My experience is that with a good-size toddler, after a couple of hours you will get a bit achey with any back carrier! It sits midway in terms of weight, so isn’t the lightest option in the LittleLife catalogue, but alongside the Freedom S4 and Voyager S5, it allows for a greater adult fit (from 5’2” to 6’4”) and comes with more accessories, including the stirrups, sun shade and rear view mirror. The Freedom S4 also uses an adjustable airflow back system which keeps the main pack away from your back while you're walking. The LittleLife Cross Country S4 is a comfortable and sturdy baby carrier backpack suited to both hiking and day-to-day adventuring with your child in tow. He is currently President of the London Mountaineering Club, training to become a winter mountain leader, looking to finally finish bagging all the Wainwright fells of the Lake District and hoping to scale more Alpine 4000ers when circumstances allow.

This high-spec carrier offers plenty of features, including ample storage for supplies, foot stirrups, viewing mirror and the patented x-buckle harness system, making it a great child carrier for walking. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of capacity and other storage options in the two open side pockets, zippered front pocket and the zippered hipbelt pockets.The carrier feels similar in weight to a good quality travel ruck-sac and is similarly structured to distribute weight well across the wearer’s body so it feels comfortable to carry even with a baby or toddler inside. Designed with both parent and child in mind, this child carrier offers exceptional comfort, safety, and convenience for your outdoor adventures. There’s a printed size guide on the back of the carrier, which will help you work out the correct back panel height for you, as well as a buckled chest strap to provide extra support alongside the padded and pivoting hip belt.

Our children are always happy to go up in the Freedom S4, sometimes even just for fun at home, and I take that as a good sign that they find it comfortable.LittleLife Freedom S4 Child Carrier The LittleLife Freedom S4 is an excellent hiking carrier with a perfect system, which is a pleasure. Yes, you can stash both baby essentials like nappies, wet wipes and sun cream along with those things you would normally have in a handbag: keys, wallet and phone. The top two points are attached to the shoulder straps, and the bottom three points buckle out on each of the carrier, and at the front.

Back length adjustment system for the LittleLife Freedom S4 As you move the buckle down, more of the shoulder strap comes out of the holes. There is a small zip pocket on the rear of the carrier which is great for small but important items. As my husband and I are different heights (myself being 5’6” and him a tall 6’4”), we needed to adjust the back panel regularly depending on who was carrying to backpack carrier that day.The sunshade didn’t quite tension out evenly when attached to the frame due to the angle of the poles. My son enjoyed being higher up compared to our previous carrier where he was positioned much lower down my body.