Kelty FC 1.0 Kid Carrier Backpack

I bought this to use specifically for Brooklyn Botanical Garden's Sakura Matsuri. I walked around from 10am to 6pm with absolutely no comfort problems, and my son was delighted to be able to see everything over my shoulders. Putting on and taking off the backpack was easy, since the kickstand automatically extends (just make sure to hold on to the sturdy handles on top). My only complaint is that the kickstand does not retract flush to the backpack when in use. Absolutely not a problem when hiking, but I had to be careful around crowds. I purchased this carrier for day trips and hiking, but have since used it around the house and for grocery shopping. I don't need too many pockets or bells and whistles, so the lightweight Kelty FC 1.0 is perfect for me. The Kelty FC sun shade accessory specifies that it only works for 2.0 and 3.0 versions, but my 1.0 looks like it has fabric pieces for the sun shade to fit into. It may be worth further investigation.

Buying the sun hood is must component with this pack and a baby.

My son is 5 months old and he loves being in this backpack. We use it all the time now, to go for a walk or when we travel. It fitted in the plane! The only thing missing is a sun cover but my son wears a hat, and if we really need one I guess we can add one.

This backpack beats a stroller at crowded fairs or uneven surfaces, like hikes. Bonuses are that your child can see better and that you have your hands available.

I ordered this backpack because my 10 month old was getting a little big for my Ergo carrier--he wanted to see more and couldn't while facing me. The Kelty pack is amazing! He sits up high on my back so he can look around him. The kickstand feature made me able to use it on my own (with the help of my Jeep's cargo space). The back panel is vented, perfect for warm summers. My baby fussed for about 2 seconds while I put him in, but as soon as he was on my back, I didn't hear a peep out of him our whole hike! So I imagine it's comfortable for him. Over time, he did get heavy and the straps put pressure on my shoulders. I would expect this since I'm carrying a 25 lb "weight", but a man would probably have a much easier time with this.