Backpacking and Hiking with a Baby: What We've Learned (with video!)
My wife and I made a commitment to each other that we wouldn’t turn into a family that avoids the outdoors because we have kids. We wanted to stay active and backpacking with a baby was a goal of ours. We reached that goal in the summer of 2019 by backpacking in 3 miles with our 9-month-old and two dogs for a quick overnighter.
Since that time, be it rain or shine, hot or cold, we’ve continued to bring our little girl hiking and I wanted to share with you the lessons we’ve learned thus far. By no means are we perfect “outdoor parents” nor do we live some sort of life that you should be jealous of. We’re normal people just trying to figure things out, enjoy nature, and do our best to raise our family outside.
So with that, we wanted to share our experiences and lessons learned so far. Enjoy!
Longterm Thoughts on the Deuter Kid Carrier
A while back I posted an initial review of the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro which you can see HERE. Since that video went up, we’ve continually used the pack on both short and long hikes as well as an overnight backpacking trip. Yes…overnight with a 9-month-old. You can see that video by clicking this LINK.
To make a long story short, we have no regrets about our purchase. It’s been a valuable tool and we haven’t found anything glaring about the pack that we don’t like. It’s easy to use, comfortable for both us and our little girl, and does a fine job of solving the issue of carrying a kid on a hike. Though we don’t have experience with other kid carriers, I’d be more than willing to suggest Deuter as a brand to look into. Again, no regrets!
But you didn’t come here for a review, you’re here to find out what we’ve learned thus far about hiking and backpacking with a baby!
When Kids Can Ride In A Carrier
There are limitations for when a child can ride in a kid carrier. Before you ever put a child in a kid carrier, be sure to check with the manufacturer’s recommendation for when their product should be used with a child. I’d imagine that most carriers have the same guidance, however, it’s best to play it safe and check the manual.
That said, generally speaking, you don’t want to put a child in a kid carrier until they’re able to hold a posture. That means sitting up and holding their head up. Until they get to that point, you’re better off in a chest carrier so you can maintain control of their body. It’s all based on the development stages of the child and since some kids develop faster or slower than others, there’s really no age limit to guide you. Again, check with the recommendation from the maker of the carrier.
Layer Up Your Little One
Backpacking and hiking with your kids can be done year round. As long as you make sure to keep everyone layered up and not over do it, you’ll create some great memories!
One of the biggest things we’ve learned about hauling our little girl around is that while WE might be warm, she’s only just sitting there watching which means she’s going to be much colder than we are. It’s not always easy to remember so my advice is to layer up your baby so you can add or remove warming layers as needed. We’ve successfully had our little girl as happy as can be in cold and hot weather while in the pack. It takes some trial and error to figure out what works best for them, but you’ll get there.
For cold-weather hikes, we go a little nutty. We put a normal layer on her, toss her in a fuzzy suit, and then ANOTHER fuzzy suit just to be sure. Yes, she looks a little goofy, but she stays warm in the wind and cold. We’ll toss on a couple pairs of wool socks on her feet and do our best to cover her hands (she doesn’t like gloves). We’ll then put a nice warm stocking cap on her and call it a day.
The main thing to remember here is that while you’re heating up and getting warm, they’re not. If anything, they’re getting colder. Just keep it in mind!
Wearing Your Kid Carrier
99% of kid carriers, if not all, are REAL backpacks. That means the same rules apply to wearing and fitting a kid carrier. It also means properly distributing loads and being aware of how everything is organized. Be sure to have your backpack fitted the correct way by properly placing and securing the waist belt, adjusting the torso length, and tensioning the load lifters. Do this and your life will be MUCH better.
Kids tend to ride a little higher in these packs and they wiggle around. This means the load is above your center of gravity so you may feel top heavy at times. Just be aware of it as you move around and take your time going up and down obstacles. Yet another reason to wear your pack correctly. You might even think about using some trekking poles for stability.
I recently saw someone hauling their kid around in a carrier that was so messed up it made me cringe. The kid was sideways leaning awkwardly and the woman wearing the pack had the waist belt so low it wasn’t even functioning. Neither party looked comfortable. So yeah, wear your pack the right way and everyone will be FAR more willing to do it all over again.
Bring Snacks
I’m going to assume if you have kid already, you know the rules of the road with snacks. When we were pregnant with our little girl, I asked a number of Moms what their best advice was and without a doubt it was always “SNACKS!” And it’s true, keep your kids favorite munchies on hand and have a few different ones available for when they’re being picky. Believe it or not, a cracker in their hand is your best defense against a total meltdown.
Backpacking and hiking with a baby with snacks is a great way to reduce the meltdowns!
Backpacking with a Kid Carrier
I mentioned in the intro that we actually went backpacking with our kid carrier. True story; here’s how we did it. I hauled the camping stuff for everyone, and my wife hauled the baby and the baby things. She had a few of her own personal items, but the idea was she would care for our girl and I’d care for everything else. It worked great!
If you’re going to do this kind of a thing, I highly recommend being VERY thoughtful about the gear you’re bringing with you. Gear adds up quickly so think before you start jamming everything into a backpack. Be intentional and bring only the essentials.
Dealing With The Elements (wind, cold, sun)
When hiking or backpacking with your kids, be sure to add EXTRA layers. Remember, you’re working and they’re not!
We’ve either been incredibly blessed with a baby that doesn’t mind the elements OR we did a really great job of getting her used to it at an early age. Most likely it’s a combination of the two. Nevertheless, we started bringing Leni out as soon as possible for walks at the dog park in a chest carrier. we’d walk for 45 minutes or so in all kinds of weather and she’s to the point now where she really doesn’t mind it. You don’t have to wait for some grand adventure to get your kids used to being outside. A walk around the block or a stroll at the dog park gets them used to the idea of being outside. We’ve our little one in snow, rain, and sun. She loves it all, but we’ve also worked at it. It’s a process and you just have to start. Don’t worry if you’re late to the game, baby steps!
Battling the elements is part of the journey. Bundle them up more than what you think and use the layering system to dial it in. It’s not a perfect science so you’ll need to just figure it out as you go. And yes, we’ve turned around A LOT because she’s either too hot or too cold and that’s totally fine. Again, it’s a process and you’ll get there eventually. Just keep at it!
Our kid carrier has an integrated sun shade that is easy to put up and take down. It’s been a huge help for getting the sun off of her face and it can even help block the wind a little. That said, weather isn’t always something you can escape so do the work up front to get the used to wind and cold.
Lastly, since we did go backpacking overnight, it’s worth mentioning how we were able to get her to sleep in a tent. My wife had her napping outside as soon as the warm weather came and by the time the backpacking trip rolled around it was no big deal. Sorry to beat a dead horse, but GET THEM OUTSIDE! Naps in the yard, walks around the neighborhood, and literally any you can think of that will get them used to the smells, sounds, and feel of living outdoors. Do NOT wait for that one trip to the mountains to do this. The name of the game is incremental stages.
A One-Person Job
Our kid carrier is a one-person job, and that might be our favorite thing about it. Get yourself a carrier that ONE person can operate. From putting the kid in to strapping them in to dawning the pack. A pack that ONE person is capable of using alone is a huge benefit to everyone. It sounds like a minor detail, but trust me there will come a time when it’ll come into play
Comfort Is Key
Kid carriers are comfortable! Or at least they should be. If they’re not, find one that is because it will make everyone’s life that much better when you’re on a hike.
But it’s not just the parent that needs to be comfortable, the child needs to be as well. We know ours is good to go because we’ve done up to 4 miles in a single go with no complaints. That’s over an hour of walking! You want your carrier to be something everyone is happy with. Leni likes ours enough that she’ll fall asleep in it as we stroll down the trail. How cool is that!? This harkens back to the fact that we had her outside sleeping in a chest carrier on walks very early on so sleeping in a kid carrier is the next logical step.
Make sure your carrier is comfortable for both the parent AND the kid.
Final Thoughts
I’ll leave you with this; kids are more than happy to be outside in the elements and they’re ALWAYS up for an adventure. Even if that just means looking around at a new environment, THAT is the adventure for them. Everyone benefits from being outside but it’s a process doing so with a baby. Be patient, take it in incremental steps, and have goals so you can reach them.
Emory, By Land
Thanks for stopping by the website and checking out this article! If you have any questions for me or want to connect, you can leave a comment below or shoot me a personal message at emory@byland.co.
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