Our family has long been familiar with Burt’s Bees products. I’m sure if you gathered up lip balms  you could find no fewer than 3 Burt’s Bees laying around here, and we’ve used the Baby Bee wash and lotions on my little ones. When I was searching for a new face care regimen, I was excited to see multiple natural skin care lines from Burt’s Bees.

About Burt’s Bees

Burt’s Bees is an “Earth Friendly, Natural Personal Care Company.” We create natural, Earth-friendly personal care products formulated to help you maximize your well-being and that of the world around you.

To make certain that all our products meet the highest standards, as well as our dedication to ensuring The Greater Good, our products are carefully crafted using ingredients that are the best nature has to offer: beeswax, botanical and essential oils, herbs, flowers and minerals. These safe, effective ingredients have withstood the test of time.

The Right Natural Skin Care Products for You

Burt’s Bees has a number of products lines – from Radiance to Natural Acne to Naturally Ageless – so I checked out the Product Advisor to find the best line for my skin. After four quick questions about my age and skin type, the Product Advisor recommended a combination of products including the Radiance Skin Care Line.

What sets Radiance apart is its featured ingredient: Royal Jelly.

Royal Jelly — Very nourishing, royal jelly is made of nectar, pollen, flower parts, vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients. It is a very precious, mysterious substance that honeybees produce for the queen bee.

Radiance Skin Care

For the past couple weeks I’ve been using Radiance Facial Cleanser, Radiance Day Creme and Radiance Eye Creme to make my skin pretty.  I admit that I was happy the Product Advisor recommended Radiance products because I liked the sound of this description from the Facial Cleanser, “While royal jelly, one of nature’s most nutritious substances, helps enhance skin’s natural radiance. Your skin appears brighter and younger-looking, naturally.” While I’m not old, I have noticed fine lines around my eyes and want to fight signs of aging now by protecting and enhancing my skin.

Not enough time has passed for me to tell you that Radiance has reversed all signs of aging (here’s hoping!), but I can tell you that I really like using the products. So much so that I’ve already placed an order for additional products from the Radiance line. All of the products are soft, and by that I mean they are light and gentle and feel great going on. I tend to use cleansers with exfoliant of some sort but I’ve really enjoyed the feel and short term results from the Daily Cleanser.

Both the Day and Eye Creme are lighter and less thick than I expected, and I was a bit thrown off at first. The consistency is really different from other lotions in a jar. It’s thicker than a lotion from a pump (like the Radiance Day Lotion with SPF 15), but more “runny” and less thick than other cremes in a jar. I’m anxious to start using the Night Creme to see how it compares. Even with the thinner consistency, you don’t need much of either Creme to get nice coverage. My skin is so dry – especially during the winter – that I feel uncomfortable without lotion on. It doesn’t take too much for my face to feel moisturized and ready for the day. Like the Cleanser, both Cremes have a very, very faint scent making them very easy to wear.

Shop! The entire collection of Burt’s Bees Radiance Skin Care is available at Burt’s Bees, and select products are also on Amazon. The suggested retail price for the Facial Cleanser is $10, and $18 for Day Creme and Eye Creme.

Win! Burt’s Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser, Day Creme and Eye Creme!

How to Enter: Visit Burt’s Bees and take the quick 4-question Skin Care Advisor quiz. Leave a comment with one of your recommended products.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

• Connect with Burt’s Bees on Facebook
• Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You may do this every day, just leave the link when you do.
  Burt’s Bees Radiance Skin Care line – $46 value Giveaway @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/gBTSKo
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• Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or RSS.
• Sign up for the The Shopping Mama Newsletter.

Giveaway ends February 14. Open to US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: Thanks to Burt’s Bees for providing samples and the giveaway prize. Opinions are my own.

About the Arc Customizable System

Arc customizable notebook system is a unique line of notebooks and accessories form M by Staples. It’s ultra-flexible design allows you to add, remove and rearrange pages easily as your needs change. Plus, you can personalize it with your favorite add-ons for a system that’s uniquely you.

My Arc

I’ve been keeping track of my thoughts and scribbles and notes in a Junior Size Leather Notebook. The Notebook comes with 60 pages of lined paper that you can move around how you want. You add on and purchase accessories to customize the Notebook separately including graph ruled paper, project planner paper, to do lists, pocket dividers, tab dividers, page flags and small task pads. The Notebook isn’t a planner and, in fact, there aren’t calendar refills to add to the system. I am a little disappointed there aren’t calendar inserts to make the Notebook a planner and organizer in one. But, I have gotten more use out of it than I expected without the calendar portion.

The Notebook isn’t spiral bound like it looks, and instead everything can be removed and moved around. That is a big benefit for me since it always seems like a new project is a priority and I like to be able to rearrange things. At the moment, the Notebook is as full as it can be and it doesn’t lie flat. I think it might be better if the ring were larger to accommodate more paper, dividers and such.

To be honest, I didn’t check the price of the System until I started working on this review and I was highly impressed with the price tag. I expected it to start at a minimum of $20. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Notebook is only $10 and the accessories are about $2. So affordable!

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I really like using the Arc Notebook System and love how affordable it is. It’s totally customizable and you only need to buy the accessories that you want to use. All the accessories are effective and you can place them wherever you need them. I recommend the Junior size – it’s plenty big but fits easily in my purse.

Or Not to Buy… I do wish the Notebook System had a monthly calendar accessory so I could use it as a planner and organizer. It’s possible to use the narrow ruled sheets as days of the week – since they’re unmarked – but it would be a bit of a waste.

Shop! The M by Staples Arc Customizable Notebook System is available in Junior size (6 3/8 x 8 3/4 inches) and Letter size (9 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches). The Notebooks start at only $5 for Poly material Junior size and go up to $14.99 for Leather in Letter size. Accessories are available for purchase separately and are $2 to $3.

Thanks to Staples for providing a sample for the purpose of this review. As always, opinions are my own.

“Do they really work?”

As someone who was STOPPED IN THE HALL today at work and told that I looked like I was loosing weight (I’m not, I was on the scale this morning) because my backside looks smaller, I think I can answer, “Heck Yes!” Hello, do they make better feedback than that?

So now you are wondering, “Is it really the shoes?”

I did make a New Year’s resolution to work out more, but I’ve only made it to the gym 4 times this month (5 if you count the time I had to leave because little guy was crying so hard I couldn’t handle it). I of course wore my truebalance shoes and I could really feel them bringing up the burn, especially on the incline treadmill. Maybe if things continue at this rate I will have a worship worthy tush in a few months. Imagine if I was actually able to work out a couple days a week!

The main feature of these shoes, their balance board technology, actually made me a little nervous at first. I am a huge klutz, I can trip over a line painted on the pavement, and so I worried that something designed to destabilize me, would…right onto my hiney. That’s not the way I wanted to shape things up (plus it would probably involve swelling which is pretty much the opposite of what I was going for). This is not the case at all with these shoes. I don’t feel unstable in them at all and, if it wasn’t for the fact that I can feel my muscles working more, I probably wouldn’t believe that they were toning shoes.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The shoes are super comfortable and I wear them any time I can get away with sneakers and sometimes when I probably really shouldn’t. They so cute and I’ve gotten compliments on the way they look and of course everyone is surprised when I tell them these are toning shoes. I highly recommend Truebalance toning shoes.

Not to Buy… These shoes are perfect for adding extra toning to day to day activities or cardio at the gym. What I wouldn’t recommend these shoes for is running, I don’t think they are designed for that (and honestly, if you are really running I’m pretty sure your tush is getting toned). New Balance has many outstanding options for running shoes. Check them out at shopnewbalance.com or your local running shop.

Shop! Truebalance WW850 shoes are available in 7 stylish colors on-line at, Amazon.com, and local retailers for $89.99.

Win! You still have time to enter to win a pair in our New Balance Truebalance WW850 Toning Shoes Giveaway!

Get Organized with SMEAD

SMEAD products are straight forward and to the point. No frills, no fancy colors, but they get the job done. And are just what I need to get my stuff in order. I’m getting my paperwork in order with the Expanding Files and Tax Organizer.

Jan – Dec File Organizer: Organize large amounts of paperwork that need to be transported quickly, or file material without a file cabinet. Number of pockets varies depending on your choice of indexing method. Elastic cord on flap adds security.

The monthly file organizer is pretty straightforward – it’s an expandable folder that can hold up to an impressive 900 sheets of paper. There are 12 pockets (one for each month), and I’ll use it this year to file away important blog documents. I’m hoping this will keep me on track with my goal of getting more organized while growing the blog. Of course, it will save me a bunch of running around early next year to get paperwork in order for 2011 taxes.

Tax Organizer: This six-pocket Tax Organizer makes tax preparation a breeze. Simple instructions and a checklist are printed on the inside front cover. There are printed and blank labels included for easy filing. The Tax Organizer features secure pockets for safe transport.

I haven’t received many tax documents yet, but when they start arriving in the mail, they are going directly into the Tax Organizer. The Organizer is an expandable folder with six pockets just for tax info. The front cover has a checklist with tips on how to get the most out of the organizer and a tax checklist so you can make sure you have all the info you need to prepare. The folders are tabbed and the Organizer comes with pre-printed labels (like W-2s, 1099s, etc.) and blank stickers so you can make your own specific labels.

My Tax Organizer is all ready to go… just waiting to be filled with documents.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The SMEAD organizing tools are simple and effective. The folders are expandable and thankfully well reinforced so they’ll withstand a lot of documents and shuffling around. I really do appreciate the folders and hope they’ll keep me organized!

Or Not to Buy… While I like that the products are all business and to the point, it does make the price tags seem a little high. The suggested price for the Expanding File is $14.49 (on sale on Amazon for $8.37) and for Tax Organizer is $18.49.

Shop & Organize! You can find  valuable tips for getting organized for your taxes on the SMEAD Organomics website. SMEAD products are available at Amazon, Office Depot and Wal-Mart.

Thanks to SMEAD for providing sample products. This is a compensated post. As always, opinions are my own.

About DwellStudio for Target

If you are thinking of  styling a new nursery or looking to add to your little ones wardrobe, the styles from DwellStudio will most definitely add a great pop of color and patterns to any baby’s room or life!  Mod designs partner with luxurious details for an out -of-the ordinary nursery.

Designer Brand at Affordable Price Tag

I love all things modern and chic from DwellStudio, and adore checking out what they have come up with at my local Target.  The latest collection  includes some adorable onesie sets, and a great wearable blanket that my little one loves rolling around in! It is so comfy and soft, I love knowing that she is staying “covered up ” at night, without an actual blanket.  As one would expect, the price points are extremely affordable, starting at $9.99 and going up to $74.99 for an entire bedding set!  I am in love with the Tulip bedding, and for a brief moment considered buying the whole set to change out in my daughter’s room, just for a different look. The price point certainly allows you to do this!

**Prices may vary in the store and on-line.

I think my favorite thing from DwellStudio is the Tulip 3 piece bedding set that I mentioned. I love how fresh and modern it is. I can see this in a very streamlined, minimalist nursery for just the perfect “pop” of color.

3 Piece Crib Set  ($79.99), fleece blanket ($9.99)

How adorable is this if you have two sisters sharing a room? Gorgeous!

Toddler set ($49.99)

Shop! DwellStudio for Target is available in Target stores nationwide and Target.com.

We received sample items from the line.

About Bungalow

Founded in 2004, Bungalow is a lifestyle designer and importer of the Scout Collection and decorative flooring. Both are fashionable, fun and affordable. The Bungalow lifestyle is about being unpredictable – it’s about finding a way of living that’s not too serious, but one that makes you feel good about being there.

Scout has grown from a simple tote into a full collection of products designed to be in sync with today’s lifestyle – one where innovative style meets a high level of function, all with a smile.

We believe that when you invite Scout into your life – whether it’s toting or storing your stuff – it becomes a better place. So celebrate your stuff – find a pattern and product that fits the way you live. Because, once Scout is in your life, you’ll see how it makes sense for the times and for the way you want to live.

Storage Has Never Looked So Good

Scout products are just so cool – they truly blend pretty and practical and the result is awesome goodies you want in your home. On the practical side, the stuff folds up very compactly so you can put it out of the way when it’s not in use. For example, unlike a giant rubber storage bin, the Junque Trunk provides a sturdy bottom but can fold up to nearly flat for easy storage. I really don’t have to explain how the products are pretty – you can see that for yourself when you browse Bungalow, but I will tell you that they do look great in person. Moms will also appreciate that the products are made of a polywoven material that is water resistant and can be wiped clean.

Be-Low-Me – Underbed Storage ($20). The storage container is 26 inches square and up to 7 inches tall making it just the right size to fill and slide under your bed. In the totally smart category, the Be-Low-Me has a clear top so you can pull it out and peek inside without actually having to unzip and dig through to find what you’re after. While I have plenty of junk stuff under my bed, this really is perfect for college students living in a dorm with super limited space.

Junque Trunk – Collapsible Open Top Bin ($40, select colors on sale for $30). 24 inches wide by 15 inches tall and 15 inches deep. This trunk feels HUGE and can hold a ton of junque stuff. The handles are well reinforced so even when it’s nice and full you can easily move it. The color selection is awesome for the Junque Trunk meaning it would look just as “in place” in an adult bedroom (French Twist Black) as it would a child’s play room (Cabanarama).

The Napoleon – General Multipupose Tote ($25). This tote has so many uses that it will easily find a place in your home and you won’t remember what you did before you had it. If I had a green thumb, I’d love this has a gardening tote to put little shovels and gloves and other gardening things (whatever those are), but the four pockets and reinforced bottom make it just as perfectly suited to hold your cleaning supplies. The Elvis Paisley pattern is so cute that I need to hide this from my daughter so she doesn’t steal it to add to her purse collection.

Pocket Rocket – Multi-pocketed Tote ($40). The Pocket Rocket tote has traveled many miles with me over the past couple weeks as I’ve filled it for trips to the grandparents’ house several times. The six outside pockets are great for sippy cups, but I happen to think they’d be lovely for wine bottles if you’re taking to a friend’s house for a night of BUNCO. The tall shape makes this great for paperwork, too, so it would be great for teachers. I love that it has two sets of handles – one short and one long – so you can carry it by the handles or throw it over your shoulder.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I just *love* the Scout products we reviewed and will certainly shop for more. The products are colorful, easy to clean and totally, totally useful. I love that they can be folded up and put away when you don’t need them (not sure when that will be…) and that they look amazing and are surprisingly sturdy.

Or Not to Buy… I don’t think Scout storage is suited for the basement or garage. I mean it could hold your stuff there, for sure, but it’s better for indoor use as it’s water resistant and not waterproof. Plus, bring it inside where you can see it.

Shop! Scout Tote and Storage products range in price from $20 to $40. If you’re not in the market for Storage or Totes (how is that possible?), Bungalow also offers School Bags, Insulated Totes and On-the-Go Totes (think lunch bag).

Win! A $50 Gift Card to Bungalow!

How to Enter: Visit Bungalow and leave a comment here with something you’d love in your home.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

• Like Scout on Facebook
• Follow Scout and The Shopping Mama on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You may do this every day, just leave the link when you do.
  Get organized with Scout by Bungalow – cool, colorful and collected! $50 Giveaway @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/eOjtQo
• Like The Shopping Mama on Facebook? If you Share or Like this post on your Facebook, leave another comment.
• Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or RSS.
• Sign up for the The Shopping Mama Newsletter.

Giveaway ends January 17. Open to US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: Thanks to Bungalow for providing the review samples and the giveaway prize. As always, opinions are my own.

Zoom 360 Specifications & Details

• Stroller weight: 26.8 pounds
• Weight capacity: 75 pounds (!!)
• Recommended age: 6 months and older
• Wide seat with five point harness
• Reflective stitching and fabric on sunshade and harness strap
• Adjustable reclining seat position
• Front wheel swivels 360 degrees and locks inline for jogging
• Shock absorbing system
• Oversized sunshade and peek-a-boo window
• Made with aircraft grade aluminum

Zoom 360 Video

Jogging with the Zoom 360

You may know, my husband is the jogger in our house, so he has done the majority of the jogging with the Zoom 360. He quickly realized it’s very different to run with an actually jogging stroller – in a good way! The large tires together with an insanely good suspension system make the ride smooth and, in turn, the run smooth. His only real issue is that the handle height is not adjustable. He’d like the handle a little taller, but it is perfect for me (which, of course is the beauty of an adjustable handle).

Strolling with the Zoom

The Zoom 360 is very easy to push and has great maneuverability, though I did notice its size immediately. It’s a pretty long stroller so it took a little getting used to. For daily use, I love how easily and compactly the stroller folds. It does take two hands to fold and unfold the stroller but it’s really simple and quick. Another feature that makes the Zoom easy to use is the five-point harness which is completely adjustable from the front of the stroller with almost no effort.

The large seat with two mesh pockets for toys, snacks or cups is great for kids. I’ve seriously never seen such a generously sized stroller seat and it also has tremendous leg room and seat height. Adding to the comfort factor for kids is the enormous sunshade and the adjustable seat position. It reclines nearly flat and doesn’t have set positions so it’s fully adjustable which is nice. I do find the seat a bit difficult to adjust. It’s easy, in theory, as you just lift a tab and push the seat down or pull on the d-ring to raise the seat. It’s just a little stiff and hard to move but hopefully that will improve with more use. For parent’s comfort, there is an optional neoprene cup holder with room for two cups and a small zippered pouch for keys and other small items.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The Zoom 360 is a great option for a do everything stroller. It has great suspension, large wheels and a huge sunshade for jogging. The front wheel swivels for tremendous day to day maneuverability, a good size basket, as well as an adjustable recline and large seat for comfort. Because the large seat accommodates children up to 75 pounds and is very large you can plan to use this stroller for literally years and years. For the price, I think it’s a good buy for a versatile jogging stroller

Or Not to Buy… The Zoom 360 main weakness is due to the length and width for daily functionality. It’s not an issue when jogging or walking outdoors, but the length can be problematic in other uses like shopping and crowded areas. I’d also love to see the handle height be adjustable.

Shop! The Joovy Zoom 360 is available in two colors (black and blue). It retails for $269 but is currently on sale at Joovy.com for $199.

Check back in the next couple weeks for a follow-up review to share some more details about the Zoom 360. Please let me know in the comments if you have any particular questions or concerns about the stroller and I’ll make sure to answer them in the next post.

Disclosure: Thanks to Joovy for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. Opinions are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

Features of the Dyson DC25

• Full size vacuum designed to work on all floor types.
• Ball™ technology for extreme maneuverability.
• Root Cyclone™ technology that doesn’t lose suction power as you vacuum (220 air watts).
• Quick-draw Telescopic Reach™ wand.
• Bagless vacuum with lifetime washable HEPA filters.
• Weight: 16.12 pounds
• Measurements: 42.4 x 15.4 x 12.2 (HxWxD) inches

Ball™ Technology

One of the features that intrigued me the most about the DC25 All Floors was the Ball Technology. If you watch this quick video demonstration, you’ll see what had me so interested. (And, frankly, it does a much better job at demonstrating the Ball capability than I ever could on video.)

Pushing the DC25 with the rolling ball is quite different from pushing a typical vacuum with four wheels. As expected, it turns like a dream and makes it very easy to maneuver around furniture (and toys). It’s also surprisingly easy to vacuum under the coffee table, and it vacuums the edge along walls and into corners with ease.

All Floors Vacuum

Switching from carpet to hard surface flooring is easy and only requires the push of a button. Turn the brushbar on for carpets and rugs and the Dyson uses bristles to remove dirt; with the brushbar off, the vacuum relies on the powerful suction to clean hard surfaced floors.

In the short video I will give you a glimpse at the mess that is my floor after a day with my 3 year old and 1 year old. Like I mentioned, we have laminate flooring and it shows every little crumb. Sadly, as you can imagine with two young kids I have a lot more than little crumbs to deal with. Indeed, my daughter’s current method of indicating she’s finished eating is to throw food from her high chair. The crumbs from the kitchen inevitably find their way around our house.

In some ways, what’s more shocking is that I didn’t even realize how much dirt and crumbs we were tracking until we got the wood floors. So, even though I can’t see them, all those crumbs also end up in the carpeted bedrooms. The cyclone technology allows me to see all the dirt that’s been collected – and I admit the first time I vacuumed our carpets I was pretty grossed out. But that’s the great thing about having the vacuum cleaner that works on all floor surfaces. The DC25 applies the same powerful suction to the carpet and rugs as it does to the hard surfaces. And, clearly, I need that power everywhere.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The Dyson DC25 All Floors Vacuum is pretty spectacular. It moves easily from our wood floor to tile to rugs and carpets. And, most importantly, it picks up everything in one sweep. Though thankfully not an issue in our home, the DC25 with its HEPA filter is certified asthma-friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Though the cost might seem steep up front, you do not need to buy bags, belts or filters which may save you cash in the long run. Oh, and clearly the thing looks cool as any vacuum possibly can – that’s what’s really important, right?

Or Not to Buy… The DC25 weighs a bit over 16 pounds, but I was surprised by how heavy it feels. If you have only one surface in your home, the All Floors might not be the best bet for you.

Shop! Visit Dyson.com for more information about the entire line of Dyson vacuum cleaners. With a suggested retail price of $499.99, you can browse and purchase the Dyson store on Amazon.com.

Disclosure: Thank you to Dyson for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. Opinions contained here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience. Shopping my sponsors and affiliates (like the Amazon link) is a great way to support The Shopping Mama.

About ecostore USA

ecostore USA  loves making a difference in people’s lives. We are passionate about improving the planet and bringing you everyday household products that are safer and healthier for you and your family. Originating in 1993 as a New Zealand-based manufacturer, wholesale distributor and retailer of sustainable household and personal care products, ecostore USA offers plant-based cleaning products as well as body and baby care products. The guiding principle of our formulations is that the end product must not only be good for the planet, but must also be good for the user.

ecostore USA Baby Care

Formulated from all natural ingredients, including plants and essential oils, ecostore USA baby care products are perfectly suited for baby’s soft, sensitive skin. We’ve been using the Baby Body Wash and Baby Nappy Balm for a couple weeks, and ecostore also offers Baby Shampoo, Soap and Massage Oil. And, you know I love to include photos in my reviews, but I will not be including pictures of my wee ones in the tub or getting a diaper change.

I love, love, love the Baby Nappy Balm. Made of a blend of olive, coconut and sesame oils, the Nappy Balm is a great consistency. It is not thick or goopy, and goes on clear. The first time I put some Nappy Balm on Toddler Girl’s bottom she had some irritation and a little diaper rash. And, I’m not exaggerating when I tell you her bottom cleared up the very first time I used it. I was impressed from that moment. My only concern is that the Balm is in a round glass container, and I’m not looking forward to digging it out when we get down to the bottom of the container. In that respect, squeezable dispensers are easier, but so far the Nappy Balm is worth a little inconvenience.

The Baby Body Wash does include some ingredients I can’t pronounce, but it contains no toxic chemicals, no dyes, no artificial perfumes and no parabens. (And that’s a good thing.) The smell is refreshing, not babyish at all, maybe eucalyptus? It creates a nice lather and is not too watery. I do wish ecostore USA offered a combo body wash and shampoo because, well, I like my products to multi-task like me.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Like I mentioned in the post, the Nappy Balm rid my daughter of a diaper rash the first time she used it. I really love the lightweight, but effective formula. And, most importantly, I like knowing the products contain No Nasty Chemicals.

Or Not to Buy… I’d love to see a combination Body Wash and Shampoo.

Shop! In addition to Baby Products, ecostore USA has products for your home, pets and bath and body. The Nappy Balm and Body Wash are $10 each. And, ecostore USA products are now sold in Meijer stores in the midwest!

Win! A $25 Gift Certificate to ecostore USA.

How to Enter: Visit ecostore USA and tell me one thing you’d like to own.

Bonus Entries – leave a separate comment for each you do:

* Follow ecostore USA on Twitter
* Fan ecostore USA on Facebook
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet. You may do this every day, just leave your tweet link every time you tweet.
Win a $25 Gift Card to ecostore USA and avoid nasty chemicals @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/9f1wcM
* Fan The Shopping Mama on Facebook
* Be a Shopping Buddy, aka, follow in Google Friends Connect
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or a RSS
* Blog about this giveaway including a link to this post
* Comment on any non-giveaway post on The Shopping Mama

The Fine Print: Giveaway ends February 19. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to ecostore USA for providing a product for the purposes of this review and the giveaway prize. Opinions expressed are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

About Kelty

Since 1952, Kelty has built affordable, reliable outdoor gear that enables everyone, from the first-time camper to the experienced mountaineer, to embrace any experience with confidence. Kelty: Go Anywhere.

In 1992, Kelty enters the kid carrying business with the “Kelty Child Carrier”.  This iconic pack was built around a tubular aluminum frame.  This kid carrier was based on the classic Kelty pack design proven in 40 years of wilderness use.  See the full line of Kelty KIDS carriers.

Kelty Transit Carrier 2.0

When given the opportunity to review a Kelty Child Carrier, I was realistic about it. While the FC 3.0 looks amazing, with its auto-deploy kickstand and Sun Hood, it’s far more carrier than I need. Don’t get me wrong, the TC (Transit Carrier) 2.0 has awesome features as well, but it’s less intimidating and I know we’ll get use out of it.

Here are some details on the TC 2.0:
Safety Features:

• Five-point, adjustable child’s harness

Carrier Features:

• Padded, adjustable-height child’s seat
• Toy loops
• Carry/lift handles
• 40-pound weight limit
• Foot stabilizer for safe loading
• Lightweight internal aluminum frame
• Mesh water-bottle pockets
• Organizer pocket

I’ve used a lot of different carriers in my day, and this is up there with the best of them as far as safety for the child. First, the entire “cockpit” area can be raised or lowered to fit your child so little ones are high enough to see and bigger kids are low enough to be safe. There are adjustable leg straps that are super easy to fit around your tot. And, there is also a harness that go over the child’s shoulders. To give you an example of the detail-oriented and well thought out design of the TC 2.0 – the shoulder strap buckles (similar to the chest strap in a car seat) are covered. It’s a small detail, but it means your child can’t get to it without major effort and it adds a very finished look.

Kelty thought about the parents’ comfort, too. The shoulder straps are VERY padded, and they are padded all the way down the front of your chest. There is also a padded hip belt that adds comfort and support. I carried both kids around on my back – my 32 pound 3 year old and my 20 pound 1 year old. And, don’t get me wrong, my 3 year old got heavy on my back but it was still comfortable. I think my little guy was comfy, too, because he keeps asking to go for a walk. (Note to self: In the picture it looks like I should adjust the straps better next time so the pack is higher on my back.)

And, of course, because the TC 2.0 is made by Kelty the backpack area allows for all the storage you could need for a day trip. There are two zippered areas with plenty of room for diapers, snacks and change of clothes and more. The pack also has designated spots for water bottles and an easily accessible closure for keys.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The Kelty TC 2.0 is perfect for day trips, or trips around town. I think this is PERFECT for travel, too. I know we’re planning to use it at the Disney Social Media Moms Convention next week as one of us can wear it, wear a kid and it takes the place of a diaper bag. (If my husband ever flies alone with the kids, I think this would be a lifesaver.) There are too many features and details to mention in one post, but suffice it to say, I’m really impressed with the TC 2.0.

Or Not to Buy… The 2.0 is one of the most basic Kelty Child Carriers and it still might be more carrier than you need. It’s definitely designed for outdoor adventure use.

Connect! Find Kelty on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Shop! Kelty Kids has a whole collection of products to help get your kids involved in the outdoors, including Child Carriers, Diaper Bags and Strollers. The Child Carriers range from the TC 2.0 for $149.95 to the Frame Carrier 3.0 for $249.95.

Tell me… Do you own a Kelty Child Carrier? If not, which model do you think best fits your family?

Disclaimer: Thank you to Kelty for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. The opinions are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.