This actually works for hiking, festivals, or any time a stroller will just be too cumbersome to manage. If you need your hands free and not on the handle of a stroller or holding your child in your arms, the Deuter Kid Comfort II Child Carrier, and other carriers of its type, are fabulous.
Since it’s been a while since my daughter was small enough to fit in a carrier like this, REI no longer carries the exact model we had. However, this one is nearly identical and worth checking out if you’re always struggling with a stroller or you frequently like to cover terrain where strollers don’t make much sense, like hiking trails.
The padding ensures a cozy ride for your toddler (and the view isn’t blocked) and the aluminum bars are lightweight. The reviews it has received mirror the thoughts I have about the child carrier we used—convenient, comfortable for parent and child, lightweight, and functional. A sun shade and rain cover are available, too.
You might be thinking the backpack looks incredibly heavy, even if the metal bars aren’t, because of the size, the backpack area on the back, and then the added weight of your child. If positioned correctly, the weight is distributed in a way between your shoulders and hips, and it doesn’t take long to adjust it for one parent after the other’s had it on.
That adjustability and the straps that wrap around the body at hip-level keep it from causing backaches and you can keep your balance more easily. The pack on the back can hold snacks, sunscreen, diapers, and small toys. There’s even room for a hydration pack.
Photo credit: REI