21 out of 21 people found this review helpful.
A very light and comfortable baby pack. A+
Date of Review: Feb 10, 2006
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this to anyone that has kids, and is active and on the go. It is for those that want an alternative to strollers all the time.
This review is for the REI Tagalong baby backpack that is specially designed to transport children across great distances in comfort. This bag has come in incredibly handy for the past 2 years that we have been using it with our daughter, and will be even more useful with our next coming in 4 months. This is because you can hold one child in the backpack, while pushing another in the stroller. This means you won't have to invest in another 2 seated stroller if you have two kids.
The pack is one of the lighter ones on the market. We looked at various brands at REI and it was between this pack and the Kelty pack. The Kelty cost about 40% more than the REI, and upon careful review, contained no superior features in terms of quality or function. The Tagalong is built with a light weight steel frame that is coated with a protective rust and scratch proof coating. The material is a durable nylon that also very lightweight. One great feature of the pack is that there is a stabilizer bar that can be pulled out if you want to set the child down on the ground. This way if you are by yourself, you can take the pack off to use the bathroom or make an adjustment. You won't have to unstrap the child, and they can stay in the pack feeling as if they are in a normal high chair sitting upright. The stabilizer bar is very sturdy and you don't have to worry about the child rocking and tipping it over, even on uneven ground. It has rubber feet on it to ensure stability as well.
The pack has a hand strap on the back just behind the child's head so you can move the pack around with or without the child aboard. There is a mesh pouch on the back of the pack behind the child's back. It is small on this model, but is sufficient for wallets, purses, keys, phones, snacks, water, ponchos, gps, glasses, etc. I have put many things in it at once and it works great. If you are creative, you could even figure a way to secure a small hiking pack to the bag to hold more items if necessary.
Straps and the waist belt are always one of the most important parts of a pack. In this case, REI has designed a pack that can be worn for many hours without fatigue. Children are heavy, they move around, and pose different weight conditions than other types of packs. The straps on this pack are very thick, but are still lightweight. The waist belt is also very very comfortable and fully adjustable. There is also a strap that ties at the chest level for added stability.
The "cockpit" for the child to ride in is also a very sturdy, comfortable, and secure place. There is a little padded seat for the child's legs to straddle. Then there is a strap that goes around there waist to meet with two other straps that come down over the shoulders. It looks like a 5-point harness in a car seat. The shoulder and waist straps for the children are just as padded as the ones for the person wearing the pack. To top it off, there are even two side doors that enclose the child to keep them in, but also to guard them from the wind, rain, twigs, branches or whatever element you come in contact with. It is a very nice feature because it buckles securely with pack buckles, and is very useful.
Another added feature is a head pillow for the child. In case they want to fall asleep, they can rest their head on a removable pillow that velcros onto the frame in front of them. It is a large black soft cushion that can be removed if the ride duration is short, or to reduce weight even more.
The Tagalong is also fully adjustable for many sizes of kids. There is a feature between you and the child that allows you to raise or lower the entire carrier according to your height or the child's height. If the child gets to be too big, you can raise the entire pack up without having to adjust your straps so they don't kick your butt or legs. I haven't had to change the position yet but will have to do it soon.
It's so comfy, I actually look forward to using this pack instead of a clumsy stroller. Take it with you ANYWHERE you go. I take it shopping to avoid crowds and a clumsy stroller moving around. It fits in the truck better than a stroller. I take it hiking in the mountains. Just by wearing it around will be a good workout for you and strengthen your muscles all over your body. (I can feel when I haven't worn it for awhile). Above all- the kids love it! They are never whinny or fussy in the pack and LOVE to be up high where they can see everything. It's a good experience for them as well.
