I'm SUPER excited for summer and I can't wait to get outside for hiking and biking and just playing in the sun!
I had posted this is babywearing but didn't get much of a response...
I would like to buy some gear for summer fun....
For hiking I'm looking into one of those baby carrier/backpack deals.. like a Kelty or something similar...
Does anyone have one of these? What do you like/dislike about it?
How often and long are your walks?
There is a 100$ one that looks nice.. but I'm wondering if I'll wish I had more padding later on as she gets heavier.. ??
I would also like to buy a didymos... should I just get that and use that for hikes and outdoor concerts and festivals? (DD will be 6 months at the end of April...)
I personally want to buy BOTH.... kinda expensive though. But I'm sure I"ll use both plenty...
ONE more question!
I LOVE going for bike rides... and I'd like to get a trailer deal for the bike.... what kind do you have... do you think a more expensive one is worth it? Or are the cheaper generic versions just as good... we'll mainly be going on trails (paved and gravel) around town...
Thanks for any thoughts... advice on the subject... YEAH for SUMMER!!!
On the Didy, I have heard(don't actually have one) that the Didys are kind of a heavy weave, and can get hot. But there are tons of other wraps you could try. I made my own for $5. Its a gauze and is not to hot for him or me
We used a NOJO (not that I recommend them, but it's a ring sling) to climb up a mountain. It was only 3 miles, but it was uphill the whole way. Not much trouble at all. The Kelty backpacks are nice and my friend who does a lot of hiking loves hers just for this reason. It distributes the weight more evenly, plus you get your little bag for snacks & water & whatnot. They are expensive though.
I got a Kelty pack handed down from family and I love it. It is very supportive but allows wiggle room for dd. It does distribute weight really well. My only complaint, and it is small, is that just like standard frame packs, it could be better sized for a shorter woman. It still works fine for me though and the good thing is taht my dh can wear it comfortably also.
I've got an REI version. The two things I like/dislike are:
No sunscreen (it's an add on but the pack has to have the attachment) for baby (this is great when summer hiking alone, when you can't monitor the hat situation)
The hipbelt REALLY works. The soft carriers don't work so well. Baby is up nice and high so can see lots, and can grab her very own mamas (or papa's) hair any time she wants and give it a good old 'you still there' yank.
I second the make your own on the didy. Gauze is great for beach, pool etc. They're long and bulky otherwise.
Good for you getting out and about! Also can recommend Jason baby suncream. PDG that stuff!
On the bike trailer, I have the seat that attaches to the back of the seat, so I'm not much use, but the better trailers have a pivoting head so that if the bike falls over the trailer doesn't flip. Look into that. Have fun!!!
Consider the Ergo for hiking, too! It's what we've used, and it's super comfy. The good thing about it is that you can actually nurse in it (although I wasn't able to get it without using one hand to help) with your babe on the front. I love it as a back carrier though, and it spreads the weight out nicely across your hips & is comfy for hours on end.
I have a Kelty and love it. It distributes weight evenly and doesn't hurt my back. I'm an avid hiker/packpacker so it was a must for me and ds. I can't really see hiking in a sling, although I do go on short walks with mine.
If you get a kelty from an REI or EMS store, have them show you how to adjust it properly. There are several straps that you can pull and change to help distribute the load. And when you're on a long hike, you'll want to change the position of the straps, too. If you want more specifics on adjusting a baby backpack, just pm me.
thanks for all the thoughts!
We checked out a backpack at the sports store and it was pretty nice...
So I think I'm going to get one...
and make a wrappy guy, cuz that sounds good too..
i use an ellaroo (like the didy) for hiking. it is a heavier weave than gauze, but i think that will help in long-term for support as dd gets heavier. dd is 9.5 mo and about 21 pounds. it does get a bit warm wearing her on the front, but i sorta like that in the sense that its like extra heat for the workout...but you can always switch dc from front to back or side. the versatility of a wrap is why i like them...have fun!
We researched the bike trailers pretty extensively. From what I know the big difference inprice is because of weight. Other than that there are only a few manufacturers and they sell to the big companies and put their logos on them. We bought a $100 dollar one from One Step or is it First Step? and we really like it. Jaden is 13 months and he loves it too. Hopefully it will help me lose those last few baby pounds.
Good luck gear shopping. It is so much fun. We found ours on ebay. It was brand new.
Enjoy your fun in the sun
we love our kelty backcountry. well worth the money. we just lent it to some outdoorsy friends whose ds is big enough for it now, and our dd#1 is too big for it.
we took dd#1 backpacking in it last year. i packed her and her gear in. it was heavy with her plus all the gear, but doable for a short distance. we have used it on countless trips and vacations. it doubles as a chair for the little one, too, when you don't want them down crawling about!
Originally Posted by lilylove
On the Didy, I have heard(don't actually have one) that the Didys are kind of a heavy weave, and can get hot. But there are tons of other wraps you could try. I made my own for $5. Its a gauze and is not to hot for him or me
I was just wondering, since I am thinking of making one (wrap) what kind of fabric did you use? and how many yards.
Originally Posted by sofysmommy
I was just wondering, since I am thinking of making one (wrap) what kind of fabric did you use? and how many yards.
I used a cotton gauze, mine is 41/2 yrds but I would recomend 5 if you want to do all the carries. Check out mamatoto.org that site will tell ou exactly what you need and how to tie it
I love my backack! I have been a backpacker for years so I got one with many "real backpacking" features- chest strap, load lifters, padded hip belt, etc. Oddly enough, the brand is fake outdoorsy company Eddie Bauer. It looks like the Kelty Trek is pretty similar, from the pictures I saw. Many of the other carriers I tried on were not well padded or structured enough for long walks or hiking. I'm tall and broad-shouldered, so not sure if this pack would work for you as well. Mine is this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW
The kickstand is cool so you can take it off with the child inside, and it comes with the sun/drizzle cover. It was about $100 at Target when I got mine, but I know they often go for half that on e-bay. There are a lot of Keltys on e-bay right now, too- you could get a bargain!
So I didn't have time to read all the posts here...sorry
But...we LOVE our Kelty..so much so that we bought another one when it was offered on a local radio flee market type of show. We have the Country (the most basic) from our 4 yo...and Dh still carries him in it at times so we can hike longer. We have gone on really long hikes with it and go out almost every weekend during the summer. I stopped carrying 4yo in it when he was about 1 1/2...but Dh is a trooper!!! Now we have 2 boys (4yo and 1). The pack we just got is the stepped up model but also from 2000. It has more packing room and more padding. Dh said he liked it better for these reasons and that it was more comfortable. It does distribute the weight more evenly (just like a regular pack) and your front is free so if you were climbing or tripped you wouldn't fall onto your baby (it is really amazing what your body does though to protect your baby should you fall anywhere!!!).
The one thing I'd say is that when we were thinking of getting this 2nd used one...Dh (research nut that he is!!!) looked at a lot of info and it said that the 2000, and I think 2001 models were better than the newer ones....more strongly constructed I guess....So I'd do a bit of research. We got ours for $75.00 used about 5 times....So they are out there...and they last FOREVER!!!
We have the backpack frame carrier fro hiking and outdoorsy stuff and an ergo for around town park kinda stuff. Does that make since? i really enjoy our frame carrier. There is no way you could hike for an extended amount of time in a soft carrier. You would get hot and sticky and you would be very uncomfortable. I don't have a bike carrier, so I can't help you with that1
Carrie
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