Child Carrier

I have an 11 month old son. My wife and I are looking for a child carrier. We have looked at a two different models....REI model and the Kelty model...... and we are hoping someone will be able to tell us what they liked or didn't like about theirs. Any tips will help.

the Kelty we tried was HEAVY and difficult to adjust. returned it.

REI Piggyback is a solid carrier. i hate the belt on it but my husband likes it a lot. he's put in a lot of miles with the Piggyback.

my favorite is the Madden Caravan, which is now the Sherpani Rumba. reasonably light, tons of capacity. the thing i don't like about it vs. the Piggyback is that the Caravan doesn't have space for a hydration bladder against my back. i hope the Rumba has fixed this problem.

i've never used one, but have heard raves about the Deuter Kidcomfort carriers.

Tough Traveller Stallion - 4 lbs 10 oz - very lightweight compared to other "top" carriers. I've carried my daughter for up to 8 hours in total comfort . . . built like a rock, excellent re-sale value on E-Bay. These folks are the "quiet giants" of this little niche market, and once made the carriers for Kelty ! ! !

~jk

I'd second the Tough Travelor Stallion. I used that for my kids and thought it was great. I sold it on ebay in excellent condition for about half of what I paid for it. I'd watch ebay and expect to pay about 50% of retail.

All of the models I used have been updated since I used them, so I can't recommend one over another per se. I used an old style (90's vintage) Tough Traveler which I never could make comfortable. I sold that and got an REI Piggy Back, which I used until my son was almost 4. I then went with the Madden Caravan, which I think is better for longer/older kids. I LOVED the design of the REI pack for it's ease in getting kids in and out, but it was never quite comfortable. Tolerable, but not particularly enjoyable. I'd heard lots of great things about the carrying comfort of the Caravan, but was sorely (literally) disapointed when I finally broke down and bought it (sight unseen since nobody in AK carries them). I tried the Kelty in the store, but my son detested it, and I didn't think it was all that comfortable on me. I had a friend who returned 3 Kelty packs (suspension adjustment kept slipping) before getting the REI pack and loving it (they were definitely power users). I had another friend who had a Kelty for her first pack and happily upgraded to the REI Piggyback with her second kid.

I think the main thing to consider is comfort for the carrier first, and safety for the child as equally important. I think all major packs have been upgraded to 5-point harness systems for kids... I'd avoid any pack that doesn't. And then, based on my experience with the Caravan, I'd say select the most comfortable pack you can try on and "test-drive" with your child before you buy.

MNS

Comfort is key . . . the TT Stallion is supposed to hold up to 60 lbs. total . . . <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

We used this model since early 1999 . . . it's updated to *that year* at least, and I believe they've made no revisions since then. I carried my son up until he hit something like 30 lbs . . . my little girl (now) is at about 20 lbs. This thing is very comfortable for a "taller" person . . . my wife cannot use it.

Go to an REI or someplace where you can actually try them out with the child inside, walk around a lot with your boots on.

My little girl squeals with delight when I fetch this thing out of the closet . . . even in the rain ! ! ! She loves it . . .

~jk

My son just turned 7 months old and as the weather starts to warm up, I'm itching to get him and my wife out on the trail with me. I'm trying to find an infant carrier that is sturdy and reliable without being too expensive. An added bonus would be some additional space for gear built in to the pack.

I've seen a fair number of reviews online, but most of them seem more marketing buzzwords than actual information and opinion, so I'm hoping a few people here have some experience with these.

Of the reviews I've seen, the Sherpani Rumba and the Deuter KangaKid Child Carrier both had decent comments but I was hoping for more than one opinion. I will be making a trip to the local REI to try their packs on for fit, but that doesn't always translate to on-trail comfort.

Thanks in advance
Dave

I have had used three different Kelty models (Pathfinder, Journey, Wallaby). All of them were great. I carried my son 10 miles (~22 pounds at the time) in one day with the Pathfinder. At the end I was tired and a bit sore but nothing major.

The Wallaby is great for infants but not something I would take into the backcountry. My suggestion is to take you kid to the store with you and try them on with him in the carrier. If they won't let you do that, go to the next store.

Go back a few years through this forum topic - there are several discussions of the different brands.

The short answer is that there are a number of options out there, but like regular packs, the best pack is the one that fits your body.

I used the REI Piggyback for my son from 1-3.5 years, and the predecessor to the Sherpani Rhumba from 3.5-4.5 years. As my son got heavier and taller, the REI pack didn't accomodate the need to drop the center of gravity down, so I got the Madden pack. Both had their plusses and minuses. I couldn't get my son to sit in a Kelty pack. Don't ask me why, but he absolutely hated it. I know alot of people who hated the Kelty pack, but probably just as many who loved it. It goes back to being a personal comfort issue. The only thing you can do is "test drive" your options with your child.

Peace,
MNS