Kelty K.I.D.S. FC 3.0 Frame Child Carrier
|
 List Price: $209.95 Sale Price: Too low to display. Availability: unspecified 
|
Product Description
Not only does the Kelty FC 3.0 Kid Carrier give your child a comfortable place to ride and protection from the elements with a sun/rain hood, it also provides plush suspension for you. Adjust the back panel to fit your torso length, and let the well-padded, dual-density waist-belt and shoulder straps support up to 50lb of kid and gear. Kelty added a large zippered pocket to the FC 3.0 Kid Carrier, so you have place to store lunch, water, and kid necessities. Now buckle your child into the secure five-point harness and hit the trails.
Product Features
- Material: 600D Polyester
- Suspension: Padded waist-belt & shoulder straps
- Torso Adjustment: Yes
- Storage Capacity: 1100cu in (18L)
- Recommended Child Weight: Up to 50lb (22.7kg)
- Sun / Rain Hood: Included
- Weight: 7lb 14oz (3600g)
- Recommended Use: Hiking with your kid
- Manufacturer Warranty: 1 Year
- Country of Origin: Chad
Details
- Top-of-the-line child carrier with sophisticated suspension system
- Ventilated back panel, padded shoulder straps, and contoured hip belt
- Frame and seat are covered in breathable fabric to ensure all-day comfort
- 5-point adjustable child's harness; patented sun/rain hood; zip-off diaper bag
- 50-pound load limit; measures 15 x 30 x 19 inches (W x H x D); lifetime warranty
No related posts.
Posted in Baby Back Carrier
Rating
We have a 20 pound 10 month old. We do a lot of hiking in the summer and we just purchased this Kelty 3.0 I definately recomend it. I was worried the backpack would be heavy since it’s so big, but it really is pretty light. Kelty has definately been around a while and is making more convenient improvements each year. The backpack is pretty comfortable and can be adjusted to fit how you’d like to carry it. The older versions I looked at online of this kelty don’t come with the shade hood, but this 3.0 verson the hood is included in the price. (the shade hood is a definate necessity.) Our son always has enjoyed hiking with us, but this new pack was quite fun to watch him in. He looked so comfortable and content throughout the whole hike. It is also very convenient to get him in and out of it. When researching this backpack I read that it comes with a small rearview mirror so you can check on your kid without taking the backpack off. I thought that was kindof unneccesary – until I used it. I went hiking by myself the other day, and it was very convenient to just pull the little mirror out of the shoulder strap and peek at him. When my husband and I go hiking, he carries the baby pack and I carry the camelback backpack with our water. When I went hiking alone with the baby, I wanted some water easily accesable, so I just took the water pouch out of my camelback and put in the back pocket of this kelty and ran the hose up to the shoulder strap. It worked out well. This is a great pack.
Rating
So I love this backpack and would tell other parents to purchase it. However, I did have trouble with Amazon over my purchase. They sent me the pack “new” but it was missing the hood cover; I bought it on sale and they wanted me to return the item and purchase a new one at the additional cost or they wanted me to keep it and they would give me back 24.00 of my purchase. To make a long story short I had to contact Kelty and they finally helped me out with it by sending me a new cover free of charge. I recommend if you buy this item to purchase it from a company other than Amazon since they were not helpful to me.
Rating
Our son’s face lights up every time he sees the pack.
I was a little worried about his neck when he fell asleep (head falling to side) but it didn’t seem to phase him at all.
We went to toys R us to get the chiccoChicco Smart Support Backpack, Red and can’t tell you how happy we were that they were out of stock.
We were headed out on vacation and the chicco was a pain to strap in, pulled back a lot, etc, but the price seemed right. Since they were OOS, my partner suggested we check at sport chalet and sure enough they had this for $45 more. WELL WORTH THE EXTRA $$$$.
This thing is fantastic for me 6’2″ 210lbs and for my partner 5’9″ (much less)lbs.
It’s easiest to get on with a little help, but I can manage easily enough on my own. two handles on top make it a cinch to move around when it’s off and the child is asleep.
Mirror is great, I bought an extra and it is great because my son can play with one and I can check on him with the other.
Only problem is that he keeps loosening the shoulder straps while I’m wearing it (upper adjustment) but it is easy enough to tighten again.
Oh yeah, Shoulder strap attachment to back plate is a little hokey and top velcro comes loose, but doesn’t seem to affect pack.
Rating
I love this pack and I will tell you why but if you read anything… read the end of my review about the warranty.
First and foremost my 22lb 8 month old is safe and secure and seemingly comfortable in this pack. He may fidget or whine a tiny bit when I am strapping him in but once he is in he is quiet and happy. I have carried him around for three hours in a theme park and he was content and excited to see all of the action from a grown-ups point of view. He has fallen asleep in it with his head forward and face turned to the side resting on the very soft and plush dribble pad (removable and machine washable). Security and comfort are certainly not an issue with this backpack. There are circulation worries with some packs because of dangling feet. On the FC 3.0 the childs feet will rest on the bottom of the childs seating area when the child is small. The top front part of the lower storage area is connected to the bottom of the lower back part of the back support forming a floor in the childs seating area. You can use the optional Kelty stirrup accessory when your childs is tall enough that their feet have to go to the outside of their seating area. The stirrups are an older item but the rings they clip onto are present on this pack. I wouldn’t bother with these for a child under one.
Next… I am very comfortable wearing the pack. I am 5’11″ and about 180lbs. When I first tried out the pack with the factory settings it felt good. I put my kid in it and tightened some straps up and it was fine although the shoulder and chest area seemed to be carrying the lion share of the load. Then I raised the torso belt some and it was better. I went to a theme park for a day and pulled the shoulder straps even tighter and it raised the pack a little higher on my back. At this point the torso buckle was just about at my belly button and the pack just sort of hugged my back and the weight distributed nicely and I knew I found the sweet spot. This was our first major outing. We logged three hours on a sunny 70 degree day.
On the subject of sun; The sun/rain hood is well designed. The child will have a great view off to both sides. I have heard some grumbles from fans of other brands about the Kelty hoods because they obstruct the front view a little. What these people do not realize is that the child does not need to see straight ahead very well because Mom and Dads head is in the way anyhow. They will have a good view of the back of your head so they are comfortable knowing it’s you carrying them and they will have a great view on the sides to see everything else.
The storage is perfect. The bottom storage area resides below the child. I fit 8 diapers, and a pack of wipes down there and there was still lots of room. The back storage area is divided into three compartments. One compartment stores the sun/rain hood which is included. One compartment holds an included padded changing pad and has room for a jacket or blanket. The third compartment can hold whatever else. I put my powdered formula and some baby bottles in there. I could have additionally fit a bagged lunch and water for me if I had wanted. I utilized about 25% of the overall storage for a 3 hour outing.
Putting on the pack is generally safe and fairly easy after you practice a few times, take your time and use caution. I tried on a Phil & Teds Escape and it was much harder to hoist with the child in it. I also tried on a Kelty TC 2.5 and that was harder to put on than this pack as well. Both of these packs and many like them sit lower to the ground and I feel you need to be stronger to put them on and have some sort of more complicated technique. This FC 3.0 pack is taller so the shoulder straps are higher off the ground. I had very little trouble strapping on the pack from the floor. I can just loosen the shoulder straps, squat down and put the shoulder straps on. Then I stand and buckle the torso and buckle the chest. I am a little overprotective yet I feel very confident and safe loading this pack onto my back with my little guy in it. Unloading involves loosening the shoulder straps, squatting down and resting the kickstand on the ground. With that said… Loading and unloading from a raised area such as the back of an SUV is far easier.
This pack is really not suitable for tight spaces like a grocery store or boutique shop and it may be overkill for a mall or other indoor activity. It is perfectly desingned for neighborhood walks, a day at the park or zoo and even serious hiking and overnight camping.
Finally; I need to tell you about my warranty experience with Kelty. One of the best reasons to buy a Kelty product is their Lifetime Warranty. I had an older Kelty child-carrier backpack in which a strap and buckle wore out (this was a less important strap not jeopardizing child safety and the new models have a reinforced version of this strap and buckle). Kelty has a lifetime warranty and they advised me that they do not usually repair the child carriers but will replace them. I was instructed to cut the straps off of my pack (making it unusable), the tag from the pack showing the model number and mail them to the company along with a simple form I filled out from their website. One week after mailing the straps I received a brand new FC 3.0 from UPS. The model they replaced was an older and somewhat less expensive model. I was shocked at how fast they shipped it out to me and that they sent me their top of the line carrier. I paid about $5.00 to ship the straps back and they paid the shipping on my replacement pack. Wow. There are a lot of choices out there for child carriers but I have not seen a lifetime warranty on any brand but Kelty.
This warranty experience has made me a big fan of Kelty as a company. My experiences with this pack has cemented that loyalty. This child carrier provides a generous amount of storage, a comfortable carry for Mom and Dad and most importantly a comfortable and safe ride for your child. If this is what you are looking for than you have found your carrier.
Rating
We received the Kelty FC3.0 as a gift last fall. We have the 2008 model which is the darker blue one shown in the picture. Our son is 9 months weighs 24 lbs and is 28 inches long and loves it. The canopy was a must have for sun protection and also low hanging branches while hiking. My husband is 6’3″ and I am 5’5″ so we needed a pack with a wide range of adjustment. This pack is adjusted using a pin on the shoulder harness to raise and lower. I had to lower it nearly to the bottom for my height. When I had it adjusted and my son in the pack, within a few seconds the pin had popped out and shifted up making the harness too loose. It was still safe for my son but incredibly uncomfortable for me. We tried several more times and determined the pin was faulty.
I called Kelty and they replaced the pack right away. The customer service was excellent. I mailed in the shoulder straps to ensure that the pack was no longer usable and they sent me a new pack within a week.
The new pack is the 2010 model and has some design changes. The height adjustment is at the back of the waist belt. It’s not as easily accessible as it was in the 2008 model and doesn’t adjust as much as that older model from what I can tell. It definitely works though and we’ve had no problems with the pin slipping. The other change that I’m not fond of is the canopy. This new model has a ridge pole that you have to install to stiffen the canopy. The way it’s installed is easily removed by my son who thinks it’s a game. It’s not unsafe but does collapse the canopy onto his head somewhat. The old design was better. I also don’t like that the backpack on the pack is no longer removable. It has better storage inside though.
Overall the new pack is great and we will use it alot. I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars for the design changes.
Rating
We used this pack when hiking out in Sedona. It held up fine and it has many convenient features. It’s really nice that the top part of the luggage system unzips and can be used as a child’s backpack or just left behind if I don’t need it.
It was comfortable to carry my son in but on some cliffs ledges it was a little wobbly. My son was fine in it for like an hour and a half and then he started getting a little fussy. We used it three times and I hope to use it some more now that we are back in the NYC area.
I guess my biggest problem with it is that we don’t use it as often as I thought that we might.
Rating
I’ve been looking for child carriers that appeared suitable for true in-the-woods hiking and which could carry supplies as well as a toddler. I’m using this pack to carry a 20lb 15 month old in Arizona and I’m impressed so far. There are multiple adjustments for different torso sizes that allows you to make sure you’re carrying most of the weight on your hips. The padding is substantial and similar to what you’d see on a higher end internal frame backpack. You don’t experience any pressure points if you’ve adjusted it correctly. Your passenger has multiple seating adjustments so you can position her high or low depending on size and to make sure her arms are free. The shoulder straps and leg straps are also very adjustable and easy to access. The kickstand pops out automatically which is very nice and has a pinch resistant rubber hinge insert to keep fingers out of the way. They did a great job in trying to cram as much storage into the pack as possible without throwing off your center of balance. There is storage under the seat suitable for lunch, water, and a first aid kit. And storage in the form of a small daypack that zips behind the seat. This is big enough for kid supplies, diapers, lunch, change of clothes. You could use this for a long day hike but there is no way you’d consider trying to carry anything more, i.e. a sleeping bag. The rain/sunhood is also a requirement in my opinion for Arizona and is easy to attach. My daughter hasn’t squirmed or complained in it yet and actually tries to climb in it when she sees it in the living room. Pre-kid I’ve done a lot of backpacking with a variety of frame styles and now I’ve carried my daughter with slings, wraps, baby bjorn’s and on my shoulders. In my opinion this carrier is very well designed by somebody who has done a lot of both.
Rating
the Kelty 3.0 is just fantastic! I purchased it for an upcoming vacation in the Adirondacks where my husband and I want to take our baby hiking with us. He is 8months old and sometimes we take him for walks in it, instead of using the stroller. It’s a new view for him, he’s high up like we are, and in this, he isn’t in the ‘sitting’ position, so it’s a nice change for him in that way too. It’s totally cmfortable for him and for us too. My husband is 6.2′ and I’m 5’2, and it’s completely and easily adjustable.
Rating
I bought this for my husband for Father’s Day and we took it out for a short hike (about 2 miles). Our 9 month old likes it since he is in a standing position and gets a good view from either side (the pack keeps his head a little below Dad’s). The sun/rain hood is great and kept our baby cool; it also functions well at keeping branches away from baby’s head. There are a lot of straps to adjust and it did take a bit of time to get the pack in a comfortable place. Make sure you completely adjust the pack before you put your baby in it. My husband did not do that and, at first, the pack was tilting to the left because our baby likes to lean that way. I held the pack straight on my husbands back and he tightened it from there and that seemed to work well. There is a nice amount of padding and my husband was comfortable while wearing it. It is light and sturdy but long, so if you’re a shorter person like me (5’3″), the pack will look like it takes up half your body.
This backpack comes with a changing pad and lots of storage space. You can easily pack a lunch and all your baby and personal needs for the day in it and it has some pockets on the front for your cell phone, wallet, etc. There is also a soft detachable pad that your baby can rest his head on but it functions more as a drool pad for our little guy. Our baby did fall asleep in it while we were hiking but his head flopped around a bit. I imagine that older babies would be more comfortable sleeping in this backpack. Our baby pretty much only sleeps in his car seat or crib so the fact that he fell asleep in this pack must show something about the comfort level though.
The stand for this pack is great; however, it’s much easier to put the pack on and take it off with another person to help. You could put it on a bed or table too (or the trunk area of an SUV, like someone else suggested). There is a lot of room for your little one and plenty of ways to adjust the straps to make sure the baby is secure.
This backpack is a nice alternative to a stroller, especially if your baby doesn’t like to sit all that much like ours. I wouldn’t recommend it for running errands or anything but it is good for trips to the zoo, amusement park, county fair, etc. We’re excited to use it again.
Rating
This is a very comfortable carrier for my wife, daughter and myself. We were using an Ergobaby for the first 2 years and she finally got to the point where she was uncomfortable (“let’s go back home!”) because she was too big/squeezed/hot on my back. The Kelty is framed, allowing her to sit in a supportive, defined space and allows me to comfortably carry her and some small day items (water, diaper, snacks, etc). The frame keeps me off her back and keeps her from getting sweaty. The carrier is deceptively light given its size and folds down nicely for transport. We just leave it open and ready in our house and I can have my daughter (2.5 years, 32 lbs) in it and on my back in 2-3 minutes. The stand is awesome to keep the pack upright while I put her in safely and closes into the frame when you put on the shoulder. We are thinking about getting another one for our 4 month old….
Rating
We wanted to get a nice backpack carrier to carry our 21-month old daughter for our upcoming trip to Montana. We were doing lots of hiking around Glacier National Park, but we also wanted it for walks around the neighborhood. We narrowed it down to the Sherpani Rumba and the Kelty FC 3.0, and bought both so we could try them out (then return the one we didn’t like). I really wanted to like the Sherpani, but it was just not as comfortable as the Kelty. No matter how much adjusting I did, both my husband and I always had aching shoulders after not even an hour walk. Also, our daughter was able to wiggle halfway out of it, then would cry because she would get stuck halfway. She was just not comfortable in that pack, and would even try to avoid being put in it. Not so with the Kelty! It fits like a dream, both for the wearer and the child! Our daughter literally begs to get in it. We had some very long hikes, and she was always happy as a clam in the pack. We even wore her around the airport. She would be sitting in the airplane for hours, be tired and cranky, yet still got excited about climbing back into the Kelty carrier when we got off the plane. When adjusted correctly, you never feel the weight in your shoulders. I even walked around town for a few hours with my (at the time) 18-month old daughter in it when I was 4 months pregnant, and I didn’t feel it at all until I got home. Then, I felt like I just did a 2-hour step workout, but still no shoulder pain (my legs sure did feel that I was walking around with an extra 20-30 lbs, though!).
After using this pack a lot around town (and even around the house while making dinner and such), and taking it across the country for hiking, I still absolutely love it. The storage space is more than enough for your daily needs, and, because the small backpack unzips from the back, I was even able to leave my diaper bag at home and just use the small Kelty backpack. In the small pack, I usually brought fit diapers, wipes, changing pad, lots of snacks, plus personal items like wallet, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray, antibacterial gel, etc. Then in the bottom part we would fit lunch for 5, plus sweaters for the baby, hats, a large digital camera, and maybe a few other odds and ends.
The ONLY complaint I have is that the load lifters are accessible to the child, and they can easily pull up on the buckle and release them (quite a shock when you’re hiking and all of a sudden you feel all the weight on your shoulders). Our daughter usually can’t get to them when the sunshield is on, but when it’s off, she always plays with them. Besides that, it is the perfect pack. Our daughter fell asleep in it 3 times while hiking, and she is NOT one of those kids who just falls asleep wherever. I think that says a lot about the comfort of this pack. It is worth every penny.
Rating
We bought this backpack and took our 1 year old hiking in it. This is a great child carrier! It is easy to put on and take off, and it feels good wearing it. We found it very to switch from my husband to me even though he is much larger than I am.
Rating
My 1-year-old daughter has sat in this carrier for several 1-hour stretches, both indoors at the airport, and outdoors while hiking and snowshoeing, and does not squirm or fuss. She loves the view, and has come to associate the pack with going on an adventure! The carrier itself is very comfortable, however you can not be in a hurry when adjusting it. There are many different angles and options for creating a comfortable fit with this carrier, and taking the time to adjust each of them, with the help of another person, can make or break your experience with this carrier. The first time I put it on, she hung at an angle, and I was miserable. But, with careful adjusting, we got it worked out.
I highly recommend this carrier for active families!
Rating
arrived 3 days Less then the estimated delivery date stated! My baby fits perfectly and loves riding with the sun/rain shade on! He is one to kick his socks off so an enclosed bottom collects anything he drops. great padding. feels weightless. a lot of adjustment straps will Ensure a good fit. i started with everything large/loose and figured out my fit perfectly one notch at a time. Since there are going to be 2 of us using the backpack, I took a whiteout marker and marked my preferred Holes to make the switching easier! wonderfully padded for baby and even has a drool guard!