Lunch, snack, and water bottle
Water bottle pocket is a plus
And a REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG with:
Spare gear and gloves, and a change of clothes
We want the children to take responsibility for their lunch, snack, and water bottle and those items should be easily packed up in their backpack.

LUNCHBOX

Students and staff have found the lunch boxes from Bentgo and Greenhouse Goods successful all around because:

they hold up on outdoor adventures
students use them independently
they make packing a balanced and nutritious lunch easy
they are Earth-friendly

LUNCH BAG

With a handle
Reusable & Insulated
A reusable napkin is nice
A water bottle pocket is a plus
We recommend: LL Bean Kids Insulated Soft Sided Lunch Box

SNACK BAG

Reusable snack bag or container they can open themselves
We recommend: Green House Goods Stasher Reusable Snack Bag or Eco Lunchbox Splash Box

WATER BOTTLE

Reusable & Insulated, so it stays cool in hot weather. A straw top is key so it cannot spill on the go

With a loop, hook, or handle
One your child can open & close
A second smaller bottle is good for warm tea or cocoa on cold days

THERMOS

An insulated thermos is great for a warm meal, treat, or drink
We recommend: Simple Modern thermos

SHOES

For daily use on warm fall or spring days, close-toed hiking shoes or sneakers that are water resistant are essential.

We recommend: Keens, Solomon’s, and Merrell’s

2 CARABINERS

One on the backpack to hook layers & gear on
One on the lunch bag to hook onto the water bottle
We recommend: REI Black Diamond MiniWire Carabiner

RAIN + WET WEATHER GEAR

The ones we like best: Helly Hansen, Reima. Bogs and Oaki rain boots.

JACKET + BIBS

Investing in a set of fisherman-style gear will work great year-round and has the flexibility to change with the seasons. This style is truly the most waterproof, provided you care for it properly.

We recommend: Reima, Didrickson’s or Helly Hansen rubber rain gear. Options on Outdoor School Shop

GLOVES + HAT

A few sets of liner gloves, wool or synthetic. These will be worn under rain gloves in cool or cold weather.
A set of waterproof mittens that are not lined.
A rain hat or baseball cap to wear underneath a hood.
We recommend: Reima Waterproof Shell Rain Mittens + Reima Rain Hat

SOCKS

Lightweight wool socks for warm temperatures and heavy wool socks for cold temperatures.

We recommend: Smartwool, Darn Tough, and other wool brands

Lightweight Sock: Smartwool,

Darn Tough

RAIN BOOTS

A pair of boots that are fully rubber from top to bottom.

Ones that are not lined, as they would get too warm.

These boots are for warm to cool weather, used in the fall and spring.

We recommend: Bogs, Oaki, and Crocs

BASE LAYERS + WINTER GEAR

There are many different brands that work well. Here are a few we like: Smartwool, Reima, LLBean, Lands’ End, Patagonia, and H&M.

BASE LAYER SET

Your child will need a few different sets of base layers. Base layers are an essential layer because they add warmth but do not get wet with sweat. There are both synthetic or wool options, but cotton should not be worn.

This layer should be fitted.
Thin synthetic layers are great for all seasons from fall to spring
Wool or thick synthetic for winter
We recommend: Lands’ End Thermal Base Layer Long Underwear Thermaskin Pants, L.L. Bean Base Layer Set, Reima Base Layers

MID-LAYER SET

This fleece layer can be a little loose but not over sized as it needs to fit under the jacket or suit—fleece jacket or sweatshirt and pants.

OUTER LAYER

Waterproof snowsuit or set.

We have found Lands’ End, Reima, Patagonia, and H&M take a beating, hold up, and stay dry.

Look for reinforced knees and bottoms.

BOOTS

A set of full waterproof boots that are lined for winter weather. Winter Bogs are great for most of the winter but not enough. You will need fleece-lined winter boots. Again, heavy wool socks are key here!

We recommend: Bogs and L.L. Bean

GLOVES

Not all winter gloves hold up. They need to be waterproof or Gor-tex mittens or gloves that are lined. You’ll want a few sets of liner gloves or mittens that are wool or synthetic.

We recommend: Stonz Snow Mittens and Didrikson’s Classic Cuff Winter Mittens

ACCESSORIES

A neck warmer, balaclava, scully hat, and waterproof hat, ideally made of fleece or wool.

DON’T FORGET!

Label every individual item. You can handwrite your child's name, purchase stickers, or order a personalized stamp.

All items, layers, and gear that go to school need to be labeled.