Hiking with a 4-year-old wouldn’t be an easy task if we don’t have the carriers in the market. A backpack carrier is very important if you want to take your 4 year old on a hike. Carrier is important because a 4-year-old kid can barely walk to a distance with those small feet.
Things to make sure of before buying a carrier
Is your 4-year-old over 42 lbs?
You need to understand that every kid is different, which means every kid weighs differently. You should not buy solely on the assumptions or recommendations of others. First, check your kid’s weight and if your kid weighs around 40 lb then you have a lot of options to go with. In case your kid is above 42 lb then you have limited options. I would suggest you to simply go with Deuter kid comfort 3 if your child is over 42 or near 50lb.
How long hikes do you prefer to go with your 4-year-old
This is important to figure out before you buy a carrier. If you go rarely or on weekends with your kid then you need different carriers, you don’t need expensive carriers for that. But if you go regularly with your kid on long hikes then you need to spend some extra money in a good comfortable carrier that keeps the weight balanced and your 4 year old comfortable on long hikes. Carrying a 4-year-old on long hikes is not easy if your kid weighs more than 45 lb.
Best backpack carrier for 4 year old
Kelty journey perfect fit
One of the best 4 year old backpack carriers that offer you enough protection on the trail. Before buying this product, first, you should know that this is compatible with short hikes. You should avoid this if you go on long hikes with your 4 year old frequently.
The best thing about this bag is that you get it at an affordable price, which is somewhere near $200.
Things I like about this carrier
- The first amazing thing about this carrier is that it is lightweight. Your shoulders will feel no pain or tightness when you put it on while hiking. This is lighter than osprey and the top best carrier Deuter.
- For your kids’ comfort, the seat is made very comfortable and also the design of the seat is unique, which I think you will surely like.
- Are you tall? don’t worry this has an adjustable option for you and you can set it according to tour height and comfort.
What I don’t like about this carrier
- Less space- though this may not be the biggest problem if you are just planning a short hike with your 4 year old. However, for some parents, it’s a negative sign because you need some space to store extra gear, but for that, the bag comes with 2 pockets.
- No shade- well that’s very upsetting to know that the carrier doesn’t come with sunshade. However, you can add sun protection to it by purchasing the accessory. Without sunshade, the hike on a hot day when the sun is up, makes it very difficult with a 4-year-old.
- The carrier is low on some features like hydration sleeves, zippered hip belt pockets.
Should you buy this?
Well, I would suggest you buy this if you don’t take your 4-year-old with you on long hikes because of the padding of the carrier is not so comfortable for long hikes if your kid weighs more than 40 lbs which is usually a weight of 4 years old. This is best if you do short hikes occasionally with your kid. If that fits well, then you should definitely buy this and it will not cost you much or be as high as some other carriers. If you don’t like it, then you can upgrade to its’ perfect fit signature model version.
Deuter kid comfort 3
Deutoris make one the best carriers. The best carrier that Deuter provides for a 4-year-old is kid comfort 3. Not only this is the best Carrier in the market but also the safest carrier for your kid. The best thing about this carrier is it has all features, compatibility, and safety for a 4-year-old and you can also take this on longer hikes.
Things I like about this carrier
- Loaded with features- the carrier is loaded with lots of features. You get customizable torso lengths, which means you can adjust them according to tour height easily. Further, it has adjustable seats for kids. If your kid is big then you don’t have to worry as this carrier is easy to adjust and set. The best and unique feature of this carrier is the back mirror. Yes, you also get a back mirror to notice the activity of your 4-year-old while hiking.
- Quality harness and comfort- you get up to 5 harnesses in this carrier which ensures the safety of your child. Though it may seem a complicated structure and not easy as an Osprey carrier structure,but you will get used to it. The padding of the carrier is done with patience as you see in the comfort of the seats. you will also get a pillow for your kid to sleep, and give comfort to the neck.
- Easy to carry- because of the great design and fit of the hip belt, the long hikes become easy. Distribution of weight is also brilliant and you can easily hike on an incline and decline terrain with weights on your shoulders.
- Sun protection- you also get one important feature which is sunshade in this carrier to protect your 4-year-old from the sun.
- Good ventilation system- you will not get wet or sweaty while on a trail because it provides an outstanding ventilation system. However, you will get a better ventilation system in another version which is the Air model.
Things I don’t like about this carrier
- Not best for short people- There is a minor problem in the carrier for small people. As the carrier is big, small people have difficulty in walking or fixing the torso length.
Should you buy this?
Yes, this is the most preferred and opted carrier by parents all over the world because of the safety and comfort it provides. You should definitely buy this if you are a tall or medium person who loves to go on long hikes with their 4-year-old. Also, this supports the load of 4 years old so, it makes it an ideal pick for you.
Osprey Poco plus
Osprey makes pro hiking gear for adventurers. But they also have some best editions in the segment of backpack carriers for kids. Poco plus is the best Osprey carrier as it comes with many safety features like bell and whistle, strongly built quality, shade, etc. There is a reason why Osprey is picked by most of the parents and we will look through it why it’s so. However, it’s not the perfect carrier as all have some pros and cons. We will discuss all the main and important things that you should look for in a carrier and most of them you will get in this carrier.
Things I like about this carrier
- Comfort- yes, this carrier wins in the comfort section because of its carrying comfort. The company has made several changes in contrast to the early carrier. The noticeable change is padding comfort around the hip belt and shoulder that keeps you comfortable on the trail with your 4-year-old.
- High quality- another best thing about the carrier is material quality. The aluminum frame or structure is strong enough to bear the weight of your 4-year-old. However, this is not always the case if your kid is above 45 lbs. In that, I would suggest you to first for some experiments to check if it feels comfortable, especially when you are on intense day hikes.
- Design- The design of the harness and seat is excellent for Osprey. The straps are stretchable and keep your kid safe and in comfort while hiking. Moreover, the harness and straps are so simple and easy because of their simple and excellent design. Though there is some lack in the adjustment section, but when it comes to seat adjustment for your kid, then Osprey has done a great job. Further, the cockpit is very comfy because of the cushioning.
- Good ventilation system- the ventilation system of Osprey is outstanding. You will find a sufficient gap between your body and the panel for air to flow. Moreover, the pocket and overall organization of pockets of this carrier are unique and best. You will get 4 pockets at different positions for different purposes. Because it comes in 26 L, so you will never get out of space for the short hike.
- Sun protection- this may be one of the important things in any backpack carrier. Osprey easily passes this as you get a big sunshade on the top which protects your 4-year-old from harsh sun rays. It comes with UV protection.
Things I don’t like about this carrier
- Adjusting problem
You will face some adjustment problems in this backpack carrier, especially if you are tall. Moreover, people also didn’t like the handle that locates on the back of your head.
- Little bit heavy
If Compared to a Kelty journey perfect fit which is less expensive than this one, this is a little bit heavier, and you may get tired if the hike is long. The weight of the carrier is around 7 to 8 lbs.
Should you buy this?
Yes, I would definitely suggest you if you want one of the best backpack carriers for your kid. Though you also have Deuter as an option. Weight can be one thing for you to move to other options.
To know more about hiking with a 4-year-old check out this article-Can a 4 year old go hiking?
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