Geocaching Australia

Mind Socket wrote:Beware the Kathmandu effect. My rule of thumb is that their stuff reaches reasonable retail price only during their sales (which are quite frequent). Outside of sales time, they're just fleecing (pun intended) adventurers with too many dollars and no sense, IMHO.

- Rog

I agree...

All outdoor gear is expensive, but Kathmandu seems to me to be of lower quality than other brands and outside its sales often more expensive. I guess this means that I agree too!

The "normal" price of their child carrier/backpack thingy does seem a bit exhorbitant. I bought a jacket during their sale last Spring at $200 off. The baby carrier was 1/2 price then too.

Yeh, if they can afford to reduce everything by that much so often, it must be well overpriced to start with.

I agree. I bought some clothes & stuff at the last Kathmandu sale at about half price. Not too bad, but I can't understand why anyone whould shop there and pay full price for that stuff?!

Dingbats wrote:Yesterday we bought a $90 one that felt reasonably comfortable both for me and bub. It has shade awning that goes over babies head.

I'll give it a go on the weekend and report if it is worth the dollars.

We got one about 4 years ago when Gabi (aka MilkyWay) was about 6 months old.

Cost us about $90 and it fitted onto the back with padded straps over the shoulders and a padded clip belt for around the front. The child fitted into a padded "pouch" and it had shoulder straps to hold them in. It was very light and folded neatly as the pouch section folded down then it could be folded in half.

Used it then for several hikes in the Grampians including Sundial Carpark -> Sundial -> Pinnical -> Wonderland Carpark and McKenzies Waterfall.

Used it just this week in the Grampians again for Jeremy (aka Freckle) who's 18 months and did same Sundial Carpark -> Wonderland Carpark walk and Mt William Carpark -> Mt William walk with no probelms

We have two boys. Well before caching I was in the military service and used to enjoy a little hiking back when Mix was still in highschool. The kids came along and I still get out now and then and have to take one of the boys with me.

Went to a garage sale and picked up a aluminium framed red and blue carrier. It was in good nick and I still have it. Used it many times up until Jaxon, our youngest was three. He is now five. Sometimes I still think if he could still fit into it it would be quicker to carry him. Caches that are some distance I generally have to carry him back on my shoulders.

If they allow you to get on with what you enjoy doing why worry about the price. Look after it and sell in on in a couple of years to recover the expense.

The Bronze.

I used one when my son was about 1, but i hired it just in case it didn't work out... it was good for where we were holidaying (lots of sand) but i'm glad i didn't fork out the 100 bucks for a new one.

It was convenient, but kids being kids don't like to stay in any one place for too long, so it was a lot of putting kid in, taking kid out, putting kid in... and sometimes he was quiet during the process...

I also felt like he was going to get stabbed in the head by a tree branch, because when you duck forward it puts their head where yours just was...