ll always know where to find your shoes! Dustpan/brush Even if you take every precaution possible, you will likely still end up with dirt and debris in your tent. Instead of attempting to shake out your tent or remove the dirt by hand, bring along a small dustpan and brush to make cleanup quick and easy. The brush also comes in handy for cleaning up a picnic table and getting caked in sand and dirt out of towels, blankets or clothes. Water Gear Whether you are camping near a water source or create your own water fun to cool off after a hike, water gear is sure to make your life easier. A quality pair of fast-drying water shoes with good grips, such as Merrell’s Choprock collection, along with fast-drying UPF clothing make water play both fun and safe. Add in some squirt guns or even some sponges for the kids to soak and toss at each other, and you are set for some fun, water-drenched camping memories! Old/Inexpensive Digital Camera Let the kiddos morph into junior nature photographers by supplying an old or low-priced digital camera. You could even send them on a photo scavenger hunt to find and take photos of natural items around your campground. (Check out this list of scavenger hunt ideas here.) This is a wonderful way to explore their surroundings while still Leaving no Trace. Duct Tape The real question is what can’t you do with duct tape? From patching a tent to using it as a bandage, blister blocker or even rope/cord in a pinch, a roll of this been-there-done-that fixer should be in everyone’s camping gear. Hand-Washing Station Between the constant supply of dirt and the threat of a global pandemic, a makeshift hand washing station is definitely a good idea. All you need is a container with a spigot for water (such as an old laundry detergent container), a bucket to put underneath to catch the dirty water, and, of course, soap. Nighttime Adventure Items There’s nothing quite like sleeping under a sky full of stars, especially if you luck out with a spot in an area with low light pollution. Taking along a star chart to identify constellations along with glow sticks for the whole family can enhance the experience. You can also include a book of scary (or silly) camping stories to end the night with some family fun. Do you have a piece of gear or something that you brought along that saved your camping trip or made for a more stress-free vacation? Share your favorite camping hacks in the comments! Hike it Baby works to be the most effective hub of tools, information, and community inspiring all families with babies and young children to get outside and connect with nature. Learn more about Hike it Baby's mission and how you can get involved.   About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.     Photos courtesy of Michelle Pearl Gee, Michelle Craig, and Krystal Weir. Editors Note:   We hope you enjoyed reading this article from Hike it Baby. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you.   But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We do not make this ask lightly, but if you are able to afford it, make a donation, and become a Hike it Baby member.  A membership also makes a great gift for that new parent in your life. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. If you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach. This post is sponsored by Merrell, however, we would not recommend something that our children do not love. 
OutGrown
Powered by Cause Machine. All rights reserved.