Just because you have a little one doesn’t mean you have to give up hiking.  You’ll just have to use a bay carrier type backpack for your kid and make your hiking plans around them and the fact that you will have extra weight.  There are plenty of decent baby carriers available either at local stores or through online shopping.  You will most likely want a newer version of a kid carrier in order to get the latest innovations in design, weight and padding.  It is not recommended that you use one more than 10 years old.

Lowest Cost Baby Carriers

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers TC 3.0 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 11 19. Five point adjustable childs harness. Sun rain hood included US Patent 5 609 279. Child view mirror included. Changing pad included. Padded adjustable height childs seat. Toy loops. Carry lift handles. 40 lb weight limit. Zip off diaper bag with shoulder straps. Lightweight internal aluminum frame. Mesh water bottle pockets. Organizer pocket. Sliding backpanel torso adjustment slider. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded backpanel. Waistbelt storage pocket. Load lifter straps. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers FC 1.0 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 16 18. Auto deploy kickstand. Five point adjustable childs harness. No Pinch hinges US Patent 5 626 271. Under seat storage. Padded adjustable height childs seat. Toy loops. Carry lift handles. 50 lb weight limit. Storage pouch. Lightweight aluminum frame. 3M reflective tape.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers FC 3.0 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 12 20. Auto deploy kickstand. Five point adjustable childs harness. No Pinch hinges US Patent 5 626 271. Sun Rain hood included US Patent 5 609 279. Child view mirror and changing pad included. Under seat storage. Toy loops. Zip off diaper bag with shoulder straps. Lightweight aluminum frame. 3M reflective tape. Sliding backpanel torso length adjustment. Two layer padded and contoured waistbelt. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded backpanel. Waistbelt storage pocket. Load lifter straps. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886. 50 lb weight limit.

Buy the Sherpani Baby Carriers & Strollers Rumba Superlight 08 CLOSEOUT at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Exclusive Five Point Chest Plate. Load lifters and stabilizer straps. Large mesh back pocket. Lower storage compartment. Stirrups for improved childs leg circulation. Fits torso sizes 17 20. Waist belt fits 29 42 waist. Rated to carry 55 lbs.

Buy the Sherpani Baby Carriers & Strollers Rumba 08 CLOSEOUT at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Adjustable unisex suspension system fits torso sizes 16 22. Waist belt fits 29 42 waist. Removable kids daypack diaper bag. Elastic toy loops. Baby stirrups for improved leg circulation. Padded bucket seat and sides. Five point chest plate. Topper sunshade and tuck away windows included.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers TC 1.1 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: one size. Five point adjustable childs harness. Padded childs seat. Toy loops. Carry lift handles. 30 lb weight limit. Mesh water bottle pockets. Organizer pocket. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded mesh backpanel. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers TC 2.1 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 11 19. Five point adjustable childs harness. Padded adjustable height childs seat. Toy loops. Carry lift handles. 40 lb weight limit. Zip off diaper bag with shoulder straps. Lightweight internal aluminum frame. Mesh water bottle pockets. Organizer pocket. Sliding backpanel torso adjustment slider. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded backpanel. waistbelt storage pocket. Load lifter straps. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers FC 2.0 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 12 20. Auto deploy kickstand. Five point adjustable childs harness. No Pinch hinges US Patent 5 626 271. Under seat storage. Padded adjustable height childs seat. Toy loops. Carry lift handles. Zip off diaper bag with shoulder straps. Lightweight aluminum frame. 3M reflective tape. Sliding backpanel torso length adjustment. Two layer padded and contoured waistbelt. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded backpanel. Waistbelt storage pocket. Load lifter straps. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers FC 3.0 at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Parent torso fit range: 12 20. Auto deploy kickstand. Five point adjustable childs harness. No Pinch hinges US Patent 5 626 271. Sun Rain hood included US Patent 5 609 279. Child view mirror and changing pad included. Under seat storage. Toy loops. Zip off diaper bag with shoulder straps. Lightweight aluminum frame. 3M reflective tape. Sliding backpanel torso length adjustment. Two layer padded and contoured waistbelt. Curved padded shoulder straps. Padded backpanel. Waistbelt storage pocket. Load lifter straps. Sternum strap. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886. 50 lb weight limit.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers Wallaby at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Padded adjustable childs seat. JPMA certified. Storage pouch. Child can face in or out. Padded waistbelt. Padded shoulder straps. 25 pound weight limit.

Buy the Kelty KIDS Baby Carriers & Strollers Kangaroo at eBags.com! Voted 2006 Website of the Year, eBags offers the best prices on a huge selection of bags, luggage, backpacks, handbags, and more. Padded adjustable childs seat. Toy loops. Storage pouch. JPMA certified. Child can face in or out. Privacy shield. Waistbelt torso length adjustment. Padded waistbelt. Padded shoulder straps. Waistbelt storage pocket. Scherer Cinch waistbelt system US Patent 5 465 886.

Continued Backpack Content

Buy a baby carrier that has a padded waist belt and padded shoulder straps that are adjustable.  Your carrier should have good suspension and balance as well.  You are going to need the waist belt to relieve stress off of your back and shoulders.  Any serious hiker knows that carrying a backpack without a waist belt will wear you down quickly.  The city-type, less sturdy, baby carriers are not meant for hiking but are meant more for shopping.

Many of the baby backpacks for hiking you will find have extra pockets and also places to hang things, or strap things on.  Some have accessories like rain guards and mesh pockets.  We have seen hikers carry really young babies in a front baby wrap while also having a regular hiking backpack on. It probably balances the weight pretty good.

Diapers are a major problem when hiking with your young one in a baby carrier.  Of course they will need their diaper changed at least once, for short hikes, and many more times for all day hikes.  You should not throw out into the woods any type of diaper, disposables or cloth ones.  This is littering and the disposable ones will stay there forever.  Do not burn them either as that may cause toxic pollution.  They best way to handle it is to maintain a separate area in a backpack for the used diapers.  Scrape them of the poop, let them dry as time permits, and then put them in plastic bags.  Carry them in the designated backpack pocket.  If you have a dog with you, you can get a carrier backpack for you dog and have them carry the dirty diapers.  They really won’t know or care.

Sanitation is a must when hiking with your baby in a baby carrier style backpack.  Make sure you have plenty of anti-bacterial wipes and regular baby wipes. You will need to clean up often with a kid along especially when there are diapers involved.

Feeding your baby is another consideration when hiking.  Several baby carrier style backpacks will flip over to form a high chair, making it easier for you to always have a ready chair available.  If your child eats mashed up versions of what you eat it is easier to only carry your food.  Breastfeeding your baby is really the best alternative since it is the easiest food to carry along!

Carrying your baby in a backpack does have its challenges but that is no reason to give up hiking.  In fact, if you have never hiked before you may want to try it as a new hobby, and get your baby out into the fresh air as well as yourself.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 5:53 pm and is filed under Baby Backpacks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.