Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Editor's Note: This is not a sponsored post. The author has no affiliations with the company and wrote this independently. SALT LAKE CITY — Anyone who has attempted a stroll with their infant or toddler strapped to their back has undoubtedly experienced the horribly fitting, pain-inducing effects of some baby carriers. For many fathers, it is especially hard to find a baby backpack that doesn't appear to be made for people who are half their size.
Then, you're stuck trying to figure out how you're going to be able to carry the other essentials like diapers, wipes, a bottle, food or a change of clothes. There's simply never enough room for everything.
Enter, Osprey's Poco series of child carriers. The engineers at Osprey really thought through their design of the Poco packs and incorporated many intuitive features for extraordinary kid comfort and overall functionality, including:
- A removable, washable drool pad
- Stowable sunshade and changing pad
- Stirrups
- Padding in, and surrounding, the child's saddle
- Adjustable restraints to accommodate the varying dimensions of your child
- A super stable foot bar/base.
Among the most impressive features is the adjustable harness. The harness will adjust to fit extra small, small, medium and large torsos with the flick of a lever. Also, the adjustable hip belt is equipped with extendable padded sections, which complement the functionality of the harness perfectly. Together, the adjustable harness and hipbelt provide excellent weight distribution, which helps to alleviate pain in the shoulders and back — even with bigger guys like me.
Osprey didn't skimp on the other common-sense features either. The Poco Premium carries with it a generous 2,100 cubic inches or 34 liters of cargo space, in addition to the water bladder storage, which will accommodate up to a 3-liter bladder. This leaves ample room for all the baby essentials and whatever you'd like to bring.
The upper compartment also doubles as a detachable daypack. In addition to the main cargo areas, there are several well-placed pockets on the shoulder straps and hip belt that provide easy access to frequently used, smaller items.
Another impressive feature is the ventilation. Due to the construction of the back panel, the main pack sits off the mid back, allowing for copious amounts of air flow. You can definitely feel the difference between this and other poorly-ventilated packs.
The one complaint I have is regarding the price. The luxury pack comes with a luxury price tag. The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Poco Premium, the top of the line pack, is listed at $299. However, your investment is protected.
Osprey backs their packs with what they coined as, "The Almighty Guarantee." The statement posted under the Customer Service tab on their website says, "Osprey will repair for any reason, free of charge, any damage or defect in our product – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. If we are unable to perform a functional repair on your pack, we will happily replace it. We proudly stand behind this guarantee...." The warantee still applies even if you're not the original owner.
If you don't want to spend $300 on the Poco Premium pack, there are other models to choose from that cost less. These models lack only a few features that come standard with the Premium, like the extendable hip belt padding, changing pad and detachable daypack. The Poco ($199) and the Poco Plus ($259) are great packs and may be better suited for your particular wants or needs.
They are great packs if you're wanting to get outside with the little ones, a little more often.
Zach Tuttle is a student at Dixie State University, studying English education. He is married and has three kids and currently works as a deputy for the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
