Wanted: child carrier

Wanted a child carrier type back pack. or recomendations for a good one?

Many thanks in advance.

DW - i havent got one, the Bushbaby was the best we used, think it was the Pinnacle model we had. Also had a Vaude Jolly which was cheaper but not as good.

Personally i never felt we got our moneys worth with use - kids grow so quick and once they can crawl/walk they dont want to sit in a carrier - also never had enough free time and weather is often wick. I would set up some saved searches on Ebay and try and pick one up a bit cheaper.

Or put a cushion in the AK37 and try it for size...

DW

i saw one in a local charity shop the other day but didn't take much notice, i'll pop in today and check it out.

Check out Epicentre in Ambleside and online. They are selling Macpac ones for gd prices. Think about £80-90 for a £150 one that has 25litres pack space. One has that underneath the kid and a back pocket with something like 17 litres too!! I could go backpacking with that and then some. Just need to get UL kit for baby.

BTW I only know about these deals because I'm planning ahead to spring when I reckon my prospective nipper will be old enough for one of these. Best thing about a winter baby is they are big enough for getting out when ther weather gets better!!!

PS At what age can kids be carried in these rucksack type carriers? I mean up in the Lakes and Dales and Howgills type of terrains. I take it they have to be a few months old at least??

Deuter kids comfort III and up are nice carriers

I have had a number of child carriers over the years.  MacPac Vamooses, Bushbaby, Little Life etc.  The undisputed King has been my Bergans of Norway, Kids trekking 2300. It is a serious bit of kit and in my opinion by it the best child carrier out there.  I would even go as far to say that it possibly my favourite peice of kit I have ever owned. (I used carriers extensively; i.e. as soon as both boys could hold their heads up they were never in a pram again.)

http://www.bergans.com/products/default.asp?liste=sekker_liste&MenyID=122050&page=sekker_detalje&modID=2300&ml1=6&ml2=&t=Kids%20Trekking

Mine is Orange / grey.

It was the most comfortable for me and my two boys.  It has proved to be fantastic far better than anything that is commonly available in this country.   Last time I looked they would have been just under £300 if they were available over here.  It is the only carrier that is stable when it is on the ground with a child in situ.

The zip for the “zip-off” day sac needs a new stopper on one end but there is still years of use left in the thing.  I was going to get it repaired myself and then sell it but I would be open to a reasonable offer for a quick sale as my washing machine is about to give in.

Anyone interested drop me a PM and I can supply further details / photographs.

Mrs Stove swears by the Ergo baby carrier which is _much_ smaller and lighter than the metal framed equivalents. Its also suitable for very young babies and holds the child closer to your back so there’s less swinging around. In winter its much warmer, and since you’re in contact with the child its easier to tell if they’re comfortable/happy/asleep. It’s a rucsac style rather than sling, but can be configured for front or back.

Downsides are that its hotter in summer and has almost no additional carrying capacity (tho’ you can just wear a separate bumbag for that.  There’s also no rain cover, the child would need to be in separate waterproofs (then again, we always had to do this anyway with the ‘proper’ baby carrier.

We’ve carried our kids from a few months up to age 3.5 in the ergo, and because its so small/light you can easily take it on a longer hike ‘just in case’.

 New they are c. £60, I’d guess they’re around half that secondhand and easy to sell on if it doesn’t work for you.

I've used a cheap version I found in a charity shop and found it great. It was a fiver!!  Snugli Cross Terrain.

You'll quickly notice that these things are expensive (in my terms) BUT they do seem to hold their value pretty well so you should be able to get a good price selling them second hand later on.

I'd be a bit cautious about having loads of extra capacity to carry more stuff. None of them are very light (2-3kg). Add that to the kid's weight and essential baby stuff and you're soon building up a substantial pack.

Age?  Smaller (lighter!) the better, as long as they can hold their head up.