When I first started this entry I had a huge master plan about writing everything under the sun about hiking with kids of all ages. Grand idea, total rainbow fantasy. So I went back to what originally started this thought, a child carrier.
There's a lot out there about how to take your kids closer to the outdoors sooner and more in life, but the allure of simply throwing a child on your back in a pack is almost too much for any experienced hiker. As a new uncle I've been getting on the children in the outdoors bandwagon and doing as much research as I can for my sister and her husband. The child carrier is an interesting invention to which there's good and bad, but as always you have to take what you can and risk a little to get a little in this world. So here goes, lets scratch about a pack and your kids in the outdoors.
Lets focus on the younger years, toddlers to young children. My friend Kevin (your
AP plug is coming don't worry) gave me this subject because he has young ones and is an avid nature lover and outdoorsman. The truth is that hiking with kids (or camping for that matter) is a hassle at times and can be wrought with horror, tears, and bad luck of all things; so the best way to start is by being prepared. Kids have different needs than we as seasoned hikers do, they're also not as tough and get hungry waaaaaaaaay more often than we do (assuming they're using their legs). Your standard day pack will suffice for weekend trips to the woods with only a couple of adjustments.
1.) Snacks - If you have, have had, or once was a kid(s) you understand the voracious appetite that seems monstrous at times. Make sure you pack some healthy snacks and meals to help keep your little ones going. "When in Rome" feed your kids what comes from the woods... so to speak. Try to find fruits, bars, and sauces for snacks and nothing beats a good 'ol bologna sandwich (with cheese please) for lunch on the trail. Balancing out the diet (tastefully according to a kid) and giving them naturally sweet items is a great way to encourage healthy diet and good hiking practice! Not a meat fan? Replace meat with peanut butter, but leave the cheese please (that's just me). Hydration is the other half of that coin, if your child is cranky, tired, not wanting to walk they might be dehydrated. I run into this a lot with the kids I hike with, they have their water bottles but either drain them early (in most cases) or don't drink and hate carrying them (cause I make them prepare for the nightmare of counting ounces in the future); this leads to the kids not drinking enough water at the right time. So, lesson is, pack enough water to hydrate Canada's Army you'll thank me later for it. People ask about water filters, with kids I don't like taking the risk because their immune systems are still growing. We as adults have earned out immunity through laborious illness and time tested mommy-make-it-better techniques, if little Billy or Susie gets sick from a tainted source you'll regret it, so pack some home tap water or from a refilling station if you have one in your area. Ditch the plastic bottled water folks and grab yourself a Nalgene of Camelbak, it's a ecological nightmare and the second biggest scam next to insurance.
2.) Clothes - we hike with what we wear and maybe an extra rainsuit or layer in our bags, kids need a bit more... like a whole change of clothes and extras for any weather. This may sound like overkill but if you really encourage your kids to get in the dirt and explore the extra set will be a good thing. I like to carry an extra garbage bag with for dirty clothes or dirty finds on the trail. With kids everything happens faster than with us so you can bet on them getting cold or tired a bit before you do. Have those layers handy and keep the little ones dry like you do with diaper-hikers.
3.) First Aid - This one is simple, as I've said before kids aren't like us. When packing your first aid kit remember the children's versions of Tylenol, Motrin, band-aids, etc. as well as child sized wraps or ointments (too strong an ointment or repellent can be a bad thing). Also, a break and shake cold pack can be a lifesaver on hot summer days when the little ones are looking dreary, if you hike in the winter replace it with a hand warmer.
Now the child carrier backpack or front-pack is a great invention and I think it has amazing potential. I've heard tons of people swear by them saying things like "it lulls their child to sleep with the swaying motion of the pack", and "prolongs the hike when they're getting tired". I will be getting one for my niece as soon as it warms up. Dueter and Osprey make two of the best selling versions of child-carriers, the Child Comfort line (Dueter) and the Pocco Plus (Osprey). These are on the pricey end of things rounding to a few hundred smackers just like any good pack you would buy, but as usual you get what you pay for. If you don't want to go the route or the expensive toy try something a little more earth friendly like ErgoBaby Carrier which is about half the price (or less) of the more expensive models. Comfort will be key (for both you and baby) when selecting a pack for your child. I suggest going to a local outfitter who carriers a few different models and trying them out (don't forget baby!). Get the weight right and walk around with the pack set up and fastened to you. You'll be putting miles on it like you would with your own pack, so get a comfy one. Some have extra features which are nice, but I find them useless unless you're hiking with just you and your kids. If you have your partner with you split up the carrier from the day pack and save yourself some hassle. I always have a fear that someone with a carrier will trip on a root and take a spill.... I'm sure you can imagine the consequences... it's not pretty. That is my only "Murphy's Law" type situation I'd actually be afraid of on a hike with a carrier. Now it's not the falling and hitting the ground that will hurt the child in the carrier, it's built well and is designed for rough use, but it's the recoil on the muscle groups (such as the neck) which aren't strong enough in a child to take such an impact. This could lead to some serious injury or even death. I can't find any research on this topic that is credible to the max but I have heard other concerns from a few professional folk who share concerns such as this one. Like I say, you can't have adventure without a little risk.
If you don't want to go the route of the pack or you'll be hiking well worn or paved paths, think about getting a stroller-type apparatus instead. I've seen some of these range from $50.00 to $1K (no joke) so make sure to look closely at what you're getting with your purchase and remember how long you'll actually be using this for. These can be great all year items if you buy the right accessories for them. Many companies offer such add-on's as shades, bike attachments, drink holders, brakes, etc. and most of these are built fairly sturdy. I've even seen a guy adapt used kids skis to his 3-wheeled carrier and push it through the snow, which is bad-ass and I wish I would have had one of those when I was a kid! Here's the catch, if you're going off-trail or on some harsh terrain don't even bother with this option, trust me the bulkiness and bumpiness will irritate both you and your child.
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Now the one season use sled... I'm a fan of sleds to begin with, anything that glides across the snow or makes my trek easier. I've used expedition and large load sleds for winter camping for years and you would think that you could adapt of carry just about anything in them, not true. When you pack gear you pack it down and rope it in, but with kids... well you
can do it... but there might be some strange looks or fussing from the rear. Point is that the gear you put in doesn't move and sway like kids to nor are the kids as proportionally weighted in the sled like you'd normally pack it. This can cause major problems when pulling the sled, uphill it will feel like an anchor is behind you and downhill you'll just have a cannonball coming after you (even though the kids may get a laugh about tumbling mommy or daddy). This is remedied by the rope poles good expedition sleds have on them, I use flexible PVC for my poles (I built my sled) but I couldn't see them stopping a plastic sheet with two kids on it, however it's worth a try for $1.19 at your local hardware (first time I spelled it Hardwear, look at what my mind has become) store. Please make sure you have a good harness as well. Ropes are a bad idea because they can cause loss of blood-flow and you won't get as much effect without a good harness. Find a padded one that is about as big as your hip-belt on your backpack, if you can find an old pack you aren't using you can usually modify those to fit your needs.If you want to stick with the sled consider one with runners (assuming you have a good snow pack) or perhaps try something that is designed with grooves on the bottom, this will give you a little less friction on the snow. Speaking of friction, we all remember that that more surface area you have on two opposing items the more friction is created when you slide them across each other, keep this in mind. Also, grab some really soft (and cheap) ski wax and a fine grade sandpaper, sand the bottom of your sled lightly (just enough to get a good amount of wax on it) and wax it up before you go out. This can help immensely on the inclines and give the kids a thrill if you wanna let them sled down a hill.
So lets ask the question "what would
you do for each season Eco?"
Tough, not really, but it's a bit of everything... To be honest I prefer to have the kids go as far as they can on their own until they drop, then I give them a rest or teach them something; but for the littlest ones I'd say you'd wanna stick with the full wheeled carrier or pack-style. This is simply because the wheeled carrier is big enough to haul gear and kids as well as be a refuge from everything the children may not like about nature (weather, bugs, etc), and the pack-style offers places to go that would inhibit you with a wheeled carrier. For ease I like the child carrier backpack (not front-pack) for the warmer months because I know I can carry gear and kids solo, although it is a challenge sometimes with fast moving kids. In the winter I like the front-pack because I can wrap an extra-large coat around me and baby for extra warmth. The sled is great for short hikes but I will not use it on long hikes simply because of the weight issue. The wheeled carrier is also nice in the warmer months but I prefer to keep it bike-ready. Something we all forget too is that our companions are just kids, they may just require shorter hikes until they are older.
It's always great to get a child back to nature but sometimes practicality has to win out and we need to wait for optimal conditions (you mountaineers will know what I mean). If the distance is too much consider making the shorter walks more hands-on for the kids or give them a chance to wander and play as they please. Kids don't hike the way we do anyway, everything is interesting and you have to go point to point instead of having "summit-fever" so to speak. So there you have it. My take, all-be-it a condensed version on kids and carriers while hiking. I'm sure I'll revisit this many time this year since I now have the responsibility as Unckie to help get my niece out into the world as soon as possible. Cheers to you and yours, stay warm, and think like a kid when you're out with them!
~Eco
P.S. I always like to support those who do wonderful things for the industry, nature, and world. Kevin Washburn who asked the question about kids and hiking, is the head of
The Antzl Project is a great guy and fantastic outdoorsman. TAP is a tribute to the great Ansel Adams, it focuses on nature photos you've taken and "Antzlfies" them (B&W) before putting it all on a canvas and shipping it off to you (free US shipping if I'm not mistaken). When you get a chance please take a peek at his
Facebook page and perhaps even submit a photo! I love this project as well as my guy Kevin, this is another great aspect of our world, TAP and Kevin give you the moments you've captured to put on your wall at home and relive daily. Go now, check it out, and get yourself a great canvas!
While a maternal instinct is an important thing, we need to remember that it's the little things we discover by experience in life that can lead us to revelations. Take caution in how you approach an adventure, beware dangers, but go out and live to experience your adventure to the fullest. If you get a chance, watch little kids wander in a park when turned loose, they explore like everything is new! That attitude is important to have, even if you're the best outdoorsman/woman in the world. I'll support the first three things, but I have to say that, once in a while, you should leave the trail ;)
While a maternal instinct is an important thing, we need to remember that it's the little things we discover by experience in life that can lead us to revelations. Take caution in how you approach an adventure, beware dangers, but go out and live to experience your adventure to the fullest. If you get a chance, watch little kids wander in a park when turned loose, they explore like everything is new! That attitude is important to have, even if you're the best outdoorsman/woman in the world. I'll support the first three things, but I have to say that, once in a while, you should leave the trail ;)
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