When Jacob and I first started dating I found out something real quick- Jacob loved hiking. He'd been a boy scout for many years and each year he participated in a 50-mile hike. In our younger years we went on a overnight backpacking hike together but since then we haven't been on any together. In 2014 I went on a 4 day hike into the Grand Canyon for a class I was in. It was my first multi-night backpacking trip and I loved it. Nothing quite like a trip into the Grand Canyon to inspire a thirst for adventure!
Last weekend we were in Bend for my cousin's 21st birthday. We did a lot of bar hopping, shopping and eating but the adventure vibes there are strong. The town and people are so outdoorsy, there is a lot of hiking, water sports, rock climbing and the like. We were so inspired to do more hiking and get outside on day trips more that we decided to buy a baby hiking pack (no taxes woohoo!). This weekend was our first weekend trying it out.
We decided to go with a Deuter Kid Comfort Air. It was the first one we tried and the only one we tried. I have never purchased any products from Deuter and neither has Jacob but we are very happy with it! Even though it's mostly a day hike pack, we could potentially bring it on an overnight hike. We can attach sleeping pads and a tent to it and it has a fairly big pocket for food, utensils, a water filter or the stove. It is extremely lightweight, like literally weighs nothing. And the way that Soren sits in it is so comfortable! He completely hated the pack when we first tried it on in store, but once we were on the trail and he realized how high up he was and how much he could see, he settled right in.
This weekend we hiked up to Mima Falls in the Capital Forest. We thought we had tried this hike a few years ago and decided to turn back because it was too hard-completely uphill. But we were totally wrong, this was not that hike. This hike had a few slow inclines and although we got a workout, it didn't feel strenuous or tiresome. Plus we were thoroughly entertained by Soren's joy being in the pack! For the first 20-minutes Soren kept "ooh"-ing and "wow"-ing, something that he does when he sees something he likes (obviously). It is the best when he is so amazed by something that he actually whispers his "wow's." Totally adorable! Hiking with Soren was completely easy, he didn't get frustrated or bored. He was very entertained by the scenery, our faces and watching Indy run back and forth along the trail. However this was our first hike so I'm not going to count on his enthusiasm every time. If he's in a bad mood things could definitely go south quickly.
The falls weren't huge, they were Snoqualmie by any means but they were nice and beautiful and were wonderful to hang out by after a hike with the little one. Soren wanted to play and splash in the water so badly. We didn't bring his swimsuit (but we will next time) and it was too cold for him to go in naked so he splashed his feet a little and crawled along the rocky part of the waterfall.
When we first got there Jacob took Soren to the top of the falls (left) and I JUST about died from fright. It may not look it, but it was so steep. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. But he was fine and Soren was fine. One mis-step and they both could have been dead, but I shouldn't think about that... Jacob did have to scoot on his butt on the way down because he didn't think about how he was gonna get Soren down, which was pretty funny.
Indy was so incredibly happy the whole time. The trail was 6.5 miles and we have never taken him on something so long before, he slept the entire afternoon and barely got up the next day. I think next time we may go on something a little shorter and have him work up to longer hikes. I'm not sure if we would bring him backpacking. I worry about bears and cougars, they like to eat squirrely little puppies!
We spent about an hour at the falls, had some snacks and took some pictures and then we started our journey back. I wore the pack on the way back to get a feel for it. There was a lot of adjusting between Jacob and myself but once it was set up for me (which was not that hard) it was super comfortable. Given that I haven't worn a hiking pack in 3 years my shoulders got sore but otherwise it was totally easy to wear and hike with. Soren CRASHED! Like passed out while I was wearing the pack. We didn't even notice until Jacob looked back at me and saw that he was asleep. It was kind of hard to get him into a position where he looked comfortable. I ended up putting a sweatshirt behind him so that he rested his head on the front of the pack. I think we may need to adjust his seat to be lower so that he can rest his head on the pack when he falls asleep. We went a lot slower on the hike out because I wanted to make sure I didn't wake him, but once he awoke he was just as happy as before he fell asleep!
When we got to the trail (around 10am) there was barely anyone there, but by the time we left, the parking lot was packed. It was starting to heat up and our hike back was more uncomfortable than that there so we were glad to be on our way out. But there were a lot of people streaming in to do the hike we had just finished. I both enjoy and hate when there are a lot of people on the trail. I like it because it makes me feel comfortable knowing that other people are around in case anything were to go wrong but I also hate having to say to hi to every passerby. PLUS there were a lot of horses on this trail and although I don't mind the smell of horse poop (it's just HAY) we had to avoid a lot of piles of shit. As well as detract Indy from eating said piles of shit which is a lot of work :).
IF you are looking for a hiking backpack for your little one I highly recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort Air which you can find at REI or on Deuter's website. It is comfortable, well made, easily adjustable, lightweight and has a nice big pocket. It also has pockets up where the child can reach so when they are older you can store snacks or easily accessible toys in there. The only complaint that I would have is the fact that it's not easy for a baby to sleep in there. At one point Soren's face was completely smushed up against the pack. I would NOT feel comfortable putting a small baby in it or using it without someone else to check and make sure your sleeping baby is in a safe position. The feet stirrups are also a little short. They're supposed to allow the child to sit in a "seated" position with the legs bent, but Soren just kept straightening his legs which made his feet hit my arms. I also wish it was a little easier to store, but what hiking pack is?
We feel like this hike was perfect for us and we could not be more excited to use the pack on further adventures! We are so lucky to live in such a central location to so many hikes and great camping spots. I'm sure that you will be seeing more hiking from us in the future. How could we not when our little ham is so IN LOVE with the outdoors?!?
