Trail Magik Review: Adventure MORE with your Toddler
Created by parents for parents, the Trail Magik is a lightweight child carrier that hooks onto the front of your hiking pack. Different then any other hiking carrier on the market, it is perfect for those transition years when children want to hike on their own but still need to be carried sometimes.
Where to buy the Trail Magik + 10% OFF Discount Code
Use code “TrailCollectiv” for 10% off and buy the Trail Magik at TrailMagik.com.
Is the Trail Magik good for your family? TrailCollectiv’s Trail Magik Review from TrailCollectiv ambassador and mother Jordan Wright will help you decide.
Quick Overview of the Trail Magik
Diving into the Trail Magik for a full review of the toddler child carrier.
The Trail Magik is a carrier for toddlers. A child must be at least 12 months old and weigh 43 pounds or less to use the Trail Magik. The Trail Magik has been perfect for my 2.5-year-old who weighs just over 30 pounds. With any child, you’ll want to be careful when bending or climbing to make sure the child is secure.
My 5-year-old is on the upper end of the weight limit, and I could definitely put him in the Trail Magik in an emergency (if he hurt his leg and couldn’t hike back, etc.). I was a little surprised but am happy to say that it was comfortable for both of us. Since he is on the upper end of the weight limit, I worry that the weight on my front would throw off my balance if I carried him for an extended period.
Important Considerations
The Trail Magik can only be used with a hiking backpack 30L or larger. It will not work with a regular backpack or diaper bag. Getting the child in/out takes some practice. Safety depends on the integrity of your backpack’s straps.
Specs and Features
The Trail Magik is made of Cordura, a nylon-based fabric used in military and law-enforcement gear that is tear- and water-resistant. It has 100% heavy nylon straps, plastic buckles, and metal carabiners. It’s meant to be used as an attachment to a backpack (30L or greater) with a waist belt and load-lifter straps on the shoulders.
How to Use the Trail Magik
Put on your hiking pack and make sure it’s properly adjusted. If your shoulder straps are too loose, there will be a gap between the bottom of the carrier and your body; the child won’t be able to sit.
Attach the Trail Magik’s carabiners to the bottom of your pack’s shoulder straps.
Loosen the Trail Magik’s straps all the way and thread them through the pack’s load lifters (the adjustment straps at the top of the shoulder pads). Attach the buckles.
Lift the child into the pack. For an older/larger child, you’ll need some cooperation on their part. I tell my 2.5-year-old to keep his “legs like a tree” while I get him past the Trail Magik’s straps and then to “be a baby koala” so he’ll bend his legs and wrap them around my waist.
Pull down on the Trail Magik’s straps to tighten so that the child is sitting at or above your waist. The child should be sitting with their knees above their bottom.
To take the child out, carefully loosen the shoulder straps and have the child straighten their legs while you lift them out.
*The company has a great video here on how to use.
What I love about the Trail Magik
This is a great concept for kids who change their minds often while hiking (READ every two- and three- year old on the planet). My 2.5-year-old has major FOMO, so as soon as he sees his older brother doing anything remotely cool (such as walking near a mud puddle), he wants out. But he also gets tired quickly and wants to be carried.
Normally, I’d be carrying my backpack on my back and a soft carrier (Ergobaby, etc.) on my front. so I’d have to take off the backpack to get my child in/out of my carrier and then put the backpack on again. With the Trail Magik, I was saved from the awkwardness of wearing two sets of shoulder straps AND I didn’t have to take off my pack every time my son changed his mind.
Other ways to use
Because I generally do short day hikes with my kids, I only have a 30L backpack (the minimum size for use with a Trail Magik). The carrier was designed for a bigger backpack with a nice padded waist belt, and I do think it would be more comfortable if my waist belt was padded.
However, since my backpack is smaller and more casual, I can take it everywhere with my Trail Magik rolled up inside. It gives me peace of mind knowing that if my toddler gets hurt at the neighborhood park and can’t/won’t ride his bike home, I will be able to carry him in the Trail Magik and still have hands to carry his bike for a few blocks. Because the Trail Magik is small and light, it’s easy to take along on a variety of adventures as emergency gear.
I’ve seen the Trail Magik used for tandem carrying a baby and toddler (attached to the straps of a hard-structure child carrier) and used alone as a back carrier for a short distance (see here), but haven’t tried either.
How to clean the Trail Magik
It is easy to clean! Simply hand wash with a mild detergent and hang to dry.
What I didn't love
I was surprised that the Trail Magik wasn’t as quick or easy to learn as I expected it to be, but just like any other kind of carrier, it has a learning curve for both parent and child. Then, once you figure it out, it becomes a lot easier. The “straight like a tree” and “baby koala” method mentioned above has helped a lot.
I’ve seen other people storing their Trail Magik in a side bottle pocket of their backpack or keeping just one side buckled into the shoulder strap and letting it hang until the child’s next rest.
For me, it’s easiest to keep both carabiners attached at the bottom and then keep the Trail Magik’s top straps threaded through my load lifters (but loosened all the way). It might not be the most stylish way, but attaching the Trail Magik’s straps to the load lifters is awkward and it’s nice to only do it once per hike.
I also wish that the fabric was softer. I usually put my child in shorts for a summer hike, but then his legs rub against the rough fabric. The cordura does seem very durable, and safety trumps comfort, so it’s not a big deal. Just consider dressing your child in long pants or keeping a light bandana under their legs.
A note on safety
Because the Trail Magik hooks into your existing hiking pack, the quality of your pack matters. If it’s old or cheaply-made (like that pack you bought at a street market in your college years), you should upgrade before using a Trail Magik. You should also regularly check your pack’s straps for wear and tear.
Final thoughts
I see the Trail Magik as sort of like an infant-only car seat. Hear me out! Do you need an infant-only car seat? No. You can buy a bulkier convertible car seat that will keep your child safe in the car from their newborn days until their toddler years.
BUT for that short amount of time when your baby sleeps a lot and can’t hold themselves up, having an infant-only seat is awesome because you can keep the baby in the seat when running errands or switching from the car to the stroller.
Like an infant car seat, the Trail Magik is not necessary gear. It’s not as versatile as a traditional soft-structured carrier and not as comfortable for long hikes as a big hard-structured carrier, but it’s awesome for the transitional years between full-time rider and full-time hiker. If you are planning on doing a lot of hiking with your toddler or small child, you will get plenty of use from it, and it’s great to have on hand in an emergency.
Where to buy + 10% OFF Discount Code
Buy the Trail Magik at TrailMagik.com and choose from a variety of colors!
Use code “TrailCollectiv” for 10% off!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links to which TrailCollectiv earns a commission to support our mission to helping more families explore outdoors together.
Author Jordan Monson Wright
Jordan Monson Wright has lived (and hiked) in Utah, Wyoming, Southern China, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio. Her favorite hiking buddies are her two small boys. She loves her husband, her kids, good food, good books, and Jesus Christ.
Find her on Instagram @cbusfamilyhikes for hiking or the Hot Mess Writer’s Club for writing.
