{"id":44841,"date":"2025-09-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=44841"},"modified":"2025-09-18T16:11:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T23:11:41","slug":"kid-carriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/kid-carriers\/","title":{"rendered":"Kid Carriers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Essential kid carrier<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kelty Pathfinder<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve used this kid-carrier backpack from Kelty, called the Pathfinder, nearly every day for the past year. For instance, just today I took a bird-watching hike with my 16-month-old son, Ivan, who loves traveling in the pack. Previous to the Pathfinder I was using an expensive Phil-and-Ted Backpack for a few months, but it was inferior. It is attractive and stylish and it has what seems to be a more comfortable seat for the child, but the adjustments are limited for positioning the child. It\u2019s essential when using one of these packs that the kid\u2019s weight is well-balanced over the wearer\u2019s hips, and not too far back. I find that the Phil and Ted\u2019s pack isn\u2019t adjustable enough, so that my child becomes cantilevered too far off of my back. In contrast, the Kelty pack\u2019s adjustments allow me to place my child in such a way that his weight rests on my hips and doesn\u2019t put too much strain on my back and neck.

The previously reviewed and recommended Ergo Baby carrier is an outstanding product, if not the best overall child carrier. It\u2019s great for wearing young infants in front, and it can\u2014like this Kelty\u2014 be used to wear a larger toddler on your back. However, the kid is directly against your back, so any type of serious hiking would be out of the question because it would be too uncomfortable and sweaty. I like to get a workout in while I\u2019m out with my son, and with the heat he generates having him directly on my back would be miserable.

Like the other packs in this class, the Pathfinder is designed to balance a lot of weight (up to 44 lbs.), so that it feels comfortable for the wearer and for the child while you are really hiking. The pack itself is lightweight, and comes with a very useful sun\/rain canopy. The padding on the back and the positioning of the child both keep my back from getting hot and sweaty. The Pathfinder has two hip pockets accessible while you\u2019re wearing the pack, and the main storage compartment that rests behind the kid detaches as a small daypack, diaper bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What sets the old Pathfinder apart from the top-of-the-line Ortlieb and Deuter models \u2014 and the current Pathfinder 3.0, Kelty\u2019s current top-of-the-line version \u2014 is simply its low price. Functionally it\u2019s the same as, or at least very similar to, the high-end newer models, but with out-of-style colors.

You can get these classic packs cheap on eBay because parents receive them as gifts but then never use them. It requires some effort to adjust them properly, and more importantly it\u2019s simply hard to carry 32 pounds (my kid + cargo + the pack itself) on your back if you\u2019re not used to it, especially hiking uphill or on uneven terrain. So there\u2019s an abundance of high-quality inexpensive used backpacks in excellent condition. I bought mine unused for $65 through Craigslist, versus about $275 for the new Pathfinder 3.0. \u2014 Elon Schoenholz<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New-parent handbook<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Baby Book<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New parents don\u2019t want your advice unless they ask for it. Trust me. Nothing invites unwelcome advice like having a baby. And nothing in my life has confronted me with a steeper learning curve than becoming a father. Of the many resources my wife and I turned to in the first couple of years after our daughter was born, this one\u2019s a favorite. William and Martha Sears (M.D. and R.N., respectively, and parents of eight<\/em>) are the Dr. Spocks of the current generation, and they seem to have been influenced by his favoring increased parental flexibility and affection over an emphasis on discipline and character building. The Sears\u2019s sage and sober advice always feels friendly, even-handed; their joint perspective is broad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing revolutionary to their approach: Attachment parenting is their emphasis. And simply put, attachment parenting as they define it means being very involved and engaged and responding to who your child is and what she needs. And enjoying parenting in the process, of course. Makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re about to become a parent, you\u2019ll be well-served with this exhaustive guidebook. If someone close to you is a soon-to-be parent, share your wisdom only if it\u2019s sought and buy him The Baby Book. The Sears\u2019a Discipline Book is a worthwhile read, too. \u2014 Elon Schoenholz<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n