An athletic shirt for every sport
The first thing I noticed while I was perusing their site, was that this shirt can be used in a number of activities, from boating to snowboarding, from kiteboarding to yoga. I liked the versatility and while the "original" shirts are more or less the same across the board, they offer different designs that reflect the sport they are marketed for and now offer a great "hydro" line, which - in hindsight - would have made more sense for us living on a boat in the tropics, but they were not available when we ordered so perhaps we'll invest in a couple of these down the line...
Features
Snikwah shirts boast some impressive features that are valuable to any outdoor enthusiast. Not only are they rated UPF 50+ (offering great protection from the sun), but they are moisture wicking (with their patented dri-release technology), temperature controlling (keeping you cool in the heat, and warm in the cold), bug repelling (see ya later sunset noseeums!) and the fabric and fit is very comfortable (not too loose, not too tight). The Snikwah brand shirts also feature a patented "hood" (with ponytail hole!) which serves as either a turtleneck, face cover/buff, or full-blown hood depending on what you are using it for. This shirt gives the wearer options, which is nice.
What I like
I love the style of the shirt. It's sporty, cute and looks good on. The fabric is very soft, feeling like a sort of cotton blend, and it's comfortable to wear. The designs and colors are also nice (there is truly something for everyone) and it is obvious that this is a high-quality piece of clothing. I love the thumb holes which are great for activities where you want your hands covered or don't want your sleeves riding up your arms. If I was still a runner I have a feeling this would be my go-to fall running shirt as it moves well with your body and offers a semi-loose fit which would be good as a stand-alone piece or for laying over something more snug. It's a comfortable, cute and super functional shirt.
If I have a complaint it is with the length. It felt just an inch or so too short on my torso. In addition, both Scott and I could not really see us using the hood feature, particularly living in the tropics. Speaking of, we tested out our shirts on a 75 degree day and we were warm. While I see me possibly wearing my shirt on a breezy evening in the islands, I highly doubt I will wear it during the hot daytime hours - even though it offers great sun protection. Where we live, sometimes a tee-shirt is too much clothing! While the original design is also touted as a 'water' shirt, It doesn't feel like a water shirt and I'd be more inclined to grab a rashguard before I swam in this (like those in the hydro line) but maybe I just need to try splashing in it and give it a chance.
This is a great shirt that, if we weren't going to be living where the daily temperature is 85-90 degrees and we sweat sitting down, I think we'd get a lot of wear out of this. I think it would be a perfect for offshore sailing, a great base layer for skiing and/or snowboarding, and (as I mentioned) an awesome fall running shirt. It's stylish, comfortable, and versatile. The company is also passionate about the environment, and for every "Project Save our Surf" shirt sold a portion of the proceeds goes towards ocean conservation, which I love. All in all, I'm really pleased to have this shirt and look forward to discovering even more ways to wear it.
* Scott and I received free Snikwah original shirts in return for this review. All opinions are my own.
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. Bonus? The mesh pocket on the outside is great for collecting sea shells in without filling your bag full of sand. It's a great "mini" day pack that is equally functional on the beach, trail or road.
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, just make sure the jacket you get is rated for the weight of your child and you might need to try a couple different brands to find the right (and most comfortable) fit for your child.
. I just noticed they came out with a 
as well, which might be a good option for babies in the tropics.
is a US Coast Guard approved swim/life vest that we use for our girls at the pool or beach. They love them. You might not realize it, but life jackets are terrible for swimming. They are designed to put a baby on their back in the water so kids who are not strong swimmers will immediately go 'turtle'. No fun. The puddle jumper is great for encouraging kids to start swimming, and while it's recommended for kids 30 pounds and up, both our twins have been using them since they were much smaller, under close supervision of course. They allow them some independence in the water, and if there is one thing our girls have in common - it's a strong will to do things on their own!
which comes in a wide array of sizes and colors. 
.
and I have to say I much prefer it (and the cost!) to the more expensive, 'fancier' sun cream brands I have tried - plus, it's mineral based and that feels good.
with the tray addition. Then we had our twins and it (very quickly) became apparent that we were dealing with three VERY different personalities and the Bumbo was not going to restrain Haven (Haven = Strong Like Bull) and was going to be uncomfortable for our little peanut, Mira. I went on the hunt for another solution. I found what I think is a far superior and more practical seat in the 
with tray. This thing is fantastic. It travels well and packs up (relatively) small. We use it for every meal and it's a breeze to set up, break down and clean. It also doubles as a safety chair underway (two carseats would simply not fit in our boat and our girls do NOT enjoy that kind of restraint) we use the straps that are meant to attached to a chair, and attach them to cleats and winches and - voila! - we have seats that keep the girls entertained underway, with trays that I can add a few 
to for entertainment. (Note: I would not recommend this seat as a long term solution for serious passage-making, a car seat or something more protective would be better IMO).
. These beach toys are the bomb. They are made of higher grade plastic, super strong, and made to last (I mean, they are maufacuted by Germans!) When you hold them you can tell immediately they are of superior quality. I am pretty anal about keeping our toys together and in good condition and I am so pleased to partner with them and know that we have sand toys that will now last longer than one season!
to help drown out background noise so our girls sleep soundly. I can tell you that without them on, they wake up more frequently. The downside, of course, is that these are battery operated and so we burn through our 
pretty quickly. But if it means a better and longer nap, I'll take it!
- Paper towels are one of those items that we use in abundance, but unfortunately cost a lot and are far from environmentally friendly. They are also very bulky to store in a small space, like a boat. Scott's mom, always on the lookout for cool, useful boat products, found a couple of these and gave them to us. They. Are. Awesome. While I wouldn't claim they replace paper towels completely, they certainly allow you to cut down on their use. Wet them, ring them out, and wipe away! They are super absorbent, quick drying and reusable. When dirty, just throw in the wash and viola! Good to go again. And again. And again...
- These might be my favorite items that we brought on board this season. I learned about them through 
with smaller versions of them. They pack up small, take very little water and soap 
. We love this brand.
- it's not unusual that I get my first sip of coffee an hour after it's made. Twins plus a toddler will kill your peaceful morning coffee routine quicker than you can say "caffeine". Cold coffee, even here in the tropics, is not my thing so I went on the hunt for a solution and found it in these insulated travel coffee mugs. We have three aboard and use them every day. They are 16 ounces, have twist on lids, and come in different colors as well, which is great for identifying who's coffee is who's. I'm sipping on my second cup as I type.
- These have been a mainstay on cruising boats for a while and we were a little slow on the uptake, but these insulated plastic drinking cups are fantastic for keeping your tropical slushy rum drinks cold. They also have lids which is great when you have little ones running around or, say, want to dinghy to the beach with your afternoon drink in tow. We have two different styles - the regular 16 oz cups (each in different patterns) and two extra large 
with the 
(thanks 
- I know, chip clips making it onto our list? How dull. But truly, we love this brand of clip and can't seem to have enough of them. We are constantly needed to re-close an open bag of chips, food, or baking goods and these do the trick. We've had this style of clip aboard since the beginning and they feel sturdy and strong and hold up to the marine environment great. I love that they come in bright colors which just so happen to match our 
- I have no idea what these things are made of (and I probably don't want to know), but they are truly magic. They can clean up just about anything from burned on grime from a cooking pan, rust in a sink basin, and tea stains on white counter tops. They do the trick when bleach won’t. We have a stockpile of these on board and they have proven their place on our boat a hundred times over. (Note: One thing they surprisingly don’t clean is pen on vinyl, but they will restore dirty white ultra leather seat cushions to their former glory).
- Scott loves this little thing. On a sailboat, there's no shortage of line (aka "rope"). From halyards to lanyards, we've got it all and we've got it in spades. Scott is frequently cutting and whipping line for a multitude of reasons, and he finishes every job with this torch. This little lighter burns the end of the line perfectly, is very small and compact and I'm sure there are lots of emergency uses that I am not mentioning here. It's flame power is adjustable and it's super wind resistant. He loves it and it has it's own special place in Scott's "most useful items" drawer.
- This “as seen on TV” item was gifted to us when Scott and I first moved in together back in Chicago and it sat in our cupboard collecting dust for most of that time. I have no idea what, then, compelled me to bring aboard our first boat, Rasmus, but boy am I glad I did. It makes chopping veggies (particularly onions) infinitely easier, and there's even a built in measuring system if measurements are your thing. We use this chopper when preparing almost any meal since we are a veggie-heavy boat. There are two different sizes to choose from, small and tiny, (great for salsas!) and dicing onions, tomatoes and peppers is much more appealing with this lil' wizard. It's widely known that I despise cooking in general, particularly the prep work, but this simple gadget makes it so much easier. Not pleasant, but easier.
- Anyone with small children knows how messy feeding them can be and multiply that by two? No thanks. In preparing to bring "three under three" aboard I had visions of my life in paradise being relegated to picking up cheerios and macaroni bits one by one multiple times a day, not to mention the fact that I shed like a German Shepard 'blowing' his coat. I knew I needed some sort of vacuum. I use this one every. single. day. It is compact and cordless and each time I use it I remind Scott out loud how glad I am to have it (read: he considered it "unnecessary". He has since changed his tune). Our's is an AC (110V) version, meaning we charge it when we run our generator (which every couple of days to 
- another gift from Scott's thoughtful mom and so great/useful in the galley. These are slightly thicker than a slice of paper and have a very thin, silicone backing for good gripping on any countertop surface. They take almost zero effort (and water) to clean, and can be used to funnel ingredients as well. Sturdy enough to be a great cutting surface but flexible enough to funnel, these have been a mainstay in our galley. The best part? They take up almost zero space.
