The LittleLife Cross Country S4 has been designed for use over a longer duration than other LittleLife carriers like the Ranger S2, so I found it comfortable to use on long outings. We also own a Deuter Kid Comfort Active SL, and I’ve written a comparison of the two carriers if that would be helpful to you. Why did we choose the LittleLife Freedom S4? rearview mirror is quite useless, because string is too short, and it doesn’t provide a clear view, anyway – though I have to admit we never cared about it, never felt a need for a mirror LittleLife Cross Country S4 with sunshade and rain cover attached Does the LittleLife Cross Country S4 fold down for storage or travel? Husband carrying our 16-month-old in the LittleLife Cross Country S4 on a nature walk How we tested the LittleLife Cross Country S4

You’ll find two sturdy grab handles at the top of the carrier, which are invaluable for helping you pull the carrier onto your shoulders once your baby or toddler is securely positioned in the seat. While stains are fairly inconspicuous thanks to the grey fabric colour, you can easily spot clean the Cross Country S4. Handily, the face pad - which is Velcroed to the carrier and the part you'll most likely want to clean regularly - can be removed for machine washing. Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 good value for money? So it’s a crucial question, and both child and parental comfort are important, the latter is a bit more (no matter what your kid thinks). Because if it’s uncomfortable for the parents, there won’t be many hiking trips. Despite parental comfort, we’d have decided to return this carrier if Tomi couldn’t sleep in it. A baby and even a toddler need day time nap, so full day hikes would work only with a carrier where our kid could sleep. But our LittleLife Freedom S4 passed the test on the very first hike and ever since.You can wipe the fabric with a wet cloth. The face pad is detachable and washable – and it’s great, because that’s what gets the most disgusting, especially after your kid eats anything while being carried. Is it easy to store? Read next: The best baby carriers: soft-structured carriers, wraps and slings How easy is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 to assemble? To make your child more comfortable, it has an adjustable head rest and a built-in easy-pull sun shade. Read next: The best umbrella strollers for easy travel and storage Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 easy to clean? I feel a lot of affection towards this carrier. We’ve walked a lot of miles and had a lot of fun with it! It’s enabled us to make some happy memories in places beyond the reach of the littlest legs in our family. I’m super pleased with how well it has held up, and would say that the Freedom S4 is a durable carrier which will last a lot of use.

The Osprey Poco Plus is heavier and more expensive but offers a larger storage capacity. The Deuter Kid Comfort is another popular choice, and it’s similar to both Little Life and Osprey carriers in many aspects, only its storage space is much smaller. So we’ve been hiking together for many years. Then we had a baby, and we continued hiking. We don’t know how not to hike. We didn’t buy a stroller, because it wouldn’t fit into the elevator of the building where we lived or the trunk of our small car. Also, we’ve rarely taken Tomi to stroller-friendly places. So our number one essential for both everyday life and travel with our baby (and later our toddler) was a good carrier. It must be comfortable for my son as he fell asleep half way through the walk", KJonah, Simply Hike customer Details Attribute There are plenty of different products to suit different budgets and needs, so it's worth thinking about the type of walking you'll be doing. Do you want a lightweight system? One with plenty of storage? Or is comfort your biggest priority? If you've got the cash, we think the best hiking baby carrier is the Osprey Poco Plus, offering excellent quality and sturdiness, but for an all-rounder at a great price, you can't go wrong with the LittleLife Voyager S5. A rear view mirror that's on a cord. I found this very useful for seeing what was going on. A useful visual distraction for them as well.The face pad supports the kid’s face if they fall asleep, and this pad is actually detachable and washable. How long can your kid sit in the carrier? We bought our LittleLife Freedom child carrier when Tomi was 7 months old. We had a mei tai before that we loved very much, but we kind of grew it out by the seventh month. Tomi didn’t enjoy being tied so tightly to our bodies anymore, and we looked for a baby carrier that would give him protection from the elements on high mountain trails (think being exposed to the sun and the chilly winds on mountain ridges or getting caught by a thunderstorm). It sits midway in terms of weight, so isn’t the lightest option in the LittleLife catalogue, but alongside the Freedom S4 and Voyager S5, it allows for a greater adult fit (from 5’2” to 6’4”) and comes with more accessories, including the stirrups, sun shade and rear view mirror. comfortable both for child and carrying parent – adjustable fit, great padding, head support and anatomically shaped seat