The Osprey Poco Plus and Osprey Poco have the best sunshade of any offered on child carrier backpacks. The extra features related to gear capacity, additional pockets, and extra fit adjustability associated with the hipbelt push it to the top of our list.

Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Review - The Kid Packer Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Review - The Kid Packer

The ease of changing the torso length is a wonderful feature but, the velcro can be a bit difficult to undo to move it up or down.The Osprey Poco Plus ranks as our top child carrier backpack with a 91/100 rating, but the Osprey Poco is not far behind with an 88/100 rating. It’s not an ideal set-up—it hangs somewhat awkwardly and can press against your back if the reservoir is full—but it’s still a nice option to have and secures with an included loop and buckle. With the Osprey, your turning circle when wearing is much wider than a sling-style, and I felt very alarmed that I was going to bang my little one's head when I was moving through doorways on my way out of the house. While this is still very much what they do, the brand has also branched out into designing high quality child carriers. One of the most valuable features of a premium baby carrier pack is its sunshade—we find ourselves using it on nearly every hike we take—and Osprey includes a good one on the Poco Plus.

Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Review: Carry the Kiddo on Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Review: Carry the Kiddo on

For the back panel, Osprey uses their AirScape suspension system which utilizes a mesh covered foam for a lightweight yet conforming fit. Lets dig a bit deeper into what makes the Osprey Poco LT higher rated when it comes to these categories. I found it difficult to manoeuvre and swing onto my back without swinging my children around too much. For a baby backpack carrier that ticks all the boxes, opt for the Kelty Journey PerfectFIT which feels really secure for both the parents and your little one and comes with plenty of storage for a day of exploring. Handily, the seat and drool pad are removable and machine washable, which is great for any snack-related mishaps.

The Poco LT also does not include mesh side pockets for the placement of a phone with a white noise app to help drown out surrounding sounds. The main differences are the sunshade without side panels and a sparsely padded child cockpit/drool pad. As the leader in custom-fit backpacks, out pack-fitting technique ensures a properly fitting pack that maximizes efficiency, comfort and safety both on and off the trail. We recognize fitting a pack is somewhat subjective to wearer preference, but it might be noteworthy that taller than average parents might find the length wanting.