Best Child carrier backpack for 4 year olds
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Best Child Carrier Backpack for 4 Year Olds
Updated: June 25, 2021
The Kid Packer’s Top Five Child Carrier Backpacks for 4 Year Olds:
1. Deuter Kid Comfort Pro (Full Review)
2. Thule Sapling Elite (Full Review)
3. Osprey Poco Plus (Full Review)
4. Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Signature (Full Review)
5. Piggyback Rider (Full Review)
If your child is no longer a baby but still needs a lift while hiking or travelling, it is not too late to get a child carrier backpack! Babies as young as 6 months and children as old as 4 (sometimes even 5!) can ride in a child carrier backpack.
In this article we break down what to look for in a child carrier backpack for bigger toddlers (think around 40 pounds) and which backpack carriers work best!
If you are considering a baby backpack carrier for a baby, take a look at our Top 5 Baby Backpack Carriers!
Criteria for a Child Carrier Backpack for Children Around 40 Pounds
So, what are we looking for in a baby backpack carrier for large toddlers? These 7 criteria:
- Overall Comfort Rating Score
- Load Lifters: Move some of the weight from the shoulders to the hips.
- Foot Stirrups: Improve circulation for the child and provide a more natural seated position.
- Side Entry: Provides a side that opens which allows the child to enter and exit the pack on their own.
- Removeable Day Pack: Lowers pack weight and allows for a partner to carry additional gear.
- Pack Weight: The lower the better when carrying a heavy toddler! Less than 7.5 Ibs is ideal.
- Pack Weight Limit: Maximum weight including the pack weight, child and gear.
To learn more about how to properly fit a baby backpack carrier, check out our article: How to Wear a Baby Backpack Carrier.
Load Lifters
Yes/No
Foot Stirrups
Yes/No
Side Entry
Yes/No
Remove-able Day Pack
Yes/No
Pack Weight
Less than 7.5 Ibs
Pack Weight Limit
48 Ibs or greater (Pack + Gear + Child)
Now that we know what we are looking for, lets take a look at the top 5 child carrier backpacks for 4 year olds/kids around 40 pounds!
Checklist
Load Lifters
Yes
Foot Stirrups
Yes
Side Entry
Yes
Remove-able Day Pack
Yes
Pack Weight
8 lbs. 5 oz.
Pack Weight Limit
48 Ibs 8oz (Pack+Gear+Child)
You may recognize the Deuter brand from backpacking packs, day packs and even packs for children. But if you didn’t know about Deuter’s Child Carrier Backpacks, then let us tell you! Deuter offers four child carrier options in their Kid Comfort Series, so they have a pack for pretty much anyone. The Deuter Kid Comfort Pro is their top of the line child carrier and is as plush a child carrier you can get!
We selected this model as our top child carrier for 4 year olds because of it’s comfort, adjustability and removeable day pack (to reduce pack/gear weight). The one drawback to this pack is the pack weight. Coming in at over 8 pounds, this is the heaviest pack on our top child carriers for kids around 40 pounds list. The removeable daypack does alleviate some of this weight and we feel that the level of comfort on this pack helps compensate.
Full review: Deuter Kid Comfort Pro Review
Interested in reviews for the entire Deuter Kid Comfort Series? Take a look here!
Comfort Rating: 27/30
As mentioned above, this is a plush and extremely comfortable child carrier backpack for babies or, in this case, larger toddlers. Deuter includes well padded shoulder straps and hip belt, a ventilated mesh back panel and easy access load lifters for the adult. For the child, well, they will be riding in luxury! The back panel of the child cockpit sits higher than most brands which provides a comfortable place for smaller children to rest their heads. 4 year olds and larger toddlers are taller and may not lean back to rest but, the extra support definitely enhances their comfort.
The child cockpit is plush overall, includes adjustable foot stirrups and an integrated sun shade. The only downside to this pack is that if your child is very tall, the sunshade may be a bit close to their head. In this case, a wide brim sunhat can provide the shade necessary.
Checklist
Load Lifters
Yes
Foot Stirrups
Yes
Side Entry
Yes
Remove-able Day Pack
Yes
Pack Weight
7 lbs. 14.4 oz.
Pack Weight Limit
48 Ibs (Pack+Gear+Child)
Thule is another widely known brand that provides quality products in a variety of industries. The Thule Sapling Elite is our second choice for the best child carrier backpack for larger toddlers because it ticks all the boxes on our criteria checklist with comfort and a great design. The Thule Sapling Elite is also The Kid Packer’s second highest rated baby backpack carrier overall and for good reason! Thule offers two child carriers in the Thule Sapling line. We chose the Sapling Elite over the Sapling mainly because of the removeable daypack option.
The only true downside to this child backpack carrier is the pack weight which is on the higher end.
For a full comparison of the two Thule models, take a look at our comparison article!
Comfort Rating: 27/30
The Thule Sapling Elite has a thoughtful and efficient design which results in a very comfortable baby backpack carrier. For the adult wearer there is a tensioned mesh back panel and padded shoulder straps and hip belt.
One of the features that really differentiates the Thule Sapling Elite from the rest are the highly effective child cockpit compression straps. These straps are located just under the load lifters on the sides of the pack and are easy for the adult to reach back, grab and pull. This compression pulls the weight of your passenger towards you as opposed to away from you which can throw off your balance. This is a really great feature and ideal for carrying a child 40 pounds or more!
The child cockpit is equipped with adjustable seat and foot stirrups, side entry and a sunshade included.
Overall this is a very comfortable child carrier backpack for babies all the way up to large toddlers!
Checklist
Load Lifters
Yes
Foot Stirrups
Yes
Side Entry
No
Remove-able Day Pack
No
Pack Weight
7 lbs. 14.4 oz.
Pack Weight Limit
48 Ibs 8 oz (Pack+Gear+Child)
If you have read many of our other articles you probably know that we are huge fans of the Osprey Poco Child Carrier Series. The Osprey Poco Plus is The Kid Packer’s top overall pick for the best baby backpack on the market today. The Osprey Poco Plus offers the best overall experience because of its comfort, adjustability and storage. The Osprey Poco and Poco Plus also include by far the best integrated sunshade.
A few downsides to this child carrier backpack specifically for 4 year olds is that it lacks a removeable daypack, side entry, and is on the higher end in regards to pack weight.
Comfort Rating 27/30
As with our first and second picks for the best child backpack carrier for 4 year olds, the Osprey Poco Plus receives 27/30 for comfort. This baby backpack carrier includes a well ventilated tensioned mesh back panel, padded shoulder straps and hip belt for the adult wearer.
This child carrier backpack isn’t just comfortable for the adult wearer but, also the child rider! The child cockpit it made with soft materials, a comfortable double halo harness system and the best sunshade on the market. The sunshade design includes a high cover with fully meshed sides which provide the perfect place for your child to lean while napping. The height of the sunshade also allows for it to be used comfortably with taller toddlers.
The Osprey Poco Plus is a full featured, top of the line baby backpack that’s just hard to beat. In the case of a baby backpack carrier for a heavier toddler, the Osprey Poco Plus will meet all of your needs and more but, we feel that the two options listed above may be just a tad better for this scenario.
Checklist
Load Lifters
Yes
Foot Stirrups
Yes
Side Entry
No
Remove-able Day Pack
No
Pack Weight
6 lbs. 6 oz.
Pack Weight Limit
48.5 Ibs (Pack+Gear+Child)
Kelty is known for making high quality outdoor gear and their baby backpack carriers or no exception. Kelty offers 3 child carrier options with the Signature being mid level in regards to price and features. We chose the Signature over Elite because their comfort ratings are equal but the Signature weighs almost 1 pound lighter. When carrying a 40 pound child on your back, every pound counts!
Take a look at our comparison of the Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Elite vs Signature for more information.
Regardless of which Kelty pack you choose, you will have a child carrier that will pass the test of time.
Comfort Rating: 24/30
The Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Signature is a highly adjustable and plush child carrier backpack. This pack includes a plush child cockpit including an extra wide adjustable seat, adjustable foot stirrups and an integrated sun shade for optimal child comfort. The adult wearer has plush shoulder straps and hip belt, fully adjustable torso for a perfect fit and excellent load lifters. Another feature that we really like on this pack are the extra grab handles. Many child carrier backpacks include two lift handles. The Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Signature includes 4 lift handles which is particularly helpful when lifting an awkward and heavy load, such as a 4 year old in a backpack.
Checklist
Load Lifters
No
Foot Stirrups
Yes
Side Entry
Yes
Remove-able Day Pack
No
Pack Weight
3 lbs.
Pack Weight Limit
50 Ibs (Pack+Child)
Have an independent toddler that prefers to walk? The Piggyback Rider is perfect for families transitioning from a traditional baby backpack carrier to having a child that wants to walk on their own.
The Piggyback Rider is a baby backpack alternative where your child stands behind you, tethered with a safety harness, and holds onto your shoulders. It’s lightweight, reasonably priced, and kids love it. What’s the downside? It does not tick all the boxes in regards to comfort and storage compared to a traditional child carrier backpack but, it may serve a very specific purpose that may be just right for you and your family.
Comfort Rating: N/A
Since the Piggyback Rider is not intended to compete with traditional child carrier backpacks, we don’t feel it’s fair to compare comfort to our typical standards. The Piggyback Rider is not the most comfortable child carrier on the market but, it also isn’t intended to be. The Piggyback Rider is great for short bursts of use but, we wouldn’t recommend it for all day wear.
When purchasing a Piggyback Rider for a larger toddler, also consider purchasing the hip belt for added comfort.
Best Child Carrier Backpack for 4 Year Olds - Summary
Don’t let this grumpy face fool you! Children from 6 months to 4, or even 5 years old, enjoy a ride in a baby backpack carrier. The weight limit for most carrier packs is 48 pounds which includes most kids 4 and under, or even up to 5.
Another great feature of child carrier backpacks is that most are made to stand the test of time. You will be able to use your child carrier backpack for multiple kids and still be able to pass it down in the future.
With this in mind, and the fact that older toddlers are even more fun to hike and enjoy nature with, get out there and get a great work out while you are at it!
About The Kid Packer
Here at The Kid Packer, we want to help you live your best life. A great baby backpack child carrier can help you do just that! After having used a child carrier backpack for over 1,500 miles of adventuring and exploring, we have a passion for them and know what makes a great pack that both you and your child will love. We hope our comprehensive research allows you to confidently find the right backpack for your needs!
