Useful for Hikes In Warm Weather, But Not Essential
We hike a lot, so when I set up our baby registry for our first baby I thought this would be an essential item. The Kelty brand is a good one and the color was very appealing (we chose the taupe/orange color combo, which is a more our style than green or blue). The first time we took our daughter out in this she was around four-five months old. She rode in it fine and comfortably, but when she became tired she really didn't have a way to lay her head down and go to sleep. We also had an Ergo and an Infantino carrier. These carriers are way to hot with the baby snug against you for hiking in really warm weather, but I often stuffed the Infantino carrier in the backpack part of the Kelty so I could switch my daughter to that once she became tired and wanted to sleep. So I don't know how they could improve the design where that is concerned, but when I could use the ergo I definitely preferred that, because it was kind of inevitable that she would get tired and want to sleep. The few times she did fall asleep in the Kelty she looked terribly uncomfortable and her head bobbed around. So if you have money to spare, this carrier is useful, but I did not find it essential to have to enjoy the outdoors with a baby. Safety After I used this carrier I learned about how baby carriers that let a baby's legs dangle can put stress on the hip joints and pull them out of alignment, causing problems for walking that can require physical therapy. This carrier definitely falls into the category of carriers that let the legs dangle. Baby's Comfort The seat area often looked uncomfortable and it took a lot of adjusting to get my baby seated so that her spine was in proper alignment.
KatyMae
USA