BABY CARRIERS BACKPACKS
Baby carriers backpacks
Important characteristics of mountain baby carriers
Surely you have seen some fathers and mothers with a mountain backpack in which they carried their child on their back. These are the so-called mountain baby carriers. They may seem like a fad. But in reality they offer a unique opportunity to bring our children closer to nature from an early age.
Scientifically, there is no doubt that natural environments bring multiple benefits to everyone, including babies and younger children. Studies have found that being in contact with the mountains and a natural environment offers physical and psychological advantages to children and babies and that these are maintained even in adulthood. In a recent European study, in which Spain has participated, it has been found, for example, that people who have been exposed in childhood to natural environments, such as the mountains, have fewer mental illnesses and that this effect lasts even into adulthood.
Although, before launching yourself with the baby carrier up the mountain down the mountain, we recommend that you read this post and look for a quality mountain baby carrier.
Adjustment
Adjusting to your child's age is essential. Mountain baby carriers must be able to adapt to the growth of your child. To do this, they must bring chairs that rise and fall in height and fully adjustable straps. Buying a baby carrier with little adjustment margin will be expensive because the time of use will be much less.
On the other hand, they must also be able to adjust as much as possible to the carrier's complexion. Especially if there are several who are going to carry the baby carrier up the mountain. Some models come with very intuitive guides with the size marked just like in clothing (S-M-L-XL) to make adjusting it easier. The Osprey POCO AG PLUS baby carrier is an example of a model that is very easy to adjust.
Headrest and chin rest (drool pad)
It is very likely that, along the way, your baby wants to take a nap. So it is essential that she brings an adjustable headrest that allows her to sleep comfortably without her neck suffering. Also, even if your baby already has a strong neck, she needs a place to rest her head. Baby carriers for hiking or any other prolonged activity must have a chin guard. This is a pad that allows them to support the chin so as not to overload the neck. Both elements must be adjustable. Unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer or pediatrician, the chin should be at the height of the upper half of the chin rest.
Fabrics and padding
As we mentioned above, good quality baby carriers usually offer good comfort in the baby's cabin. To do this, they use padding in all the structures that come into contact with the child's skin. When buying the mountain baby carrier, we must pay attention to the fact that the fabrics are soft to the touch and breathable. The Deuter Kid Confort III model is a model that has earned many positive opinions regarding comfort.
Stirrups or footrests
The best quality mountain baby carriers that we can buy have integrated footrests or stirrups. Like those of a horse's saddle, these allow to hold and secure the feet. What improves posture, circulation and favors the comfort of our baby. And also as in the case of the horse (yes in the simile you are your child's horse) it will also favor your comfort. Since you will notice the most stable weight.
Suspension system
Like any mountain backpack, the baby carrier must have a good suspension system. The suspension system must keep the baby carrier close to the body. Although, at the same time, it must favor that there is a slight intermediate space that favors ventilation. In good mountain baby carriers this space is not altered even when the backpack is heavily loaded. The suspension system must distribute the weight over the shoulders and hips. Normally 80% of the weight should be on the hips and only 20% should be supported by the back. It should also prevent pressure points from being generated on our body.
hip belt
We need a hip belt that is adjustable to any build. This will allow us to distribute the weight of the backpack correctly, sending most of the load to the hip and not to the back. The adaptability of this belt is even more important if there are going to be several carriers. Before buying the mountain baby carrier, look at the size chart (or measurements) that accompanies it and make sure it fits you and other carriers that may exist. This belt, like the rest of the backpack that is in contact with our body, must be padded to prevent chafing.
breathable materials
Walking with a sweat-soaked backpack is really uncomfortable. Therefore, it is essential that the materials and structure of the backpack allow optimal ventilation, especially in the back area. Buying a baby carrier that prioritizes breathability will always be a better option
side entry
If the journeys that we are going to make are somewhat long, we will have to take our baby out several times. So it is very convenient to have not only the main entrance, but also a side entrance. If our child is already a little big, he will love being able to climb on his own through the side entrance and without the help of an adult. It is not an essential when buying the mountain baby carrier, but it is recommended. The Deuter Kid Confort III and the Thule Sapling Elite models are side-entry baby carriers
Weight
The truth is that the most comfortable models usually have a considerable weight, around 3 and a half kilos. This is because they have a frame (usually aluminum) that facilitates the distribution of the load and provides stability to our movements. In reality, there are no big differences in terms of the weight of the best models. And it is that most of the weight sold