How to buy a child carrier

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 baby 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 hip belts. 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 the shoulder straps shouldn’t be digging into your neck or under your arms.

Your comfort
Both parents need to be comfortable with the carrier, so it’s important mum and dad do the buying together. Take baby too, and try on the various models with it fully loaded. 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 baby 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 child carriers come with these accessories as standard, 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 it 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
Look for a carrier that has enough room for the baby 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 child carrier.

Macpac Vamoose V2 $499.99 Hinged alloy frame, safety-first adjustable child seat, removable shoulder straps and head pad, zippered front pocket, removable day pack, grab handle, stretch nappy pocket, large pocket at the base with necessities pocket, sunshade and rain cover included. Fabric 420D nylon, 1260D ballistic nylon base Capacity 19l Carry weight 18kg Weight 3910g.

Osprey Poco Plus AG $449.99 Anti-Gravity harness, aluminum stability stays, mesh shoulder harness and backpanel, sunshade, adjustable hipbelt, lower zippered compartment, hipbelt pockets, stretch mesh side pockets, fleece-lined child harness, locking footbar for stability. Fabric 210D nylon, 400HD nylon Capacity 26l Max load 22kg Weight 3480g.