Which kid carrier do I want??

[Mtnwalker]

The wife wants to order me a kid carrier pack for Father’s Day, any reco’s? Looks like it’s pretty much between Osprey, Deuter and Kelty for the better rated ones. Pros and cons? Any of em load bridge a hind quarter under the kid or anything cool like that?

[HighCountryHunter88]

I bought a deuter, no complaints so far

[hollymaster]

Go to rei and try them on. Kelty didn’t work for me, wasn’t comfortable. Forget what brand we ended up buying, but it’s gone through kids, nieces and nephews and now grandkid. 

[jamesfromseattle]

I think you gotta pick one that fits you—they all seem pretty much the same but fit different.

The frame backpacks don’t really have a good place to pack anything heavy. If you’re serious about packing a baby + a hindquarter, I’d recommend going with either a wrap or a “lily baby” type of carrier. Then you could put the baby on the front and regular pack on the back. Our one year old is coming antelope hunting this year and that’s the setup we decided on. One grownup will be shooter and the other will be baby carrier/entertainer/earmuff handler.

I wouldn’t go deep in the mountains and pack an elk with it, but it should be fine for a couple miles without much elevation and a reasonable sized load.

[cbond3318]

I’ve had Kelty for all 3 of my boys. It’s a “run what ya brung” type deal. Don’t waste time trying this or that and dropping high dollar. Not gonna make a lick of difference when your 30lb kiddo is squirming around. 😂

[blackveltbowhunter]

Just buy a kifaru with a large bag.  then you have a pack for them to use when they get bigger.

[blackveltbowhunter]

But in all seriousness, any of them will work. The deuter is probably the most comfortable I have used. Mainly for the kid. If they are comfy they squirm less which is about the only thing that causes issues. Most kids are under 50 lbs so packs themselves are plenty comfortable. Extra storage is a must.

[donsk16]

Deuter Kid Comfort

Don't buy a kelty.  Just don't.

Look on facebook marketplace - we bought our first one new, bought my wifes almost brand new for like $50.

I wouldn't go much over 50-55 LBs with them, they start to get weird because of the weight distribution once you hit 60.

[TheStovePipeKid]

I have the Osprey Poco. Get one of the second gen ones with the anti gravity harness system. You can adjust torso length and hip radius. My wife and I can both wear it comfortably. Look at the plus or premium. I've never strapped any meat to mine but have hiked through the ape caves with it loaded to max and lived to tell the tale.