Child Carriers - All You Need To Know

Outdoors industry and child carrier guru Charles Ross tells you everything - and we do mean everything - you need to know about child carriers. Charles was part of the team that first introduced Macpac to the UK and still occasionally works for Bushbaby. He has worked in the kids' outdoor market for 15 years now and says that he's still learning. Over to you Charles :-)

This article should give you the basic information you need to choose a child carrier, but remember, if you're going outdoors with the kids, the weather is key, so always check the latest forecasts before heading out. One great site for mountain weather is the Mountain Weather Information Service - www.mwis.org.uk - or take a look at OM's regular Friday morning weekend weather round-up.

If you get a soaking it will not only be uncomfortable for you, but you will kill the enthusiasm of the kids for future trips. Using you eyes is as good an indication of the weather as some web sites; it is easy to re-time or re-locate the activity if rain is predicted.

There can be as many exciting urban walks, with convenient covered rest stops as there are outdoor routes; plus you get a good shelter from storming winds! For me urban canals offer the best compromise of being out-there, with interesting things going on, if you can avoid the litter.

Child carriers - The Basics

There are two main types of child carrier, front mounted and back-mounted, here's how they differ.

These are intended for use from newborn until you can no longer carry them - generally around 6 - 8 months.

Wearing one of these means you can't easily see where you are placing your feet so stepping stones, stiles and fiddly rough terrain are out. You can still wear a day sack easily however.

Kids will have to face you until they get strong enough neck muscles to be able to support their head, then you can turn the baby around in the carrier so that they face outwards.

That means they will not enjoy the views until they are 5 months old. With a front carrier you can always have an extra large jacket to go around you both if the weather starts, but remember to use some form of protection from the sun - babies do not have a thick head of hair, plus you will be weary of venturing out in inclement conditions.

A good design will double up as a changing mat too; have some form of back support (rather than just hang off your shoulders); and should be easy to don and doff by yourself.

A sound carrier will set you back around £50. Main difference to a back carrier is that the waist belt has to go around your stomach - any lower and a set of ankles are in your private parts; this is why ones that adjust to be carried on the adult's front and back just don't work well.

Babies will feel the cold big time, so make sure they are well wrapped up. As they are inactive, they are not generating a lot of body heat, hence keep them wrapped up in warm clothes and windproofs.

You can use waterproofs as they will not have a big build up on perspiration. The all-in-one suits with fleece linings are ideal as there are fewer layers to juggle with when you have to change nappies.

These are the traditional back carriers most of us will have seen, and range in price from £50 to £200.

General users will balk at the price of top-end carriers, but regular outdoors users will appreciate the benefits of having a comfortable carrying system and are used to paying more for guaranteed comfort.

The most noticeable difference between general and outdoors purchasers is that the former would only consider using a carrier until the child is 15-18 months old (which is 12 months of use maximum), whilst the latter will still be using it for kids twice that age.

You can use the carrier from the point where the child can support their head, so think 5 or 6 months old. Whilst they are still small you have to cocoon them inside the child seating area, but as they get larger you can turn them into a white-van man by having their arms overhang the sides.

Beware of putting too young a child in if their neck muscles are not strong enough their head will be jiggled around. There are various neck support additions you can buy, but waiting a couple more weeks until you child has developed Wayne Rooney-style neck muscles is a much safer option.

The British Standard test that carriers now have to conform to is, in my opinion, a waste of time as it involves jumping up and down 50,000 times with a certain load. In thefive years I have used carriers I do not think I have once jumped with it.

For fun I have put young adults in the back and carried them around successfully: as long as they are dress size 6 and below 8 stone they will fit into a Bushbaby carrier - proving that carriers are built to backpack specifications and it is the person who is more likely to wear out before the pack does!

Fom about the age of a year do not think that because they can wander around your home that they are ready for their first hike. The outdoors has uneven surfaces to walk on and not that much to support themselves with.

Do not take it as a no-no, but if you use a carrier and let them free when you stop, they will get the exercise they like. They still tend to be in nappies so dress them warm and easy for access; even if they are potty trained you still need to be able to get into the clothing quickly. I can guarantee their base layer is cotton so beware of spending too much on fancy waterproofs.

Toddlers, I refer to as being in nappies but mobile. They do like to walk themselves as it is part of the act of being grown up. Key thing is bribery I have found and now talk of walks in terms of how many biscuits it will take. I regularly wander with them for the first half mile, then use a carrier for the next mile, take a break, set of wandering together for the next half mile and so on.

Kids from about the age of 30 months, out of nappies and active. They can tell you if they are uncomfortable, rather than just cry. As kids have a limited walking range it is worth looking at ways to further your adventure: try taking a bus and walking back; a real treat are the ferry rides around the Lake District.

Beware, when they run out of energy they do not budge further and it is your responsibility to get them back to the safety. Having a carrier than can accommodate an older child comfortably is a good idea as these carriers generally also have storage for everybody's gear - over 25 litres normally - so no need for an additional sack.

Sadly no matter how good the advances are in technical materials for the parents, the kids always get the cheap end of the deal because they grow out of the gear before the technology has worn out! Parents will consider paying nearly £300 for a top end jacket, but refuse to pay more than £30 for their toddlers.

My general advice is to wear wind-proofs over the top of warm layers. If you treat the wind-proofs in the relevant Nikwax solution you will have water repellancy too.

There are some good brands around which use long double-ended zips and beard guards so they do not agitate your child's neck if the garment is not a perfect fit. Look for loops at the bottom of legs to stop the bottoms from riding up, leaving exposed legs.

Remember hats, gloves and over-boots, especially for those being carried, who are creating no warming movement energy of their own. If one thing could change for kids I would want a more technical base layer than the traditional cotton T-shirt; if you are near an Aldi then get some XS polyprop tops for a fiver, or there are now some brands that do a polyester base layer.

Always carry a set of clean clothes in the car to change into before they get in (use the tailgate as shelter) as they will accumulate much more dirt than you: it is fun to jump in puddles and to slide in the mud at any age, but they do not think through the consequences when they are that old.

games and food: lots of things to do here, especially if you take some type of ball or frisbee with you. Have plenty of water to keep hydrated; my favourite is the kids' version of a Sigg bottle with the sports bottle top: this doubles up as their school water bottle too and will not get crushed in a bag.

Overnighting

There's a big leap up to get to this stage. You will have to carry lots more gear; personally would advise to have two consecutive days out and then if the energy levels for all concerned are good enough then to try it when its warm enough to not load you down with warm gear. It is the most satisfying thing, but do not leap to this stage before you can handle it!

Best to camp out the back of the car, or even better - sleep a few nights in the back garden so your facilities are close at hand. Big thing is that if you have not exhausted the child they will lie awake late into the evening as the sunlight will illuminate the tent and the conversations outside will be heard: thus they are grumpy the next morning.

There are some noticeable differences between normal packs and child carriers. The biggest difference is that whereas several people will carry the child carrier, it is rare that your main sack is used by someone other than yourself. The other thing is that your load is prone to moving around so if you do not have a brilliant fit, it seems twice as uncomfortable.

Back SystemAdjustment presents a big challenge to backpack manufacturers. The adult harness must be adjustable (unless both parents/ uncles/ friends are the same height) so as to fit the carrier.

From a design point of view it is hard to have a maximum adjustment of the harness, so always make sure you get to try it out before you buy it. Macpac have approached the problem by producing some of their carriers in different sizes, whilst Bushbaby are recognised in having the greatest height adjustment.

Some designs have less than 10 cm adjustment between their highest and lowest settings! There are also designs that do not even have a stiffened system to spread the weight across the adults back!

Ease of adjustment of the adult harness is another point. Some adjust easily (Little Life), some seem very hard work (Trubend and Vaude): whatever system you choose make sure you can do it and that you mark (red nail varnish is popular) which is your best setting, so you can easily adjust back to it.

Be aware that some systems that slip in use, although with regular breaks you can always check it. The systems I like do not have any rods running down the middle of your back (next to your spine), but use twin stays.

Child Area Adjustment

The area where the child sits needs to be adjustable too; the child will grow and you'll need to change their settings every month or so. Beware of systems that have buckles near the child's face or are too difficult to adjust whilst the child is in place.

The area should be well padded, but with a cleanable material (there will be occasional sick to add to the constant dribble of youngsters). Sleep buffers and harness covers make it easier for when the child nods off.

Generally kids go active when you first put them onto your back: they can see so much more; make eye contact with people who are talking to them and pull your earrings/ pony tail. Every kid I know is sent to sleep by the gentle side-to-side rocking motion of the walk within an hour. Some carriers have useful loops that you can tie toys to, or clamp on dummies (so they don't get lost).

You start by having the adjustable child's seat on its highest setting so that the child's chin will line up with the sleep buffer. If you have a particularly small child then a good tip is to put them into the pod of a front carrier before loading them into the child carrier.

As your child becomes larger let down the seat height, but keeping their chin in the middle of the buffer. Your child's eye level is just above yours normally, but not so high that they can see over your head: try standing sideways on when having a conversation with someone else to avoid boredom for your child.

It isn't unusual for a 2-year-old's feet to touch the ground when the carrier is off your back. After a year (when the child has put on some weight) use the foot-loops that hang off the side of some packs: these help spread the load for the child so that they don't get pins and needles just sat on their butt.

If your pack does not come with them, then make your own from cord (the concept was invented by Himalayan porters who only had string!) to resemble riding stirrups.

When loading and unloading the tip is always to stand behind (not the adult's harness side) the carrier and to put your foot on the main frame bar running through the large pocket.

Some carriers have a 'third leg' stand which pops out when the carrier is on the ground which helps with stability - but is never good enough to mean your child can be left unattended in a carrier. Even with the third leg (Kelty and Deuter style) the carrier is still unstable side to side and although a shop floor demonstration might seem convincing, the outdoors is never that level.

If you have taken the carrier off your back then make sure you are holding the haul loop - this position doubles up to create a high chair for feeding too. Health and Safety mean that all carriers come with a harness to restrain your child from falling out of their seating area, but the better carriers have the ability to have the wings to this area tightened after the child is in place (this also helps pull the weight to your back a la Osprey design style).

It often takes two people to load and unload a carrier (as your child's legs never seem to go through the right set of straps), but try doing it by yourself. The tip to getting the carrier on your back is to lift it (by the haul loop) onto something off the ground and then getting down to slip into the adult harness: the sofa and the tailgate of a car are popular options.

The modern carriers use a range of methods to become stable enough to be loaded of which the Little Life foot hole - above - is the best. Macpac's foot loops don't seem to do that much, but some like them.

Standing on the back pocket on a Bushbaby one leaves you with a dirty patch. Jack Wolfskin and the third leg brigade have the advantage here. All carriers have haul loops which help when loading the carrier onto someone else, but I have never found a secondary haul loop useful (it is behind the child) as it is impossible to get the height or stability required lifting a carrier like this: much better to put your other hand onto the main frame of the adult harness (under the bottom or on the vertical).

When you have a heavier child you will appreciate the good fit of a quality adult harness. Those of you who are still breast feeding will appreciate a chest strap that can be adjusted to under the bust.

Useful additions to the hip belt are a little pocket where you can store keys/ phone/ money which also contains a little rear view mirror so you can make eye contact with your child (very re-assuring when they go quiet as your first reaction is to think they have died), whereas larger items that you need to access on the move (feeding bottles and snacks) can go in wand pockets on the main sack. If your carrier does not have a hip belt pocket then try threading an old pouch onto the belt and putting an old compact mirror into it.

Another big issue, generally the bigger the better - you don't have to fill it. Get one that sites its storage areas close to your back (rather than the child's back) as this will reduce the weight felt and make for a more comfortable carry.

To a new parent you have all your stuff plus kit for your child: extra nappies/ feed bottles/ clothing/ waterproofs/ wipes/ their food. A separate storage area is useful so that you do not have to store soiled nappies next to your food reserves! Look for things like bottle loops in the storage so feeding bottles can be kept upright and zips that only work across two dimensions (zips that work in 3D are under greater pressure: more likely to go wrong).

The main compartment is also where the sun canopies are stored. As previously mentioned you need to take extra protection for their heads. Kids have a habit of taking hats off (hence why the mirror is so useful), but if you attach a leash to the back of their harness the hat won't be lost.

Using a canopy - right -is a good solution, but some kids don't like the feel of being 'in the box' having gotten used to the open air freedom. The better sun canopies have roll down UV mesh for brighter days and most will double to keep light rain off too. Very few fold flat: a great advantage when storing inside the main compartment and a massive help when loading and unloading the child (you don't have to take it off first!).

An additional raincover is on some carriers; if you do get one then make sure that it comes down to completely cover the whole pack so that your child's legs do not get wet! Personally if it is that wet I dress my daughter in a 'taped raincover' which is a cross between a cycle poncho and a pack cover: it allows her to look around and not be confined 'in the box'; but more often than not we will rely on the sun canopy to hold off showers or dress her in waterproofs. Covers also help reduce the effect of a biting wind.

The main difference between carriers with a third leg and not one, is their storage when not in use (or crammed into the boot of the car). The former seem to take up a greater volume, whilst the latter go flatter. There are some designs that completely flat pack: the Elite has a collapsing main L frame. In recent years the popularity of the designs have moved away from the third leg as freestanding carriers have been developed.

The biggest reason why people stop using their carrier is that it is uncomfortable, normally because it is too heavy. For this reason having lots of extras seems a contradiction, as they add weight.

This is why I use a sun canopy, but not PVC raincover to go over the top of it; the carrier design I choose does not have extra zip-off pockets (zips weigh more than the fabric), I have a daypack that my wife uses if we are together; and I use a design without the additional weight of the 'third leg'.

I choose not to utilise the hydration system facilities on some of the carriers, but am grateful for the reflective details (ask a parent whose child can't sleep on a summer's night). Carriers weigh from under 2kg to double that amount.

There are some carriers with a version of suspension on them so if the child does move around (they all will), their every movement is not translated through to the adult's hip belt: hence it seems much more comfortable in use.

This is a feature unique to child carriers as it is not required on other designs of main packs. Bushbaby have achieved this by using an independent child support frame (i.e. it is not bolted to the main adult L frame), but I have seen several prototypes of interesting systems.

Carriers generally offer value for money in the sense that the more that you pay, the better system you get. Just beware of overloading with too many heavy features. My tip is always to go for the lightest carrier which fits you perfectly and has decent support for your child - anything additional can be added on.

Just like main sacks there are some brands that seem to fit your back better. Next year there is a woman's specific fit being launched too. Carriers below £100 will not offer the long usage that one above the price point will: either in terms of how long you can wear it or how long your child is comfortable in it. What will feel light with a 6 month old kid in, could be too heavy to use within 18 months.