So many people ask me about good quality carriers for babies and toddlers. Many parents are keen to get outdoors with their kids but after the baby grows out of a front carrier and once they can hold their own head steady, the next step is a back baby carrier. It’s not easy knowing which one to choose, especially as they can be a significant investment.
I asked my god-daughter Mo and her husband Luke to test the Osprey Poco AG Premium baby carrier with baby Jonah.
A place for everything.
Features include:
- (AG) Anti-Gravity suspended system to better manage the moving load weight and increase carry comfort
- Adjustable back to suit people of different heights
- Integrated removable rain cover
- Comprehensive child safety harness with additional seat and foot stirrups for security
- Sternum/chest strap
- Large zip-sealed lower compartment
- Removable 11-litre daysack
- Hip belt with twin zipped pockets
- Zipped electronics pocket with soft interior
- Mesh side pockets
- Hydration bladder compatible
- Stretch harness pocket
- Removable and washable interior section
- Toy attachment loops
- Integrated sun shade with SPF50
- Compact design so you can collapse for easy storage and transportation
- Instruction manual
- Weight 3.77kg
- RRP: £320
- See Osprey or look on-line or in good outdoors stores.
Baby Jonah test-rides the Osprey pack.
On test: Osprey Poco AG Premium baby carrier
I will let Mo tell you all about the carrier. The couple headed to Brimham Rocks in the Yorkshire Dales with three-year-old Eddie and baby Jonah, who is almost eight months.
Mo said: “We like to get out and about and we often spend our weekends in the Peak District, or at various National Trust locations around the north of England.
“We had so far been carrying Jonah in a front carrier but he is becoming a bit too chubby for that. Buggies can be a nightmare on off-road trails, too, so we were looking for a new way to easily take Jonah with us.
“The Osprey Poco AG Premium baby carrier looked like the perfect product but we needed to test it to be sure.
“First things first, Jonah loved it. He was happy to be put in it and be carried around.
“The carrier looks really similar to other Osprey products and it seemed to have been expertly designed.
Easily adjustable back.
“The adjustable back panel was so easy to use, which is useful if parents are of different heights. The instruction manual was really helpful in showing us how to easily use the carrier and make any adjustments.
“To be honest, most of the features are straightforward, especially if you have used a rucksack before.
“There’s an adjustable hip belt, shoulder adjustment straps and a sternum strap that helps to keep the carrier steady and close to the body. Once these have been set, the fun part of popping in your little one begins.
“It’s not easy if yours child is as wriggly as Jonah but helpfully the carrier stands upright on the ground thanks to a kickstand so you can concentrate on getting the child inside.
“The infant seat opens up from the stored position by using two clips. It’s very easy. Once Jonah was in, his harness was the only thing that needed to be slightly adjusted. He fit snugly in and I felt he was incredibly secure.
“Again, the kickstand is useful if you stop, for example to use a toilet or to sit down, because you can use both hands to remove the infant and not worry about the carrier falling over.
“In fact, the carrier was so sturdy when sat on the ground that we were able to leave him in it close by while we had a coffee. He seemed very happy and comfortable.”
Mo tests the Osprey pack.
More favourite features of Osprey Poco AG Premium baby carrier
Mo and Luke liked many other features including:
The sunshade/raincover really does provide excellent cover and is, again, something that can put people off using carriers if this isn’t included.
Toy attachment loops are an amazing idea as otherwise Jonah would just pull my hair. Obviously the folks at Osprey have had their fair share of hair pulling from their own youngsters.
The stored position turns the carrier into a vey tidy size. While the carrier is quite large when in use it can be packed down to a more efficient size for storage.
The reservoir sleeve is perfect for stashing water on a family hike, and doesn’t throw you balance off as much as bottles do.
There are SO MANY POCKETS. Possibly even too many! There are at least half a dozen different places in the pack to put stuff so it’s great for strong folk who don’t mind carrying the family picnic, although I would argue you’d probably not want to fill them all. It does allow for a good spread of weight, however.
Jonah adores being carried around like a prince and being able to take in all the great views from our shoulders as well which makes for some great smiley photos.
All in all, we absolutely love this and I can’t wait to keep using it.
While the price tag is pretty hefty the Osprey carriers can be passed on to family members or friends or sold second hand.