The Best Baby Carriers for Hiking in 2024

Osprey knows packs, and our love for the Poco Plus ($395) is almost unrivaled. More than one of our testers purchased this pack after experiencing the versatility and comfort this carrier offers.

The many adjustment points allow for a perfect fit and can easily be customized for a variety of users. Fit-on-the-fly technology in the hip belts and adjustable torso features offers extra support to a wide range of bodies to ensure a snug, comfortable fit, even when carrying the maximum weight. Most parents found this pack extremely comfortable, although some noticed the frame making slight contact with their bottom. Not enough to kill the fun, but just enough to be a nuisance. If you have a big strong bum, consider this possibility. The entire frame feels bulletproof and brings the weight of a child and gear gently onto the hips making hiking easier, and keeping our kids safe and upright when taking the pack off and putting it on. Other packs tend to wobble during a transfer and are often top-heavy — not this one.

Kids love this pack too. We chauffeured tots as young as 6 months and as old as 3 years around in this pack, many of them utilizing the cushioned drool pad for naps while others stayed awake, proudly getting their own toys or snacks stored on toy loops and in mesh pockets by their arms. One of our favorite features is the backpack-style harness system in the cockpit. Gone are the days of having to pull something over the kiddo’s head or dig around searching for straps. Simply slide their arms in and clip behind the shoulders.

The large sunshade protects baby from UV rays coming from the top and sides and easily stows in a zippered compartment that doesn’t take storage away from other must-haves like diaper kits, extra clothes, water filter, and maps. A rain cover is not included, but the sun shade offers protection from light rain and mist. The lower storage compartment is unbeatable. Large enough to fit most of the food you need for an overnight, or other gear items like a sleeping bag or tent. Unlike many of its competitors, this storage compartment has a solid base structure that keeps items from moving around.

Hydration sleeves make keeping up on your water intake a breeze and the zippered hip belt pockets help keep snacks and a phone handy while you hike. Storage in this pack was thoughtfully and thoroughly designed.

With a 48.5-pound capacity and several stash pockets, you can rest assured knowing you’ll have everything you need for a day, or several, on the trail. If it’s only day hiking that you’re after and Osprey is your brand, check out the Poco LT for a little less storage but all the same stellar features of safety and comfort.

There’s a lot to like about the Kelty Journey PerfectFIT ($270), the price being one. This pack has pared-down features, especially compared to some of its competitors, but is still made with a high-quality aluminum frame and durable straps and fabrics which will allow you countless day adventures over many years and maybe even multiple kids. 

This pack was one of the most comfortable among all testers, especially those needing a little extra support for their hip bones. Beefy hip belts hold weight well without putting uneven pressure or rubbing anywhere and the suspension system makes carrying heavy loads up to 50 pounds comfortable. Torso and hip adjustment systems allow the pack to fit a variety of people, even on the fly, making it easier to switch carriers midway up a trail.

While the pack holds weight comfortably, it seems to carry the weight a little higher than other packs, which made us feel a bit wobbly and top-heavy when traveling over uneven terrain. We like that the kickstand can be deployed or tucked away while wearing the pack, and the multiple grab handles make it easier to get the pack on and off without upsetting your passenger.

Our tiny testers also found this pack comfortable, though the five-point harness system is more complicated than others on the market. It includes shoulder straps and a waist belt, all clipping on the front. This harness provides even support for the child and allows the shoulders more mobility without a chance of escape.

It took a few attempts to get some kicking legs in the right places on the harness and to adjust when changing between kids of different sizes, especially since it does not unclip anywhere, but we eventually figured out good systems for loading and unloading without fuss.

The drool pad provides a comfortable place for baby to rest their face and can be removed for cleaning. Stirrups keep hips in a supported position and prevent legs from falling asleep. The sunshade, sold separately, can help keep kiddos cool and protected.

Storage on the PerfectFIT will support half or full-day hikes, but not a lot more. With one zippered storage compartment on the back and one elastic mesh pocket on the hip belt, you’ll need to be intentional with your packing. We like these simple features, especially for short walks to the swimming hole or a couple of miles out to a granite dome for a picnic.

This pack is built for regular day hikes and can take you out on moderate adventures, only when supported by hiking partners helping to carry gear.

While Thule is known for its dependable roof boxes and other vehicular accessories, the Sapling ($380) kid carrier lives up to Thule’s rigorous standards, keeping our kiddos secure on the trail.

This carrier is designed for maximum comfort for parents and kids. It’s decked out with thick padding on the back and hips, with shoulder straps made of breathable mesh. The torso length and hip belt padding can be easily adjusted allowing for seamless hand-offs between parents. Though well padded, the waist belt is so wide that some testers had issues with it digging into their rib cages on longer hikes (more than 6 miles). 

Thule’s unique Ergoride system provides leg support, keeping babies and tots happy on longer hikes. The Sapling grows with you and your little one, with an easy-to-adjust child seat that works for a wide range of baby sizes (up to 40 pounds). When fitted correctly for both parent and kiddo, we found that we could get the child’s center of balance closer to the front of the carrier, which proved to be less top-heavy and wobbly than other carriers. 

This carrier is both rugged and light, weighing only 7 pounds, and has an overall weight capacity of 48.5 pounds. Its 22L vestibule is easy to access with two zippers, one on either side. We found that this dual zipper design allows easy access to snacks, toys, and diaper kits without having to pull everything out. 

Thule seems to know what parents want. The drool pad and child seat are easy to remove and washable. Small pockets on the waist belt allow for easy access to phones, sunscreen, and chapstick. A UPF 50 sun shade is easy to remove and stow away. The pack is compatible with hydration bladders but lacks a water bottle holder.

We all know how hard it is to get those kicking feet in the right holes on standard kid carriers. The Thule Sapling makes life smoother with a side panel that buckles open and closed making it much easier to load up your tot.

The Thule Sapling is the first choice of at least one of our testers because of the attention to detail and comfortable fit. This carrier is ideal for day-long adventures or supported overnight trips with your little one.

Ergobaby knows how to build a carrier. From infant and beyond, this carrier is versatile, packable, and perfect for short walks and any type of city travel. We’ve taken this carrier on planes to Europe and on full-day hikes with our tiny babies and bigger tots. We’ve nursed, napped, and braved sleepless nights snuggling our littles in this carrier and recommend it to every parent out there.

Anyone who runs hot or hikes in warm weather will appreciate the Ergobaby 360 Cool Mesh Air ($140), especially if your babe is a contact napper. The soft mesh construction is extra breathable and cool for both you and your baby. And it dries extremely quickly. If your infant spits up all the time like some of ours, toss it in the washing machine or spray and wipe it down and it will dry in the sun within 20 minutes.

This carrier is built to last several babies while providing comfort and support for the carrier. The shoulder straps and waist belt are soft and airy, providing stability and comfort for a child as heavy as 45 pounds. The thick waist belt provides lumbar support to keep you from getting achy after hours of carrying a little one.

If you have the option to ask someone else to carry your child, all straps and the waist belt can be adjusted to fit a wide range of bodies. Many testers even found this carrier was easily adjusted to support nursing while on the move.

Adjustments are easy to make for your kiddo as they grow from newborn (with infant insert sold separately) to 3 years old. If you have a baby who insists on facing out, you can set them up to do so once they can fully support their own head. Baby can ride in the front or on your back in complete comfort.

The button-adjustable seat also grows with your baby, allowing the hips and legs to be in a safe and healthy position whether you have an infant or toddler in tow. The extendable back panel folds over to provide extra support for a young baby and can be unbuttoned to a taller position to support the back of a toddler.

This carrier is acknowledged by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute as being a hip-healthy product because it is designed to keep babies and young kids in an ergonomic position with knees at or just above the hips in an “M” position.

We also love that it comes with an integrated sunshade that packs into a small zippered compartment. Your tiny one can have a shaded snooze, while you wander through the woods or up to the base of your favorite waterfall. While we love everything about this carrier, we did wish it came with a small storage pocket. If you are looking for a carrier with a small pocket for keys, a snack, and your phone, check out the other 360 carriers that have a detachable pouch.

Take the Ergobaby 360 Cool Mesh Air on a hike or international flight. Use when your little one is having a tough day and just needs to be snuggled while you cook dinner. This carrier won’t support your backpacking objectives but it will serve almost every other purpose out there.

The Deuter Kid Comfort ($320) highlights the simple yet mindful design behind many Deuter products and is a top choice for long day hikes and partner-supported backpacking trips.

The back suspension system keeps the weight closer to the body for more stability and comfort, yet the mesh back panel provides the ventilation needed for any slog in the mid-summer heat. Kids get hot too, but your little one will stay cooler thanks to the meshing on the side of the cockpit and stashable sunshade. Speaking of stashable, this pack folds flat which makes it easy to pack in a car or store in a garage until your next outing.

Weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces, this pack is light while still supporting the same maximum weight as many of its rivals — close to 48 pounds. Adjustable hips and torso allow this pack to fit folks of all heights and sizes. From our 5’1’’ to our 6’’4 testers, all found this pack to be comfortable on their body.

Hipbelt pockets and one large storage compartment allow for easy snacking and the ability to store a substantial lunch and diaper change kit, but not much else. We love the ability to collapse the kickstand, even with full storage compartments. The only thing we don’t love is the difficulty in reaching the hydration pocket while wearing the pack.

Our passengers were pleased with this pack, especially the ultrasoft washable drool pad. We did notice that the stirrups were not able to extend long enough for taller kids but with intentional adjustments to both the cockpit seat and stirrups, it comfortably supported most average size toddlers.

The five-point harness system is as quick and easy to clip in and adjust as the Poco Plus, although it clips in the front instead of the back. This system has kept our squirmers secure and contained during all our outdoor pursuits.

The sunshade lacks material on the sides which does let some sun sneak through but it still protects kids from the sunniest times of day, and a light drizzle, especially if there’s no wind. The sunshade itself is easy to take on and off and fits securely in the front elastic pocket when not in use.

We love this pack for its simple design, lightweight materials, and built-in comfort features. Specifically made for day hiking, the Kid Comfort from Deuter can get you and your little one out on the trail in safety and style.

The Osprey Poco LT ($300) shares nearly all the same features as its Plus counterpart, except made mini. More than 2 pounds lighter at 5 pounds and only four storage compartments instead of 11, the LT is a well-made and great go-to pack for regular day hikes of any length.

With a strong aluminum frame and durable fabric, buckles, and straps, this is a great day hiking pack. Three storage pockets and one large compartment will help you carry items for yourself and your kiddo, but won’t allow you the storage you might need for an overnight trek. Although several of our testers did use this on an overnight and simply asked their hiking partners to carry more gear.

Hipbelt pockets can store a phone, chapstick, keys, and a small snack so you can eat on the go. Hydration pockets are easy to reach with the pack on so you don’t have to stop every time you need a sip of water. The integrated sunshade brings protection from the sun and light moisture to the top and sides of the baby. A drool pad provides a soft landing zone for a snooze and can be spot-cleaned if needed.

This pack takes comfort to the next level. Well-padded shoulder straps and hip belts bring softness and ease to an otherwise challenging endeavor of carrying a squirming kiddo on steep or uneven terrain. It feels very secure, just like its Poco Plus counterpart, especially during creek crossings over logs and rocks.

Navigating narrow trails with poison oak on each side was surprisingly easy as the weight in this pack is carried so low that our balance is never compromised. Adjustable torso and hip belts allow people of many sizes and heights the joy of experiencing a trail or wild space with a little one on their back.

The five-point harness system safely secures the child with two buckles behind the shoulders into a padded and comfortable cockpit that can also be adjusted based on the size and height of the kiddo. Adjustable stirrups keep the legs in an ergonomic position and help prevent them from falling asleep or getting uncomfortable. The strong frame and kickstand make putting baby in and taking baby out a breeze.

The pack secures flat for storage but the stiff buckles are challenging to clip together when setting it up for a hike until the pack is well broken in. Consider enlisting help from a friend to squeeze the pack together while you clip the buckles before putting your kiddo inside.

If you are looking to take regular day hikes and want the luxury of a light pack with plentiful storage and well-made features, the Osprey Poco LT might be just what you’ve been looking for.

Read our full review of the Osprey Poco LT.

Clocking in at just over $100 and only weighing 5.5 pounds, the ClevrPlus Cross Country ($109) is a good option if you are after short and infrequent hikes. Maybe you’re a relative of a tiny person who is visiting from afar or you just don’t get outside of your city much to justify investing in a more expensive or complex pack. If so, the lack of durability and quality in this pack should not matter too much and you may still be able to enjoy the occasional hike, without breaking the bank.

The materials on this pack are not as durable and padding systems do not come close to the other packs we tested. Zippers and strap buckles are fragile and Velcro doesn’t stay in place. But for a couple of hours on a wide and easy trail, this pack can be a great option for your budget.

This pack does not offer as wide a range of torso and hip adjustments compared to Osprey, Deuter, and Kelty, so if you plan to share this pack with other adults, check that its sizing adjustments work for everyone before purchasing.

While lacking in some features, it still provides a solid base with its locking aluminum kickstand and offers a surprising number of storage pockets, including mesh sleeves, a large zippered compartment at the bottom of the pack, and a mesh pocket for a water bottle. This hydration pocket sits a little high and makes reaching it while wearing the pack difficult, but if you have a buddy along, you can ask them to help you.

It also includes a sun shade with plastic wind flaps on the side which we found helpful most recently on the windy and wet Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park. We did notice however, that the Velcro isn’t very strong and our kiddos made detaching the sides of the sunshade from the frame a game that only ended when we secured the plastic flaps away from their eager little hands.

This pack boasts lumbar support but we found that its ability to stay comfortable, especially with a child 25 pounds and above, quickly decreases. You should also note that the weight limit for this pack is 33 pounds. Consider how much your child currently weighs and which growth curve they are following if you want to maximize use.

The ClevrPlus Cross Country baby backpack falls short in comfortably supporting heavier loads and longer treks, but if you only need a pack for the occasional short and easy day hike and are looking for something that won’t hit your wallet too hard, consider this one.

Come for the packability, stay for the breathability. The Baby Bjorn Air One ($217) carrier is light and breathable yet well padded for comfort in shoulder straps and waist belt. Nearly the entire body of the carrier is made from lightweight 3D mesh material which came in handy for some of our foothill dwellers with babies born in the summer. This material helped keep air moving to our babies and toddlers, preventing our littlest ones — and our testers — from getting too hot.

Many of us parent testers had to consult the manual a few times before putting our newborns and toddlers in this carrier because the straps and zippered adjustments took some practice to figure out. Once we knew where every strap belonged, which seat adjustment zipper to employ, and how to secure everything once again, we found it to be another great hands-free way to bond with our baby while still exploring our backyard crags, swimming holes, and local mountains.

It quickly became clear that the strap system is actually quite easy to use independently since you can put the top section right over your head instead of reaching behind the upper part of your back hoping to grab both straps to clip before the baby gets fussy. No hyper-shoulder mobility needed! It also has a wide range of size adjustment capabilities so multiple people can wear it. The straps tighten and loosen so softly, which wasn’t a feature we cared about until we experienced it with this carrier.

Babies and toddlers were cozy in this carrier too, once we figured out where their arms were supposed to go. The mesh material is breathable yet durable and every inch of it is incredibly soft to the touch. It is packable for transporting and easy to clean either by tossing in a washing machine or spot cleaning.

The Baby Bjorn Air One is compatible with carrying newborns at least 7 pounds to toddlers up to 33 pounds. The carrier is designed to support a baby in an upright position, safely protecting the airway, hips, and legs. If you have both an infant and a toddler who will be using this, the adjustments on the seat may take a while to figure out and change. If you want a fast and easy way to toggle between different-sized kids, you may want to consider the ErgoBaby 360.

Aside from the slightly steeper learning, we enjoy this carrier for its strength, breathability, and incredible comfort. Great for carrying your infant on a hike or bringing it as a backup in case your toddler gets tired of hiking, the Baby Bjorn Air One is a versatile way to enjoy the outdoors or take on a road trip or international destination.