Winter planning - where did you find the best quality hats and gloves?

[Anonymous]

I bought six pack bags of Amazon no name brand gloves and mittens that tore the past two winters. We went thru every pair. I want better quality this time. Where should I look?

[Anonymous]

Costco has some good multipack kids' gloves.

[Anonymous]

Agree with Costco

[Anonymous]

If your kids are responsible and don't lose things then LL Bean. Otherwise Target.

[Anonymous]

Costco

[Anonymous]

I used to buy everything on Babyshop a year ahead, getting most at their winter sale in March. But I just got a jacket and a wool scarf for my kid and got hit with a $50 tariff so I guess that life is over. Back to crappy plastic gloves and hats.

[Anonymous]

You could try the slightly more expensive knitted brands on Amazon.

$8 Nike mittens with a $20 Nike hat work slightly better than .99 cent mittens and a cheap hat.

Kids lose those things though. That's why we generally favored cheap multi-packs.

I didn't notice the first $20 Nike hat was gone until the next season. So if it even made it to the school lost 'n' found, I didn't know in time to check. I had enough brainspace to make sure that snow pants and boots were accounted for. But even expensive gloves are hard to keep an eye on.

[Anonymous]

Lands End. They’re always having sales.

[Anonymous]

We have a few pairs of mittens/hats/gloves for different circumstances around here. For snow, we have good mittens because I know my daughter is going to be deep in it - LL Bean and REI are my go-tos. Where I buy is largely based on appropriate size availability. She has one knit hat from REI and one that I crocheted for her. She prefers the one I made for school, but she wears the other for active outdoor days. In the past, there are some really cozy fleece-lined mittens from Primary that I have purchased. They're warm but not water proof.

[Anonymous]

TJMAXX & Marshall’s

[Anonymous]

I do one set of good quality stuff for each kid from LL Bean or other good brand (sometimes I'll check out REI, smart wool, Reima, etc. for sales). This is what we use for outdoor sports and hiking and anything where I go with my kids the whole time and can make sure they don't get left behind somewhere.

Then I buy sets of cheaper hats and mittens on Amazon and these go to school and get tucked into jacket pockets for the playground. Also good to take for travel or to have extras on hand in case friends or cousins are over and need something.

I used to try and buy the middle ground options and encourage my kids to keep track of them. It was futile. Our elementary school has kids transition all day long, for different "blocks" with different teachers as well as lunch and recess. It's honestly a miracle that we've never lost a coat, lunchbox, or even water bottle (misplaced all but they find their way back to us). Anything else just disappears into the ether. Falls out of pockets, gets mixed up with someone else's stuff, winds up stuck behind something on the playground, etc. It's not worth it to try and keep track.

[Anonymous]

My kid just lost two coats at college. Left them in the dorm or cafeteria. Haven't showed up in lost and found.

I gave him Avery name labels to take back to college.

[Anonymous]

Uniqlo

[Anonymous]

Stonz snow mitts are the best for kids in snow or very cold weather.

I don’t think they really need them here 99% of the time.

[Anonymous]

Lands End has the good stuff, but wait for a sale. Cheap crap for day to day in DC.