Baby Carry Backpacks

Thanks Kilbar,
There seems to be many who are either for the ergo or the larger framed styles.
Having spent time in Asia, I am concerned that the baby carriers that are pretty much against the body dont allow enough ventilation.
In high humid and hot climates for the baby comfort, do the close body carriers allow for ventilation to prevent overheating for both my son and me?
Is this how most would see it?

#10,

have you considered that in traditional societies in Asia and Africa people carry their ids on their backs, and have been doing so for thousand of years, without using a sophisticated frame but simply with a piece of cloth wrapped around them? If overheating were a problem, surely they would have heard about it? You're seeing problems where there aren't any.

Babies love being close to their parents. As i said before, it will be hot carrying 10kg of child no matter what method you use, and of course you need to make sure your child doesn't get sunburned. Avoid long stretches of walking in the sun.

Use your common sense, and you'll be fine.

Yes, you and the child will get very hot when carried close to the body.We used a Baby Bjorn - a well-padded 'Activ' - which was great until our kids were about 10 months to a year old. After that we found that they're just too heavy and uncomfortable to carry that way. With the framed pack, your back will likely be coated with sweat, after a reasonable walk in the heat, but your child will be dry. The child is in such a position and height that they have relatively free movement, and see everything. As I said earlier, our kids have just loved them. Of course, take care re-the sun, but if you'll be walking for longer stretches, I'd highly recommend a framed carry pack. I guess it really depends what sort of travelling you'll be doing. We've found the Macpac to be versatile, comfortable, fully-adjustable, and hard-wearing.

Ergo all the way too!! I hiked up rice terraces in southern china 20 weeks pregnant with a heavy 2 year old on my back and barely felt it (of course I'd been carrying her from birth - think I'd have felt it if I just started carrying her on that trip!) and used mine till my eldest was 4 - still using it on my almost 3 year old - we live in Abu Dhabi which is crazy hot, and yes kids get hot in them but they get hot anyway. I can't think of a single more useful piece of baby equipment!!!

We used a Baby Bjorn - a well-padded 'Activ' - which was great until our kids were about 10 months to a year old. After that we found that they're just too heavy and uncomfortable to carry that way.

just a few thoughts:
the baby bjorn is, as far as i know, made of polyester or some other artificial material. The Ergo is made of washable cotton. You will of course still sweat in +30C, but wearing your baby in cotton is much more bearable than in padded polyester.

Also, teh baby bjorn is, as far as I know, for carrying on the front. This is, from an ergonomic position, teh worst way to carry a child. On the back is much better, which is what the Ergo is designed for.

However, you can still carry the child up front with the Ergo- which is still do ocassionally, like when i carry my daughter into an airplane on a crowded bus, when I'd like to be able to see her and put my arms around her if necessary. You can't do that with a frame carrier.

The Baby Bjorn model we had was "soft, organic cotton", with added lumbar support. It was expensive - we had to import it - and structurally it resembled the Ergo. We were very happy with it - up to a point. On one trip to SEA we took both the Baby Bjorn and the Macpac for one of our boys, as we knew he'd grow too large to carry comfortably for any time with the former whilst we were away - and moved to the Macpac when he was about 3 months. When carried on the front for any distance and/or in the heat, you and your bub will end up saturated - that's been our experience, and logic litigates for this being the case even when carried on the back, given the proximity of flesh-to-flesh and the effects of exercise. I've checked out the Ergo site and sure, it looks comfortable. For shorter distances. So was the Baby Bjorn. But it doesn't take much imagination, from the photos provided by Ergo, to recognise that however carried, there are shortfalls in support that spell discomfort for longer walks. Just as with a backpack, you can carry a load for a longer distance, in greater comfort, if it's framed. If you're going to be carrying your child for any more than an hour straight, I'd opt for the Macpac. But again, it depends what sort of travelling you'll be doing. Whichever you choose, your feedback would be interesting.

The Baby Bjorn model we had was "soft, organic cotton", with added lumbar support. It was expensive - we had to import it - and structurally it resembled the Ergo

thanks - i guess i had never heard of that model.

Thanks guys for all your comments and suggestions.
I have a baby bjorn at the moment with the lumber support and as MDR has mentioned not so good when carrying for more than 1 hour.
Trying both over the weekend to see what seems to be the most comfortable.
Thanks again,

One word - Ergo. We have 3 kids and have tried every possible contraption out there - backpacks, slings, all sorts of soft carriers. The Ergo is far and away THE BEST carrier out there. It makes my 35 lb toddler feel as light as a feather!