A specially designed seat, located just above the wearer's shoulders, does not stress the neck and shoulders.

The open-top design is far less secure for storing valuables and its plastic clip can be finicky to use. I’ve found this carrier is helpful for giving her a much needed break when she starts lagging behind and keeping everyone at the same pace.In terms of ease of use, we’ve found that the high placement of Osprey’s harness is a standout, but we consider harness design to be a strong suit for all products featured above. Deuter’s Kid Comfort is our top pick for 2024 by combining high levels of comfort and safety, premium build quality, and organization. Children love sitting on their parent’s shoulders – and while most parents know the immense amount of joy to be had from their child’s beaming smile as they realise they are suddenly taller than everyone else, they are also acutely aware of how quickly this posture gets tiring and uncomfortable. I was a little nervous about placing my 8-month-old girl in this carrier – not because I didn’t trust the design, but if I’m honest, it did feel quite unnatural at first. The Explore Carrier supports you for all your little adventures and helps to let everyone have a good time.

We've never back carried before so looking to find something now so that we can practice and get used to doing it beforehand. The versatile design includes a small pocket and zippered panel that allow you to adjust ventilation depending on the conditions—on warm days or if you and the baby are starting to overheat, you can unzip the solid fabric along the front to expose the mesh lining underneath. The pack has the same excellent kid seat design and mesh backpanel that ventilates well and is easy to adjust. Discover the MiniMeis shoulder carrier - while your child explores the world from their shoulders, it is secured by the innovative and patented MiniMeis carrying system.

The recommended age range is from six months to five years, but, obviously, some five-year-olds are heavier than others. You then lift the baby, within the Minimeis, from behind and place on your shoulders before easily securing the carrier’s adult straps.