MacPac Vamoose baby backpack

I was going on hikes with my son since the day he was born. But I could wear a Baby Bjorn only for so long. So as soon as he could hold his head up, I got the MacPac. It has been fantastic. It is unbelievably well made and durable, you can't tell we have been hiking with it for 2 years now. It is super comfy, with nice shoulder straps and a serious hip belt. My son loves being in it. There are so many adjustments for the straps that you can customize it to the n-th degree.I played with them at the beginning. My husband is taller, but doesn't seem to mind my settings so we just leave the height adjustment as is since I use it the most. I bought Size 2, since I am using it most of the time. The seat for the child has a vertical adjustment, so you can regulate where his/her head ends up (important when they nod off, and they do, hallelujah). The sides adjust easily and are nicely padded. There are shoulder straps with a buckle but we never used those, since he was always snug and happily parked in there. I have taken this pack on several airplane trips, where it has saved us from missing flights when we had to run to another end of an airport. I have also gotten the evil eye from other parents who are chasing their luggage and kids around the airport while I walk out with a wheelie suitcase in one hand, Starbucks in the other, and a happy kid on my back. The zip-off backpack is very handy, we just use it as a diaper bag, but it is not very roomy. The bottom compartment however is cavernous, with enough room for spare clothes, toys and food for an intercontinental flight. It has a handy key pocket on the hip belt, and a mirror that my son thought was a hoot when he was tiny. We played peekaboo a lot. Now we mostly use the pack for long weekend hikes with our dog, but before my son could walk, I used it instead of a stroller to go shopping too. I just couldn't stand parking, taking him out of a car seat, putting him in a stroller, putting him back in a car seat, driving 2 minutes, parking, repeat etc. We just parked somewhere in the middle and went on an urban hike from store to store without any fuss-inducing transfers. I have it in my car till this day, just in case there is an opportunity for a spontaneous hike. I stopped hauling the stroller in my trunk long ago. I have never used the rain hood, I guess we don't go hiking when it pours ;). I did buy the little neck support pillow but my son couldn't stand it so as fuzzy and soft as it is, it just hangs in the closet. I would suggest 2 improvements - make the zip-off backpack a smidgen roomier, and add a pocket or holder for a water bottle/sippy on the hip belt (I just used a sippy with handles and hung it from the elastic loops on the side of the pack - that worked OK). Those 2 things, and this pack would be pure perfection!! Anytime I take the pack out of the car, my son squeals: Mama, going on an adventure? The Childcarriers customer service was awesome too :)