Review By Arnie P
The FC3 Kid carrier was provided by Kelty for the purpose of this review.
When I first saw the Kelty Kid carrier, I remembered the carrier I had for my first child in 1963. It was a piece of canvas sewed to a tubular aluminum frame,with no adjustments, one size fits all. The design of the Kelty Kid carrier is more complex and has a lot of features not found in the earlier models I had used. I look forward to using some of the features, but will be skeptical of others until I have used them.
Trying the Kelty carrier on
I put the Kelty on just like I would put on a backpack. I adjusted it in the same way as a backpack. I usually close the belt buckle first, pull up the slack, and then proceed to adjusting the shoulder straps and finally the chest strap. The adjustable chest straps are on a sliding vertical track. This allows the user to make a quick and easy adjustment. The horizontal straps are tightened until snug. Setting the torso was easy since I am very close to the maximum setting. The literature suggests making a mark where the correct setting is. I think it would be easier if the metal rail had numbers to correspond with each setting. These are finite settings and could be recorded or remembered for different carriers.
I worked with my great grandsons for this report. MytiMyte lives nearby and is 16 months old, weight about 20 lb. The first time my daughter placed him in it, he was not very happy and he cried and cried. I had the cover partially on thinking that the cover would make him feel more secure. Having it on or off did not make any difference in his disposition. After 10 minutes we took him out. I stayed around until he checked out the carrier by snapping the belt buckle together.
The next time I had MytiMyte try the Kelty was while his cousin SupaKid was visiting. SupaKid is my 4 year old great grandson who lives about 3 miles away, weighs 39 lb, and is very active. When I asked SupaKid to climb into the Kelty carrier, he climbed in quickly. My granddaughter helped me put the Kelty on my back. This was a heavy load for me. I have mixed feelings that there is no contact between the child and the person carrying the child. I could easily feel when SupaKid shifted his weight around. This is similar to carrying a backpack, except I felt the weight was not as close to my back. I carried SupaKid for about 15 minutes, then my granddaughter carried SupaKid around and liked the Kelty very much, she says she wants one. She found it comfortable walking with it.
Now it was time to try MytiMyte. MytiMyte’s aunt put him in the carrier and helped me get the carrier on my back. He did cry for a few minutes, but got distracted by SupaKid, and soon he was very quiet, until I stopped walking for a few minutes. Then he started moving like he was trying to get a horse to move. I started walking and he stopped his movement. I carried MytiMyte for about an hour. I could have carried him longer. The heaviest backpack I have carried recently has been about 37 lb. The total weight of about 46 lb while carrying Alex, is more than I am used to. I will be updating this report in about a month. This is going to be a lot of fun.
- SupaKid waiting
- MytiMyte and great grandpa
- Supakid and mom
Kelty Kids FC 3 Child Carrier (continued)
By Arnold
Since the last writing, Mytimyte’s weight has gone from 20 lbs to 24 lbs. Yes, he is growing fast and will probably be carrying me someday. It was a cool sunny day with a slight breeze and we decided to take Mytimyte for a trip to the nearby lake. He was in warmer clothes and put up every resistance to being put in the carrier this time. He was wide awake for a short period of time, but soon went soundly to sleep. This is a fairly flat walk. We had put the canopy on for sun protection, and little did we know that it would provide protection of another kind. On the way to the lake we passed a path that leads to a former railroad station. By this time, Mytimyte was sound asleep. Over the years the path has grown in so it has become a bit of a bushwhack, and several times I had to push the brush aside to pass. What I did not realize was that the branches I thought I was pushing aside carefully were actually hitting Mytimyte’s carrier! Fortunately, my wife was walking behind me and could get a good view of what was happening. Luckily, the canopy provided adequate protection from the branches. Mother would have been upset if Mytimyte came home with scratches on his face! We walked through the woods for about 30 minutes and then proceeded to the lake. A few years ago a fisherman’s wharf was constructed. From the wharf there is a good view of the lake. Mytimyte was still sound asleep for the viewing of the lake. We then walked backed to his house. Mytimyte and carrier were transferred to my wife who carried him around the yard for about 15 minutes, and Mytimyte did not wake until we were removing him from the carrier. The ability of the carrier to put a child to sleep is still as good as the carrier I used in the 60′s. The big improvement now is that when the child falls asleep, his head does not fall backwards. This happened all the time with the older type of carrier. Although it does not bother the sleeping child, it does get a lot of people upset. I carried Mytimyte for almost 2 hours and he was asleep most of this time with his head facing forward. This new type of carrier extends further back than the older type of carrier, so it is quite easy to bump into things when turning around. The canopy is a worthwhile addition, as it provides not only sun protection but also protection from branches (and from falling acorns!). It provides some protection from the wind as well.
Comfort
Mytimyte asleep head to Silver Lake via woods
great grandma watches as grandma attends garden
There is no doubt that the Kelty Kids carrier is very comfortable for the child. It is also comfortable for the person carrying the child. I think this is where the major improvements to the carrier have been made from the one I was using in the 60’s. The straps were not uncomfortable on my shoulders, the padding and the adjustments on the straps make a big difference. The ease in passing the carrier from one person to another in a matter of seconds is a big plus as well.
start of walk to Silver Lake
Mytimyte still asleep as we arrive at Silver Lake
I am enjoying carrying my great grandson as much and maybe even more than when I was carried my own children. This is probably because the Kelty carrier is much more comfortable to use and provides for a lot more safety. However it is more complicated to use. Look back in about a month for an update. I am looking forward to using this in the approaching colder weather.
Kelty Kids FC 3 Carrier (continued)
My adventures with the Kelty Kids FC 3 carrier and my great grandsons continue in this episode. Mytimyte did not want to be carried the first day; he preferred the stroller. Supakid, as in the past, was eager to climb into the child carrier, unassisted as usual. He had gained a pound since his last ride in the carrier. I found it easier to carry him this time, but that may be due to my making better adjustments to the child carrier. It is possible he was feeling more relaxed. The day was overcast and cool. This walk was to the lake by the woods mostly and return mostly by the streets. Since it was overcast, I decided not to use the canopy. Supakid did not move around in the carrier as much as he had the last time. He has probably found a better way to sit in the carrier. This walk turned out to be almost 2 hours, and when it was over, I think we both needed a change. This was a long time for Supakid to stay in one place so when he got out of the carrier he did some running around. I was content not to be carrying the weight. Supakid is quickly getting to the point where he will be too big to be in the Kelty Kids FC3 carrier.
On second trip, Mytimyte put up some resistance to being put into the child carrier, but it was short lived. There was very little wind and it was about 48 F, a little bit cooler than the last walk. It was overcast, so again, we did not use the canopy. Mytimyte stayed awake longer this time. Grandma and great grandparents were on this walk. Mytimyte’s mother was working so I was not able to get his weight, but I suspect he had gained a few pounds over his previous weight of 24 lb. Once in the carrier, he becomes quiet and tends to fall asleep in a short while. This walk was for almost 2 hours and Mytimyte was waking about the time we were removing him from the carrier.
Conclusions
There are a lot of features this carrier has over the one I used a long time ago. I will mention a few. The ability to change the person carrying the child quickly and easily is very convenient. The built in stand aids greatly because it allows the carrier to be placed on the ground while the child is either put into the carrier or the child is able to climb in without help. I was surprised that Supakid was able to climb in without any assistance as the carrier was very stable. We used the convenient storage area to carry gloves, in case someone got cold hands. I did need assistance in getting the carrier on, but once the carrier was in place and adjusted, I did not have any problems. My only problem was getting used to the fact that the carrier extends behind me more than I realize. A few times when turning around I found the carrier was bumping into objects that I did not think would interfere. Carrying a child in the Kelty Kids FC 3 is so much better than carrying a child in your arms. The carrier gives parents a chance to go for longer walks and probably quieter walks. It is a great way for an adult to be with a child outdoors.. The child has an adults view of the world and this must be awesome for them. It may even tire them out with all the things they are absorbing from the enlarged viewing area. I have enjoyed using the Kelty Kids FC 3 carrier over the last few months. I wish to thank Kelty and 4alloutdoors.org for the opportunity to test the FC 3 child carrier.
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