I love scuba diving as much as the next diving fanatic, but when the lakes and rivers freeze over in Canada, and cold weather takes diving out of the equation, Joey and I need to find other ways to occupy our time.
As outdoor sports enthusiasts, there are more than a few ways to overwinter here in Canada. One of our favourite cold-weather pastimes is cross country also known as nordic skiing. Recently we’ve taken to hitting the trails with our cozy new Stream2Sea sea turtle neck buff, reef-safe sunscreen and delicious lip balms.
Stream2Sea is an ecologically sustainable Florida-based company founded by scuba diver and chemist Autumn Blum. What began as a mission to create true “reef safe” sunscreen, has grown and expanded into a mineral-based product line that has been tested and proven safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish and coral larvae. Today Stream2Sea has passed the stringent HEL Labs Protect Land + Sea certification with scientific work as proof of their ecological integrity.
Last week Joey and I were thrilled to receive a package containing 20 and 30 SPF reef-safe sunscreen; green tea and cherry lip balm; a sea turtle neck buff and dive mask defog from Stream2Sea. Being a new Dive Buddies 4 Life partner brand, we would be reviewing their series of ecological products for quality and integrity. Our biggest reservation – how to test products strongly connected to scuba diving and water in the middle of a Canadian winter.
Thankfully the Stream2Sea brand has lots of variety when it comes to their sustainable products. We were provided with a great selection that could be used not only for water and scuba diving adventures but also for our cold weather land-based activities. This past weekend we hit the nordic ski trails in our hometown of North Bay, taking all but the mask defog with us, to try and test out.
The Stream2Sea 20 and 30 SPF sunscreen was the first product we sampled. As the pioneers of true reef-safe sunscreen, we were eager to see what this company’s bread and butter was all about. Like many sustainable skin products, the texture of the sunscreen was thicker than your average Coppertone. But when compared to many other brands of mineral-based sunscreens, we are happy to report that the Stream2Sea sunscreen is much thinner and easier to rub in. Between the SPF 20 and SPF 30 sunscreen, we didn’t notice a difference in the lotion consistency.
The green tea and cherry lip balms were the next products we tried. I often get dry lips when outdoors in the winter and find myself constantly applying lip balm to avoid chapping and cracking. Overall the Stream2Sea brand has really helped moisturize my lips. So much so that I find myself using less lip balm than before.
My favourite was the cherry lip balm mainly because it smells so nice. The green tea had more of a subtle earthy tone that was cooling and soothing, but not as deliciously scented. The cherry balm also had a small amount of SPF in its composition. This added protection worked well for wind and sun-shielding on the slopes. The only thing to keep in mind was to rub in the lip balm post-application and ensure no white SPF residue was left behind.
The orange and blue sea turtle neck buff was the final product we tried. Both Joey and I love this neck buff, it is hands down our favourite product. We are definitely at odds every time we head out skiing as to who will get to use this adorable and flashy buff.
This high-quality buff has a smooth and stretchy spandex feel. The material is lightweight, breathable and created from 100% recycled polyester. The buff feels durable and although we’ve only used it for a week, I have no doubt, it will hold up for many ski seasons.
Joey likes to use the buff around his neck. It affords good protection against the wind and snow when we are on the trails. I like to fold and use the buff as a headband. There it keeps my ears warm but also wicks away the sweat and damp snow that accumulates in my hair.
The mission of Stream2Sea is to supply outdoor lovers with products that work great, keep them feeling healthy and give them the confidence they are supporting a safe, sustainable, science-based company. I’d say they’ve more than succeeded.
Joey and I love to wander, swim, climb, run, bike, ski, snowshoe and of course scuba dive. As avid outdoor enthusiasts, protecting our bodies from the elements is a vital part of being able to safely and happily explore the planet. Through the Stream2Sea products, we are able to not only make educated decisions on what we are putting on our bodies but also protect the health and safety of aquatic ecosystems – something we truly cannot live without.
Writers Note: This scuba diving post was sponsored by Stream2Sea as a part of our Dive Buddies 4 Life Reciprocal & Partner Program. The products in this review were provided to Dive Buddies 4 Life and Travel Buddies 4 Life in exchange for the review. All comments, tests and thoughts in relation to the light are honest and strictly that of Dive Buddies and Travel Buddies 4 Life. Want to discover more unique scuba diving products? Browse through the Dive Buddies shop to find more photography, gear and fun ocean products.
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