I'll be the first to admit the outdoor clothing and equipment market is tricky, especially for parents. We give birth to our bundles of joy and innocently enter a perpetual state of flux known as "growth" without realizing how quickly babies sprout like Alaska rhubarb, shooting through shoes and clothes almost as quickly as we can purchase them. And this doesn't include accouterments like strollers, skis, sleeping bags or car seats for active lifestyles we weren't willing to sacrifice when kids come along.
Marketing is a powerful force in the outdoor and travel gear industries. Ads show rosy-cheeked little ones wearing the latest in clothing styles, sitting in a rugged four-wheel-drive stroller near the family tent. Photos depict smiling parents, who look like nothing ever bothers them, schlepping kids and caboodle through airport concourses or train stations, toting gear with ease. Right.
Ever try traveling with all this stuff?
I often think parents should have evolved into creatures with five arms so they could tote car seat, stroller, backpack, sippy cup, portable crib, favorite blankie. Oh yeah, and the kid. Maybe seven arms would have been better. I now understand why my parents purchased a Volkswagen Bus.
The point is that travel with kids is full of things for their safety, amusement and comfort. Parents today are more fortunate than ever to have a wide range of choices for gear, ranging from campsite play seats to bike trailers and harnesses designed for air travel. But gosh, this stuff takes up space and costs money.
There is another way. In Anchorage, where gear is synonymous with adventurous endeavors, even for little ones, some companies are trying to make family travel and outdoor experiences less complicated and more affordable.
Starting with fishing gear rentals
Michelle Grenier, owner of Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental, is a fourth-generation Alaskan and a lover of all things outside. After operating a vacation rental home for several years, Grenier noticed visitors were reluctant to purchase fishing poles, waders and other equipment for short visits to Alaska.
Yet, she told me, "People truly wanted to experience the Alaskan outdoors." So they'd buy expensive gear and leave it behind. Rising fees for checked baggage certainly played a role, but so did the cost of high-quality gear for niche activities that visitors from, say, Kansas, couldn't pursue at home. So Grenier began collecting the stuff. At first, it was mostly fishing gear, but as word spread, she expanded her inventory.
Today, Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental has its own storefront and warehouse off Arctic Boulevard in Anchorage, where Grenier keeps track of a variety of outdoor-themed items suited to the Alaska outdoors.
And not just fishing anymore. As soon as I walked into the narrow warehouse, that was clear. A row of kid-size rubber boots lined the floor, and equally small pairs of rain pants and jackets were hung neatly on racks. Grenier proudly showed me stacks of sleeping bags to fit smaller campers and brand-name backpacks suitable for wilderness forays.
"Parents want their kids to have fun in Alaska," she said, "but without investing too much for a growing body."
I get that. With an 11-year-old growing taller every day, it's become evident that last year's backpack is far too small, and yet my adult one is still too large for his narrow hips and lean torso. Grenier pointed to a Deuter pack. "This one is great for shorter backcountry trips and is super comfortable."
The company will even buy gently used equipment your kids have outgrown, Grenier said.
Making travel easier
If Sarah Knechtel knows one thing, it's babies. This mom of three (soon to be four) owns Alaska Baby Rentals and is a firm believer in taking children outdoors and on trips from an early age. It's the rare day when she and her little tribe are not hiking a trail or making plans to go somewhere. In fact, a family hike inspired her business plan.
"We were hiking an Alaska trail with our double Chariot jogging stroller, and people kept stopping to ask about it for their babies and toddlers. Many were visitors, and this idea was born to rent baby gear," she said.
Alaska Baby Rentals has what new parents need — maybe a bit more. Don't want to lug a car seat on the airplane or around the state in different vehicles? Knechtel will meet you at the airport for a car seat handoff. Lacking a crib or high chair for grandkids visiting this summer? No problem, Alaska Baby Rentals has those too. From transportation in outdoor-tested strollers to baby and toddler carriers, and even tools for safety around the home, Knechtel takes some of the stress away from traveling with an infant or toddler.
If you're new to either parenthood or Alaska, or, like me, have been out of the baby stage for several years, having a resource for infant and toddler adventures is reassuring — and usually less costly too.
Although those two stores specialize in outdoor gear for kids, they aren't the only options in Anchorage: the REI Anchorage store rents sleeping bags, tents and paddle gear. The Bait Shack beside Ship Creek rents kid-sized fishing gear and waders, and sells licenses -- multi-day or single day.
Specifics
• Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental: www.alaskaoutdoorgearrental.com, 7133 Arctic Boulevard, Anchorage, (907) 830-0232. Rents sit-on-top kayaks, fishing gear, foul weather gear, sporting goods, winter clothing, camping gear and other outdoor equipment for both children and adults. Rent by the day, week, or longer. Discounts on packages. Resources for trip planning as well as seasonal gear storage.
• Alaska Baby Rentals: www.alaskababyrentals.com, (907) 240-7368. Rentals include sleeping, traveling, camping and feeding gear for infants and toddlers. No storefront, but Knechtel will meet you at the airport or schedule an appointment at her home office. Rent by the day (three-day minimum), week or long-term. Military discount.
Erin Kirkland is publisher of AKontheGO.com and author of the guidebook "Alaska On the Go: Exploring the 49th State with Children."