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I am looking for a recommendation on a Back-pack type carrier. We are due in November and do about one hike a month, along with trips to Farmers market and Street Fairs. I haven't done much research - as I'm not sure what to look for and what parents like best...it appears that Kelty has a good selection and good recommendations. Thoughts?
I have a sling - looking to get something for hikes - won't be using it right away - but doing research early. thanks.
I can't offer you any advice, but I am pretty sure that most backpack carriers start at 5 or 6 months + up, so you might want to wait awhile before you choose one.
I was thinking that, too - babies need pretty good upper body support (close to sitting unassisted) before you can really use a frame backpack carrier.
We got a gently used Tough Traveler off of eBay for 1/3 the price of a new one ($200 new!!) for DH - it is the model for tall people. Both DH and Colin are happy with it!
You really have to try some carriers to see which one fits you best, since the best carrier for one person is the worst for others!
An alternative to the frame back-pack type of carrier is the wrap-around cloth types. They are very rare here in the US, but more common in Europe. They are more intimidating than the backpacks because we aren't used to seeing them, but you can use them with really small babies. Some people do newborns, but I waited until about 7-8 weeks (mostly because I hadn't come across them before.)
A great site for alternative baby carrying options is Peppermint.com. They have a couple brands of the wrap carriers. Some brand names are Ellaroo, Didymos, Girasol, and others.
Here's an attached pic of that type with a 2 month old. It's not for everyone, but we LOVE ours (have a couple!)
HTH,
Beth
You could also try a podeagi -- a Korean baby carrier. It wraps around you and supports the baby quite nicely, from what I've seen. I have a pattern on my website (http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/podeagi.html) or if you do a Google search for podeagi or podegi, you'll find a number of US distributors. And you can use a regular ring or pouch sling on your back as well; they just don't have the backpack features (like extra storage, etc).
Once your baby has good head control, Kelty is fantastic. We have a Kelty backpack that converts into a stroller -- it's great for places where you might want either, like street fairs and amusement parks. I got mine at the Kittery Trading Post in Maine for $100; online they tend to be more expensive, but I was very happy with it. Unfortunately, I didn't get it until Stephen was 2 years old, and by then he was a little too heavy to use it on my back for extended periods, but I expect to use it more with this baby. Just having the option to carry it on my back when he wanted to get out and walk was handy, though -- kept my hands free and gave me some extra storage space.
I just wanted to say peppermint.com has good customer service. I ordered my Rebozo there and I got it really quickly.