Baby Backpack

[Wild One]

My wife and I just had our first kid like 4 weeks ago and something I realized I didn't buy in preperation was a pack to carry him in. Do you guys recommend any that have good suspension and possible allow you to put gear and the kid in? Any suggestions are more than welcome. Thanks!

[paraAdams]

Congratulations on the new addition!

We have a Kelty kid pack. Before we bought it we searched and shopped to find the right one.

The two things to look for are 1: a good, durable frame. The pack needs to stand on it's own while your loading and unloading Jr. Along with the frame, there needs to be some kind of strap that you can pull to retract the back leg of the frame. (Go to REI, you'll see what I mean.)
2: A sun canopy for the precious little cargo you will be hauling around. Very important...

The problem is, I haven't seen one that has much storage. Mabye enough to hold a Nalgene bottle, baby bottle and a sandwhich. But not much more than that. Although we bought ours three years ago, maybe they come in models with more storage.

Have fun and good luck!

[Scott P]

Yep, I have the Kelty as well.

Although we bought ours three years ago, maybe they come in models with more storage.

There is an attachable "diaper duffel" that you can buy for the Kelty. It can hold enough stuff for a dayhike.

http://www.backcountry.com/store/KEL...ml?id=Bqq3KXmI

[Alex]

I too bought Kelty Pathfinder, I loved the pack, but my kid has outgrown it now and I am looking to sell it to another happy kido.

This is what I have (but last year model:

http://tinyurl.com/j4fve

[brettyb]

Of course, it will be some time before your young one can safely ride in a backpack. Ours was about 6 months at which point she could sit up on her own. Kelty seems to dominate the market. We brought a Kelty Pathfinder home from REI. But the thing we really didn't like was how far back the baby rode, throwing of one's balance a bit.

Instead, we ended up getting a Deuter Kid Comfort II, bought from Travelling with Kids, a web based operation that is based right here in SLC. (REI also sells them, but only on their web site it seems; at least not in the SLC store that I ever saw). We have been VERY happy with the Kid Comfort II. We've hiked with it several times. It can carry a little bit of cargo, not a ton. There is a larger Kid Comfort III that can carry more. Before she was big enough to ride on our backs, we carried ours in a chest carrier (snuggly type thing), which we managed on hikes of up to a few miles (e.g. Tower Arch, Fremont River Trail, Old Wagon Trail). It works well enough, but it was much nicer to get her onto my back!

[asdf]

ok

[Wild One]

Hey guys, thanks for the great responses! I do have a chest carrier for him right him, but I'm also worried about the sun. They say you can't put sunscreen on a baby that young b/c their skin is too thin and it gets absorbed into the bloood stream. But also, with the warmer weather I don't want to drape a blanket over him either. Any ideas/experiences? Again, thanks a whole ton for all of your great responses and the pix. I'm getting way excited to take him out now and will have to post some pictures and a TR. Summit 42--nice video, that is sweet.

[Scott P]

I do have a chest carrier for him right him, but I'm also worried about the sun.

Bonnet or hat. Plus sunglasses:

[Scott P]

Anyway, if you are interested, here are some pics:

[brettyb]

One other point I had forgotten. Another prime reason I chose the Deuter was that it has a pouch to accept a hydration bladder, which was a glaring oversight in the Kelty.

[Sombeech]

a quick vid of us skiing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_76TjAI2lio

Cool vid! I want to try my helmetcam this winter. My boy will be too young still, but I want to get some good footage rippin' down the slopes. Hopefully some good crashes too.

[asdf]

Hopefully some good crashes too.

Get a pack and start hauling your boy around. They only get heavier as time goes on. Now 20-30lb pack is no big deal untill its wiggleing and kicking around.
As for falls, I have taken a few. Nothing too bad its just hard to get up with the pack on.