Hi all,

I’m looking for rucksack/baby-carrier to take my 18month on big hikes and city trips.
Generally, places where the pram isn’t practical.

Besides the Thule Sapling, are there any others that i should look at?
Priority is for ones which are widely adjustable, have a rain/sun cover and can stand with the kid inside.

Cheers,
Rich

Also very interested in peoples suggestions, it blows my mind that they charge £370 for the Thule Sapling.

Not the vaude one.

Super uncomfy for the wearer.

Also don’t underestimate the extra fitness required to carry a heavy/top-heavy bag up a hill.

It’s not terrible just don’t expect to go on an all day Munro.

Lifeventure little life cross country rucksack worked for us. Bought it second hand, used it for a few yrs and sold it for much the same price. Did all the things you want and only £199 new!

We had an osprey one. Lovely bit of kit. Teach the child to walk.

As with anything baby related; Facebook marketplace is your friend.

Yesterday we picked up a Deuter baby carrier in excellent condition with two rain covers for £20. Retails for £300…

I’d just be looking to see what Little Life (or similar) carrier was available second hand locally. They are generally very well looked after (and/or little used) so you save a fortune and can pass it on to someone else afterwards.

We’ve been very happy with our Osprey Poco. Sunshade and rain cover included. Comfortable for both adult and child! Prices seem to have jumped up since I bought ours but resale value is strong.

Agree with Scruffs comments above- look on FB marketplace, Vinted etc.

We’ve got a Little Life Freedom S4 which is a framed one with most of the features on your list. I used an Osprey one which was good also but can’t remember the model.

To be honest though, we ended up using the non-framed ones more often (Baby Bjorn, Ergo Baby etc) as my lad preferred them and so did my back!

To be honest though, we ended up using the non-framed ones more often (Baby Bjorn, Ergo Baby etc) as my lad preferred them and so did my back!

Yes this . Forgot about this. Loved the baby Bjorn. Just so much less leverage pulling on you…the kids don’t get such a good view though 🙁

+1 for little life. I think ours was the adventurer, had frame so would stand up, integrated pocket/bag for storage and we got the rain/sun cover. Was comfy enough for a few hours walking at a time and kids would fall asleep in it.

thanks all. Will avoid the vaude one.
There’s not a lot available on fb and 2ememain locally.

Macpac possum was excellent for us, tough as old boots, we bought it 2nd hand, and sold it on x2 kids later for about the same. Having a small pocket mirror (or old makeup compact?) in the waist pocket is useful for checking on your cargo without taking it off. And remember to duck when walking out the front door the first time you try it out with a passenger.

I’d just be looking to see what Little Life (or similar) carrier was available second hand locally. They are generally very well looked after (and/or little used) so you save a fortune and can pass it on to someone else afterwards.

This x1000

Not all kids like them. When our eldest was 18months it was like trying to strap an angry chimp to yourself. Definitely worth trying it but glad I didn’t spend £250 on it.

We ended up just carrying the kids by hand and letting them walk what they could. It worked better for us but some folk love the carriers so defo worth trying.

None of the above. A proper adjustable sling type thing. Super comfy. I hiked all day long in the Alps carrying a two+ year old in one like this- https://www.buzzidil.com/gb/buzzidil-buckle-carrier/1153-1133-baby-carrier-buzzidil-eukalyptus-ssc#/27-size-standard_3_to_36_months_62_to_98_cm

I agree that the baby Bjorn is much better for my back than a backpack style carrier

We are happy with the Osprey Poco LT can be found discounted online for less than £190 offers good value

= lightweight, comfortable and quickly adjustable for different sized adults to use

Ebay has one for £100

From bitter experience…

* Raincover? Sure. All our lot screamed the place down when the rain cover went on so it was basically unusable, other than as a kind of bargaining/threatening tool in negotiations around limiting undesirable behaviours such as: pulling daddy’s hair, sticking your slobbery fingers in daddy’s ear, grabbing daddy’s glasses just as we’re crossing the road, and so forth.
* Freestanding? Ok, but irregardless you’re standing next to it keeping a hand on for any small child likely to make sudden determined rocking/lunging motions. Which is to say any small child.
* Comfortable for long periods? Maybe. But I was dismayed to find that all my kids were pretty uninterested in the kinds of healthy hikes I had in mind. The backpack would be tolerated for journeys along the lines of: “Let’s walk to the park for an icecream” — so realistically something like 30 mins is all you really need it for. Which coincidentally aligns with what I found to be very much the upper limit of how long I’d like to carry a toddler for.
* Widely adjustable? Hmm. You’re doing a 15 minute journey to the park for an icecream, so it’s basically fine whatever.
* Once they’re about two they can just sit on your shoulders and it’s less faff and no less comfortable.

For our lot we had both a Baby Bjorn and a backpack carrier thing, and they were both useful and used, but the window of usefulness for them was quite small for all the reasons listed above.

If you can pick them up for < £100 onm Gumtree or whatever then go for it for sure, they’re a really handy tool to have alongside the multitudinous other kidster portage/confinement options (buggy, carseat, travelcot, etc, etc). But deffo don’t spend hundreds on one IME.

In terms of actual recommendations: we had a Vaude one. It was fine. My brother/sister in law had a Deuter one I think. It looked fine 😀

Child carrier backpacks are a bit marmite, and some people just don’t seem to get on with them.

I did a load of research recently as wanted to go on some longer walks with my 9 month old, and boiled down to either LittleLife, Osprey Poco’s, and Deuter. Went to the shop and tried them on and felt slightly underwhelmed. Didn’t like the high CoG. Obviously seem poeple love them but I was in the camp that didn’t. Just felt awkward.

I would suggest you try Decathlon though as they do a Deuter for £160 IIRC and I found that the best of the bunch (and still might reconsider it), which is £100 cheaper than usual. It’s slightly different model so maybe Decthlon have that model made especially for them.

We’ve used a BabyBjorn since birth and that goes upto 18 months I think. I find this much more comfortable so will stick with this or go for a sling style.

Children vary.

* Raincover – ours bloody loved it. It was the finishing touch for being in their “space rocket”

* Freestanding – agreed, but not being freestanding would be an absolute pain in the arse

* Comfortable for long periods – used mine for hours at a time. Obviously getting them out for nappies/food/toddling/whatever, but otherwise happy in for long periods.

* Widely adjustable? See above

Didn’t like the high CoG

That’s part of the compromise. High CoG but kiddo gets a great view (and you can properly interact with them) instead of being pressed against your sweaty back

I have two. I have one I paid full price for – a fancy deuter top of the range thing, and a second hand little life adventurer. The deuter one hardly get’s used as it weighs a full 2kg more than the other one. To me that is the most important thing – light weight (along with some storage – if you’re used to going on hikes with your stuff in a bag, you’ll still need to carry stuff). Also get a sun cover.

The use will tail off tho as they get chunkier. I did a 20km hike up a 2500m mountain in france when my oldest was about 9 months old – now she’s 12kg there is no way i’d do that! Still useful for moving her around zoo’s, taking to beach, etc.

we got the ospray one second had. worth every single penny and sold it for more than we bought it for.

Lifeventure little life cross country rucksack worked for us

This. It was transformational when we got one (quite a few years ago now). Opened up so many more adventures. It was also, by quite some distance, the most comfortable large pack I have ever worn. Nice clean/simple design, no gimmicky features, large pocket for snacks and nappies, foot step thing for holding it in place when pulling kid out of bag. Loved it.

*edit, looks like Cross Country S4 is the modern equivalent of what I had, you need ot the large pocket to carry kiddy stuff.

I have a Thule Sapling. My very large, nearly 4 year old daughter would happily get in it if I offered her the option. The only reason I don’t use it as much these days is because she’s so heavy. I carry it as a back up option for when she’s tired more than anything else

I used a Baby Bjorn when she was tiny and then the Thule when she was bigger. Have carried her in it for some pretty long walks, she’s very happy there and will happily dose off. Haven’t tried the rain cover but the sun shade is useful and so is the stand. Particularly as from about the age of 2 she could get herself in and out when I put it on the floor

We have an Osprey Poco. We found it on eBay, used price, but I think it only ever ventured to town centres.

I find it comfy. My missus can’t seem to adjust it to fit her back. She carrys the snacks I carry the child.

First child was generally happy to go in it whenever.
Second child likes to walk and generally becomes the angry chimp mentioned above unless his legs are tired then he happily rides up top and slaps my head.

Be prepared to have your ears pulled, your eyes poked, your head slapped and your hat removed and thrown away.

My daughter loved being in the backpack!

Deueter kid comfort 3, or the new equivalent. Mine is on second child who is now 3.5 and 19kg, it’s been utterly fantastic.

Get the full rain cover also.

Lots of advice, thanks! One of my more popular threads 🙂
I’ll look at the models mentioned and see which come into budget new or are available 2nd hand locally.

We used an Osprey Poco soemthing or other, built in sun shade and rain cover thst doubled up as an excellent windbreak – think that’s as important for the passenger.

Very possible to walk all day with it (many breaks for the kid) as the fit and comfort was that good for us.

Ours is with set of kids no. 2 with a second family now and wearing the miles very well by the looks of it.

Great point that, the ones with a built in shade are brilliant. Help keep sun and light rain off

Has Osprey big pack with sun cover etc, also a really nice Baby Bjorn soft harness type. Both great.

Make them walk as early as possible. Carrying is bloody knackering.

It’s given me new respect for the military types running around with 30kg. Hardcore.

+1 for soft slings/carriers (FB marketplace too)

I was super excited to get another osprey bag (poco) when we we’re expecting but in reality I found wraps and carriers much more practical (things like Tula, ergo baby). They stuff down to not much and they hold the kid close to your body so there’s less leverage. Much quicker to pop them on/off too. Piers Morgan won’t approve though.

Osprey Poco owner here, fully recommened, which reminds me, need to sell it as child is too big for it now! #stealthad for those in the SW.

Little Life worked well for us, and with our kids having outgrown it years ago, it’s now transporting our niece. Still in excellent condition.

Ours is a deuter kid comfort and is currently serving kid no. Three well when we go out in walks where the running buggy doesn’t work.

Both me (6’ 2”) and the missus (5’ 9”) can adjust it so that it’s comfy for long periods and we have had plenty of use out of the sun and rain covers without the kids complaining.

Would happily get another if we were starting again but probably would try and pick up something second hand rather than buying new. Even after three kids were nowhere near ours looking worn at all (if you ignore all the snot and drool on the pads around the baby).

Be wary of giving toddler sticks when they are sitting in them though. That hurts.

Littlelife S3 fan here. Travelled all over with it. Infamously put prisoner #3 in it and then put prisoner #2 on my shoulders as there was enough room to do that in an emergency. Rain cover was fine. Was more useful as bug protection with its mesh side and front windows in rainforests though. Freestanding is so useful, particularly if you clip a couple of karabiners to it and some slings – means you can strap it to park benches and make impromptu high chairs for picnics. Also useful should you need to use the loo when out solo!

Had a baby Björn with prisoner #1. He loved it. Really comfy to use and logical. Prisoner 2 hated it so it went on FBM.

The unexpected arrival of the third inmate got my wife researching and she bought an ergo baby. This was an unfathomable, overly complex heap of dung. We never used it, but were too tired to sell it. I quietly took it to the mother’s refuge.

Wife joined a sling library to try a hippy sling. This was a max stereotype affair with the device obviously smelling of jasmine and hemp. Hateful thing.

Can’t remember the name of the one we used, came to us via 3 other children at least having originated from Australia. It was comfy and had as mentioned above a mirror on an elastic cord in the hip pocket so you can check on your passenger when just you out.

+1 on buy secondhand. (Like so many baby things)

We had a LittleLife – it was good, but as many said, they soon grow out of them. Ours loved the rain cover.