With apologies to my single friends, an entry for the “Dude, what the hell?!” category just so it gets indexed by Google:

REI Tagalong Child Carrier from REI.com

Have a baby? Like to hike? Before you go out and buy that expensive Kelty backpack baby carrier, take a gander at the REI Tagalong. I should warn that having paid my $15 lifetime membership fee, I am part of the REI co-op, so vested interest alert ;-). The Tagalong feels lighter than the lightest Kelty, and:

• Has a bunch of shoulder positions for the straps
• Opens wide to make putting baby in easier
• Is only $99
• Fits better if you have a smaller frame
• Kickstand opens wider making it more stable when set down

Some of the Kelty’s have a bit better padding for the baby.