Tips, experiences and kit recommendations from outdoorsy parents with babies

Pine Marten

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone.

As some of you may know, a young pine marten joined our family five weeks ago. In the meantime, the wildfowling season started, the past week’s rain means that I desperately need to go mushroom hunting, and YPM caught his first cold (whoopee). Now realistically, YPM is still too little to be going out into cold, rain-soaked woods, but one of these days, it will be time to take him on adventures. I’m likely to face some opposition on this based on justified concerns for YPM’s welfare. However since we were babies, Gore-Tex has happened, and it should now be perfectly possible to carry a baby through some pretty unpleasant weather with minimal discomfort. I’m sure that on the SD, there will be many fathers and mothers who have experience of this, and I’d appreciate it if you could share your wisdom with regards to clothing, backpacks/baby carriers (The MacPac ones from New Zealand look like a winning option), the age/size at which you started venturing out, duration of said outings, and anything else you think may help.

Thanks!
 
Helly Hanson & Musto do good wee ones kit for sailing just some colours are a bit bright but very very waterproof & in tiny sizes up as its difficult to get kids sizes in hunting makes that are effective at keeping them warm & dry.
 
Leave YPM at home with Mrs. Pine Marten and focus fully on putting your wee knife & brush to good use.

Happy hunting!

Cheers

Klench
Ps: I recall the first time Mrs. K and I went mushroom gathering and found a carpet of Boletus chrysenteron: Cooked them and then spent three days wondering when we were going to die!:D
 
Ps: I recall the first time Mrs. K and I went mushroom gathering and found a carpet of Boletus chrysenteron: Cooked them and then spent three days wondering when we were going to die!:D

Why? They're OK! Not the greatest, but fine. Last year was useless though because of the rubbish summer. I found a grand total of about six decent mushrooms, one of which turned out to be the rare and exciting tylopilus felleus or bitter bolete. Not toxic at all, but renders your dinner completely inedible. So I'd really quite like to do better this year.
 
Hello everyone.

As some of you may know, a young pine marten joined our family five weeks ago.... but one of these days, it will be time to take him on adventures... However since we were babies, Gore-Tex has happened, and it should now be perfectly possible to carry a baby through some pretty unpleasant weather with minimal discomfort.... I’d appreciate it if you could share your wisdom with regards to clothing, backpacks/baby carriers (The MacPac ones from New Zealand look like a winning option), the age/size at which you started venturing out, duration of said outings, and anything else you think may help.

Thanks!

Ignore. Picture won't upload. Sorry.
 
Last edited:
Littlife child backpack with all the trimmings
LPM can be sleeping while you are hiking.
well strapped in so he won't slip out when you bend over to pick up the next agaric

http://www.littlelife.co.uk/products/child-carriers/child-carrier-range/index.html

Jane Prams:
I took one up a mountain with a 2yr old in it
It is the Unimog of the pram world!
used it as an airport trolley and put close to 200kg in it!
take it to the pressure washer at the garage and blast off the vomit. bulletproof
get a full clear rain cover.
damaged and dented by three kids over 8 years but never missed a beat
Sold it on for 35% of what it cost new.
http://www.janepramsonline.co.uk/Jane_Slalom_R.php


Recaro car seats
best out there as far as I am concerned. kids sleep through even the roughest off roading!
all strips and fits in the washer
same as the pram, kept its value and got back £60 when they went
http://www.recaro-seats.co.uk/child-seats/young-expert.php

Don't bother with rain suits until YPM can walk
Trust me when there is a **** explosion up the back of a nappy in the middle of nowhere the last thing you want is an all in one rainsuit !!
you can get waterproofs with feet in them, or if pram based just cover them with one of the "snugs" that they zip into.










 
Thanks Bewsher, the child carriers look great. It seems that they're good for babies from six months, so that means the YPM isn't going on many adventures that way until February. I'm not suggesting that he should come CWD stalking with me, but that's the sort of horizon I'm looking at. Well that's good to know for starters. I suppose I could take him fishing in the Spring.
 
PM - We take our two wee nippers (3.5yrs and 1yr) with us everywhere especially mushrooming. On the farm doing odds and ends, long walks, fishing, shooting, beating etc etc. We mostly use a rucksack (not sure which type but will pm you some photos I have) and an all in one waterproof thing for the wee man (again I will find out the name of the brand ). It has been great in the snow and the summer, up hills and through woods. I don't know if you are planning on having more YPM's but I do believe "buy once cry once" applies to baby kit.

In particular I have found the following useful on the rucksack and would recomend you try and have the same -
1. removable head cover frame with front netting (good for protection from sun, flies, wind, poor backcasting, small branches etc)
2. foot anchor - a slot you put your boot into when the rucksack is placed on the ground to hold it firm and you are trying to (i) wrestle YPM into or out of said rucksack or (ii) gently ease the sleeping YPM into or out of said rucksack.
3. removable outer rucksack - good for picknicks, nappies etc. Doesn't have to be removable but ours happens to be and its been v useful.

One additional thing I have thought a lot about is a story I heard where some parents didn't remove the child from the rucksack for an entire day's walk and the circulation was cut off from the wee thing's legs. Apparantly they now do stirupps on the rucksacks to prevent this but just be aware.

Sorry to everyone else for making this thread more like a mumsnet forum than stalking but we have had some amazing family time just getting on and out in whatever the weather and would recomend you do the same. If you haven't got one of those wrap around things or baby bjorn's I suggest you do. They allow you to continue flytying, drinking or whatever whilst babysitting and mum's sleeping. Everyone's a winner!

Our first one was born in December and he was wrapped up on mum's chest, inside her coat and out with us woodcock shooting in January.
 
Agree with Bewsher - our rucksack is a Littlife. The wrap around thing (which is great for YPM's current age) is called a Kari Me and would enable you to get out now. Much of teh waterproof stuff we have is apparently JO JO Mama Baby.
 
Thanks Foss, I will investigate. Your insight on stirrups to avoid cutting off the circulation is exactly the sort of tip that can only be obtained from those who have first hand experience.
 
My kids have muddy puddles oversuits. I think they also do fleecy all in ones. The Katmandu suits are good but expensive. Katmandu also do a good baby carrier.
 
Hi PM, Best to have more than one YPM, as they grow out of things long before they wear out and can be worn by the next one. Hope you have deep pockets, as these things cost LOADS.
 
Perhaps there should be a dedicated SD Classifieds section for once & little used outdoor toddler clothing and equipment?

As has been said there are few chidden if any who actually wear out an item of clothing so what better home for redundant kit than a fellow SD member’s offspring?

K
 
For outdoor clothes have a look at Spotty Otter kit. Its very expensive to buy new but a bargain second hand on eBay. It is well enough made that it is still good for use 2nd and 3rd hand, sadly no 'country' colours.


Regards
 
For outdoor clothes have a look at Spotty Otter kit. Its very expensive to buy new but a bargain second hand on eBay. It is well enough made that it is still good for use 2nd and 3rd hand, sadly no 'country' colours.


Regards

Thanks for that advice, it seems appropriate that a pine marten should wear otter clothes.
 
​Baby Peltors and take him wildfowling lol... I got some in pink for my daughter
 
All my 5 were carried arround in a Karrimor baby back pack was very good and easy to use. We had a mcclarren basic fold up push chair rebuilt numerous times, brilliant has been up many mountain trails in Switzerland. If you have more than 1 baby PM then a biggy board is usefull. Fortunately such pram is not "plated" and will carry ridiculous ammount of weight if need be.

Suitable ear protection is vital and short trips to start with, diffcult bit is how do you take 4 boys pigeon decoying all at the same time!!

D
 
Just a thought why not get a waterproof roe sack to carry him in , then when you have shot your Roe YPM will have a big hot water bottle to keep him warm on the way home :D you can dump both in the bath to get clean, ready for next time.
​ I'm sure your wife will appreciate the frugality of it all.:tiphat:
 
Back
Top