Interested in what gear we’re using during our adventures? We’re not gear experts, nor is our gear usually fancy, but we’ve found some things that work for our family. Maybe they’ll work for you, too!
Soft Structured Carrier (SSC)
We have several SSCs: an original Ergo*, a standard Tula, and a toddler Tula. I like them all pretty equally, and use which one is best for the situation (or which one happens to be in the van).
After I gave our first Ergo to a friend, I bought a plain blue one and dressed it up with red fabric. It’s soft and floppy and I like the large pocket on the back for carrying extra diapers.
A friend gave me this Standard Tula to commemorate our son’s congenital heart defects. I quickly fell in love with this carrier and I often use it for hiking.
I invested in a Toddler Tula to carry our toddlers. I barely feel their weight, even at 35 lbs. I start out with it empty and let them walk. When one gets too tired to walk, then up he goes.
Internal Frame Child Carrier
We’ve always loved hiking, and I’ve always worn our little ones in the above Ergo or Tula. But when we had two toddlers, I knew we needed something so each of us could wear a little one. My husband tried the Ergo and never felt that it fit him well, but at a local baby shop he tried a Deuter Kid Comfort II Carrier. When it went on sale a few months later, I snagged it for Christmas. He’s used it for about 5 years now with a variety of toddlers up to about 40 lbs. He loves how comfortable it is and how easy it is to put it on and take it off. And it has a ton of storage space for water bottles, snacks, etc.
Our Deuter II sees a lot of action in both winter and summer.
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