Baby carrier backpack - Need one?

[Lattewithcinnamon]

Why would someone get a baby carrier backpack like Osprey and not use something much lighter like an ergo carrier?

I am really wondering whether I need to buy a proper backpack or whether my ergo carrier is enough?

In which circumstances people prefer to carry their baby/toddler on their back for a long walk and why wouldn't they just have the baby in an appropriate stroller for all terrains?

Any insight would be very welcome as I am puzzling whether I need one or it's a marketing thing.

-----
This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for a backpack carrier for your baby or toddler, we’ve recently updated our best baby carrier backpacks article with lots of great options, as tried and tested by Mumsnet users. We hope you find it useful.
MNHQ

When you hiked before did you buy a rucksack to do so? If “yes” then get one if you’re reading this thinking “wtf, I never popped out at the weekend to climb a mountain or walk tens of miles” then you don’t need one.

I swapped to a toddler sized soft structured carrier at about 20months when mine started feeling too heavy in an ergobaby. The difference is the length of the leg portion - it’s longer in a toddler sized carrier so the weight is distributed better and they don’t feel so heavy.

I have a Tula explore which I adore but got a Little Life from FB Marketplace for £35 and love it for hikes! So much storage, better weather protection, foot stirrups (DD had hip dysplasia and I’m paranoid about dangly legs!), easier for the baby to access toys and snacks, and she can see really well!
Looked up the backpack carrier I got and it was originally £350!! Has a zip-off backpack too for your hiking partner to wear if necessary but enough storage even without that.

Some struggle with back carries in soft structured carriers and prefer to put the child in when the carrier is on the floor and then put it on. My partner prefers our little life, and I prefer our connecta.

I much prefer the Tula style one and carried our very large 3 year old in that happily. We borrowed a deuter back carrier for hillwalking one summer and the main selling points for me were

• the child was away from my back rather than me sweating through to him
• if he fell asleep I could take off the carrier with him still sleeping and, say, eat my lunch.

However the weight difference was considerable!

I found the connecta works well for back carries

I used our Beko Gemini up to about 3.5 years very comfortably. Not up mountains admittedly but happily on 10 mile walks. So if you have a good soft carrier you might not get benefit from a backpack one. If you only have a shonky Baby Bjorn you would do.

We had a proper structured backpack thing and barely used it. It was too long for my frame, not very comfy for sitting down, hard to get on and off. I pictured using it for festival type events but it was heavy and annoying.

I used to put DC in a sling quite a lot - when they're big enough you can sit them on your hip then kind of do a manouevre where you swipe your arm over their had and swish them round. Takes practice so start out with someone nearby to catch the baby! You can also get them in if you sit on a sofa and put the baby behind you then get the straps on.

You can often get carriers cheap secondhand, try that to see if you like it before forking out £££? Or borrow one from someone who has one?