JoePro Ambassador Team

Piggyback Rider kid carrier announces the 2012 

Bethesda, Maryland – The PiggyBack Rider® – an innovative child carrier that promotes active outdoors transport – has named a JoePro Team, a mix of professional outdoors fathers (Pros) and everyday dads (Joes) eager to serve as ambassadors for the Piggyback Rider.

Getting the team off the ground is pro Jake Norton of Challenge21, a movement created to raise awareness and funds addressing the critical nature of the water and sanitation crises worldwide. Norton, based in CO, is attempting to climb the Triple Seven Summits (21 peaks — the three highest on each of the seven continents) in order to raise $2.1 million for Water For People and to engage and impassion 2.1 million people on the issues surrounding clean water. Norton has two children.

Current NY Red Bulls Assistant Coach and former 8-year professional soccer player, Todd Hoffard, joins the professional side of the JoePro team from his home base in Lancaster, PA. Hoffard, a father of two, said he applied to the team because he “Loved the product and it gives me the opportunity to do things with my kids, and keep my back healthy while I’m doing it.”

Also coming aboard the JoePro team is Calgary, Canada based Buzz Bishop, a veteran radio host, broadcaster, world record holder, blogger and father of two. Bishop said he joined the ProJoe roster because he wanted to involve his son Charlie in their “dadventures” more. “He’s younger and can’t keep up, this will get him on pace with everyone else” Bishop said.

The JoePro Ambassador Team also welcomes Bill Mayer of Gardiner, MT. Mayer is a dedicated dad of two boys and works at Yellowstone National Park in the Wildland Fire Department. An avid biker and outdoorsman, Mayer is a former Boy Scout whose motto is “Work hard, play hard, laugh a lot.”

A special educator and father of two, Joe Brazier comes to the ProJoe team from Maple Valley, WA. He is the author of “Man v Dadhood,” a popular blog dedicated to the conflicts of fatherhood and everyday life. He joined the team because “My wife loves outdoor activities, and I do too, but I did this so I could be the one to initiate family outings, which I know she will appreciate.”

Each JoePro Team member will use the Piggyback Rider on a regular basis and provide monthly in-use/action photographs. JoePro members will also be relied on to test prototypes and provide design in put on new Piggyback Rider products being developed.

The Piggyback Rider® is a mutually enjoyable, effortless way to carry a child (2½+ years) on your back. It functions like a backpack, utilizing a shoulder-mounted foot-bar to distribute the child’s weight at your core, enabling a more natural and upright walking posture. The child stands safely on the wide textured foot-bar, holding integrated shoulder handles and secured to the adult by a safety harness. Built from industry leading climbing components and over-engineered for safety, the Piggyback Rider® is unlike any kid carrier you’ve ever seen.

Equally at home on the hiking trail or in the mall, The Piggyback Rider® is quickly turning heads in both the parenting and outdoors markets. It was recently featured on Good Morning America, won the “Best New Product” award at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Show and a Gold Medal in the Mom’s Choice Awards. New, more deluxe, versions of the carrier will be unveiled at the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City later this summer.