Thule Sapling Child Carrier Review
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Thule Sapling Child Carrier Kid Packer Rating: 86/100
Updated: November 27, 2020
Thule Sapling Child Carrier Summary
The Thule Sapling Child Carrier is an excellent child carrier backpack and one of the top child carrier backpacks on the market today. It is very similar to its big brother, the Thule Sapling Elite.
Overall, It’s our fourth highest rated child carrier backpack here at The Kid Packer, just behind the Osprey Poco (Kid Packer review) and just ahead of the Kelty Journey PerfectFit Elite. The Thule Sapling gets top ratings for adult comfort, carrier fit adjustability, child safety, and extra features.
Thule Sapling Child Carrier Scoring Summary
Thule Sapling Child Carrier Pros and Cons
Side Entry
For ease of entry/removal of child from pack
Rain Cover Available
Allows for use in adverse weather conditions
Extra Child Safety Latches
At the thigh for an extra secure ride
Adjustable Shoulder / Torso
Ensures a great fit on a variety of body types
Water Bottle Pockets are not ideal
Lack of mesh pockets for water bottles is inconvenient
Sunshade is Not Fully Integrated
Has to be attached
No Removable Daypack
Premium Price Tag
With less bells and whistles than competitors
Thule Sapling Adult Comfort: 8/10
The hipbelt, shoulder straps and torso are fully adjustable on the Thule Sapling. The same mechanism is utilized on the Thule Sapling and the Thule Sapling Elite. The hipbelt is plush mesh, with great padding and is comfortable even with a heavy load. The hipbelt is fully adjustable with not only the standard buckles and clips, but also an “extender” that slides out as desired which ensures padding wraps around all parts of the hipbelt. This a great feature that most other packs don’t have and allows for a wider variety of body frames (S, M, L, XL) to wear the pack. This is a huge plus! The Osprey Poco Plus has a similar feature.
The shoulder straps and torso are also fully adjustable, and can fit up to a 21’’ torso. This is a great article from REI on how to measure for optimal backpack fit: How to Size and Fit a Backpack.
The Thule Sapling should fit up to a 6’ – 4’’ frame comfortably. To adjust the torso size, you compress two buttons on the side of the pack and simply slide up or down to fit as desired (S, M, L or XL). This is an awesome feature, and Thule has created a very simple system to ensure a good fit for all. A great fit is critical to ensure a heavy load is comfortable, and safe, for long distances.
Other Fit Adjustments
The baby backpack also has great quality load lifters built in just above the shoulders. They adjust easily when the pack is fully loaded and on your back. On a backpack, good functioning load lifters are one of our favorite features. It allows you to pull the pack closer to your body, and ensure the weight is distributed mostly to your hips and not your shoulders.
The back panel is a tensioned mesh that allows great airflow and keeps you cool. Near the lower back is a thick, padded lumbar to ensure the pack rests comfortably on your body, and doesn’t slide around as your child shifts.
The last feature worth mentioning are the “child compression straps”. Once on your back, just over your shoulder are two straps for you to pull on. They essentially compress the child cockpit, or the area the child sits in. This 1) Eliminates the ability for the child to squirm around and 2) Pulls them closer to you, which helps stabilize the pack and makes it more comfortable to wear. A useful feature at any child age, but even more noticeable when they in the 30-40 lb range!
Thule Sapling Fit Adjustability: 10/10
The Thule Sapling really excels when it comes to adult fit adjustability and gets our best rating at a 10/10 for all the reasons listed above.
The Sapling is built to fit a wide range of body types and sizes. If only one person plans to wear the pack, this isn’t a big deal, but we have found that everyone wants to wear it for a while, both parents, grandparents, friends, etc.
Not only is the Thule design well thought out, but the use of quality materials and a keenly engineered system results in a smooth and comfortable experience. Not all adjustments on baby backpacks are as smooth as what Thule has built.
Between the fully adjustable padded hipbelt, the sliding mesh torso back panel and shoulder straps, load lifters, and child compression straps, the Thule Sapling gets a 10/10 from us on adult fit adjustability. Top fit ratings make the Thule Sapling a top rated baby backpack.
Thule Sapling Child Comfort: 9/10
The Thule Sapling was built with both child and adult comfort in mind.
The child cockpit has thick, soft padding on all sides. The head area is particularly well guarded, which will keep your child comfy even if the trail gets bumpy. The chin pad is also padded and constructed from similar material. Great for napping on, or just leaning forward to see out.
A unique feature for Thule is the child back support. The child’s back support is fully padded and wraps around the child a bit, to keep them snug. The part where Thule went above and beyond was in building a mesh back support for the child. This a great feature to keep your child cool while traveling in the pack for hours at a time!
The Thule Sapling also includes foot stirrups to provide a spot for your child’s feet to rest. The foot stirrups on the Sapling are a bit different from the Sapling Elite. The Sapling Elite has stirrups that quickly and easily unclip and can be removed. The Sapling has stirrups that are intended to remain on the pack at all times. Either way, both work great, and are a must have as your child gets bigger.
Thule Sapling Child Safety: 10/10
Child safety on the Thule Sapling also gets top marks from The Kid Packer. Thule has a great design team. Starting with the sturdy but lightweight aluminum frame, this top rated baby backpack will definitely keep your child safe.
The five-point harness is fully adjustable which allows the seat to move up and down easily to adjust as the child grows. The Thule child seat design is a bit different than the rest in that it is wider in the thigh area, and ensures the child is more secure and comfortable for those long journeys.
We also love the thigh straps. They are a simple addition that really gives us peace of mind. When your child is small, under 18 months, they can squirm around in their seat quite a bit. The extra thigh strap eliminates any concern and helps keep them safe and sound.
Thule Sapling Sun Protection: 7/10
If you have read our other reviews, you know that we believe the sunshade is one of the most critical features of a top rated child carrier backpack. The Thule Sapling has a good sunshade, but not the best. The best in class goes to the Osprey Poco and Osprey Poco Plus.
The Thule sunshade will keep your child comfortable, but a few tweaks in the design would really take the pack to the next level.
Included with Pack
Don't have to purchase separately like some packs
Removable
Can be left behind if desired
Great Headspace for Child
Makes for a comfortable experience
No Mesh Side Panels
A downside during nap time and does not provide full shade coverage
Thule Sapling Nap Effectiveness: 8/10
The Thule Sapling has some good features when it comes to nap effectiveness. Some features that we really like include:
- Mesh side pockets near the child’s shoulders that fit a phone with a white noise app
- The child seating area is adjustable. When they fall asleep, you can easily compress the child cockpit to ensure they don’t move around while napping
- The included sunshade is easy to set up and does an OK job of keeping them cool and protected while they nap
The only thing Thule is missing is the side mesh panels on the sunshade. This means the child can’t lean their head to the side while napping. Not a big issue when they are under 18 months, but as they grow, napping becomes a bit more difficult without side panels on the sunshade. Check out the Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier for the best napping set up.
Sunshade
While the design is not perfect, it does help with nap time
Compressible Child Cockpit
Compressible child cockpit allows you to expand for larger kids to ensure comfort, or compress for small children to ensure they are snug and cozy for nap time
Mesh Side Panels on Pack
Where a phone with a white noise app can be placed
Thule Sapling Gear Storage: 8/10
There is no official listing for gear capacity for the Thule Sapling, but we believe comes in near 25 L.
Similar to the Thule Sapling Elite, the Thule Sapling has zippered hipbelt pockets. Although smaller pockets than the Elite, they are still great for stashing things like keys, chapstick, or a phone.
The back of the pack has plenty of storage for a full day hike or longer excursion around town. The large lower zippered area has plenty of room for snacks, rain jackets, and changing gear. The upper back panel has another large zippered area great for quick grab items like sunscreen or child toys. Lastly, there is a large mesh stuff area on the upper rear, which is expandable.
The biggest difference between the Thule Sapling and Sapling Elite is that the Elite model offers a removable small backpack. We really like this feature as you can either leave it behind for a short trip around town or, you can have someone else carry it and share the weight.
Water bottle (Nalgene size) storage is something that the Thule packs are missing. Not the end of the world as there is an easily accessible storage area for a hydration bladder, but it would be nice to have a place to stash another water bottle.
Thule Sapling Extra Features: 9/10
Thule has added a few extra features on this pack that we really love.
- A 3-4 inch piece of material unfolds at the very base of the pack. When you are taking the child out of the pack, you flip this piece down and step on it. This secures the pack to the ground so that when you pick up your child, they come right out. Without this feature, it can be frustrating to get your child out of a child carrier backpack!
- Side entry. The pack is built so that the side panels can un-clip and a child can step right in. Pretty cool!
- Rain cover offered separately. A good rain cover is great peace of mind. Not only will it allow your child to stay dry when a shower pops up, but a good rain cover expands the versatility of your pack. You can clip on the rain cover in the winter to keep your child warm. Or if it is windy out, you can toss on the cover to keep your child protected. This all adds up to a more comfortable child, which makes for a better experience for all!
Thule Sapling Durability: 9/10
Using 210D Cordura Nylon and 420D Nylon, this pack is as durable as they come. The pack also comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
All of the clips and clasps are smooth, and adjust easily, which speaks to the high quality material used to build this pack.
A high quality pack like this will also have great resale value.
Thule Sapling Value: 8/10
The Thule Sapling price tag is at the high end of child backpack carriers. However, you get what you pay for. In this case, an exceptionally high-quality pack loaded with great features that will last for a long time.
Thule Sapling Child Carrier Summary
With a total score of 86/100, the Thule Sapling is an excellent choice for a child carrier backpack. It has all of the extra features to keep you and your child happy. From adult adjustability to child comfort, this pack has it all.
If you are looking for a similar pack with a bit lower price tag, check out the Osprey Poco. If you are looking for a more economic option but with plenty of features, have a look at the CleverPlus Urban Explorer.
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! For more info, check out our About Us page!