Kid Carriers

[jon]

What are people using and liking? Both the Deuter and Osprey look like pretty good options.

[John Frieh]

Ergo for 0 -> too big for them. Once they outgrow the ergo check out the littlelife brand... they carry well but dont weight a ton like some of the other branks.

 

And you'll want the newborn insert for the first few months though a folded blanket is an okay substitute.

 

 

[DPS]

Saw a guy hiking up Mt Si with a plastic lawn chair strapped to his back with a kid who must have been like 8 sitting in it. I'm sure some sort of bet had been involved.

[jon]

John, which LittleLife did you get?

 

What logic are people using for this, getting a light carrier for the mom to carry the kid and the dad carries everything else, or getting a big carrier for the dad to carry and mom carries as much as she can. He's in the 98th percentile so mom is going to be carrying him for a pretty limited time.

 

A bit off topic but what age did people start doing overnights?

[rob]

or getting a big carrier for the dad to carry and mom carries as much as she can.

 

This is what we did. It made sense because my carrying capacity was far greater than hers, and as you point out it, with a big kid, it wasn't long before she wasn't really carrying him anymore, anyway.

 

I can't remember how old my son was on his first overnight, but I definitely remember it was before he started walking.

[DPS]

I made my daughter carry her clothes and sleeping bag and pad, food, and water at age 5. But then again, she went to grad in another state.

[JasonG]

I think this is one of the best options: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045UAN3A

 

At least we have been very happy with it for our two boys. We started doing overnights when our oldest could hold his head up (6 months?), and did quite a few that first summer. We had my wife carry the kid, diapers, and other kid stuff. I carried everything else in a 75L pack, it was good training.

 

That all came to a halt when #2 came along. Now we go car camping and do day hikes, much easier with two wee ones, including one who is too big to be carried any longer. When the youngest gets out of diapers we will try and go back to overnights....

 

Bring strong alcohol, it's better for everyone.

[JasonG]

That Osprey does look like a good pack, they didn't make one when we were looking a few years ago. I think stirrups are key, whatever pack you buy, although the kid may driving you crazy by bopping up and down. Keeps them occupied and their legs from falling asleep, however.

[Buckshot]

I carried all five of my clones in a Kelty kid carrier. It came with a rain cover which I may have used a total of two times (Eastern WA). I carried them on day hikes, pheasant hunting (makes shooting harder but doable)and all over the state over a thirteen year period. It is rated and will fit kids up to 45# but I usually kick them out and make tham walk by age 3-4. I just passed it on to a buddy and it is still 80-95%. I tripped ass over teakettle once and my daughter was still secure in back, unphased. I loved the kick stand for taking breaks. I saw the stirrups for sale but declined them. I did get the bag attachment that fits below the seat; it made a great diaper bag and came with a changing pad. My only issue with it was that their pant legs liked to crawl up and then they got cold so my wife would pull them down occasionally. The kids loved the thing and often slept on my back while I walked.

[John Frieh]

John, which LittleLife did you get?

 

Freedom. Mom carries kid and I carry everything else.

[jon]

Thanks everyone. Looks like there are a lot more options then I realized. He's in the 97th percentile right now so this is going to get interesting.

[JayB]

Been looking into the Chariot thingy for multi-sport kid hauling after we ran into some folks out skiing with the ski attachment.

 

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/conversion_kits.php

 

Seems like you could haul the kid + kid-supplies in the wheely-sled and at least carry a reasonably sized pack.

 

The hiking attachment would obviously limit the kind of trail that you could use to access a campsite, but given that most folks aren't going to be doing to much scrambling with an infant on their backs maybe the limitations wouldn't actually be that severe in practice.

[jon]

Man I don't have room for one of those things! I had to get a roof box to accommodate the BOB and the dog for longer trips. Now we have nowhere for the box. Now I get worse gas mileage! Who's stupid f*$@ing idea was this!

[John Frieh]

Man I don't have room for one of those things! I had to get a roof box to accommodate the BOB and the dog for longer trips. Now we have nowhere for the box. Now I get worse gas mileage! Who's stupid f*$@ing idea was this!

 

Or you could just get a minivan

[boadman]

Been looking into the Chariot thingy for multi-sport kid hauling after we ran into some folks out skiing with the ski attachment.

 

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/english/html/conversion_kits.php

 

Seems like you could haul the kid + kid-supplies in the wheely-sled and at least carry a reasonably sized pack.

 

The hiking attachment would obviously limit the kind of trail that you could use to access a campsite, but given that most folks aren't going to be doing to much scrambling with an infant on their backs maybe the limitations wouldn't actually be that severe in practice.

 

Some friends of ours have the chariot, the stroller wheel set-up is way better than the Burley's. We've got a Burley that I use a ton for towing the kids around on my bike, but the stroller attachment sucks.