Our baby is growing and that meant it was time to get a heavy-duty carrier. Up until now, we used the soft Infantino Baby Carrier and it was perfect for our baby from 2 to 7 months old. As the baby got heavier, the soft carrier wasn’t cutting it. They don’t have the built-in frame for extra support, and I was starting to feel some strain on the back and shoulders when hiking for 2+ hours. We wanted a carrier that was sturdy and would allow for all weather conditions. There are loads of brands out there that make hiking backpacks and picking one can be overwhelming. When picking out products we generally look at two things: the price, and the reviews.
We tried out the Luvdbaby backpack carrier and it has been just what we need. An Irish company owned by 3 brothers who wanted to bring an active lifestyle to their own little ones. It might not have all the bells and whistles and a brand name on it, but it’s perfect for getting baby out!
Note: Some reviews mentioned it is not comfortable carrying an older/heavier child. We are currently using this pack with an 8.5-month old who weighs roughly 22 lbs. Here are some of the highlighted features in my experience so far…
Comfortable Pack for Adults
From my experience, this pack is comfortable to carry a baby in for up to 5 hours. I have not gone more than that so far. Much like fitting a hiking backpack to your body, this baby carrier adjusts to your body as you want it to. If you are hiking with a partner you can switch off between the adults by adjusting the pack to your body’s needs. Between the weight of the pack and the weight of the baby, I am carrying close to an estimated 30 lbs. This can be heavy but if you fit the pack correctly to your body, you should feel no strain on your back or shoulders.
Comfortable Pack for Baby
Our baby is currently 8.5 months old and it seems that baby comfortably sits in the pack. The padded “cocoon” area is durable with plenty of area for the baby to move around. The safety buckle is adjustable to fit the baby’s height, much like a car seat. There are stirrups to put the child’s feet in so the legs don’t hang down or kick the adult. The frame of the pack is able to adjust as the baby grows to fit their height. Our baby loves to look out at everything during the hike. He typically has his head out of the side angles for a view because looking straight on is just a view of the adult’s head. He usually falls asleep halfway through the hike!
Quick and Easy Child Loading
Some reviews mentioned the lack of a “side entry” for the baby. There is only a “front-loading” zone in this pack. While we have not tried out a pack with side entry, we find that the front loading is simple. It is a bit awkward to get the baby buckled in from the front load so that is the only downside but it is still simple enough to do.
All Weather Ready
The pack comes with a sunshade that is easy to adjust on and off. It also comes with a rain/wind shield that easily stows away in an extra pocket. I love the sunshade feature and how simple it is to stow it away when there’s no need for it.
Storage
There is one large storage pocket for items underneath the baby seat. There is also a removable daypack for the child which can be used to store items. So far we have used that daypack to store items like snacks, spare burp rags, diapers, and wipes. The underneath storage has been used for spare clothes like jackets, and our water bottles. There is plenty of storage in this pack if you are just going out for a day, but if you plan to go on overnight backpack trips this pack does not have enough storage if it’s just 1 adult and the baby. There are small mesh pockets to throw items in, and plenty of straps to clip items on to. I do wish it had some more pockets, especially a specific one for a hydration pack but we have gotten creative with the hydration part. We use the daypack for our camelback hydration pack and it’s worked out perfect.
Kickstand
The kickstand allows the pack to easily sit on a flat surface and hold baby up safely when getting baby in and out of the pack. At no point should you leave the baby unattended in the pack, but the stand is quite sturdy and will prop baby and the pack up with no problem.
Where will you adventure with a Luvdbaby Backpack Carrier?
