Gear Review: Piggyback Rider

We won a PiggyBack Rider on Instagram a few weeks ago, so I was ecstatic to try it out on the trail and share my thoughts on with all of you here.

We received an Explorer toddler Carrier with Adult and Child Hydration, Storage, and Safety Harness. Here is what is in the package:

• Carrier
• Hydration bladders (1 for you, 1 for them)
• Safety harness for child
• Instructions

Adjusting it was easy-going because it had detailed photos and step-by-step instructions. Once I adjusted it to my fit and my toddler’s height, I was ready to let her jump on for a test ride. The carrier portion goes on like a regular backpack and there’s a standing bar that hangs at the bottom. The shoulder straps have plastic hoops where your child’s harness links up to and some hand holds on each side that aid them for when they’re stepping onto the bar. It took a couple of tries before getting her on in one fluid movement but this allowed us to practice and figure out what worked best for us. I asked her to clasp on the straps of her harness to my pack first before stepping on. This too took a couple of tries but after the second time she automatically knew this was the part that kept her safe and it became instinctual to connect them.

We took our rider out for a hike and I admit it was nice during those times she asked to “get on my shoulders” to direct her to my back instead. I liked how the small storage space made for light trips and forces you to not bring so much stuff out. It was very comfortable and we were out for 2.5 miles of trail. I also appreciated that the carrier and harness together are less than 3 lbs.

Any cons? Just a couple: I do wish I had the Mud Flap–This flap is an add on and available on Amazon. When she is on, her shoes are usually wet and dirty from schlepping through the mud so having an extra flap where her shoes touched, would have kept my tush area from getting soaked. The water bladders that came with the carrier are not the best–the closures are not as secure as I wanted and I worried they’d leak. I brought my own water bottle and that fit just fine.

The PiggyBack Rider is perfect for that in-between stage if your toddler is age 2-5 and needs an occasional break during hikes or when out and about. The weight limit is 50 lbs so I imagine we will be able to use for quite some time during other events, family outings, and longer hikes. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have one or are looking to buy one.

There’s some great how-to’s on YouTube, but here’s a short instructional video below if you are curious and want a peek on how it all works.

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