Friday 22 May 2015

I never dreamed we'd be a wetsuit kind of family! #CountryKids

Our lake that the kids love to swim in every day in summer and a wetsuit makes it so much more pleasant

That might seem like a strange statement. What is a wetsuit kind of family you might ask?

Just not one I ever thought I'd be part of is the honest answer. Growing up no-where near the sea and with parents who were not exactly adventurous I've never done any kind of activity that means I needed to don a wetsuit and now being a larger lady I suspect I may never. My husband grew up in similar circumstances and whilst he did lots of adventurous scouting type things when he was young, kids didn't really wear wetsuits when we were young.

Now our lives have changed beyond recognition and we live in 220 acres of beautiful land and have three lakes, one of which has a dedicated swimming area but of course it is cold so the kids want a wetsuit as they love to take a dip every day after school. I'm so looking forward to the nicer weather and them being able to enjoy the lake for swimming and boating.
Last year JJ joined scouts in our new area and the only camp he could make the date of was a water camp. Now he adores camping and was desperate to go but he ummed and ahhed about the fact it was all water activities and he was not used to that. I'm so glad to was courageous and went because picking him up it was a joy he hear him tell me how it was the best camp ever and he loves all the water activities.

Miss E loved the blue coloured wetsuit but sadly it was too big for her

The girls have recently joined Cubs and now I have three children taking part in water activities and they are off kayaking in just a couple of weeks and JJ will be going to his beloved water camp again. Because of these factors I needed to get the kids wetsuits and I was pleased to see that they are available for a really great price at Mountain Warehouse at the moment. JJ is a larger boy so he is now in men's sizes and I got him the men's shorty wetsuit for £19.99. Miss M's shorty wetsuit was £16.99 and Miss E's was just £12.99 as she fits in the smaller size.

I find it quite hard to judge what size to buy with a wetsuit as they need to be snug enough to do their job properly but not too tight that the child can hardly dress themselves, especially when they are away at camp the last thing you want is an embarrassed child hopping round half dressed and half naked! I ordered the three wetsuits in the sizes I guessed would be right given their normal clothes sizing (if I had been more sensible I would have checked the Mountain Warehouse sizing chart) and it turned out two were fine and one was too big, so I got to try out the free exchange service.

All I had to do was complete the slip, stick the return label on and put the package back in the postbox, unfortunately they did not have the wetsuit in stock that I wanted but I was advised quickly, so it was great service. If I had not wanted an exchange then it would have cost me £3 to return the item postally for a refund, or you can return it to a store free of charge.

JJ was feeling a bit shy and kept hiding!

All three wetsuits came with the following features -
  • UV protection so the kids can play out without me worrying about their tender tummy an chest areas.
  • made from 2.5mm/2mm neoprene fabric
  • flat seams and close fit to prevent chafing
  • contour sculpted fit
  • easy glide zip with extended puller
  • inner key pocket
  • adjustable neck closure 
We've had quite a number of things from Mountain Warehouse over the last few years and there has not been anything that I've not been completely happy with. Last year Jacob received a sleeping bag to review and he has used it several times and is very happy with it and Miss E has a gorgeous coat that she adores and it is washing up well, she has certainly put it through its trials. I like the Mountain Warehouse way, they do not stock tons of brands, nearly everything is developed and made for them and it means you get high quality at lower prices and that suits me just fine.

I'm linking this post up with Fiona at Coombe Mill for #CountryKids as since we moved to the countryside nearly two years ago my kids have fully embraced what t means to get outside! Swimming in the lake is just one of those ways.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall 

Disclosure: We received the three wet suits free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.
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