Hi everyone. When my last AT hike finished, I never would’ve imagined marriage and a child, but here we are. It’s pure love. My question is: Has anyone used a backpack-style carrier for a 1 year-old toddler (about 20 lbs)? Not for a thru-hike mind you, but for just ramblin’ along the trail?
Merci, Otosi (NEBOTOSI 111101)
Otosi
I used to haul my kids in a carrier at the mall, out in the woods on mushroom hunts and nature hikes they loved it and it was easy walking, when they got tired they would fall asleep on my shoulder. Find one that you like and go for it, also a great way to stay in shape for your backpack check out the consignment shops and auction sites for deals.
4Bears
I hike at least once a week with my son, who just turned two, and/or my four-year-old daughter. Each hike is different, with me sometimes wanting to cover miles to get a good workout (but still be able to spend time with my kids) and other times wanting to let the kids set the pace as they explore the world along the trail. I used to use a Kelty carrier – which made the most sense when the kids couldn’t walk or struggled to walk on the trail’s uneven terrain – but actually find it much more comfortable to carry the kids on my shoulders, which is usually what I do on my “workout” hikes, taking them off of my shoulders to walk a bit if I need a break. I find the carrier leads to too much of the child’s weight pulling back away from my body. Of course, my son weighs 35 pounds already, which is alot of weight for a carrier; my daughter weighs about the same. Admittedly, when the kids were younger and lighter, the pack worked well and the uneven load in the carrier was not as uncomfortable as it is today.
Ozone
We use a Sherpani carrier and love it. 2 year old and about 30 lbs now. Used it on overnights a few times but mainly day hiking. The kiddo is wanting to do more walking these days though, which slows things down!
gravityman
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Over the weekend I picked up a Deuter Kid Comfort II. I was glad it was the same price as in the US (usually hiking stuff is $$$$$ here). Very high quality, and looks ready for some real trails. Even enough storage for a simple overnight, probably. Carried my daughter all the way to the big park outside of town (we live near Tokyo) and she loved it…I did too. Happy hiking! Otosi111101
Otosi
I’ve never dared go on an overnight or longer with my toddler son, but when he was a little lighter I used an REI baby carrier (forget the model name). It has a sun/rain hood and an extra bag to carry all those parenting essentials. I found it to be very comfortable and the little bugger loved it too. Always check the quality and safety of the straps. That’s key in a baby carrier.
raru
My husband and I hike 2 months on the AT with our 3 year old son. It was difficult but doable. We used a baby jogger. It was a long time ago -1989. At the time they had one for handicap children which was a little larger. I do have a small bit of our trail journal up from that trip (one day I will get the rest up) at www.trailjournals.com/johnbecky - it was 1989 AT. There are a few pictures on it as well. Using the jogger allowed us to carry weight on our back and with the 2 of us we did pretty well.
Becky