Luvdbaby premium baby backpack carrier Review
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LuvdBaby Premium Baby Backpack Carrier Review
Updated: January 10, 2021
LuvdBaby is a small company that offers a number of quality baby products, among which is their LuvdBaby Premium baby backpack carrier.
This child carrier backpack is a solid choice if you are looking for a more economical option than more well known top brands like Osprey, Kelty, and Deuter.
The LuvdBaby Premium is perfect for short day hikes, days around town, or even long days on the trail. Offering plenty of storage, a sunshade, and a number of fit adjustments, this baby carrier backpack is definitely worth consideration!
LuvdBaby Premium Baby Backpack Carrier Scoring Summary
LuvdBaby Premium Baby Backpack Carrier Pros and Cons
Very Affordable
At around $170, it's great value
Plenty of Storage
Plenty of zippered pockets for a full day of gear
Sunshade Built In
Provides a comfortable and safe ride, and also includes a rain cover!
40 lb. Max Weight
Lower max weight limit than other backpacks
Limited Rain Coverage
Rain cover only protects the upper torso
No Hipbelt Extensions
Limits the range of waist sizes this pack can accommodate
LuvdBaby Premium Adult Comfort: 7/10
Through our LuvdBaby Premium Backpack review, we came away pretty impressed with the adult comfort features!
To start with, the hipbelt and lumbar are heavily padded and covered with a rather plush material. The shoulder straps also have thick padding throughout to help make the pack more comfortable when fully loaded. Load lifters just above the shoulders also do a great job of pulling the backpack closer to your body, distributing weight to your lower body and minimizing back strain.
The straps on the backpack also adjust easily, and help ensure you get a proper fit, making the backpack more comfortable when fully loaded with baby and gear. To learn more about how to properly fit a backpack, have a look at this helpful article by REI.
Although this is not the most comfortable child carrier backpack we have reviewed, it’s certainly not the most uncomfortable. Would you be comfortable wearing this backpack for a full day on the trail? Absolutely. We would compare this backpack to the CleverPlus Urban Explorer. If you plan on using the backpack frequently, we might suggest looking at other packs that get higher adult comfort like the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro.
LuvdBaby Premium Fit Adjustability: 7/10
The LuvdBaby Premium is designed to fit a wide range of body types and sizes. The torso back panel is easily adjusted. Undo the velcro latch and simply slide the torso section with shoulder straps up or down to fit as desired. This adjustment is primarily used to adjust for adult wearer height. This backpack should fit people from 5′-2” to 6′-4” fairly well. Above or below that threshold, you might find the backpack doesn’t fit as well.
The waist straps and shoulder straps are also easily adjusted. Although the straps aren’t quite as high quality as those on the Osprey or Deuter packs, they work just fine. With a quick adjustment you can cinch in the waist belt to find a fit that works for you.
It is worth noting that the LuvdBaby Premium does not have hipbelt extenders like the Osprey Poco Plus and Thule Sapling Elite. Although not critical, hipbelt extenders are nice to help ensure a good fit for those with a larger waist.
LuvdBaby Premium Child Comfort: 6/10
With a 6/10 child comfort rating from The Kid Packer, the Luvdbaby Premium child comfort ranks towards the middle of the pack.
The child cockpit is well padded, and the child seat itself is fairly well padded. However, this backpack definitely is not as plush as something like the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro. Will your child enjoy the ride and be comfortable for hours at a time in this pack? Absolutely. For the most part, children really don’t mind not having the top of the line bells and whistles, and this pack is plenty comfortable.
Foot stirrups and sunshade are included, which is excellent. Stirrups help your child find a comfortable seating position and the sunshade helps keep your child cool.
Another great feature on the LuvdBaby Premium are the child cockpit sizing adjustments. Essentially just straps on the side panels that allow the child seating area to be compressed or expanded. A great feature. This ensures your child has the room they need as they grow.
LuvdBaby Premium Child Safety: 6/10
Through our LuvdBaby Premium Backpack safety review, we found a few areas we really liked, and a few we thought could use some improvement.
To start, the backpack is well padded in all the areas that matter. It has a very sturdy aluminum frame, and it also has a kickstand that locks in place to ensure the backpack is stable on the ground when your child is still in it.
The areas we though could use some improvement are the child harness straps. The clips utilized to secure the child are a bit clunky and sometimes difficult to buckle. The child shoulder straps can come loose and slip off. We prefer a classic 5-point harness. Although there is an exceptionally low chance of your child squirming out of this backpack, we do wish a few improvements were made just for peace of mind.
LuvdBaby Premium Sun Protection: 7/10
The LuvdBaby Premium backpack sunshade is included, great news!
Not all child carrier backpacks have a sunshade included. A sunshade is a must. Children have very sensitive skin, and are prone to burning easily. The LuvdBaby premium backpack sunshade is easy to install, and is fully removable so you can leave it at home if you are just heading to the mall.
The LuvdBaby Premium sunshade provides plenty of headroom for the child. And provides great protection from above. However, where it misses a bit are the side panels. Just a few inches of mesh coverage on the side panels. When the sun is lower in the sky in the morning or afternoon, the child is exposed. We would like to see a bit more coverage with the side panels, if a re-design was to occur at some point in the future.
For the backpack with the best sunshade, have a look at the Osprey Poco Plus.
Fully Integrated Into Pack
Quick and easy setup
Good Child Headspace
Shade sits high above the child
Limited Side Coverage
Leaves your child exposed during certain parts of the day
Less Ideal for Nap Time
Limited side panels can make napping more difficult
LuvdBaby Premium Nap Effectiveness: 7/10
Everyone loves nap time with a baby backpack carrier. Your child gets the restorative nap they need, and you get a bit of peace and quite which you need!
Your child will have no issues taking a long nap in the LuvdBaby Premium.
The child cockpit area is fully padded. They can lean forward, sideways, or backward to rest their head. The side panel cinch straps help out when your child is younger and smaller. You can cinch in the side panel to make a cozy nap environment.
The foot stirrups are really critical for nap time. The stirrups help ensure you child has a natural sitting position and maintain good circulation. The LuvdBaby Premium sunshade is also critical for napping. Children get warm quickly when napping and the sunshade helps keep them cool.
The primary drawback here is the sunshade side panels. We love baby backpack carriers that have full side panels on the sunshade. This provides something like a hammock for your child to rest their head. When they are really young, this isn’t a big deal, say, less than 18 months. As your child gets older, the side panels are really useful when it comes to nap time.
Well Padded Child Area
Perfect for napping!
Sunshade Included
Keeps your child cool while napping
Limited Side Panels on Sunshade
Exposures your child to more sun and limits where they can rest their head during nap time
LuvdBaby Premium Gear Storage: 8/10
When it comes to LuvdBaby Premium gear storage, you don’t need to have any concerns. There is plenty of storage on this backapck.
To start, the LuvdBaby Premium gear storage includes large hipbelt zippered pockets. Most child carrier backpacks include hip belt pockets, but not all are zippered. We always prefer zipper hip pockets to ensure you don’t lose small items.
The lower, rear gear storage area is quite large! You can easily fit extra clothes, changing gear, snacks, and extra layers of clothing. You will have plenty of space for a full day on the trail.
You will also find several mesh stuff pockets on this backpack. Two on the upper side panels and one on the upper back panel. We love the side panel pockets. This a perfect area to stash a phone with a white noise app while you child sleeps. A noise app works well to drown out any loud noises like larger groups of hikers or random noises while you are shopping around town.
Lastly, the LuvdBaby Premium gear storage set-up includes an insulated rear zippered pouch. A nice extra feature to keep a bottle warm, or snacks cold for a while longer than normal. LuvdBaby is the only child carrier backpack reviewed by The Kid Packer that offers this feature!
There are a few gear storage features missing from the LuvdBaby Premium. One is a good place to store an adult water bottle. Side pockets enough for a water bottle would be nice. It is actually pretty rare to find a pack that has a good spot to store a water bottle! Have a look at the Osprey Poco Plus for the pack with the best water bottle holders.
The other item that is missing is a detachable small day pack. A few brands offer a detachable day pack, Thule Sapling Elite, Deuter Kid Comfort Pro, and the ClevrPlus Urban Explorer. Although not critical, we do like the extra storage and versatility the removable day pack provides.
LuvdBaby Premium Extra Features: 7/10
Our LuvdBaby Premium review revealed a surprising number of extra features!
The two that stand out most to us are the rain cover and insulated rear zippered pouch.
Let’s start with the rain cover. Although it only provides coverage for the top half of your child, this is still a great feature. In fact, LuvdBaby is the only baby backpack brand reviewed by The Kid Packer that includes a rain cover standard.
The insulated rear pouch is also another great feature. Although perhaps a bit more of a gimmick than a real critical feature, we do appreciate the effort!
Another extra feature you get with the LuvdBaby Premium is a baby changing pad. This is essentialyl a small foldable foam pad that you can use to change your baby while out of the house for the day.
A few features that are missing is a removable drool pad for washing, and a detachable day pack, as mentioned in the previous section.
LuvdBaby Premium Durability: 7/10
When it comes to LuvdBaby Premium durability, you shouldn’t have any concerns. This backpack has been on the market for five years and is the ‘best selling’ child carrier backpack on Amazon, always a good sign. Aside from our personal review experience, after scanning hundreds of reviews from Amazon, durability does not seem to be a concern. The backpack frame is constructed with sturdy aluminum and the pack itself is constructed with 300D and 600D ripstop polyester.
LuvdBaby Premium Value: 6/10
Overall, if you are looking for a backpack full of features at a lower price point, the LuvdBaby Premium really does offer a solid value. Coming in well below the big name brands, you can easily save $100 or more by going with this backpack vs other options. However, if looking for an economical child carrier backpack without giving up all the bells and whistles, we believe the best value can be found with the CleverPlus Urban Explorer.
LuvdBaby Premium Baby Backpack Carrier Summary
Our LuvdBaby Premium Baby Carrier Backpack review found a full feature backpack at a very reasonable price. This pack has plenty of storage for a full day on the trail. It comes with a sunshade and even a rain cover! If you are looking for a child carrier backpack to take on the trail or just to use around town, the LuvdBaby Premium is a solid choice. At ~$170, this backpack comes in at half of what top name brands typically cost.
If you are looking for a more versatile, and our highest rated backpack, have a look at the Osprey Poco Plus. If you are simply looking for something to use around town, something bare bones like the Chicco SmartSupport might be the way to go!
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!
