Deuter Kid Comfort Active SL
Best child carrier
OUR TAKE All we can say is, “It’s about time.” Not only is this one of the lightest kid carriers on the market, the Active SL is made specifically for women. It has more narrowly anchored, S-shaped shoulder straps, a conically shaped hipbelt, and a smaller torso range. “I could never find a carrier that fit,” one mom reports. “I have a small frame, and the weight of a toddler in the pack would push the hipbelt down while I hiked, but that doesn’t happen with the Active SL.” (There’s also a unisex version.)
THE DETAILS A side access door completely unbuckles, making it a cinch to get even a reluctant child in. A shove-it pocket on the back and a large drawstring storage pocket under your kid’s bottom are large enough to store dirty diapers or extra layers.
TRAIL CRED “After 1,300 feet of gain over 1.5 miles with my 27-pound son on my back, I didn’t suffer the usual hip squeeze,” one tester says.
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