Customer Reviews

Kelty KIDS Pathfinder Child Carrier (Cobalt / Silver)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We've had this carrier for 7-8 months and have only used it to go hiking - our intended purpose - a handful of times. We used to go backpacking a lot in our childless days and I would not say this carrier is quite as comfortable as the pack I used for that (a Gregory) *but* then again my Gregory pack has always just ridden quietly on my back and doesn't throw its weight around and yell in my ear. I think the wiggle of the cargo accounts for the difference in comfort, and the difference is not that big. Still, I have never hiked more than 6 miles with my kid in this and I can't imagine going much further than that. I'm willing to admit this is due more to my going soft than poor pack design, though.

We can fit all his diaper supplies in the attached backpack if we use disposables, tie a few toys off the loops on the carrier, and stuff a sippie cup in the holder in back, and it makes for a nicely contained baby unit for a day hike.

What I have found this pack to be unexpectedly great for is to use in place of a stroller where strollers are a hinderence - such as historical sites - or for walking around the mall or grocery store. My kid has reached this point where he hates to ride in the shopping cart and tries to climb out, but for some reason he is happy as a clam riding up high on my back in this pack. Generally happier than when in the stroller, even. Never fights to get down.

My husband and I can both use this pack comfortably. I am about 5'4 and use the pack on the second from the smallest setting; he is 5'10 and uses it maybe 2 settings bigger. I think there are about 8 settings in all so this could certainly work well for a wide range of people.

From a kid perspective, my boy is about 30 pounds, 35 or 36 inches, and he's riding with the seat in the middle (of 3) adjustment.

The only thing I don't like about it is the sunshade/rainhood, which is included with this model but makes this model more expensive than the next model down, which I think is called the Journey. We just never use it because it wigs my kid out so we should have saved the money.

I also looked at REI's child carriers, Baby Trend, and a lower priced Kelty (Base Camp, I think?) and the suspension just didn't compare. The Pathfinder line is just much, much more comfortable. I don't even understand why Kelty puts out carriers like the Base Camp.

My only regret is not having gotten a frame carrier sooner. I overestimated at which point he'd be ready for one.

We bought this product for our April, 2007 trip to Walt Disney World. It was a great purchase. People all over the parks pointed and commented on our 8 month old daughter's 'great ride'. She was up in the air and could see everything easily; she watched the parades and other things going on around us. The sunshade was the best! While other babies languished in their strollers with no sunshades or with blankets draped over their strollers for shade, our daughter had fresh air and plenty of shade in the Pathfinder backpack. It also has a plastic cover for the front mesh part that turns the sunshade into a raincover. This works for light rain, but anything heavy or blowing is going to come in the sides, and there's no cover for the child's legs/feet other than the carrier itself. A minor concern for me, as I don't plan to be out in a major rainstorm with this.
Both my husband and I used this backpack carrier with ease. I often had to go off to the "Baby Care Center" to change her or feed her, and so took off and put on the carrier by myself; doing so isn't 'easy' but it's not hard either!
The sunshade also keeps my daughter from grabbing my hair, which was a problem with our other backpack carrier.
The toy loops are a great feature, as is the zip-off backpack/diaper bag that hangs off the back of the seat. Although the backpack/diaper bag was a bit on the small side, it did carry a days worth of diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, a small hat and jacket as well as my large-ish waterbottle. I used velcro straps to hang things off the carrier, like a camp towel (burp cloth) and a camp pillow (used when nursing her.).
The waist and chest straps really help distribute the load, making this carrier very comfortable. Our daughter weighs about 18 lbs now, and I plan to use this up to 30 or more pounds. I had a much smaller backpack carrier for my older daughter that had much fewer features, less padding, less adjustments, and a snap-closure diaper bag - it was harder on my body to carry and didn't adjust well between my husband and I.
The Kelty Pathfinder is the mid-range Kelty, between the Journey and the Adventure. We tried both the Journey and the Pathfinder at the store (REI) and the only difference we could see was the Pathfinder came with the sunshade... a big plus for us. Since the difference in price at that store was the $30 that the sunshade would have cost to add to the Journey, we bought the Pathfinder. I read somewhere later the Pathfinder also had more padding, but I didn't notice that in the store.
I will definitely be using this carrier now that our Disney trip is over. My daughter enjoyed being in it, occasionally napped in it (though a stroller is much more suited for napping!) and there are just so many things you can do with this that a stroller can't do( at least not easily) ... escalators, stairs, street curbs, some store aisles/displays. You do have to be somewhat careful when turning yourself in a store or crowd as you do 'stick out' in the back, but you learn to make that adjustment quickly.
I haven't tried the optional Stirrups - Add-On Accessory but think they'd be a nice addition.
Update: We bought the stirrups, and the mirror. The mirror comes in a pouch that attaches to the straps. Both are handy, though the mirror seems more useful. The stirrups make it *seem* like your child won't be just hanging there from the seat, but I'm not sure they've made any difference for our daughter. Then again, she's only 13 months now, she may get more use from them as she gets older and gets the hang of using the straps to shift/carry her own weight.

We bought this two weeks ago from Amazon and could not be happier with it. I purchased this after much research and seeing used Pathfinders going on ebay for about the same price (We paid $120 total for the carrier and shipping). Our son loves being up high and able to see. We went to the St.Louis Zoo last weekend and received a lot of compliments from other zoo visitors. This fits both my husband and I (I am 5'6", He is 5'10") and we found the adjustments to be easy, after reading the instructions. Be prepared to make the adjustments and follow Kelty's suggestion to mark the location of the adjustments if sharing between two or more adults. It also helped that we tried other carriers at local biking/camping shops and learned about the adjustments from the staff.

The carrier is extremely well constructed (aluminum frame, super strong fabric, well sewn, even the velcro is a higher grade than you see on most products) . The sunshade is great for sunny days and has kept our 8 month old from pulling our hair and hats. We bought this for hiking, festivals and other events that require a lot of walking. We tried the new Kelty FC line at a local store. I could not find any difference in the construction, just the storage. We liked the Kelty Pathfinder better, mostly for aesthetic reasons, but I also find it more comfortable and I am not certain why there would be any difference between the two Kelty lines. The zip off back pack is also very handy for diapers/wipes/diaper cream/sunscreen. There are two water bottle holders on the zip-off pack and the 2 pockets on the belt are great for keys/phone. I highly recommend this product.

The best part about this pack is how adjustable it is. I am 5'1" and was unable to properly fit any other pack that I tried. The Pathfinder is very easy to adjust for my height and there is no stress on my shoulders when my 9 month old son is in it. It is easy to put on and take off by myself (just read the instruction manual and you don't even need an elevated surface to do this). I have had my son in it for up to 1.5 hours while we go for walks, go shopping, or do yard work and he loves it. He sits up high in the pack and is able to see everything going on around him. The toy loops are great for attaching toys or pacifiers (to prevent him from throwing them to the ground). I have not had to use the rain hood yet but I am very happy to have it. The day pack attachment is also great as you really can't carry any other pack or bag when using the carrier. I would definitely recommend the Pathfinder to anyone looking for a child carrier. I can't wait to get out hiking with it in the spring and summer.

We bought this product for our April, 2007 trip to Walt Disney World. It was a great purchase. People all over the parks pointed and commented on our 8 month old daughter's 'great ride'. She was up in the air and could see everything easily; she watched the parades and other things going on around us. The sunshade was the best! While other babies languished in their strollers with no sunshades or with blankets draped over their strollers for shade, our daughter had fresh air and plenty of shade in the Pathfinder backpack. It also has a plastic cover for the front mesh part that turns the sunshade into a raincover. This works for light rain, but anything heavy or blowing is going to come in the sides, and there's no cover for the child's legs/feet other than the carrier itself. A minor concern for me, as I don't plan to be out in a major rainstorm with this.
Both my husband and I used this backpack carrier with ease. I often had to go off to the "Baby Care Center" to change her or feed her, and so took off and put on the carrier by myself; doing so isn't 'easy' but it's not hard either!
The sunshade also keeps my daughter from grabbing my hair, which was a problem with our other backpack carrier.
The toy loops are a great feature, as is the zip-off backpack/diaper bag that hangs off the back of the seat. Although the backpack/diaper bag was a bit on the small side, it did carry a days worth of diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, a small hat and jacket as well as my large-ish waterbottle. I used velcro straps to hang things off the carrier, like a camp towel (burp cloth) and a camp pillow (used when nursing her.).
The waist and chest straps really help distribute the load, making this carrier very comfortable. Our daughter weighs about 18 lbs now, and I plan to use this up to 30 or more pounds. I had a much smaller backpack carrier for my older daughter that had much fewer features, less padding, less adjustments, and a snap-closure diaper bag - it was harder on my body to carry and didn't adjust well between my husband and I.
The Kelty Pathfinder is the mid-range Kelty, between the Journey and the Adventure. We tried both the Journey and the Pathfinder at the store (REI) and the only difference we could see was the Pathfinder came with the sunshade... a big plus for us. Since the difference in price at that store was the $30 that the sunshade would have cost to add to the Journey, we bought the Pathfinder. I read somewhere later the Pathfinder also had more padding, but I didn't notice that in the store.
I will definitely be using this carrier now that our Disney trip is over. My daughter enjoyed being in it, occasionally napped in it (though a stroller is much more suited for napping!) and there are just so many things you can do with this that a stroller can't do( at least not easily) ... escalators, stairs, street curbs, some store aisles/displays. You do have to be somewhat careful when turning yourself in a store or crowd as you do 'stick out' in the back, but you learn to make that adjustment quickly.
The optional Stirrups - Add-On Accessory are OK, but I like the mirror that clips onto the shoulder straps better. Lets you see what your little one is up to - with us it meant we often enjoyed her smiling face because she loves this backpack carrier!

I thought I would want this pack to be able to easily take the baby along without holding up the rest of the family. That is exactly how it has worked out so far! While we haven't been on any serious hiking trips yet, this pack is just as comfortable, around the yard for an hour or so, as I had hoped it would be. The baby seems quite content and life goes on without having a baby in your arms or a stroller in the way. I couldn't be happier with this product. As expected, Kelty knows how to make a backpack!

I ordered a pathfinder online and was pretty stoked to received it so that I could take my daughter hiking. I read a lot of rave reviews about it. However, when I put it on for the test run it was uncomfortable from the first minute. I am 5'3" with a small frame and I think I am just too small for the carrier. I couldn't adjust the straps small enough and it was just too long for my short torso. the hip portion sat below my hips and the carrier did not rest on my back, but rather seemed to curve off of my back so that the weight was all on my shoulders. Very uncomfortable. My daughter is only about 25 lbs. Like I said, I think I'm just too small for the carrier. It seems to be designed more for a man's body-someone taller with broader shoulders. Does anyone know of a nice frame carrier designed for women?

We love this product and so does our son. Everytime we put him in there he smiles. It is easy to get him into and light weight. Would recommend.

We bought a lightly used Kelty Pathfinder when our daughter was about six months old and started using it immediately. We've definitely gotten our money's worth in just six months! My husband and I both find it to be very comfortable and even "argue" over who gets to wear it. :) The sun/rain shade is a must-have, and we also bought a bug screen to go over the entire pack. We live on a farm where flies, sand gnats, and mosquitoes are horrendous all summer long. The bug screen was a life saver and allowed us to spend a lot more time outdoors this summer than we would have otherwise.

This works incredibly well for allowing us to get all kinds of outdoor projects done around the farm. Our daughter gets to come with and be part of the "action", and we're still able to get all our work done. I do tie a toy onto one of the loops, but our daughter never plays with it. She has even been known to fall asleep in the pack. And now that she's walking all over on her own, I occasionally put her in the pack and strap her on just to get some house work done!

It's nice to use this anywhere a stroller would typically be used, and also in places where strollers are less than handy to use. As others have mentioned, you just have to be aware of how far you stick out in back so you don't run into anything/anyone, but you get used to it rather quickly. We did not get a manual with our backpack (since it was used), but it was easy to figure out - you can also download a manual online. We find it works best to move the pack to an elevated surface before strapping it onto your back, but it can also be done directly from the floor without much trouble.

Love this Kelty!

I purchased for a shower gift. I have another Kelty pack, personally and loved it.