Skiing with a baby in your backpack?

[userA]

no, it's the people they represent your mad about.
b

[LightRanger]

Het Attny-you shut the fuck up. you and the other med school drop outs the reason we cant do shit in this country any more. Dingleberry

You ranting and making shit up again, moron? Sounds like it.

[wooley12]

Skiing with kids in a back pack is a family tradition. But you want a front pack for the lifts.

[fat yeti]

As a Father of 3 kids I say its a choice I trust my skiing but I probably don't trust the other people on the hill. I would never do it but its just me I have a few friends that do.

[powking12]

Holy. With all the overprotective know-it-alls in here I thought this was Epicski for a minute.

Front pack thumbs up, back pack thumbs up. Keep it mellow. Pay attention to others. You can't live a zero risk lifestyle. C'mon people. You probably wear a helmet to go buy your soy latte.

[wooley12]

An old thread reactivated on a first post has Epic Prankster written all over it.

The answer to skiing with a kid in a backpack is

[Wildman]

My dad used to go skiing with me in his pack at resorts in the alps. No one seemed to care.

I have brought my kid out on a few mellow tours and we had a blast.

Went to the resort and could not believe how many people (mostly gapers on spring break) had an opinion and chose to share it (negatively).

Good thing I don't listen when other people tell me how to live my life or raise my kid...

[TBS]

This is horrible! Letting a baby ride in a pack while you ski tele could turn the kid gay!!! All to satisfy your selfish need for gravity-induced highs...

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

The biggest reason kids ski schools start at age four is simply because of potty training. Think about it for a second.
Kids are able to ski before they have learned to walk since skiing is really just standing there, not taking steps. Although attention span and battery life are extremely short!!!
I live in a ski town and I assure you that many kids here were skiing by age two. Not being able to find gear made small enough to fit the lil buggers is a common problem for local kids.
I skied on area with my godson in a backpack when he was two without a problem and I plan to get my 5 month old out on skis next spring!

[LightRanger]

^^^ That. I had to coach a six year-old on wiping through the bathroom door once. Kid's programs supervisor was silently laughing her ass off while I grinned and gave her the finger. Plus a group lesson of three year-olds would be hell. There's a significant motor jump at roughly 3-->4 in most kids that makes it easier to put them in group lessons. Same reasons we started group snowboard lessons at six--many kids can't stand up on their own for group lessons until then. But for a private--e.g. your own kid--it's whatever they can handle. My (future) kids are going to be on skis of some form as soon as they can walk.

[the_kid]

This is the "the_kid's" dad (too lazy to get my own login). I skied with all 5 of our kids in a backpack, and although it would have been impressive, it wasn't at the same time. We went hiking, skied out of bounds, in bounds, and on the lift (awkwardly sideways). Fell a few times, but never on the kid (duh). Got run into once, fell over on my side, again not on the kid. What kind of moron would fall on his own kid? I skied mostly green and blue, but probably a black or two, don't really remember. My only "rules" were: don't take them out for more than a few hours, and no temps less than 10 or so. Best moment: pre-season, Bridger Bowl, 6 inches of fresh snow on a solid base, my daughter making rhythmic little "shouts" in rhythm with my (admittedly perfect) turns. AND: I did most of it on those old narrow Atomic ARCs and black Look N-77s and not on those cushy new fatties that make it easy for every gaper to pretend he's an expert.

They all started skiing at age 2, all were on expert slopes by 7-9, and nasty expert slopes by 10-12, depending on the kid (the kids have to push for this, it rarely works well if dad/mom is trying to make them do it, although I've certainly made that mistake). Now that the oldest is in his teens, I can guarantee you it is a far bigger pucker factor when he is hiking up the Headwaters in front of me (or especially without me). Once he clicks in and goes I am fine.

This "argument" reminds me of the one over cell phones and driving, and the reason people get so fired up about it is that some are competent to do this and some aren't. Our increasingly egalitarian ideals will not permit this type of sorting, so the worry warts are compelled to force extreme safety measures on the rest of us. It's like having your mom cruise around with you all the time after you've moved out, continuing to worry about every stubbed toe and bleeding cut well after you've turned 30.

So if you personally can't hang, just try to ignore those of us who can handle these perceived difficulties with grace and aplomb. Some of us really are capable of achieving great(!) things (like skiing with a kid in a backpack) without screwing it up. Simply avert your gaze and go on worrying about whatever you think is bound to happen to your little darling if you don't have him bundled up in tons of safety gear. You might increase his margin of safety if you keep him inside all the time, perched in his glass, virus-proof case.

[HighWest]

This is horrible! Letting a baby ride in a pack while you ski tele could turn the kid gay!!! All to satisfy your selfish need for gravity-induced highs...

My old man tele'd with me in the pack, I'm not gay, yet… I'm told I was launched from the pack a few times though.

When that time comes, I certainly plan on skiing with my kid in the pack.

[yeahman]

Closest I ever came to hurting one of my kids skiing was when she wiped out right in front of me and I almost rode my big sharp edge over her face. Don't follow the little buggers too close!

Skied once or twice with a kid in the pack but decided I'd rather trade shifts in the lodge with my wife and ski unemcumbered. I wasn't worried about the safety aspect. They're in a lot more danger once they get outside the pack and ski on their own.

[baron]

just paint a Pentagram on the kids forehead ,b 4 the sacraficiac crash

[DictatorShooter]

Baby Bjorn it!

[grapedrink]

i have a backpack carrier and we've used it for a lot of hiking and snowshoeing, xc skiing i tow her in one of the baby glider type things.. i wouldn't bring her downhill though. if i stuck to greens and blues the chance of me falling is pretty much nil, and if i fell it would be on my side not on my back.. but it still feels like an unnecessary risk.

[yooper]

I totally forgot about the original Epic thread, and then the follow-up marathon thread that followed. I'm kinda proud that I was the one that got 'em riled up that much to begin with. My kids are now 9 and 11! The biggest thing I have to worry about now is how big of a cliff my boy is going to jump off.....

At least they both survived the backpack treatment.

[~mikey b]

Baby Bjorn it!

Yeah that too! Before the pack we had a Kelty Kangaroo that I modified to attach to my BCA Stash pack. Worked great.

Our Kelty Traverse was the best pack for skiing. Internal frame daypack with kid carry. Kept the load closer to me. Better skiing. Happier and safer baby.

I'll find some pics of both.

[dschane]

I had to coach a six year-old on wiping through the bathroom door once.

That's entirely the kid's parents' fault.

I live in a ski town and I assure you that many kids here were skiing by age two.

I'm calling bullshit on that. I have 3 kids, ages 5, 3 and 3 who all ski, so I'm a self-proclaimed expert who knows next to nothing about everything else.

Age 1-2: maybe you get your kids on skis if they don't scream you into submission before you've finished getting their gear on and then skiing involves the parent bending over with the kid in between the legs, using a hoola hoop to minimize backpain, or using a harness to minimize such pain even better. Maybe 1 out of 10,000 kids under 2 begin to ski unassisted.

Age 2-3: by this point, if the parents still have back strength and are committed, a kid can learn to ski without assistance. They'll likely fuss the first few times they lose the parental crutch, but they can get it. If your kid is not potty trained, it's easy (throw on a diaper). If they are potty trained, still try to get them to wear a diaper as a precautionary measure (some will fuss over that; you decide if it's worth the battle). If they are potty trained and won't wear a diaper, you have a 1 in 10 chance of all working out.

Age 3-4: all kids can learn to ski. Parents are happy as they see a light at the end of the tunnel. They tend to be fearless, will point and go, and are excited to try jumps and involuntarily ski backwards.

As for babies in the pack, to each his own. Just don't blame the pack, your ski equipment, the gaper who cut you off, or the scantily-clothed hottie who distracted your attention when you and your crying, bruised kid hook up with your better half. Those are obvious hazards at a resort. Best, go for a low-angle tour with both parents.

[meatspicy]

recently spotted at JHMR

[Eluder]

This is horrible! Letting a baby ride in a pack while you ski tele could turn the kid gay!!! All to satisfy your selfish need for gravity-induced highs...

That shit is funny

[SB]

This thread reminds me of how the people across the street go out onto their front porch to smoke and the kid is right there standing next to them.

[nbt]

USE A FRONT PACK

A Backpack is very dangerous as since you have no control falling backwards. A front pack you will tuck and roll with the baby if you fall and would put your arms out to stop a fall. Just put the kid in front like several have stated and while still not risk free, you have lessened the risk greatly. I ski with our kids in front all the time, but would never put them on the back even walking down a snowy street.

[Stealth Radness]

I can't believe so many people fall when they ski

[Angle Parking]

I am 33 and I still ride in my dad's backpack. We get a few odd looks, but I just yell "Thunderdome, bitches!" and that usually shuts 'em up right away.

Awesome!!!