Summer in our family is currently a beautiful mix of river trips, bike rides, camping, spontaneous lake swims, van adventures, and trying to keep up with two energetic boys who somehow never seem to run out of energy… especially when it’s supposed to be their bed time!
Over the years, we’ve tested a lot of gear. Some pieces are great for a season. Others become staples that get worn, washed, packed, and worn again until they’re practically thread bare and cannot even get passed down to the next adventure kid in the hood.
Below is my best layers for the season of dirt, sunscreen, and water. So far, they have been holding up amazingly and some are even on their 3rd or 4th summer even!
For Mom: Clothes That Can Keep Up
Carve Designs Yara Gauze Skirt
If I could only pack one skirt for summer travel, this would be it.
The Yara Gauze Skirt is lightweight, comfortable, and somehow manages to look put together whether I’m heading to a farmers market, grabbing coffee after a paddle, or sitting around a campfire. It’s breezy enough for hot days but still feels polished enough that I don’t look like I’ve been living out of a van for a week (even when I have).
The watermelon color is especially fun for summer and instantly makes me feel like I’m on vacation.
Paradis ModiQ High Waisted Brief & Merino Sport Bra
One of my favorite travel hacks is bringing pieces that can serve multiple purposes.
The Paradis ModiQ High Waisted Brief and Merino Sports Bra (this comes out so soon!) combo have become my secret weapon for summer adventures. They’re comfortable enough for everyday wear, supportive enough for big training days, and in a pinch can double as a swimsuit.
When you’re trying to pack light or you’re jumping between activities all day, versatility matters. These pieces have earned their spot in my everyday life.. forever. Feel free to use Chelsey20 at check out to get a 20% off.
Carve Designs Tamarindo Top + Mae Bottom
For days when I know I’ll be in and out of the water from morning until evening, this is the swimsuit I keep reaching for.
The Tamarindo Top provides enough support for paddling, swimming, beach games, and chasing kids around while still being comfortable enough to wear all day. Paired with the Mae Bottom, it creates one of those rare swimsuits that stays put, looks great (no matter your leg length) and doesn’t require constant adjusting.
Whether we’re floating the river, hanging out at the lake, paddling, or spending a day at the beach, this is my go-to setup.
Patagonia Garden Island Top & Shorts
These have become my favorite “I want to be comfortable but still look cute” outfit.
The fabric feels incredibly light and breathable, making it perfect for hot summer days. I love that I can wear the set while traveling, running errands, heading to dinner, or wandering around town after a day of adventuring.
It’s the kind of outfit that feels effortless but still looks intentional.
Stio Hylas Tunic
This one deserves its own category because it has become my unofficial Yukon 1000 training uniform.
On the surface, it’s an incredibly comfortable, lightweight sun dress that’s perfect for paddle training, hot summer days, and life around camp. It offers great sun protection, breathes well, and moves easily whether I’m hiking, running errands, playing with the boys or spending hours on the water.
But here’s the real reason it’s become a staple:
When you’re training for the Yukon 1000, you don’t exactly pull over every time nature calls. During the race I’ll be peeing into a bottle every couple of hours while we’re still paddling. A tunic or dress makes that process significantly easier—no waistband, no shorts, no underwear to wrestle with, and far less time spent trying to perform an awkward balancing act in a sleek and tippy kayak. The Stio Hylas Tunic not only checked the dress box, but it also is the perfect dress for both breathability, sun protection and moveability! It’s like it was made for me and this adventure!
Is this my most glamorous gear recommendation? Definitely not. But is it one of my most practical? Absolutely.
Sometimes the best gear isn’t just about comfort or performance—it’s about solving the little problems that make long days racing on the water a whole lot easier.
For Dad, Mom and the kids: The Pants We Practically Live In
Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers
There are very few pieces of clothing that both Jason and I reach for constantly, but the Terrebonne Joggers are one of them.
Race days, training days, early mornings, cool evenings, travel days, campgrounds, flights and recovery days. These pants do it all.
I’ve raced for 36 hours straight in them, have done some intense and long bushwhacks in them, have traveled for 40 hours straight in them, have taken them down multiple rivers as my paddling pants and have even slept multiple nights in them. They are my absolute favorite pants because not only are they extremely comfortable – but they are lightweight, quick drying and surprisingly durable.
We both own multiple pairs because if one is in the wash, we immediate wish we had another. Our oldest, Max also wears his for all of our adventures where cotton is not allowed. He calls them his “cool sweats” because they keep him cool and “look cool” due to their bagginess. They are equally awesome and have gained a permanent spot in his coveted and very particular wardrobe.
If you see us around camp or on an adventure, chances are we’re wearing Terrebonnes. And yes, I have written about these multiple times now, and I’ll keep doing it because they are that good.
For the Kids
Patagonia Kids Lined Baggies Shorts
The boys spend most of the summer wet. Especially my oldest who has become obsessed with dunking in cold water.
Whether they’re floating down rivers, building forts near lakes, riding bikes through sprinklers, or finding every possible mud puddle, their Patagonia Baggies seem to handle it all. They’re durable, dry quickly, and transition seamlessly between swimming and everyday play- which is exactly what kids’ summer clothing should do.
Patagonia Kids Terrebonne Shorts
These have become another favorite because they’re incredibly lightweight and comfortable. See my above review of the Terrebone Joggers!
The boys can hike, bike, swim, climb trees, run around camp, and still want to wear them the next day. Max, my oldest took them on a recent river trip has his sole shorts for the entire 4 day excursion and loved them. He couldn’t believe how fast they dried “Mama, it’s like I never even got in the water, but I did!” That’s always the ultimate kid gear review right there.
Stio Kids Eddy Long Sleeve Shirt
As parents, we’re always trying to balance outdoor fun with sun protection.
The Stio Eddy Long Sleeve Shirt has been fantastic for long days on the water, hikes, and summer adventures where sunscreen alone isn’t enough. My youngest has been obsessed with his Eddy Long sleeve since he became big enough to wear it (age 4). He wears it non stop, seriously. From the moment he gets up to the second he climbs into bed. In fact, there has been a handful of times he has passed out in it on camping and van trips. He calls it his “handsome sun shirt”. And we couldn’t agree more. It looks great, dries quick, is breathable and is super easy (and fun!) for them to take on and off.
It’s lightweight enough that my oldest doesn’t complain (he is our current t-shirt only kid) when we say “enough with the sunscreen- time for shirt” and that is enough for us parents to give it a gold star in my book.
Patagonia Micro D Snap-T Fleece
Even in the middle of summer here in Central Oregon, mornings around camp can be surprisingly chilly.
The Patagonia Micro D Snap-T has become the layer the boys instinctively grab while eating breakfast outside or staying up just a little too late playing outside. It’s warm without being bulky, super soft, and packs down small enough that we always throw one into the van and bottom of our pack or dry bag “just in case.” And every single trip and outing, it gets worn.
Patagonia Kids Trucker Hat
We’ve learned that getting kids to wear hats only works if they actually like the hat.
Luckily, these Patagonia trucker hats are a winner. They’re lightweight, breathable, and comfortable enough to stay on during hikes, river trips, and everyday exploring. Plus, they survive being tossed in backpacks, left in the dirt and somehow always find their way back into rotation.
Little Love Bug Co. Asha Sneakers
One of my favorite discoveries this season has been the Asha sneakers from Little Love Bug Co.
These are barefoot-style shoes designed with growing feet in mind, featuring a wide toe box, zero-drop sole, and plenty of flexibility so kids can run, climb, scramble over rocks, ride bikes, and explore the way little feet are meant to move.
What I love most is that they don’t feel like a compromise between healthy footwear and comfortable easy on shoes—they’re both. The durable rubber toe has already saved us from plenty of rock kicks, scooter rides, and adventures that probably would have destroyed other shoes. They’re comfortable enough that the my youngest happily wears them from morning until bedtime for all of his activities. While we did find out that they are not the best water shoes (after my 6 year old demanded to bring them on our recent river trip), I believe that is a given. However, I was pretty surprised, relieved and impressed on how well they actually did for not being made for the water at all! After 4 days of solid water play, they are still intact and going strong.
Leave it to kids, and lets be honest myself to test gear to the absolute max! Act soon and get as much as 20$ off of these awesome little sneakers for the next little while!
Summer Accessories that have become crucial:
Skida Elysian Fields Packable Run Cap
There isn’t a run, hike, paddle trip, or road trip this summer that this hat doesn’t seem to come along for.
The Skida Elysian Fields Packable Run Cap has become my go-to for summer training because it’s incredibly lightweight, breathable, and designed for hot weather. Even on long runs in the middle of the day, it provides enough shade to keep the sun off my face without trapping heat.
One of my favorite features is that it’s completely packable. I can stuff it into my running vest, life jacket, backpack, or the pocket of my paddle gear without worrying about it losing its shape. It pops right back into form when I need it.
Whether I’m heading out for a trail run, spending all day on the river, or traveling, it’s one of those pieces that’s always within reach because it weighs next to nothing and performs exceptionally well when the temperatures climb.
For gear that gets packed and unpacked constantly, versatility matters—and this hat has become one of those “don’t leave home without it” essentials.
The Unsung Hero: Charlie’s Soap
With all of these adventures comes an impressive amount of dirt, sweat, river water, campfire smoke, and mystery stains.
That’s where Charlie’s Soap comes in. One thing I love about it is that it gets gear clean without destroying technical fabrics or fading colors. When you’ve invested in quality outdoor clothing, you want it to last.
Our gear gets used HARD all summer long, and Charlie’s helps keep everything looking and smelling fresh for the next adventure.
The Best Gear Gets Used:
These are the items currently helping our family spend more time outside and less time worrying about what we’re wearing. And ultimately, that’s exactly what great summer gear should do
I don’t believe you need a closet full of outdoor gear to have amazing adventures. I believe in finding the pieces that work hard, last for years, and let you focus on what matters most—watching your kids jump into another river, lingering around the campfire a little longer, saying yes to one more trail, or pulling over because the lake looks too good not to swim in.
These are the pieces our family keeps reaching for, summer after summer. If you’re building your own adventure wardrobe, I hope a few of them become favorites for your family too.