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Kids Ski Clothing by Akova (formerly Shred Dog) – How Good Is It?

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We’ve talked about it here before, but I’ll keep saying it again and again:

“Don’t go cheap on your kids gear!”

Trust me, I know that it’s tempting to grab those gloves at Costco that are on sale or the cool looking jacket at Target that all the popular kids are wearing, but it’s just not worth it.  We’ve had cute and “affordable” gear fails us time and time again. At the same time, I know that the cost of high-quality outerwear for kids can be outrageous, especially if you’re gearing up multiple kids. The benefits of having good outdoor clothing, especially in the winter, far outweigh the money you’re going to save by purchasing low-quality discount brands. 

akova kids ski gear coats

What if…

…instead of having kids always beg to come inside to warm up on a snow day, you had to beg your kids to finally come inside for dinner.
…instead of sitting in the ski lodge with a child who is soaked to the bone, your family could ski together as long as you want.
…your kids learned to love being outside in the winter since they never had to worry about being wet and cold. 

Good gear can make all of this a reality.  

akova ski gear family coats

One of our main goals here at Adventure Travel Family is to connect you with high quality brands that are going to make being outside more pleasant for everyone.  We are even more thrilled when we find brands that produce amazing gear at so much less than comparable brands on the market.  

What is Akova Kids Ski Clothing?

Formerly known as Shred Dog, AKOVA rebranded with a mission to bring even more refined gear to the market. Recognizing that parents seek gear that grows with their kids and withstands rigorous play, AKOVA has taken Shred Dog’s beloved designs and elevated them further. Marc, a parent and the founder, originally created Shred Dog when he noticed that the options for high-quality kids’ outerwear were limited and often outrageously priced. With AKOVA, the brand keeps the focus on durability, affordability, and functionality, while expanding the brand’s vision to support even more kids’ outdoor adventures.

Best of all, Akova makes adult gear as well, so that your kids can stick with the same brand for life. Our oldest 2 teens both had major growth spurts and this year will be wearing the same Akova gear as mom and dad.

akova ski coats for families and kids

How Does The Akova System Work

Like all good outerwear systems, Akova depends on layering.  We talk about it all the time here, but especially in winter, kids should be dressed in a wicking base layer, an insulating mid layer and a waterproof outer layer, that can be mixed and matched depending on the weather and temperature.  

Akova is set up exactly the same way, with their winter line featuring base layers, mid layers, and outer shells.  Our kids have been busy putting each of these pieces to the test, and I can’t wait to share with you what we’ve found so far.

Akova Gear Pricing

The pricing on Akova clothing and outerwear is done a little differently than other brands. Instead of listing their retail price, they list they price that they would plan on selling the gear for at a retail shop…and then share the massively discounted direct to consumer cost. This will save you a significant amount of money. Truthfully, it’s expensive gear, but for the quality and longevity, it’s a great deal!E

Our Family Experience with Akova

5 winters ago, our oldeststarted wearing Shred Dog (now Akova outerwear). By the end of the season, we had fully outfitted all 5 of our kids in teh same gear. The quality is unmatched. As they have expanded their gear into adult outerwear, this is our go-to ski gear for our entire family. It’s super waterproof, moves with your body, is breathable, and keeps us all warm and comfortable on the hill. Now that our older kids are well into their teens, they’re transitioning into adult gear, and we know it will last them for so long. Truthfully, our kids have almost forgotten what it feels like to be wet and miserable out on the ski hill because it just never happens anymore.

akova ski gear family coats
WIth my niece who is wearing one of our original Shred Dog coats, that’s still in amazing condition 4 years later!

Akova Elevated Hardshell Waterproof Jacket $200

If you’re looking for a waterproof shell for your kids, this is one of the absolute BEST on the market (trust me, we regularly review the best kids’ coats). Truthfully, the features that Shred Dog has put into their Elevated Hardshell jacket are features that you would usually only find in high-end adult jackets. We are entering our 5th year of having our kids wear Akova/Shred Dog gear and it’s some of our absolute favorite. When the weather or conditions turn nasty, this is our go-to jacket!

akova kids ski gear coats

Here are some of our favorite features of the Akova Elevated hardshell:

  • 20K waterproof and breathability rating – the most waterproof shell for kids!
  • Slightly stretchy material so the jacket really moves with you
  • Sleeves can be both lengthened and shortened to grow the kids or pass down
  • Fully taped seams and sealed zippers
  • Powder skirt
  • Articulated wrists that you can tighten and wear under or over gloves
  • High collar for warmth
  • Hood is helmet compatible
akova kids ski gear coats

The feature that is a complete standout in the Shred Dog Hardshell is that the waterproof and breathability rating are both 20K.   That’s basically unheard of with kids gear. For comparison, most other good kids’ ski jackets have about a 10K waterproof rating. 

What this means is that this jacket from Akova can withstand the wettest conditions that you can throw at it and your kids are going to stay dry the whole time. If you have a kid that never wants to come inside and really puts their winter gear to the test, this is the jacket to buy them. In addition to the great waterproofing, you’ll also find fully taped seams and waterproof zippers, so you’ve got multiple layers of protection against water!

I’ll also admit that I was a little bit hesitant about the fact that this was just a shell and my kids don’t ever wear just a shell.  However the Elevated hard shell, combined with the zip in element insulator is actually perfect and I think gives you a lot more options than you would get in just a regular winter jacket. Our kids wear the shell for rain year round and the insulator jacket is in use year round at our house.

The Elevated Insulator Jacket zips in perfectly with the hard shell so it’s a really fantastic combination that gives you more of a 3 in 1 jacket with a lot more options for different weather which I really like. The only downside to this is that buying more pieces makes the price higher.  If you need something simpler, they just released the new Element insulated winter coat.

element insulator shred dog
Element Insulator zipped into Elevated Hardshell

We are going into our 5th season with Akova/Shred Dog gear and the quality is outstanding. We have one jacket nad coat that have been in continuous use and passed down through 3 kids and is still in great shape. One thing that I loved as I started looking at the features is that Shred Dog has an adjustable arm and leg length system that’s really similar to what you’ll find in a lot of kids’ pants at the waist. 

This allows you to make it bigger or smaller unlike most other brands where you have to unpick the seams than once you make it bigger there’s no way to make it small again. This makes it perfect for passing down through the family because the gear can be bigger AND smaller. 

Akova Elevated Insulator Jacket $115

Like I mentioned, the elevated insulator is a really great part of the Shred Dog system and I wouldn’t recommend getting the shell without buying the insulator. I think that they pair together so perfectly that you really should invest in both pieces.

akova kids gear coats
Hiking in Arches with the Elevated Insulator Jacket

My kids keep their insulator zipped into their shell all winter long and unzip it to wear each piece separately for warmer weather. It’s perfect for camping, chilly bike rides, and everyday wear.

The body mapped insulation is perfect for active kids with more insulation in the arms so that kids don’t overheat and don’t have unnecessary bulk for layering.

 The Elevated Insulator also has the Shred Dog adjust to fit system so that the sleeves can be shortened or lengthened which is just such a great feature for families that are passing gear down or for kids who just really need a custom fit.

Akova + Shred Dog Elevated Convertible Snow Pants $180

 As soon as we got the Elevated Snow Pants for kids from Shred Dog I was instantly in love with them. They are seriously unlike any other snow pants for kids that I’ve seen. My favorite feature about them is that the bib at the top can be zipped on or off depending on your kids preferences. I have a few of my kids who absolutely love bibs and other kids of mine who just hate them. This has made the struggle of passing down snow pants through my kids really difficult, so finding a pair of snow pants that works well for both of those options will be a huge game-changer for our family.

Like the Elevated Hard Shell jacket, the snow pants also have a 20K waterproof and breathability rating, which is fantastic especially for snow pants. So often you’ll have kids snow pants that are maybe 10 K waterproof rated and by the end of a long day in the snow, they are absolutely soaked in the seat or at the knees. My kids tend to be always crawling around in the snow  or rolling around and the snow pants take the brunt of the beating. 

Getting really waterproof snow pants is an investment that parents should really consider, since that’s where snow is most likely to soak through to clothes. I also love that since my kids crawl around in the snow all the time, that in Shred Dog snow pants the knees and bottom hem are reinforced. Since the Elevated snow pants are insulated so you don’t need to layer as much underneath, and with the zippered leg vents, you can really help control how warm or cool they are.  

Note: The Akova Branded snowpants just came out for the 2024/25 winter season. They are early identical to the Shred Dog pants that we’ve been wearing for years. However, the sizing is a little different. On the Akova pants, they run true to size, but the Shred dog pants run large, so we recommend sizing down if you buy the discounted Akova version.

If you can only afford to purchase one item from Shred Dog, the Elevated snow pants is my top suggestion. 

Shred Dog Base Layers $34-$40

The Shred Dog Foundations base layers get worn all the time in our family. They’re thick enough to wear alone (like a thick shirt or lined leggings) and they’re our favorite synthetic base layers.

Both kids wearing Foundation base layer bottoms. Green top is a Foundation base layer top and the blue jacket is Shred Dog’s mid-layer fleece jacket.

Even after years of wear, we’ve yet to have any get holes, pill, or get thin. The quality is fantastic, and my 4 boys have especially put them to the test. My boys especially love the pants to wear biking and my 16-year-old son regularly wears them during cold weather mountain bike races. To see how Shred Dog base layers for kids compare to other base layer brands, check out our full base layer comparison article.

Foundation Base Layer Bottom $34

These children’s base layer bottoms are so cozy, I wish they came in my size! The 4-way stretch allows them to fit a variety of body types well, and the inside is brushed making them extra soft.  As my daughter described them, “They’re basically the best combination of base layers and fleece pants…can I wear them every day?

In fact, for girls, these girls ski base layers can be worn every day and I can see her wearing them to school as leggings throughout the winter, making them great girls base layers.  As a mom, I also love that they’re thicker than most base layers and leggings, so if she does want to wear them as leggings I don’t have to worry about them being see through in areas.  

Another feature that I love about the Shred Dog base layer bottoms is that they’re gender neutral.  My son is at the age where it’s embarrassing to just wear around a pair of boys base layers with a “pouch” if he ever wants to take his ski pants off.  Since these are gender neutral, they look more like a fitted pair of joggers (my son is slim, so they would be tighter on bigger kids).  As a mom, I love that this means that FINALLY my daughter can get hand me down boys base layers from her older brother without feeling like she’s wearing boys underwear!

Foundation Base Layer Top $40

The Foundation kids base layer top is made out of the same wonderful material as the bottoms are.  It’s stretchy, and has a perfect microfleece brushed feel on the back.  My daughter wore this base layer top on a desert camping trip where it was freezing in the morning and evening and then really warm during the day. 

She kept this top on the whole time and kept telling me how nice it was to be able to have the same shirt keep her comfortable both when she was hot AND cold.  It does a great job of insulating, but once she got warm, she simply unzipped the top and the material wicked her sweat away This exactly how the best kids base layers should perform while skiing on the mountain, so I’m thrilled! 

Of course, the kids favorite feature of these kids base layers, was that it has thumb holes, which always makes layering up in the winter even easier.  

layering piece for my kids as they cross country ski and snow shoe this winter.  

Is Akova clothing worth the money?

Absolutely!  I understand that it’s not cheap, but you really do get what you pay for. Knowing that we have one set of Akova gear that has lasted 5 years, I know that I will absolutely get my money’s worth from everything I buy from them.

akova kids ski gear coats

When my oldest son was 3, I succumbed to the Target and Costco trap for both his coat and his mittens.  Each time it would snow, he would last for about 30 minutes outside before he was absolutely frozen, and we’d head inside to dry all his gear out.  As a new mom, I thought that was “normal”.  

Boy was I wrong.  

I’ve now learned that not only does good quality clothing make my kids enjoy being outside in the winter more, but it makes me enjoy being out there with them more as well (which is just as important).  

Akova outerwear isn’t cheap at all (except the base layers – they’re a steal for what you get).  However, when you consider that to get outerwear with comparable specifications to Shred Dog, you’d easily pay $250-$300, their prices are fantastic!  Also as a mom with a large family, I know that if I invest in really great gear for my older kids, it’s going to last and be put to the test over, and over, and over as we pass that gear down to younger siblings at they grow.  

Remember, good gear isn’t just a purchase – it’s an investment in living the active and outdoor lifestyle that you dream of!

About Jessica Averett

Hi, I’m Jessica, a mom of 5 kids and married to my favorite adventure partner. I love to bike, ski, camp and hike. We've visited over 40 countries with our kids, but are equally happy on the road as we are exploring our home state of Utah.

3 thoughts on “Kids Ski Clothing by Akova (formerly Shred Dog) – How Good Is It?”

  1. Would you recommend this brand in an areas where it gets below -15°F? We live in MN! It can get way colder, but typically the school district doesn’t keep the kids indoors unless it hits a windchill of -18 or less. My son attends an immersion program at a science based school, so they’re outside 3-4 a day! So tired of constantly wet clothing and a cold kid!!

    Reply
  2. I bought Shred Dog for my daughter 3 years ago based on your review. Last year, I needed new gear, so I gave the Akova Legacy Hardshell and Hardshell Pant a try. I have been extremely happy with the purchases. Thank you for your reviews that lead me to the brand. Have you tried their new Kids Glove? I would be interested to see how well they work.

    Reply

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