Kelty FC 3.0 Child Carrier, Green

I've been looking for child carriers that appeared suitable for true in-the-woods hiking and which could carry supplies as well as a toddler. I'm using this pack to carry a 20lb 15 month old in Arizona and I'm impressed so far. There are multiple adjustments for different torso sizes that allows you to make sure you're carrying most of the weight on your hips. The padding is substantial and similar to what you'd see on a higher end internal frame backpack. You don't experience any pressure points if you've adjusted it correctly. Your passenger has multiple seating adjustments so you can position her high or low depending on size and to make sure her arms are free. The shoulder straps and leg straps are also very adjustable and easy to access. The kickstand pops out automatically which is very nice and has a pinch resistant rubber hinge insert to keep fingers out of the way. They did a great job in trying to cram as much storage into the pack as possible without throwing off your...Read more

This review entails my experience with three packs. The Kelty FC3, the current FC 3.0 and the Deuter II. I originally owned the older Kelty FC3. Over the course of a year of heavy use, it began wearing out (material was tearing, and ripping, foam was coming off the internal stays). To be honest I probably put over 200 miles on this pack in all kinds of weather. Kelty agreed to replace the pack with the FC 3.0, the current model. But only after sending them pics of my old pack with the shoulder straps cut from the pack. A big mistake on my part...

The Kelty FC3 was probably the premier backpack out there when it came out. It probably still is. It fit well, the kids loved it. Getting them in and out was a little cumbersome but not too bad. Lots of little extras. The pocket on the back came off to be a separate backpack, the small mirror to see what junior was up to, the reflective piping all over the pack, the diaper pad, cupholders on the back, the all weather...Read more

We wanted to get a nice backpack carrier to carry our 21-month old daughter for our upcoming trip to Montana. We were doing lots of hiking around Glacier National Park, but we also wanted it for walks around the neighborhood. We narrowed it down to the Sherpani Rumba and the Kelty FC 3.0, and bought both so we could try them out (then return the one we didn't like). I really wanted to like the Sherpani, but it was just not as comfortable as the Kelty. No matter how much adjusting I did, both my husband and I always had aching shoulders after not even an hour walk. Also, our daughter was able to wiggle halfway out of it, then would cry because she would get stuck halfway. She was just not comfortable in that pack, and would even try to avoid being put in it. Not so with the Kelty! It fits like a dream, both for the wearer and the child! Our daughter literally begs to get in it. We had some very long hikes, and she was always happy as a clam in the pack. We even wore her...Read more