Posts
Being a huge fan of carriers, the company sent me one to test out with my 5 and 3.5 year olds who are always asking Daddy in particular to be put on his shoulders whenever we take a trip (especially to Disneyland). So he was eager to test this one out too. We took it out on a hike to test it out (and we'll be bringing it to Disneyland this summer too).
Both my daughters loved this thing. They kept referring to it as "the ride thing" and asked to get on over and over, fighting over who would get to ride it next. And I see why, it's a pretty cool set up - kids put on a harness while the adult puts on the carrier. The carrier basically consists of carrier straps that go over the shoulders and buckle in the front (like other backpack carriers) but on the back there's a lightweight bar for kids to stand on. You can also attach the handy Piggyback Rider bag to hang at the bottom of the bar to carry any "stuff" you might want while doubling as a mud flap. Once both adult and child are hooked in, the adult gets down to the child's level while they stand on the bar, grabbing hand straps on the adult's shoulder. The the adult (or we found a second adult makes it easier) clips the child's harness to the back of the carrier and off you go. It takes just a minute.
The carrier is comfortable but feels a bit awkward at first as kids figure out where they should have their toes on the bar. Because kids are standing, they have to be awake and active while being carried around. Once everyone is settled, the ride is enjoyable for both parent and child. My husband said he found it a bit taxing as with him, the kids wanted to lean back and goof around while he was giving them a ride. Once they stopped goofing off, he too liked the carrier and said we should bring it on our next trip to Disneyland to use as we walk around at the end of the day when our 3.5 year old (especially) asks to be carried because she's tired of walking. It would also be good for parade watching!
For more information, to purchase, or find a store near you, visit www.thepiggybackrider.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter if you want to get more info.
