A lightweight, feature-heavy and comfortable carrier for 6+ months old babies that’s ideal for hiking and everyday use.
Child carriers provide a whole new world of freedom for parents, and a lot of fun for the rider! As the most lightweight in the Poco range of child carriers, the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier is a superb choice for staying or getting more active as your child grows. The Poco LT is packed full of practical features that provide oodles of comfort, convenience and versatility in a lightweight and compact package. So it’s no wonder it’s proving so popular with active families.
I am completely in love with my Poco LT! But read on to see just how great it is for life on-the-go with a 6+ month old baby in tow.
Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier: The stats
| Age range: | 6+ months |
| Child weight range: | 7.25 kg /16 lbs – 18 kg / 40 lbs |
| Max load: | 22 kg / 48.5 lbs (gear, child, pack weight) |
| Pack weight: | 2.3 kg / 5.09 lbs |
| Waterproof cover?: | Not included |
| Storage capacity: | 24 litres |
| Eco-conscious: | bluesign®-approved Nylon, PFC-free DWR |
| Overall rating: |
Features of the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier
Sunshade
When not needed, the sunshade is stowed away in a zippered pocket behind the rider – you wouldn’t know it was there but for a little tag next to the pocket. When pulled out, the shade bends over the rider’s head and attaches to two small toggles above the shoulder straps of the backpack. It provides UPF 50 sun protection and is totally removable.
Child cockpit
With an anatomical fit, the fully framed cockpit of the carrier is padded and soft and features ventilated side panels to keep the breeze coming in without the kiddo falling out!
Within the cockpit is a fully padded seat. The height of this can be adjusted as your child grows. There’s also a little padded chest harness for the rider to put arms through. This is also adjustable via two clips behind the rider to keep the harness secured.
Drool pad and cushioned headrest
There is padding to the front and rear of the cockpit which provide cushioning for the rider to lean / dribble on. However, there’s very little support here, should an on-the-move naptime occur.
Carry handles
There are 5 handles that make manoeuvring and carrying the Poco LT easy with or without your child in it. The two top handles mean you can pick up the whole pack with your little one in it and safely get the pack onto your back.
The side handles add extra options for moving the pack around and also double as gear loops for clipping things onto the outside of the pack.
Finally, there is a small carry handle on the side of the pack that’s designed for carrying the pack when it’s folded up and the backpack straps are packed away.
Hip belt
Much like a regular Osprey backpack, the Poco LT has a super comfortable padded and breathable hip belt which is fully adjustable using forward pull straps to fit you perfectly.
The belt features open-topped stretch pockets on each side to provide a handy spot for your phone, credit card or a dummy / mini baby rattle!
Backpack suspension
Again, like regular Osprey backpacks, the suspension system is designed with comfort and breathability in mind thanks to the mesh-covered, extra deep ridged foam. Additionally, the harness is adjustable to suit different torso lengths.
Hydration reservoir sleeve
Surprisingly, the carrier even provides a space to carry a water bladder. This is actually quite an essential feature for longer hikes as there’s no space for a larger water bottle. The sleeve is located between the back panel and the main section of the carrier. It’s tight to get a full bladder into this space. But it’s doable with a little patience, and the hang loop clips the bladder in place to stop it slipping down into the pocket as you drain the bladder.
Shoulder and sternum straps
The sternum strap is truly designed with the female anatomy in mind; it can be adjusted to a nice high point across the chest. There’s also a rescue whistle on the sternum strap clip.
Like the hip belt, the shoulder straps are well padded with excellent ventilation. They also feature elasticated straps that provide a secure spot to tuck your water bladder tube underneath for easy access.
Stow away backpack straps
A really nice feature, that makes the carrier easy to transport, is the ability to stow away the backpack straps. A flap of fabric zips over the entire back panel. When this feature is not in use, the fabric tucks into a small pocket at the bottom of the back and you wouldn’t know it was there, unless you knew!
Main storage compartment
With a 14 litre capacity, this zippered pocket, which sits below the main carrier section, is big enough to carry most of your essentials for a day hike.
We fit in it: nappy changing kit, rain jacket, waterproof cover, spare layers and food.
There are also two small tabs at either end of the zipper that can be used to secure extra gear on the outside of the carrier. You’ll see in the images two green bendy gear ties by Nite Ize. These enable us to carry a small beach tent or extra layers on the outside of the pack and are incredibly useful.
Front pocket
An excellently well-placed key clip is found hanging at the opening of the zipper to the front pocket. Another obvious yet easy to miss design feature that Osprey have nailed.
This pocket is big enough for a small water bottle, snacks, suncream, sun hat / woolly hat, muslin cloth, sunglasses and wallet. It can also hold a small flask of coffee.
Zipper pulls
All the zipper pulls on this baby carrier are generously sized with plastic sections that allow you to get a finger or two inside the pull. This is a small detail that makes a big difference when timing is of the essence in order to fend off a looming mishap!
Feet
There are four hardened plastic “feet” on the base of the carrier. These are super low profile but provide essential protection to the frame as well as stability to the carrier when placing it on the floor.
Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier review
When we decided to have a child, we selfishly (though not uncommonly, I don’t think) worried about all the things we wouldn’t be able to do anymore. But once he came along, “letting go” of doing things together, like surfing, canoeing, backpacking paddleboarding, became so much easier as, predictably, we gained more than we were losing.
However, being active outdoors is something we weren’t willing to let go of. And there’s only so much walking around towns and along buggy-friendly trails and pathways one can do before feeling the need to explore more. For the first 6 months we used a sling to carry the wee one in. And when he wasn’t too heavy I was able to walk for a couple of hours along the coast path with him. But as he grew heavier, this became more and more uncomfortable and I became a little resistant to doing more than a mile or two. So, once he reached 6 months old we were VERY ready for the arrival of the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier. And it arrived just in time for a 6 week trip away from home, enabling us to do (almost) all the exploring we wanted to.
Comfort
For the carrier…
Before I dive into the multiple ways in which the Poco LT has opened up a world of freedom and adventure with a baby that we didn’t expect, I’d like to talk about the comfort of the carrier, as a carrier! Yes, it’s super lightweight. But it would have been easy for Osprey to scrimp on features that make it such a joy to carry and use for the sake of shaving off even more weight. At 2.3 kg / 5.09 lbs, the carrier isn’t the most lightweight on the market. However, for what it offers in terms of storage, comfort levels and features, you’ll be hard pushed to find anything much lighter.
Having hiked regularly with fully packed backpacks over the years, I was immediately delighted with how similar the Poco LT felt on my back compared with the high-end packs of my past. In part, this is down to the classic Osprey features such as the integrated BioStretch seams of the waist belt and the ventilated Airscape back suspension system. But the adjustability also makes it easily tailored to whomever’s carrying it. Be it on my 5’ 5” small frame, or Rob’s 6’ 3” medium frame, the adjustability works very well and feels great!
For the rider…
Though he hasn’t the words to comment on the absorbance of the drool pad or the lumbar support and anatomical fit offered by the Double Halo harness and seat – yet(!), he almost always seems like he’s having the best time when he’s riding high up on one of our backs. The blurred out images of him all feature big smiles! If he could comment, he’d probably say something like:
i like pulling mamas hair
…which gives you an idea of how close the carrier puts him to us. I managed to pass him some blackberries the other day for him to munch on as we walked. Messy business but he loved it!
I think he might also comment on how comfortable the carrier is to snooze in. I guess the fact that he often falls asleep in it is testament to how comfy he feels. But despite the plush headrest and drool pad on which he could rest his head, his noggin tends to end up at unfathomably extreme angles, either resting on the side mesh or tipped right back. You’ll notice a cushioned ladybird hanging out on the carrier in some of the photos. We use this to prop under his cheek when he drops off to lessen the severity of any potential post-snooze cricked neck.
Uses
Day hiking is the most obvious use for the Poco LT. And we’ve so far done plenty of that on flat and gentle trails as well as some steep and technical ground. He moves around in the pack so little that it doesn’t feel much different to carrying a backpack loaded with camping gear in terms of stability. So we feel confident taking on slightly tricker terrain.
But hiking is by no means the only thing we’re using it for…
Days at the beach
We live by the sea so having the ability to carry everything we need for a day at the beach in the backpack is really important. As mentioned, I’ve attached some bendy gear ties to the gear loops at the bottom of the carrier which makes for a perfect holding spot for his little beach tent. Plus, the bottom compartment is big enough to hold swimming things, spare clothes, a packable blanket, packable towels and food (for both of us). And the top pocket is ideal for sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses, goggles and other small things we need to access easily.
At the moment, the boy is small enough to stay in the carrier whilst it’s on the floor. This frees me up to put up the tent once we get to the beach. As he gets bigger, however, he will become too heavy / strong to be left in this position without tipping over the pack and Osprey doesn’t recommend doing this at all. But for now, it works well!
Cooking at home
An unexpected use of the carrier is the ability to cook at home. He seems genuinely interested in the processes of preparing and cooking food and it’s a huge time saver for me that engages him at the same time. Win-win!
Gardening and cleaning
Much like cooking, there are times when I just need to get stuff done. So I pop him in the Poco, sling it on my back and crack on! Whether it’s hoovering, mowing the lawn, dusting or putting out the washing, he comes along for the ride, watches (and hopefully learns!) everything and I get a bit of exercise too. Another win-win.
Sightseeing
During our recent camping trip in France, we were able to do some lovely sightseeing days that would have been unfeasible / not much fun with a buggy. We climbed up steps to walk along castle walls. Strolled through busy street markets smiling smugly at the pram-pushers anxiously battling their way through the crowds. Explored the cramped and multi-storey insides of an old fishing trawler. We even took a boat trip out to some islands offering the little one high up views (compared with a buggy) of all the wildlife. Essentially, it’s enabled us to not really consider too much what we are or are not able to do in terms of sightseeing, we’ve just done it!
Shopping
The excellent storage space along with the ability to get the carrier on and off so easily, make it a good option for popping to the shops on the days when a buggy isn’t an appealing or appropriate option. It’s also good for supermarket shopping as not all stores have trolleys with baby seats. And have you ever tried pushing a buggy at the same time as a trolley?!
Waterproof cover
The carrier doesn’t come with a waterproof cover and needs to be purchased separately. I initially saw this as a negative, which it is if you need one! However, not everyone will need one or they may already have one from a previous purchase etc. Therefore, including one as standard would be surplus to requirements and wasteful.
If you do need to buy one then the Osprey Poco Raincover is compatible with the Poco LT. We’ve used it a few times and it’s really great! The boy seems very happy under it and stays completely dry and protected from the wind as well as the rain.
What I love the most about the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier
I really love how comfortable it is to carry our growing boy for longer and longer walks. The more I carry him in it, the more my body gets used to the weight and the further we can go without getting fatigued. It’s also hard not to love all the extra features and the ability to carry quite a lot of stuff as well as a kid.
What I don’t love so much about the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier
As mentioned, when our wee one drops off to sleep his head ends up at some severe angles unless we prop it up with his ladybird cushion. Some sort of head support would be a big bonus, but I assume that it would be to the detriment of other design features and would cause restriction during awake time.
Verdict
I’ve only used the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier for two months, but there’s no way I would ever be without it now! It’s opened up so much freedom to our everyday lives as well as the ability to explore new places, hike decent distances and carry everything we need inside it too. Our 8-month-old absolutely loves riding in it and as such, it spurs me on to go hiking much more, which is excellent fitness with his growing weight, as well as loads of fun for us both!
It’s worth mentioning that this is one of the more pricey carriers on the market. But if you have the cash then it really is money well spent. Even buying it secondhand for half the amount – which is still the equivalent of full price for some other carriers – would be well worth it, in my opinion.
It gets 5 stars and two big thumbs up from me and my little rider!
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Disclaimer: Cool of the Wild received this product free in return for an honest review. We only recommend gear that we love from companies we trust and we are under no obligation to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer and we are in no way influenced by the brand or company.
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