godsend!!

I am in love with this carrier! I'll start with a little backstory (pun fully intended): I feel very strongly that babies should be carried as much as possible. And I have a rather nasty hip injury from a car accident. Enter (finally!) the Base Camp! And I can get so much done now without pain and very little hassle.

I have used wraps and slings since my 1 year old was born. I needed something for more vigorous walks/hikes and for longer errands. I had the use of a hand-me-down Evenflo backpack which I had to quit using because of poor fit causing me terrible hip pain. I couldn't justify the expense of another backpack, but I wish I had just bought the Kelty in the beginning!!

The Good:
1. Endlessly adjustable! ...Or so it feels. Great for short folk. (I'm 5'2".) I'm kind of a "Princess-on-a-Pea" type. You know, picky, high maintenence, wants everything JUST so... I love that I can make this carrier fit exactly right for me and baby. Superior straps, buckles and fittings... And they fit on my body where they're supposed to!
2. Strong frame. When Junior tries to backdive, I know that he's really safe and secure.
3. Mesh panel. I went with the Base Camp over the higher end models because I don't want a sweaty back. It also makes for a lighter load. I don't personally find the serious padding more comfy. Then again, I don't go in the mountains for days on end.
4. Sternum strap. I chose this one over the Meadow just for this feature, and I'm glad I did. Such a little thing makes a huge difference in load-bearing, and therefore soreness.
5. I like the look. L.L. Bean holds a majority seat in my closet and the Kelty fits right in!

The Bad:
1. The hubby doesn't like the endless adjustments. But he's a more "Just-get-it-done" sort and loses patience with the straps and buckles. He'd rather tolerate a poorer fit and spend less time loading up. Luckily for me he's willing to put up with it so that we can use the carrier that saves my back. (What a Sweetie!)
2. I got the stirrups for Baby to have a good place to rest his feet. He's not a big fan so far, but I think he'll like them once he understands what they're for.
3. This is really and plus and a minus, but I'll put it here. Storage is not adequate. (The plus being that you can buy exactly what you want to customize.) But the carrier as it comes doesn't have enough. I recommend the fanny pack that attaches underneath. You can wear it in front if you're going solo with baby and need to reach stuff. I'm still considering the attachable diaper daypack, but I haven't worked myself up to that splurge, as I have about 4,832 diaper bags thusfar. But I soon will--I know, beacuse I agonized over all 4,831 that came after the original bag. I'll post what I think about that when I talk myself into it...

Along those lines, I don't see the advantage in buying a Kelty model that includes all the storage. I like choosing the fanny pack, daypack, etc... to meet that trip's needs. And it works out to be cheaper than getting the super-duper one. I even hung a cellphone pouch off of the shoulder strap clip. Much cheaper in the end. And for the rain/sun hood... I use a 2 person umbrella. It is super easy to use and put away, and the water never runs down my back as it rolls off the cover! (Just be very careful not to poke the baby!!!!) Plus, I'd hate to have to take the pack on and off just to use the cover.

In summary, LOVE IT!! It's great for short torsos. If you hate complicated adjustments, but need good fit, get a pro (or an avid hiker) to help you. Once things are set, you just have to revisit the baby adjustments occasionally as he grows.

Happy Trekking with Baby!