LittleLife Freedom S4 Child Carrier | Baby Carrier

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We bought our LittleLife Freedom child carrier when Tomi was 7 months old. We had a mei tai before that we loved very much, but we kind of grew it out by the seventh month. Tomi didn’t enjoy being tied so tightly to our bodies anymore, and we looked for a baby carrier that would give him protection from the elements on high mountain trails (think being exposed to the sun and the chilly winds on mountain ridges or getting caught by a thunderstorm). While I would have liked to see this carrier available in the blue colourway seen on other LittleLife carriers to give buyers more than one colour option, the overall design is in a neutral grey that will appeal to most families. What’s the difference between the LittleLife Cross Country S3 and S4?

The LittleLife Cross Country S4 has been designed for use over a longer duration than other LittleLife carriers like the Ranger S2, so I found it comfortable to use on long outings. To make your child more comfortable, it has an adjustable head rest and a built-in easy-pull sun shade. Anatomically shaped child seat and soft face protection pad which is removable and washable (very sensible) So we’ve been hiking together for many years. Then we had a baby, and we continued hiking. We don’t know how not to hike. We didn’t buy a stroller, because it wouldn’t fit into the elevator of the building where we lived or the trunk of our small car. Also, we’ve rarely taken Tomi to stroller-friendly places. So our number one essential for both everyday life and travel with our baby (and later our toddler) was a good carrier.No. The LittleLife Cross Country S4 can’t be folded down, but it can be flattened slightly for storage or transporting in your car boot. We’ve been using LittleLife Freedom S4 for almost two years. We bought it when our son was 7 months old, and now he’s 2.5 years old. We love this carrier! We intend to give a full, detailed opinion about it to you from many aspects, but here’s our short verdict: it’s so good and exactly what outdoors-loving parents need. LittleLife Freedom S4 review summary It must be comfortable for my son as he fell asleep half way through the walk", KJonah, Simply Hike customer Details Attribute

Husband carrying our 16-month-old in the LittleLife Cross Country S4 on a nature walk How we tested the LittleLife Cross Country S4 The face pad supports the kid’s face if they fall asleep, and this pad is actually detachable and washable. How long can your kid sit in the carrier? So it’s a crucial question, and both child and parental comfort are important, the latter is a bit more (no matter what your kid thinks). Because if it’s uncomfortable for the parents, there won’t be many hiking trips. comfortable both for child and carrying parent – adjustable fit, great padding, head support and anatomically shaped seat Despite parental comfort, we’d have decided to return this carrier if Tomi couldn’t sleep in it. A baby and even a toddler need day time nap, so full day hikes would work only with a carrier where our kid could sleep. But our LittleLife Freedom S4 passed the test on the very first hike and ever since.

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A rear view mirror that's on a cord. I found this very useful for seeing what was going on. A useful visual distraction for them as well. The carrier on its own weights 2.4 kg and can take a child up to the weight of 20kg (the carrier may take that amount of weight, but of course you may not!) 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. it can’t stand up alone unless anchored with your foot – but you shouldn’t leave a carrier in a child in it alone, anyway

Read next: The best umbrella strollers for easy travel and storage Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 easy to clean? Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet, and mum to a one-year-old. You can wipe the fabric with a wet cloth. The face pad is detachable and washable – and it’s great, because that’s what gets the most disgusting, especially after your kid eats anything while being carried. Is it easy to store? One feature I really like is the removable pillow which is a comfy pad attached with velcro just where your child tends to fall asleep. I think this really helps to keep them comfortable. It does tend to get slobbered on (hence removable!) so you can wash it from time to time if you want. Recommended for children from the age of 6 months to 3 years. We found the carrier was getting small before our little one was 3, but this was mainly due that he was getting a lot heavier and we wanted to encourage him walking from a young age and not get used to the free ride!

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I feel a lot of affection towards this carrier. We’ve walked a lot of miles and had a lot of fun with it! It’s enabled us to make some happy memories in places beyond the reach of the littlest legs in our family. I’m super pleased with how well it has held up, and would say that the Freedom S4 is a durable carrier which will last a lot of use. Read next: The best baby carriers: soft-structured carriers, wraps and slings How easy is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 to assemble? I was given both a rain cover and sunshade to test alongside the carrier. Both attach to the carrier frame using tent-like poles and provide adequate coverage no matter the weather. The sunshade didn’t quite tension out evenly when attached to the frame due to the angle of the poles. While it didn’t affect UV protection, I would have preferred an integrated sunshade to make life easier. The Osprey Poco Plus is heavier and more expensive but offers a larger storage capacity. The Deuter Kid Comfort is another popular choice, and it’s similar to both Little Life and Osprey carriers in many aspects, only its storage space is much smaller. When Tomi was younger, it covered even his feet. Not anymore. But since he walks, he has proper shoes, anyway, so it’s not really a problem. Honestly, if you buy the carrier for a 1.5-2 years old toddler who has proper clothes and footwear for rainy weather, the rain cover is not that crucial. Though it still makes a more comfortable journey in the rain (or heavy snow) if the kid has a roof above their head. The competition