Adventures in Babywearing: Family Hiking and Backpacking
Hiking and backpacking as a family is great way to get into varied terrain and wild places that are protected from life's modern day trappings. Look for destinations that have natural features that appeal to you. I choose trails that weave along lakes and streams. My husband looks for routes with elevation gain. Wherever you decide on, pick a route that fits your abilities so that you enjoy yourselves. Remember to wear good fitting shoes and to bring water and snacks for both the adults and kids. If you have a toddler like we do, this is the age to see if using your Boba's removable foot straps will make your child's ride even more comfortable. Each Boba carrier includes two coordinating foot straps that are fully adjustable and that snap on and off with ease. I would like to introduce you to some wonderful Boba Families who have shared their outdoor adventures with us. Get ready to be inspired by these incredible families and beautiful locations. And now it is your turn to join in the fun, so lace up your shoes, grab your Boba and head for the hills! Β
"This photo was taken in MayΒ 2010 on our first family holiday. WeΒ borrowed a friends VW camper van and headed to the lake district for a week.Β The weather could not have been better despite it raining none stop the week before. This photo means so much to me as it was myΒ husbands first day wearing a proper sling as my husband looks so proud of himself and his boy. He had insisted on taking a mass producedΒ frontΒ pack but we hadn't even made it out of the car park to begin our 8hour hike up to Blencathra (also known as Saddleback) in the Lake District before he had decided it was tooΒ uncomfortable (Henry was 20weeks and 16lb) and although skeptical atΒ first when he saw the birdies he agreed to wearΒ it. He ended up carrying Henry on his front and a huge ruck sack on his back, only gettingΒ Henry down so I could feed him. There is nothing better than feeding half way up a mountain when the sun is shining andΒ there isn't a soleΒ to be seen. The Lake DistrictΒ is where I am at my happiest and it was wonderful that we could shareΒ our first holiday and first 'proper' daddy babywearing experiencethere. I look forward to takingΒ Isaac in November. Throughout the walk, the number of people who stopped us orΒ who commented on the sling was unbelievable. The cutest comment of the trip? A little boy who shouted 'look mummy, there is a tiny babyΒ in there, doesn't he look snug.'" β’ Rachel Coy Β Β
Β
"My husband and I do a hike once a week that is 1.25 miles each way with a not-so-gradual incline. The attached picture is my husband wearing our 19-month-old son up to Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs, Colorado." β’ Nicole Newcomb
"I have a Boba 3G in Tweet that I absolutely LOVE!!Β We recently went camping in the Santa Cruz mountains in CA and I wore my 1 year old daughter a lot.Β We hiked, went to the beach and to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and I would have been lost without my Boba!" β’ CoriΒ
"Hiking is what my husband and I do on the weekends. Our first date was a lung-busting hike to a high mountain lake, and since then we've backpacked and hiked all over Eastern Oregon, as well as anywhere we can find a trail when traveling. When our daughter was born 5 years ago, our hiking life didn't stop -- we just tucked her in a pack. I exclusively breastfed, so snuggling our baby girl in a pack was great bonding time for my husband. She went everywhere with us in hand-me-down external frame backpacks. A couple hours was usually her limit, unless she took a snooze, and snacks are a must! When I was pregnant with my son two years ago, I happened upon a cool-looking pack named Boba. It had good reviews, so I gave it a try. I am SO glad I did. The Boba and babywearing soothed my cranky baby when nothing else worked. My husband, at first, was skeptical of this pack, which seemed so simple compared to those others. He's a Boba convert. Just the other day, after a tough hike, he said he could wear it for hours and not have sore shoulders (Max might not be that patient, however) and "wearing" the baby so close makes balance a breeze. The key is to find the pack that fits best -- and that your child will tolerate! Now our 5-year-old hikes along with us and her brother rides along on his daddy's back. Snacks and water are always packed, and the occasional stick to wield has helped us avoid a baby meltdown. Our hikes are slower and shorter now, but I hope that in a few years we'll be able to backpack and camp as a family. I want them to love nature as much as we do!" β’ Lisa Jacoby
Β
"I remember going to New Paltz, NY as a kid with my family and then started going more often as an adult.Β I always made sure to goΒ inΒ October because its absolutely gorgeous up there in the fall. This picture was taken in October of 2011 when my son, Jackson was 14 months old, andΒ the night before we leftΒ I found out that I was pregnant.Β WeΒ went to Mohonk Mountain in the ShawangunksΒ and this particular picture was taken at the top of Bonticou Crag trail on the Mohonk Preserve. We always stayΒ at Clove Cottages where there's limited TV, no computers and no phones in the cottages which is a nice break outside the hustle and bustle of NYC life.Β TheyΒ also have llamas and chickens on the grounds whichΒ Jackson loved. I wasn't then, and I'm still not in the best of shape, so while hiking I was huffing and puffing a little and Jackson found it absolutely hysterical, along with pulling on my pigtails.Β We are going back again this October, when my husband will carry Jackson (now 2) and I will wear our daughter Layla who will be 4 months then in ourBoba 3G. We plan to make it a family tradition to go every year!" β’ Kandice
Β
"My daughter, Makenzie, and I hiking outside Fairbanks, Alaska this summer." β’ Nikki Vandiver