Piggyback Rider Standing Child Carrier

For parents with small kids, it sometimes seems like enjoying the outdoors is impossible.  Carrying a 3-year-old for any amount of distance isn’t going to happen, and they certainly can’t walk as far or fast as their parents.  That’s where the Piggyback Rider Standing Child Carrier comes in.  With just the simple idea of putting a standing bar onto a backpack, these guys have created a balanced transportation method for kids that are too big for traditional kid carriers, yet too small to keep up with everyone else.  A normal piggyback might be good for about 3 minutes or so, but that leaves little time for exploring.  Now, instead of making excuses and not getting your family outdoors, there’s a simple solution to allow everyone to enjoy more.

Taking the often overused idea of putting a seat on a backpack but removing the seat, the Piggyback Rider team has created an easier, stronger (up to 60 pounds), and much more fun way to carry kids.  A shoulder rig combines with a solid metal bar covered in grip tape.  That is really all there is to the core of the product, but there are a lot of extra touches to love.  Not only have they added webbing loops that provide a solid place for your little one to hold onto (that isn’t your hair or ears), they also have their own harness which goes around the back and clips onto the shoulders of the adult.  The clasps for the harness are designed so that they are easy to attach without seeing them, but also require enough strength to make it hard for younger riders to unclip themselves.  A whistle added to the chest strap and the padded shoulder straps are proof that this system is made for the outdoors.

One of the first positives that anyone will notice about the Piggyback Rider is storage size.  It’s tiny.  I’ve seen light jackets that store larger (and are heavier – just over 2 pounds).  Also, there’s almost no setup to be done.  Put it on, adjust the height of the bar, adjust the harness to your rider.  From there, we just had to get it in the field.  During my testing of the Piggyback Rider (which was conducted in Disney’s California Adventure), we were able to negotiate crowds, go over rough ground or curbs, and move at a quick pace.  Getting my son on and off of my back took a little bit of getting used to (for both of us), but we got it down pretty quickly.  He loved his vantage point (no more butts), that he didn’t have to yell to talk to me, and being a part of the action, not a passenger.  I loved that we weren’t slowed down by a stroller, I knew exactly where my energetic 3-year-old was, and that I wasn’t having to hoist him up when he wanted to see.  Despite my initial concerns about the bar resting directly against my back, with a little bit of adjustment, the Piggyback Rider was very comfortable.  My only real complaints were a lack of a belt to help put some of the pressure on your hips instead of just your back, and no room for storage.  To be fair, the second problem can be solved by purchasing one of the more advanced models.

All in all, parents with kids ranging from 2-and-a-half to 4 will love the Piggyback Rider.  It may not replace your stroller for everything, but it will get you places you wouldn’t go otherwise, and be much easier.  Considering you can get your Piggyback for less than $100, there’s a lot of reasons to give one a try.  Check out their dual hydration model if you’re ok spending some extra cash for extra features.  Their entire product line can be found on the Piggyback Rider website.

– David

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Piggyback Rider Standing Child Carrier  for free from Piggyback Rider, in consideration for review publication