Review: Hatley Snow Gear

I was getting a little worried that we were never going to get to try out our awesome new Prancing Ponies Snow Gear from Hatley. We missed the snow in Kansas by a couple of days and then the snow in Chicago by a few hours in December. Of course, now it's so darn cold that we aren't even considering going outside, but we did actually get some snow late last week and we gave our Snow Gear a good workout. Snow angels, sledding, the works. I've been thoroughly impressed by the Snow Gear from Hatley. It's warm, easy to get on, and seriously, could it be any cuter?

Click on Read More for the full review, based on 4 stars.

Functionality/Durability **** - This is not a category I usually use for clothing, but in this case, I feel it's relevant. I'll start with the boots. As you already know, Nadia is super picky about what she'll put on her feet. She likes her independence, and I like to encourage it, as difficult as it might sometimes make my life. She wears her Prancing Ponies everywhere we go now that there's 8 inches of snow on the ground. I never have to help her put them on, and after I showed her how to make sure her feet were inside the waterproof liner, she doesn't scream that she can't do it. (Her patience is as limited as her mother's sometimes.)

The snow pants are equally easy for her to get on. All we have to do is zip them up for her. The elasticized boot cuffs keep all the snow out and make the pants easy to pull down over her boots. The coat zips effortlessly as well; I've yet to struggle with it, or have it unzip from the bottom like some cheap zippers do. Plus, the down filling is not at all bulky. She doesn't walk around looking like the little boy from a Christmas Story with arms that won't bend. I know, I know, you're really supposed to unbundle your kid when you buckle them into a car seat, but if you live in a cold climate it's just not realistic. The fact that the jacket isn't bulky means that I can get Nadia buckled in easier and she's much more comfortable than the jacket she was wearing earlier in the season. I love the faux fur trim on the hood, and even if I didn't, it easily unbuttons and comes off.

This snow gear is really stinkin' cute, but even more importantly, it is warm. We went sledding on Sunday and were out for about an hour with a temperature that hovered around the 20-25 degree mark. Not the coldest it could be, but certainly not warm. Nadia never complained about being cold. Not once. We had to drag her off the hill when the rest of us finally could take no more. When we got her home, she was as dry as could be. No snow had crept up her pant legs, the boots hadn't leaked, and the tight, but not too tight elastic on the sleeves of her jacket blocked the snow, too. I'm thoroughly impressed!

Washability/Wear ***1/2 - So, I haven't washed this gear yet to be very specific on how well it washes because Nadia has only been wearing it for a month or so. It's not completely filthy, yet. I did read the care instructions, and due to the down filling, you do have to dry the jacket and pants with tennis balls in the dryer, but you don't have to have it dry cleaned which is a bonus!

Style ***1/2 - I LOVE the ponies. For boys, there is the Bear Country gear which is equally adorable. As the Snow Gear is a new line for Hatley, you only have the two choices. Hopefully they will add more options next year, maybe one that is a little more gender neutral. Obviously, Nadia could wear the Bear Country gear, but Isaac won't be able to wear her Prancing Ponies gear. Perhaps something along the lines of the Fun Dogs Raincoat. Cute for both a boy and a girl. It's always nice to be able to hand quality gear down to a sibling, especially the pants which don't get as much wear as the coat and boots do.

Sizing **** - Nadia is an average to small 3 year old. (Except for her feet which are gigantic! She's measuring as an 8 1/2 already!) Hatley sent us the size 3 gear, and unless she goes through a major growth spurt before next winter, I'm guessing she'll be able to wear the jacket and snow pants again next year. The coat has plenty of room to grow, but yet isn't ridiculously gigantic on her. The pants will definitely get used next year thanks to the adjustable shoulder straps.

Price *** - I struggle with being "cheap" sometimes which makes this category sort of difficult for me. The snow jacket is $96. While this seems a little pricey, when you start comparing it with other quality snow gear out there, it's actually a really good price. The snow pants are $64. Again, this might sound crazy, but for the quality is an awesome price! The boots are $58. They are so easy to get on and keep Nadia's feet warm and completely dry which is worth paying a bit of a premium for. If you can get two kids' worth of use out of the gear then I say it's more than worth it. If you live somewhere cold and snowy and will use the gear a lot, then again, it's totally worth it. Hopefully next year there will be more style choices making the hand-me-down option from brother to sister or vice versa an option, too.

Overall Rating almost **** - The design of this gear has been well thought out. It's warm and made from high quality materials and allows my preschooler to be independent. I don't know if the designers at Hatley were thinking about how easy it would be for a 3-year old to put on the pants and boots, but they did it! If you live somewhere where playing in the snow is an option, you want your kid to be warm and dry, and they will be in the new Snow Gear from Hatley. Plus, they'll look super cute which is important in it's own way, too! You only get to be a kid once!

Hatley doesn't just sell Snow Gear. They have clothing for men, women and children as well as rain gear, backpacks, umbrellas and items for the home. They have a $9.99 deal of the day (although I'm not sure it's been updated recently.) Check out their 25-50% off sale going on right now, too. You can buy directly from the Hatley Nature website or if you're really, really lucky save yourself some shipping and find a store near you.