Osprey Poco Child Carrier Review
Thekidpacker.com may receive a small commission for purchases made through links in this post.
Osprey Poco Child Carrier Kidpacker Rating: 88/100
Updated: April 21, 2021
Osprey Poco Child Carrier Summary
When searching for the best baby backpack, Osprey is always at at the top of the list. The Osprey Poco is a child carrier backpack that is very similar to the Osprey Poco Plus. It lacks a few extra features, but typically comes in $30-$40 less than the Plus model.
Despite lacking a few extra features, the Osprey Poco is still one of our top rated backpacks. It gets great ratings for child and adult comfort, sun protection, nap effectiveness, and value. If you are looking for a do it all child carrier backpack at a slightly lower cost with a few less bells and whistles, this is the backpack for you.
Osprey Poco Child Carrier Scoring Summary
Osprey Poco Child Carrier Pros and Cons
Excellent Value
Very reasonably priced for features included
Rain Cover Available
Allows for use in adverse conditions or cold weather
Top Notch Sunshade
Fully integrated into the pack and provides maximum child coverage
Adjustable Shoulder / Torso
Ensures a great fit on a variety of body types
No Water Bottle Pockets
Lack of mesh pockets for a water bottle is inconvenient
Limited Gear Storage
Less storage, only 20L, than the Osprey Poco Plus
No Zipper On Hipbelt Pockets
Limits the utility of the pockets
Osprey Poco Adult Comfort: 8/10
This a very comfortable backpack to wear, even when fully loaded to its maximum limit of 48.5 lbs. It has a tension mesh back panel that provides great airflow, keeping the wearer cool.
The shoulder straps and hip belt have good padding and rest very comfortably, properly distributing the weight to the hips and legs, limiting stress on the shoulders and back. The straps and buckles, like with all Osprey products, are high quality and easy to adjust.
Just above the shoulders are fully functional load lifters. These straps allow you to pull the pack closer to your body to alleviate weight on the shoulders. Good load lifters are hard to beat when it comes to a heavy pack! These load lifters are very effective, and easy to adjust even when the pack is fully loaded. If have you questions on how to properly fit a backpack, have a look at this helpful article from REI.
There is also a 1.5 L external hydration sleeve reservoir. Accessibility is great, and is ideal for those longer days where a hydration bladder is needed. You can purchase a 1.5 L external hydration sleeve here!
Osprey Poco Fit Adjustability: 7/10
When picking the best child carrier backpack for your needs, consider how many different people and how many different body frames might wear the pack. This is critical.
The Osprey Poco has a very high quality adjustable fit system. The shoulder straps and torso are fully adjustable and fit shorter frames all the way up to 6’-4’’ comfortably.
Behind the mesh back panel is a clasp that controls the adjustable torso straps. Simply flip the clasp and slide the shoulder straps up or down for the next wearer to adjust for frames S, M, L or XL.
The adjustment is smooth and not a struggle like some packs. In fact, on multiple occasions, I was able to switch off with someone else and adjust while the child was napping. The system is that fluid and the adjustments are that quick!
The other primary adjustment is with the hipbelt. The buckles and tethers are very smooth, and clip easily and securely. Super quick to adjust for larger or smaller waistlines. For additional flexibilty on when fitting the hip, consider the Osprey Poco Plus as it has a “Fit-On-The-Fly” hipbelt which has padded extenders to accommodate larger frames.
When someone with a larger waistline is wearing the pack, the extra extension is appreciated to help transfer the weight properly to the hips and legs. Somewhere around a 36’’ waistline or larger, the Poco Plus might be the most appropriate choice for optimum comfort.
Osprey Poco Child Comfort: 10/10
The Osprey Poco is exceptional when it comes to child comfort. All the material is high quality, soft, well padded and designed with your child in mind.
The remove-able and washable drool pad is plush and an ideal spot for your child to rest their head while they nap. Behind them is a padded headrest in case the ride gets bumpy.
To the side of the child are mesh panels. This allows for great airflow. Child carrier backpacks can get warm for the child and Osprey has a great design to help ensure your child is as comfortable as possible.
The Osprey Poco also has a great seat design for the child. It is plenty wide for them so they rest comfortably for hours on end. The seat for the child can be adjusted up or down prior to loading the pack. This is great feature as it allows your child to sit up high when they are young and smaller and can clearly see everything and be part of the action. As they grow, the seat can be adjusted down.
The built in, adjustable foot stirrups are great too. They help your child find a comfy position and allows for good circulation that allows them to continue resting for hours.
Lastly, the sunshade. What a well thought out feature! If you primarily plan to use the pack around town in stores, this wont be a huge issue. However, if you plan to be outdoors most of the time, a high quality sunshade needs to be at the top of your list. The Osprey Poco sunshade with UPF 50+ UV protection is as good as it gets. More on this later.
Osprey Poco Child Safety: 9/10
The Osprey Poco Child Carrier is framed with lightweight but very sturdy aluminum. Your child will be securely positioned within the pack with Osprey’s Double Halo harness. When properly adjusted, your child will be essentially locked in place allowing you to go anywhere you please with peace of mind.
Osprey has done a great job ensuring all surfaces are rounded and suitable for children. We cant find anywhere for a child to stick a finger or get pinched when exploring.
The pack has a secure kickstand that firmly locks into place with a reassuring “click” to let you know it is locked and stable. This allows you to put your child down without concern of them falling over.
Osprey Poco Sun Protection: 10/10
As mentioned above, the sunshade is one of the most important features when finding the best child carrier backpack, and Osprey is at the front of the pack with their built in sunshade.
The sunshade is accessed from a rear zipper compartment behind the child’s head. You simply pull out the built in sunshade, pull it forward, and securely clip it into place. This sunshade outshines other companies due to the following:
Fully Integrated Into Pack
Makes for quick and easy setup
Provides Maximum Coverage
Keeps your child shaded all day regardless of sun angle
Great Headspace for Child
Shade sits high above their head so they are comfortable when shade is up
Helps with Nap Time
Side mesh panels act as a hammock for your child's head when they want to nap
Osprey Poco Nap Effectiveness: 10/10
Personally, we find the pack that allows our child to nap for as long as they want to be above almost all else. Thankfully, with the Osprey Poco child carrier, you don’t have to choose, as the pack ranks highly on almost all criteria and gets our top score, 10/10 when it comes to nap effectiveness.
The Osprey Poco gets top ratings due to a few reasons:
Outstanding Sunshade
As mentioned above, the sunshade design helps your child nap better!
Mesh Side Panels
Allows for great airflow and keeps your child cool during naptime
Upper Stuff Pocks
Provides a spot to put a phone with a white noise app - great for helping kids nap longer!
Osprey Poco Gear Storage: 8/10
With 20 liters of gear storage, the Osprey Poco has plenty of space for full day trips. There are size-able zippered storage compartments on the back of the pack, both at the top and the bottom. This is where you would put most gear for a day trip.
There are also mesh stuff pockets on the sides of the child, perfect for storing a small bottle or toy. There is additional small item storage on the hip belt.
One thing we do miss on the Poco vs. Poco Plus are the large mesh pockets directly behind the hip. On the Poco Plus, these spots are great for putting larger items and water bottles. Also on the Poco Plus, the hipbelt pockets are zippered, which just give you a bit more piece of mind when storing things like car keys.
Gear storage on the Osprey Poco is more than ample for full day trips, shopping trips around town, or walks around a new city while traveling. However, if you are looking to carry extra gear like rain jackets, lunch, snacks, camera gear, etc., the Poco Plus might be the best option as it has 26 liters of gear capacity. Have a look here for our full review on the Osprey Poco Plus.
Osprey Poco Extra Features: 8/10
The Osprey Poco does a great job of adding extra features that make a trip that much more enjoyable. Something as simple as a place to tether a child’s favorite toy or pacifier go a long way in making the experience more enjoyable for everyone. On the Osprey Poco these tether points are installed right next to the child’s shoulders.
Another great feature is the rain cover that is sold separately. This is a must for us as it fully covers the child in inclement weather. It securely clips onto the pack keeping your child dry for hours. It also works great in cold weather. We just bundle up our little one, clip on the rain cover, and they stay warm for hours. It is also a life saver for wind too. We would frequently hike up to high elevation where the wind would really kick up. Strapping on the rain cover would protect our child and make the experience much more enjoyable for all. You can purchase an Osprey Poco Rain Cover here!
Osprey Poco Durability: 9/10
Osprey uses top notch materials and builds this backpack assuming you will use it for a long time. That is exactly what we did. We put well over 1,000 miles on our Osprey child carrier backpack. Between countless hikes, visiting 20 different countries, and weekly trips around town, you could hardly tell it had been used. Osprey builds backpacks to last, and it comes with a 7 year warranty, for peace of mind.
Osprey Poco Value: 9/10
The Osprey Poco comes in about $30-$40 cheaper than their higher end model, the Poco Plus. Overall, the Osprey Poco gets very high marks for value. For around $290, typical listing price, you really get a lot of bang for your buck with this pack. Aside from all the great features listed above, these packs have great resale value as well.
With a total score of 88/100, the Osprey Poco is one of Kidpacker’s top rated child carrier backpacks. It comes with a ton of features that any child or backpack wearer will love. If you are looking for a highly versatile pack that will allow you and your child to go on long day hikes, shopping trips around town, or go exploring a new city while traveling, this pack is for you.
If looking for similar top rated packs, have a look at the Thule Sapling Elite, Osprey Poco Plus or Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Elite!
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!
