Our shop is growing! We’ve partnered with some amazing brands that offer high-quality products, making it easier and more fun for your family to get outdoors. They also happen to have missions and values that pair well with ours here at Morrison Outdoors. Is there a brand or product that you think we should carry? Let us know by sending an email to hello@morrisonoutdoors.com !
We have been a longtime supporter of the Trail Magik Brand, and we are thrilled to now carry their products in our shop! The Trail Magik carrier has made it possible for more families with young children to enjoy extended hikes, backpacking trips, and more without having to cut it short when the little ones get tired. We sat down with Katie, the founder of Trail Magik, to learn more about how the brand got its start and how she prioritizes time in nature with her own family.
Want to see the Trail Magik in action? Check out this product review from our friend Josh Brink. He shows how to use the Trail Magik, what improvements have been made, and how his family uses it for adventures with kids all over the world.
What is Your Mission at Trail Magik?
The mission at Trail Magik is to help parents continue hiking and backpacking with their toddlers by providing a lightweight, efficient, and cost-effective kid-carrier. As parents ourselves who are raising young outdoor adventure enthusiasts, we aim for a minimalist alternative to bulky, heavy carriers, allowing for more enjoyable and extended outdoor family time. And just as importantly, we strive to inspire others to raise their babies outside. This gives me hope and excitement for the future of our own children, that they will have friends and a community to enjoy nature with later on in life.
How Did Your Brand Start?
My husband needed a product that had not been created yet. So he created it - he sourced the best material and hand-stitched the very first carrier with a Nule (a special sewing product used for sewing sails for sailboats and other heavy-duty material). He invented it to be only his. Our family has been a huge babywearing family with all 3 children, so I felt like I knew who needed this product. Other people like us. We were our customer.
So I knew it had to be shared because it had blessed our adventures so much. I knew it'd do the same for other like-minded families. We frequently say he's the sailboat and I'm the sail. Without me, his incredible idea would have never taken off, but without him, we wouldn't have an incredible idea to begin with! I didn't wake up one day and say, “I need to start a brand or make a product”. The product was made out of necessity, and the brand was created and shared out of knowing a pain point in the adventure family community space and wanting to help others.
What is Your Favorite Activity to Do in Nature?
I don't think I could choose one. I guess I'll say camping, I love living minimally. Maybe it's because I don't have a house to clean! I love camping by the beach, where you can wake up and surf and swim. I love camping near mountain biking trails, where you can wake up and go for an awesome ride. I love camping in the desert, where you can wake up and hike amongst the boulders...I love the simplicity of camping, especially with kiddos. I don't mind having dirt and dust on me; it's not germy or gross, it's just land.
As the kids have gotten older (my babies are now 6, 8, and 10 years old), I've fallen in love with skiing as a family together. I love being on the mountain together. It feels like the whole family is on a party wave that lasts all day! I’m a big advocate for STARTING THEM YOUNG! Start those babies young, adventuring right along with you, and by the time they are 6, 8, and 10, you'll have little built-in adventure buddies!
How Important is Prioritizing Time Out in Nature for Your Family?
We prioritize outdoor time with our family because it's how my husband and I were raised. I grew up in Montana, and he grew up in Southern California; very different climates and environments, yet we both spent a ton of time outside. Every week we mountain bike, surf, hike, and fish. Every month, you can find us camping at least 1-2 weekends. We love our home and our community, but we both have the need to get away, to get outside. Our kids all had their first camping trips around 2 months old, dipped their toes in the ocean at 17 hours old, and are growing up outside learning the ins and outs of nature.
They actually go to an outdoor Waldorf enrichment program for schooling a few days a week. So they come home dirty and tired as if they were camping. They are filled with excitement, telling us all about the frogs and crawfish they found in the large creek that runs through their classes. They are learning about handicrafts and how to weave their own baskets. They learn which plants to choose when you want to dye their yarn indigo blue, green, or red. I truly feel nature is just as important as faith, food, and water.
What is Your Most Cherished Lesson From Motherhood Thus Far?
That these are the best days. Whichever days I'm living in, I remind myself that these are the BEST days and I'll never get them back. Since day one, I've felt this immense gratitude for each season I'm in. Since my very first pregnancy over 10 years ago, I have always put my babies and the quality of life of motherhood before anything else. I've loved every single season, cherished it like no other. So the lesson I'd tell someone else is just to be in the moment, be present, honor that woman, and this time will help you become the woman you're meant to be - stronger, brighter, more aligned with the world and all it has to offer. I'm more confident today than I was before I had kiddos. I value my time more now than before kiddos.
Head over to our online shop to find the Trail Magik Kid Carrier in various style combinations.
