Is a child carrier really worth it on a hike?

A child carrier is very useful when bringing small children on hikes.

If a baby carrier sounds like a lot of work, consider this: a full pack to go in the backcountry usually weighs about 45 pounds. Your child won’t weigh 45 until he’s in his fours. An infant weighing under 20 pounds is nothing to carry on one’s back, even if you add the four or five pounds of the carrier to it.

Most infants and toddlers like to be in baby carriers. They can see the world from a higher vantage point and can make direct eye contact with others.

Some casual day hikers will want to use strollers rather than baby carriers. This is fine in paved urban areas but will be nearly impossible on wild trails. The surface will be too rough, eating up the strollers’ plastic wheels. Other surfaces will be sandy or rocky, making pushing a stroller difficult at best.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Use a child carrier to make day hike easier

Hiking with a child carrier poses different challenges than backpacks, mainly because your child will move about as you walk, which can throw you off balance, especially on steep or rocky terrain. Seated children will have a lower center of gravity than a full backpack, and this makes achieving a good weight distribution difficult if sometimes not impossible. In addition, you can’t scoot down rocks or inclines on your butt as your child’s feet are under you and would be crushed.

You’ll need to learn how to walk with a child carrier, so before hitting the trail it’s a good idea to place your child in one, put it on, and try vacuuming (to simulate the bending you’ll need to do on ascents) and walking around your neighborhood. It’s a good conversation starter with the neighbors and certain to earn you and your child friendly waves.

Seat the infant or toddler in the carrier each time before heading on a hike so you can readjust the straps for both the child and for you. This only takes a few minutes to do and will save you much trouble during the hike.

If the day is a bit cool, a child in a carrier will need to be dressed slightly warmer than you are. Children in carriers will get cold because they’re not exerting themselves as you are on the trail. They also could be more exposed to the wind depending on your direction of travel. On the other hand, if the day is a bit on the warm side, children on your back may need to be dressed cooler than you as the nylon making up a carrier seat doesn’t breathe. Some hikers recommend jury-rigging umbrellas on the carrier to keep the child out of the sun, but if a sunhat isn’t enough to protect your child, then you probably are hiking in too hot of weather for a kid. If walking in an area where you’ll be exposed to direct sunlight, make sure they wear a hat and that their hands, legs and feet are covered in clothing or sunscreen.

Before setting out on the trail, always be sure to buckle up your child by using the carrier’s shoulder straps. Their squirming about increases their chance of falling out if they aren’t strapped in.

Be aware that during the hike younger children like to take off their sunhat and sunglasses just out of curiosity or because they’re uncomfortable in them. They end up dropping them on the trail and then run the risk of sunburn or of being blinded by sunlight. You’ll need to periodically look back over your shoulder and see that they still have their head and eye protection on. Their legs also may be exposed as baby and toddler pants creep up.

The child also will need to be taken out of the carrier for every hour you walk. This will give you a rest stop and give the toddler a chance to run around, which he’ll welcome.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

How to select a baby carrier for your hike

If your child is an infant or toddler, you’ll have to carry him. Until infants can hold their heads up, which usually doesn’t happen until about four to six months of age, a front pack (like a Snugli or Baby Bjorn) is best. It keeps the infant close for warmth and balances out your backpack. At same time, though, you must watch for baby overheating in a front pack, so you’ll need to remove the infant from your body at rest stops.

When purchasing a front pack, you’ll want one with padded straps if walking for any long distance, or they’ll start digging into your shoulders. Make sure the front pack provides good neck and head support for baby. Also, look for one that isn’t too difficult to put on. Some have a number of straps on them that you’ll constantly have to adjust as baby grows.

Once children reach about 20 pounds, they typically can hold their heads up and sit on their own. At that point, you’ll want a baby carrier (sometimes called a child carrier or baby backpack), which can transfer the infant’s weight to your hips when you walk. You’ll not only be comfortable, but you’re child will love it, too.

Look for a baby carrier that is sturdy yet lightweight. Your child is going to get heavier as time passes, so about the only way you can counteract this is to reduce the weight of the items you use to carry things. The carrier also should have adjustment points, as you don’t want your child to outgrow the carrier too soon. A padded waist belt and padded shoulder straps are necessary for your comfort. The carrier should provide some kind of head and neck support if you’re hauling an infant. It also should offer back support for children of all ages, and leg holes should be wide enough so there’s no chafing. You also want to be able to load your infant without help. It also should be stable enough to stand so when you take it off the child can sit in it for a moment while you get turned around. You don’t want a carrier that you must swing around your back to put on. Instead, you should be able to sit down, pull the carrier onto your back as you adjust the straps, and then stand.

Stay away from baby carriers with only shoulder straps as you need the waist belt to help shift the child’s weight to your hips for more comfortable walking. Older “Gerry” baby carriers from yard sales also are a no-no. They were recalled because when small infants shifted to one side they could slip through the leg openings to the ground.

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g Carry handy carbiners on next day hike with kids
g Do I need to carry rope on a day hike?
g Carry a flashlight on day hike into wilderness areas

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.