Hiking Baby Carrier Review: Osprey Poco LT
Child Carrier Review: Osprey Poco LT
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When I got pregnant, I was determined to keep hiking and adventuring with my little one in tow. I couldn't wait to continue enjoying the great outdoors and show my baby all of what mother nature has to offer!
After initially successfully completing a few easy hikes with baby in a front carrier, I knew we had to upgrade to a back carrier. With longer and bigger objectives on the horizon, I needed more storage space, comfortable weight distribution on the back, a cozy space for the baby, and something a little more durable for the rugged outdoors.
Shopping for a baby carrier was a bit overwhelming - there are so many options and features to keep in mind. Do I want an ultralight bag? How much storage space do I want? What about cost? Do I have to buy extra accessories for it?
Going into the baby carrier shopping journey, I was partial to Osprey. I’m a big fan of Osprey bags. I already own 2: my beloved Sirrus 24 day hiking pack and the Kyte 66 pack for overnight hikes. They fit my torso nicely, have smart layouts, lots of storage pockets, and they have a lifetime warranty. Osprey makes 3 different child carriers: Poco Plus, Poco, and Poco LT. All 3 checked the boxes on what features I wanted in a bag: comfort, adjustability for different users, price, and storage space.
Our local Atmosphere had the Osprey Poco LT in stock, so after trying it on and comparing it to the other brands of child carriers one last time, we decided to pull the trigger and go with the LT version. Before purchasing a bag, I would absolutely recommend trying it on with baby prior to committing to it!
Without further ado, here is my honest review of the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Hiking Backpack, an excellent choice for parents looking to keep comfortably exploring nature while ensuring their little one is safe and comfortable.
TL;DR: Pros and Cons
Pros
Can be folded flat and compact
Comfortable and adjustable shoulder straps as well as torso height
One of the lightest carriers on the market with the most storage
Excellent ventilation for both baby and parent
Expertly designed frame for unbeatable load distribution
External water bladder pocket
Included, built-in sunshade
Covered under Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee
Cons
No included rain cover, must be purchased separately
No foot stirrups
Included external reservoir pouch can only accommodate a smaller bladder size
As an LT child carrier, hiking isn’t the prioritized activity when using this bag
No external pockets
Comfort
The Osprey Poco Lite excels in comfort. Osprey bags have always been at the top of my list in terms of comfort. Osprey’s bag technologies are incredible, and they didn’t hold back when designing the child carriers.
The Poco LT is a hybrid travel/hiking child carrier. Because of this, the lightweight but sturdy frame weighs in at 5.36 lbs/2.43 kg. This is one of the lightest on the market for a frame bag!
The adjustable shoulder and hip straps allow for a customized fit, distributing the weight evenly and minimizing strain on your back and shoulders. Its padded, ventilated back panel using their Airscape suspension ensures that you stay cool and comfortable during your hikes.
The torso fit can also be adjusted easily. This was an important factor in shopping for a baby carrier. My husband is 6’1 and I am 5’3; he has an incredibly long torso, I basically don’t have a torso. We both needed to be able to use the pack, sometimes even switching it up on the go. The torso length can be adjusted up to 10 cm, which works great for both of us!
Storage and Convenience
The Poco Lite offers ample storage space for a bag of its size, including a spacious 14L main compartment, a smaller 6L upper storage area, and two hip pockets that can fit a normal sized iPhone, although probably not a Plus version. The upper storage area has the signature red Osprey key clip, and is perfect for storing smaller items and snacks. The larger bottom compartment is spacious enough for all of your baby’s needs and even a few of your smaller layers.
There is an external sleeve for a water bladder which is incredibly handy and can free up a water-bottle-sized space in the storage pockets. As great as this feature is, my current 3L Camelback is too large for the pocket. I would imagine a 1.5L would be the perfect size.
One downside is that besides the hip-belt pockets, there are no additional external pockets. I love the mesh pockets on my other Osprey bags but because this is an LT version, I imagine the outer storage pockets were omitted for weight and compactability.
Baby's Comfort & Safety
I could go on and on about the comfort and features for the person carrying the bag, but what about the baby’s comfort!?
Baby will be sitting pretty in the deluxe cockpit, featuring a Double Halo harness to keep baby secure, a height-adjustable seat for a growing baby(the carrier can safely carry up to 48.5 lbs/22kg), a drool pad, ventilated sides, and soft padded fabric for a cozy journey. Our little one has had her fair share of naps in her carrier!
There is a built-in sunshade that can be popped out and secured with ease, or stored in it’s own pocket when not in use. This pocket is large enough to fit a rain cover as well so it won’t take up valuable space in the storage areas.
Sounds pretty luxurious, right? There are two downsides: there are no foot stirrups which is something we’ll have to address when our baby gets older on longer hikes. If you have an older child, this bag might only be suitable for short journeys.
The second downside is that the aforementioned rain cover is not included, and has to be purchased separately.
Extra Features
This child carrier was designed for travel as well as hiking. Because of this, the bag can be collapsed very easily and the straps and hip belt have their own zippered protection flap. This flap can be tucked away quickly when expanding the bag.
This feature was not a deciding factor when purchasing a carrier, but it is convenient! We spend the majority of our time in Switzerland but we do travel back to our home country of Canada during the summers, and the bag (when collapsed) fits perfectly into our stroller’s travel bag. This is a huge plus so we don’t have to worry about having a bag in each country or how to transport a carrier.
Having a travel-friendly bag like the Poco LT would be convenient for families who enjoy traveling and don’t want to worry about a stroller to lug their child around when exploring new destinations. I do have a review of our travel stroller as well!
To Wrap It Up
Just like shopping for any other baby item, it can be overwhelming trying to choose a baby carrier for hiking! There are so many options, so many brands, and so many different opinions to consider. My advice would be to highlight what are the most important features you’d like in a bag for you and your baby and go from there.
The Osprey Poco LT is a great option for parents looking for a hiking backpack carrier that can double as a travel bag. As mentioned above, this bag checked off all of our boxes in what we wanted in a baby carrier.
It makes me so happy to continue hiking after pregnancy, and to be able to introduce our baby to hiking in the great outdoors. It is so rewarding watching her take interest in the trees, the bugs, birds and fellow adventurers on the trail.
Shop the Osprey Polo LT Child Carrier here.
