Why You Need a Muddy Buddy

Based on the social media posts of my parent-friends all over the country—even in Canada’s mildest climates—it’s been a long winter. Here in Calgary, it’s been colder than usual for longer than usual: we’ve been trapped indoors for weeks on end. As soon as the mercury nudges past zero, I’m eager to get the kids outside to play, but until recently we didn’t have the right gear. Their snowsuits are super toasty, which we appreciate for tobogganing at minus 10°C, but they’re too warm under Calgary’s surprisingly strong winter sun when a chinook is rolling in. Plus, snowsuits are designed for snow … not for what happens to snow when it’s suddenly 10 degrees above freezing.

Tuffo’s Muddy Buddy is a waterproof coverall for messy play both outside and in (think preschool painting party). Available in sizes 12 months through to 5T, it comes with a waterproof bag for easy storage and transport.

Little Miss is 21 lbs and about 31 inches tall, and she is wearing the 18-months Muddy Buddy. Cub is 41 lbs and 42 inches tall and has the 5T model. Our Muddy Buddies were on our doorstep last week upon our return from preschool. In the car, Cub had already informed me that he wanted to play outside when we got home. We haven’t been able to comfortably play outside since November, so even if it meant they were going to get filthy, I was game. I was even more game when I saw that our Muddy Buddies had arrived!

Cub was able to step right into his Muddy Buddy, thanks to the two front zippers, and I guided his boots through the cuffs to create a nice seal around his ankles to keep his feet dry. Even though he’s definitely a 5T in all of his clothing, the 5T Muddy Buddy is roomy enough for him to wear lots of layers underneath depending on the weather. The first thing he did once he was zipped in was head for the nearest massive puddle.

Little Miss hasn’t quite discovered the joys of splashing in puddles yet, but when she plays outside she’s on the ground as often as she’s on her feet.



It doesn’t take long for her pants to be sopping. Right now, her favourite thing to do is push her doll stroller outside, and in her Muddy Buddy she can go off-road with her wheels!

Calgary’s climate is pretty dry most of the time, so puddles don’t last that long. Prime puddle time is every time the snow melts, and this happens a bunch of times over the course of a YYC winter. These are the best opportunities to get the kids outside without having to run back inside to warm up because of the wind chill—but without a Muddy Buddy you’re running back inside because the kids are soaked to the bone.

In Vancouver, where I grew up, it’s so wet so much of the time that I can’t imagine parenting there without the Muddy Buddy! When we lived in Montreal, I used to anxiously await December so I could fly home to visit my parents where we wouldn’t need a snowsuit every time we left the house. And every December I would remember that while a west coast winter might be a lot warmer, it’s no easier to play outside since everything is always wet! You bet I’ll be packing our Muddy Buddies for our visit later this spring. I can send Cub to help his Pop Pops in the garden and he’ll stay dry and clean! We can go beachcombing even if it’s drizzling! No need to pack a towel to dry off the playground swings and slide!

The Muddy Buddy is made of a rugged, durable polyester fabric with sealed seams that ensure waterproofness. The elastics at the wrists and ankle go easily over mittens and boots. The knees and bum are reinforced to resist wear and tear.

The generous sizing should get us a couple of years out of our Muddy Buddies, and I will report back on how well they hold up over time. It doesn’t matter what season it is: if there’s mud, dirt, paint or puddles, the Muddy Buddy is your best friend. I also think Muddy Buddy should make an adult-sized version and get some product placement opportunities in season two of Santa Clarita Diet.

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97 responses to “Why You Need a Muddy Buddy”

  1. Carol Luciano

    Thank you for your thorough and informative review. Thanks for the giveaway chance.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

  2. Laura

    What a neat idea. The idea of a raincoat except for the WHOLE body? Perfect for those little ones who like to get dirty! Haha 🙂

  3. Paige wilt

    This is so great! I live in Oregon and have a 13 mth old. It’s so rainy and he is still a little wobbly in hard soled shoes so this would be perfect to help him play while keeping him dry and warm.

  4. Janet W.

    I love how this fits on the child! It’s much more comfortable for them to wear than a poncho!

  5. Kendra G

    Such a great product. Definitely need one for my daughter. Thanks for the awesome review! Always love reading your blog.

  6. Jaclyn

    We had Hatley suits when ODD was little and now have Oakiwear suits. I haven’t tried a Muddybuddy yet but that’s what most of my friends have. A splash suit is totally required!

  7. Jacinthe Kitchur

    My little man needs this so bad. He loves puddles and muddy ones at that. This would save his close alot better than splash pants and a jacket and therefor save my sanity. Lol

  8. Rachel

    The snow is melting here too… I definitely would love one. Also good idea about The Santa Clarita Diet hahah!

  9. Hannah

    This is such a great idea! Where I live, a snow suit is almost never needed, but a mud suit would be perfect to have for my little guy! Thanks for such a thorough review!

  10. Krista Price

    I absolutely love this! We have a really muddy area next to our house that my son loves to play at when it’s rainy and he could definitely use one of these!

  11. Kelly K

    Omg this is the coolest thing ever! 2 muddy buddies coming up and 2 adult sizes for me and the tween! Lol

  12. valerie

    We desperately need one of these. My toddler figured out puddles last week and LOVES them. This would be perfect for her. Snow suits aren’t very waterproof and its kinda to warm for them here in washington…

  13. Hannah Bueckert

    I live in the Fraser valley, B.C. and it’s what everybody recommends to have. After getting soaked last year I would love to win one for one of the kiddos.
    Grest review, love getting all the information to make sure it’s worth the investment. 🙂

  14. Tina F

    Great idea of a whole body raincoat so cute

  15. Katlyn Der

    I work at a daycare and love when kids have a Muddy Buddy! So much easier (and better!) than splash pants and rain coats. I will definitely be getting one for my 9 month old when the time comes!

  16. Wendy hutton

    great review, the muddy buddy would be so great to have, sure would be less cleaning and laundry to do

  17. barbara parker

    As a child we played in the creeks all summer long building dams, pools and with the mud. Mom rigged up a shower in the cellar, which we hated, that she sent us directly into when arriving home. Oh how my mother would have loved these!

  18. Robijn C

    Thank you for such a thorough review! I love that the seams are sealed and the ones are reinforced. This is something I will be getting for my daughter, thank you for the opportunity to win one!

  19. Tracy

    What a great idea! I had three sopping wet sisters last spring when they were at my house playing outside and this would have saved the car seats on the way home.

  20. kathy downey

    Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful review,it was a joy to read and the photos of those two little darlings is priceless.

  21. Molly

    Thanks for this great review! This looks like such a great product, especially for late winter/ spring because there’s mud everywhere all the time!

  22. Thanks for your review! I really think my cousin would like one of these.

  23. Victoria Scott

    This is really cool! I think you are right that they need adult sizes though! haha

  24. Amber Ludwig

    Omgosh YES!! We really do need it!! Perfect for our puddle jumping, muddy melty hikes and so so much more!! I agree! They need adult ones lol!! We get all the backsplash!

  25. Camille

    ?? at your suggestion for product placement in the Santa Clarita Diet. On a more serious note, my LO is just starting to discover the joy of splashing. With spring just around the corner, we could probably get a lot of use out of this.

  26. Leslie

    I had a similar style rainsuit for my youngest last spring when he was still crawling and it was perfect! Ontario springs have fluctuating weather, to put it mildly, so on warm muddy or rainy days he could wear it by itself, and when it was colder out, but still wet, I could layer it with a 1 piece fleece suit underneath. I would love to try the Tuffo in next size up for this spring, which has already been as unpredictable as ever!

  27. Monique L.S.

    It is great they cover the whole body. Children love to make big splashes, so helps that they are fully protected.

  28. Laura Hast

    OMG this is so awesome ENTERED ty in advance and God bless this company:-)

  29. Melissa Stutzman

    Great review! I had never heard of this product.

  30. April h

    What a great concept! As spring approaches (hopefully) this seems perfect for outside play. I haven’t had much luck finding good rain pants for the little one, so i really like the all-in-one concept! Much better than just a raincoat and boots!

  31. Judy Cox

    I have two great granddaughters who definitely could use these. They love playing the water and mud, and since the rainy season will be here soon they would get plenty of use!!!

  32. NickyJ

    Discovered these last year and planned on buying them for this spring for sure. The fun just lasts longer with a good suit like the Muddy Buddy

  33. Janet M

    I would choose red. It is a wonderful outfit for rainy days.

  34. Michelle Jensen

    We definitely need one of these for my son!!

  35. Mylène Bélanger

    Ha! mais où étiez vous! c’est la solution que je cherche depuis 5 ans! mer4ci, merci, merci pour la belle découverte!
    je vais attendre la fin du concours et en commander une caisse 😉

  36. Melissa A.

    this would be awesome for my outdoor lover!

  37. Carole D.

    My granddaughters need this! Thanks!

  38. Jessica Leonard

    Have always been curious about these. Would love I try it out.

  39. Olivia

    Thanks for the thorough review. Love when there are lots of pictures included in reviews.

  40. I’ve always thought of these being more for rainy climates, like Vancouver. Great to see they could work well here in Calgary too!

  41. KD

    This would be ideal for my toddler! The pink would look so sweet on her, but the yellow is highly visible to cars. I would probably pick it for that reason.

    1. KD

      Toddlers get into everything, and can’t resist a puddle! This would also be perfect for playgrounds on a rainy day, as mentioned in the review!

  42. Pat F

    Love the all in one… can splash around and not worry about getting too wet. Love the yellow color as it is very bright and can be seen..

  43. Jennifer Ann Wilson

    These would be great for camping in the rain!!

  44. Puddles! Every kid who loves the out doors needs this in their life. My sons. They totally love the outside. Wet or snow. Or sunny. I love this most about them.

  45. Angelehm

    Such a great idea it gets pretty muddy as soon as the snow melts here and the kids make a beeline for it every time lol! Your little models look like they are having great fun helping mommy test the Tuffo’s Muddy Buddy’s properly! Not sure what color yet the yellow is nice and bright and the pink and brown adorable . I see a carebear 😉

  46. Deborah D

    My nephews and nieces can really use this. Every time they see a puddle they go for it.

  47. My Youngest needs a muddy buddy. Living at the lake means lots of mud

  48. Thank you for the great and thoughtful review. I’ve been considering getting either the tuffo or the mec suit for spring as my little one enjoys playing in the mud and I love being in the park.

    I think I will probably get the tuffo soon, but it would be great to win the giveaway too! 🙂

  49. Jen W

    This rain suit would be perfect for my little puddle diver! I love that it fits roomy and offers full coverage!

  50. Angela Ingles

    My two (almost three) year old loooooves jumping in puddles, but I’m always telling him to stop because he gets soaked. It’d be wonderful to just let him have at it!

  51. Kayla Klontz

    These are so awesome, especially now that Peppa Pig is telling kids all over the world to jump in muddy puddles! Lol

  52. Linda

    An all-over suit for the rainy weather makes cleaning up very easy.

  53. Sharon Fraser

    This would be perfect for preschool!

  54. Julie

    What a great idea! This weather is making me crazy because they are always all mucky! And so cute too! I like the pink ones and the blue ones best!

  55. Courtney Janssen-Grieve

    Was just looking at these online yesterday!

  56. Kristy

    These seem so practical! Kids love to jump in puddles. Now they can and stay dry! Perfect!

  57. Vicky

    My daycare baby has one and it’s ideal for our wet coast weather. My nearly 3yo would definitely make good use of one.

  58. Nathalie Demers

    A must for kids! I think it’s essential to let them explore and this product offers a quick clean-up solution for parents. Like that there are reinforced spots in material, excellent for passing down to other siblings!

  59. Danielle

    We had a muddy buddy last year and my son loves puddle jumping just like yours 🙂 we would love to get one for this year

  60. Kelsey S

    My son needs this! We were at the zoo the other weekend and even with the puddles being mostly frozen he managed to find them all and splash in all of them! This will be a must have for his Dayhome lady too I bet this spring!

  61. Lisa M

    Thanks for another detailed review! This looks perfect for muddy spring weather in Ontario. I’m a fan of any product that makes my kid cleaner (and more comfortable!).

  62. Mike Flaman

    Cool idea!

  63. Doriana Hutton

    The pictures you got of the kiddos for this post are the cutest. Holy moly they are too adorable! These suits also look absolutely fabulous for wet outdoor play

  64. denise low

    Thank you for the review. These are just so cute.

  65. Elizabeth Matthiesen

    This is what every child needs to be able to enjoy playing outside when it’s such good weather 🙂

  66. Tera penton

    a muddy buddy would definitely be a great thing for my little miss. I remember searching everywhere for good water proof pants for my older child. So hard to find. This is great because it’s just a full one piece suit. And no searching for rain pants

  67. Sarah Peterson

    I have been hearing about the Tuff full body raincoats on my Hike it Baby group, and love the idea, since even with my sin it rain pants, boys and jacket, splashing in puddles still leads to wet socks and legs, it seems !

  68. These are hands down the coolest rain coats I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing. I *really* need to get one of these for my nephew who loves to play outside.

  69. Cassandra Rae

    I love how durable they look! I always have to layer my daughter up with pants and sweaters and coats to avoid everything getting ruined with mud. This is such a great way to keep them clean and dry while having a blast in the puddles!

  70. Lori L.

    My 4 year old wants to play outside in the puddles but I never let her because she gets wet through her thin splash pants and rain coat. I love the idea of this being one piece so that they stay dry inside!

  71. Janet M

    I like that it has sealed seams so if she falls, she won’t get wet.

  72. Bailey Tulak

    I love muddy buddies! I had some when I was little. Living on a farm there’s lots of mud for my little guy to get into so we’ll definitely need to get some.

  73. Josh S

    This would be great. My kids always head straight for the puddles.

  74. Rachel WG

    This looks awesome for muddy spring weather! Would love it for my almost 2 year old!

  75. Diana

    Thank-you for the thorough review. We live just outside of Calgary, and we go out walking and biking whenever a chinook rolls in. This of course means lots of puddles and lots of slushy mess!

  76. Lauren

    Muddy buddy’s are my favourite! My kid loves hers!

  77. janie vezina

    never realized these were a thing. but glad to know they do, so many clothes that will be saved from muddy adventures.

  78. Justine Matheson

    My son is obsessed with jumping in muddy puddles (thanks Peppa Pig…) the full body protection of the Muddy Buddy is genius.

  79. Peter Lawrence

    This would be perfect for my Grandson.

  80. nicky

    Muddy Buddys are awesome! Perfect way to let the kiddos play outside when it’s rainy and muddy, so that they don’t dirty their clothes. We love ours- now we gotta get the next size up!

  81. Liz L

    Great review and giveaway! This would be perfect for my little girl and my nephew, they are notorious for finding muddy puddles to play in!

  82. Chris

    I love our Muddy Buddy. After two years of using it it has recently been handed down to 2.0. That means that our son needs a new one. This is such an awesome product. Still looks brand new even with the frequent visits to puddles, mud pits and petting zoo pens.

  83. Tricia Hope

    I Love these!Looked all over for them when my kids were little.Would love to get this for my grand daughter who simply cannot pass a puddle by!Thanks for the chance!

  84. Lesley F

    It is always so muddy here during the spring months that this would be perfect for my granddaughter

  85. Terri S.

    Like most children, my daughter loves splashing in puddles. The Muddy Buddy would be ideal protection to keep her dry. I love that it has elastic at the wrists and ankles to keep water out. The reinforced knees and bum are great features.

    1. Terri S.

      oops…I meant my granddaughter not daughter in my comment.

  86. Melissa F

    Love this review (your pictures are too cute!) . The Muddy Buddy is genius, the one we have has saved us so much cleaning up after outdooor playtime!

  87. Erin Swan-Mansfield

    We love our Muddy Buddy! Our daughter gets to be a little puddle duck and we can let her explore outdoors without worrying about her getting soaking wet. We will definitely be getting the next size up!

  88. Laura S.

    We were just talking about these, as our son likes to lie in puddles. It’s nice to see a picture of another puddle lover staying dry in the suit. Thanks for the review!

  89. Kathy Harrigan

    This looks like the perfect solution for keeping both kids (ages 3 and 1) dry in Edmonton this spring!

  90. Laurie Nykaza

    We are getting ready for more rain this week and my little nephew would love to wear the Muddy Buddy to keep dry and play in the rain.

  91. Renee Rousseau

    Love the name Muddy Buddy! I am impressed at how stylish the Muddy Buddy is! Functional and stylish is just about perfection!

  92. Shelley P

    What a great product!! I love that the knees and bum are reinforced to resist wear and tear 🙂 Cute! My little one would love a Muddy Buddy so he could enjoy playing in the wet, mud even more than he does now LOL And I would love it too!

  93. Amber

    Now that you’ve had these for about a year.. any chance of a follow up? 🙂

    Do you find your kiddos stay dry even if they SIT in a puddle? Have they remained waterproof, and held up (no holes etc) with use?

    Would love to hear your updated thoughts!

    1. Lindsay

      Hi Amber! We have just busted out the Muddy Buddies for the new season and they still fit and are still in tip top shape … can’t get through this transition to spring without them!

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Welcome to my Wolf Pack!

My name is Lindsay and I am a 40-year-old mama of four trying to live an eco-friendly, budget-friendly life! I am a substitute teacher and Child Passenger Safety technician in Calgary, Alberta. Join me on my adventures!

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