Deuter Kid Comfort II: A Kid Backpack Review

I'm thrilled to welcome my sister, MT, as a guest blogger on Wandermom.com. Read on for her review of the Deuter Kid Comfort II. As avid hikers and skiers we have been looking for something to replace the Baby Bjorn which we used from when our son was a newborn until he recently outgrew it. We needed a child backpack carrier which would be suitable for short hikes with the Small Boy, adjustable to allow for our differing heights and compact enough for traveling to and from ski resorts.

Why The Deuter Kid Comfort II?

While not the most compact model and certainly not the least expensive the Deuter Kid Comfort II from Deuter sport is specially designed for hiking with infants and comes with the additional reassurance of German engineering and safety tested guarantees. It is suitable for infants from once they can sit unaided until they are 22kg. The child seat is height adjustable so your infant can sit in the correct position as well as be precisely fitted in the 5-point safety belt. He or she will have enough wriggle room to be comfortable and safe and still be able to see everything around them throughout the hike. What attracted us to the Deuter Kid Comfort II model over others was its Vari-Quick Carrying system. If, like us, you are a couple with one partner a good few inches shorter than the other (I am 5ft 8 whereas the Small Boys’ father is 6ft 4), a carrier which can be easily adjusted to fit either parent on-the-fly is a necessity. This model has an adjustable Velcro strap, which allows you to amend the settings easily to comfortable fit one parent or other mid-hike. First you adjust the hip strap and then move the Velcro insert to the desired position. Once this is done you just adjust the shoulder and stabilizer straps as with any backpack and off you go. It doesn’t take long at all!

Added Extras With The Deuter Kid Comfort III

The Kid Comfort III also comes with an inbuilt sun and rain cover. We chose the slightly less expensive Kid Comfort II model which has a detachable sun and rain cover which came free with our purchase on the day. Whatever model you go for bear in mind that a sun cover is a must have particularly in the summer and at ski resorts. As friends of ours with an older infant have said, “What infant will keep shades on for any length of time to protect their eyes from sun or snow glare?”. After taking the carrier for a test drive up one of our favourite short hikes, Djouce in the Wicklow mountains (which is part of the Wicklow Way), we have no hesitation recommending this product. The carrier also has an inbuilt frame which enables it to stand unsupported, a useful bonus for short stops while out and about although the frame should never be left unsupported with your infant in it! Happy hiking! Like what you've read? Subscribe for updates via RSS, follow me on Twitter. 1 comment

The system fairies are at it again! This time, though, I'll be arriving at a whole new space. In fact, a whole new website.

You'll still be able to find me at www.wandermom.com, but it will look oh so different. Come back later this week and check out my new look.

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Yes, folks, that is a Union Jack flying over sovereign American territory under the permission of the U.S. government. The flag and flagpole were provided by Her Majesty's Government as a sign of friendship. This flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland flies over English Camp on the San Juan Islands. (You'll excuse me for using the full title of the U.K. - being an Irish expat I've had to explain the political subtleties of the British Isles more times than I'd care to count. I find it's helpful to be explicit).

English Camp, on the north-westerly side of San Juan Island is half of the San Juan Island National Historic Park, the other half being American Camp which lies on a south-easterly promontory. These sites were where the English and American garrisons respectively encamped during the negotiations over sovereignty of the Islands. This historical blip is known as the Pig War (1859 - 1872) since the matter of which flag really should fly over the San Juans was brought to a head when an American settler killed a trespassing pig owned by the Hudson Bay Company in June 1859. Where else does the Union Jack fly in the USA? When we visited English Camp over Labor Day weekend we chatted to one of the friendly rangers about the history of the place. During the conversation, he mentioned that English Camp is one of two places in the U.S. where the National Park Service flies the Union Jack on it's own. Do you know the name of the other park? Leave your guess in the comments below. Check out DeliciousBaby for more fun travel-related photos. Like what you've read? Subscribe for updates via RSS, follow me on Twitter. 15 comments