Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier

Most full-featured child carriers offer the suspension and storage of a multiday pack, but are huge space hogs (and heavy). Not the Poco LT, which folds flat for storage and travel and weighs less than most competitors. Features are smart: An integrated sunshade zips out of a storage pocket, and the safety straps are intuitive to operate. “It finds the right balance between heavier, more complicated carriers and lighter, less-supportive ones. The single harness strap is also much easier to put on than other models I’ve used,” one parent says. “All you have to do is slip it over your child’s head and clip it to the carrier right in front of them. So instead of wrangling four separate straps, I only had to find one, and the security is top-notch.” On a cross-country ski up Colorado’s Mayflower Gulch, the padded harness kept his energetic 18-month-old from wiggling around, while the lightly padded hipbelt and shoulder straps were plush enough to keep him from bruising during three hours of skiing. At 5 pounds, the Poco LT won’t weigh parent-porters down too much, although it does have a slightly reduced capacity for carrying snacks and extra layers.