Comfortable, safe and secure – the child carrier allows you to take your kids on any outdoor adventure.

Baby comfort
The baby should sit upright and all straps should be adjustable to ensure there is no chafing. Side compression will keep a child secure and should be padded to prevent the frame digging in. The child will no doubt fall asleep at some stage, so check if there is somewhere for them to rest their head.

Harness
It should have an adjustable back-length to accommodate both mum and dad, padded shoulder straps, chest straps and hipbelts. Do everything up while your child is in the carrier and ensure the fit is good: hipbelts should be sitting on your hip bone and shoulder straps should be shaped so that chafing to your neck and underarms is avoided.

Your comfort
Both parents need to be comfortable with the carrier, so it’s important mum and dad do the buying together. Take your child too, and try on the various models with it fully loaded. Ask yourself, ’how easy is it to put the carrier on your back with your child inside?’ How stable is the carrier and is it easy to maintain your balance? A good harness will be adjustable and should have padding in the lumbar region. A padded hipbelt will help support the load and transfer much of the weight to your hips.

Essential accessories
You don’t want to expose your child’s sensitive skin to harmful UV rays, so it is essential the  carrier has a sun-shade accessory. A rain cover is another important item because your child, sitting in the carrier, won’t be able to generate warmth like you can as you stomp through the bush. Not all carriers come with these accessories, so budget for these essentials.

Stability
The carrier should have a kickstand that enables it to remain upright on the ground. This is useful when loading the carrier and adjusting the straps for the baby, and when you’re putting the carrier down. Before buying, try putting your child in the carrier and sitting it on the floor to see how well balanced it is. If you can’t put the carrier down without it toppling over, don’t even consider it.

Storage
The carrier should have room for the child’s gear – nappies, bottles, food, clothing – as well as some essentials for mum and dad. If both parents are on the trip, then one can carry gear for the adults and the other can load up on baby kit.

Now you know what to look for, it’s time to choose a carrier…

Osprey Poco AG Plus $449.99 Ventilated Anti-Gravity harness, Fit-on-the-Fly adjustable hipbelt, lower zippered compartment, dual grab handles, drool pad, safety mirror, stretch mesh side pockets, built-in sunshade, aluminium frame, adjustable removable stirrups. Max load 22kg Capacity 26-litre Weight 3480g. www.ospreypacks.com

LittleLife Cross Country S3 $399 Top grab handles, soft face pad, adjustable anatomically-shaped child seating area with x-buckle harness, fabric toy loops and accessory pocket, pivoting hipbelt, bottle pocket and side grab handles, base pocket for essentials, anchor point for stability, adjustable back system, sunshade. Max load 20kg Capacity 20-litre Weight 2500g. www.furtherfaster.co.nz