In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Osprey Poco Review

A backpack equipped for longer hikes or day-long adventures but fastening the cockpit buckles causes frustration
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osprey poco baby backpack review
Price:  $350 List
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Manufacturer:   Osprey
By Molly Bradac & BabyGearLab Review Team  ⋅  Sep 29, 2022
75
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 10
  • Parent Comfort - 30% 8.0
  • Storage - 20% 8.0
  • Child Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 6.0

The Skinny

Although the Osprey Poco is not a top-ranking contender. However, its well-balanced performance is better than most of the packs in our best baby backpack carriers review and it certainly draws attention. This quality pack accommodates children weighing 16-40 lbs, with a maximum load of 48.5 lbs. It's highly adjustable (even on the fly), includes a superior built-in canopy, and incorporates design features that enhance comfort for a parent and child, making a long-distance hike or an all-day adventure more of a reality. During testing, we did experience a great struggle with the red cockpit buckles, which reduced the product's score in the ease of use metric. But, despite this flaw, the Osprey Poco brings value to the competition and may fit your needs for getting around town or trails with your child.
REASONS TO BUY
Sunshade
Breathable mesh back
Good storage
REASONS TO AVOID
Cockpit buckles
No zipper on waist strap pockets
Costly
Editor's Note: We updated this gear review on September 7th, 2022, to share how this baby backpack fares in the competition.

Compare to Similar Products

 
osprey poco baby backpack review
This Product
Osprey Poco
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Best Value Award Top Pick Award Best Value Award 
Price $350 List
$290.00 at Amazon
$340 List
$319.95 at Amazon
$280 List
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$300 List
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$200 List
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Bottom Line A comfortable backpack for longer hikes or day-long adventures, if you can overlook the cockpit buckle struggleEasy to use, comfortable pack with a canopy, hydration pocket, and ample storageDespite a lack of storage, this comfortable pack is good for those on a budget or narrower buildsWhile it has a lower price than some of the high-quality competition it is generally average in most testsLower quality backpack with a budget-friendly price and decent storage
Rating Categories Osprey Poco Kelty Journey Perfe... Deuter Kid Comfort... Osprey Poco LT LuvdBaby Premium
Parent Comfort (30%)
8.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
Storage (20%)
8.0
10.0
6.0
7.0
7.0
Child Comfort (25%)
8.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
5.0
Ease of Use (25%)
6.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Specs Osprey Poco Kelty Journey Perfe... Deuter Kid Comfort... Osprey Poco LT LuvdBaby Premium
Usage Ranges Min-Max: 16 lbs - 40 lbs Min-Max: 16 lbs - 40 lbs Min-Max: When child can sit upright independently - 48 lbs Min-Max: 16 lbs - 40 lbs Min-Max: 16 lbs - 40 lbs
Max Pack Load 48.5 lbs 48.5 lbs 48 lbs 48.5 lbs N/A
Weight 7.7 lbs 7.4 lbs 6 lbs 5.3 lbs 6.4 lbs
BGL Folded/Flat Dimensions 16" W x 10" H x 31" L 16.5" W x 10" H x 31" L 13.5" W x 7" H x 30" L 14.7" W x 9.5" H x 28.5" L
Frame Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Stainless steel Aluminum
Fabric 210D Nylon Diamond Body: Poly 420D Small Back Stafford
Interior: 75D Poly x 140D Nylon Blend
210 denier polyamide fabric. Tear and abrasion resistant, watertight to 1500 mm 210D Nylon Waterproof 600D & 300D Ripstop Polyester
Stirrups Yes Yes, adjustable Yes No Yes
Canopy Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Hydration Bladder Compatible Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Included Accessories Journey Sunshade Sunshade Changing Pad, Rain Cover
Care Instructions Drool pad is removable and washable. Spot Clean Hand Wash Hand Wash and Hang Dry Spot Clean

Our Analysis and Test Results

Osprey started in 1974 in Cortez, Colorado, at the corner of the San Juan Mountains. Osprey's goal is to create high-performing gear well-known for adventure. Osprey believes in its products and quality to such a high degree that they offer the All Mighty Guarantee, which means the company will repair any damage or defect in its gear for free, regardless of the product or when the user purchased it. If they can't fix it, they will replace it.

Performance Comparison



osprey poco baby backpack review - the osprey poco is comfortable for parents.
The Osprey Poco is comfortable for parents.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

Parent Comfort


When wearing the Osprey Poco, you feel like you're part of it, thanks to some purposeful design elements that enhance parent comfort. A more elevated level of comfort means you're more likely to wear this backpack for long-distance walks or hikes.


In general, a pack's torso length should match the wearer, an important step to a comfortable fit. And, torso customization is even more important if you're sharing the duty of wearing the pack with another parent or partner. The Osprey Poco's torso adjustment is a clasp behind the mesh back panel and offers up to 5-inches of torso adjustability.

The breathable mesh back panel is outstanding, combining the right amount of structure, contour, and ventilation. The back panel's design aids in preventing a sweaty back on long hikes and is better than competitors offering no ventilation.

Other features, like the shoulder straps' padding and waistband, provide the perfect amount of support, and the load lifters aid in fine-tuning the weight, bringing the child closer to the wearer. Overall, it didn't take us long to find a comfortable fit with this pack.

osprey poco baby backpack review - the child cockpit, including the harness, is plush, soft, and cozy...
The child cockpit, including the harness, is plush, soft, and cozy for little ones.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

Child Comfort


Compared to top-ranked baby backpack carriers in our lineup, the Osprey Poco offers a comfortable riding experience for children.


The cockpit is well-padded, along with the harness, and the cockpit's sides have some mesh ventilation. The drool pad is angled and soft for a baby's sleepy head, plus it's removable and washable, which comes in handy (let's face it, kids are messy creatures!). The pack also features adjustable stirrups for feet, which helps your child find a comfortable position for longer hikes.

osprey poco baby backpack review - the adjustable stirrups on osprey poco allow little ones to rest...
The adjustable stirrups on Osprey Poco allow little ones to rest their feet.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff


The child harness is plush and soft. Instead of buckling in front of the child, the double halo harness has front-facing loops that allow you to easily buckle your child and clips behind the child's back.

osprey poco baby backpack review - making adjustments to the osprey poco on the fly is easy.
Making adjustments to the Osprey Poco on the fly is easy.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

Ease of Use


The Osprey Poco has a highly adjustable system; however, what lowered its score is the amount of effort and force that's required to fasten the red cockpit buckles.


In our opinion, the red cockpit buckles don't have enough fabric leeway to reach and fasten, and indeed, the difficulty level seems unusual. The amount of effort makes you feel like something is "off" with the design. But, if the Osprey backpack we purchased and tested experienced this problem, we have concerns that others will too.

The Osprey Poco has a canopy integrated into the pack's design and provides UPF 50+ UV protection to keep your child out of the sun's powerful rays. The built-in canopy is easy to deploy or tuck away without much effort, and its impressive coverage made us ."o" and "ahh." It sits high above the child's head and provides airflow while in use. A high-quality canopy can be helpful if you spend lots of time outdoors.

The child seat can be adjusted up or down before loading the pack. The user manual mentions that a child must not be in the carrier while adjusting seat height. The seat has a red loop, which makes pulling the seat up a breeze — simply grab the red loop with one hand while the other hand lifts the buckle behind the seat next to the harness clips.

osprey poco baby backpack review - the red cockpit buckles on the osprey poco are a struggle to close.
The red cockpit buckles on the Osprey Poco are a struggle to close.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

The baby backpack's kickstand is reachable and locks into place with an audible "click" that's reassuring. The Osprey Poco has an external hydration sleeve that fits up to 1.5L reservoirs (sold separately).

osprey poco baby backpack review - the osprey poco has some handy storage pockets. some easy-access...
The Osprey Poco has some handy storage pockets. Some easy-access pockets allow you to stash gear or grab what you need quickly.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff

Storage


A baby backpack should provide enough storage to make your time spent adventuring with your baby a whole lot easier. The Osprey Poco has a thoughtful storage design that provides enough space for most adventures. However, if your storage needs are higher, you may want to consider a baby backpack with increased or additional storage.


The lower compartment has a zipper closure and can hold 14L of storage, offering enough space to toss your baby's diapers, a small package of wipes, one of our favorite sunscreens for babies, and other items. Open mesh pockets can be located around the child's cockpit, providing easy access to things like a kid-sized water bottle, snack, or pacifier. A zipper stash pocket on the pack's backside features a secure key clip, which is helpful for essential items, keys, a phone, and more.

We wish the open mesh pockets on the waistband had a zipper closure, which provides more peace of mind that items won't easily fall out. But it works for keeping smaller things, like a snack or pacifier, within reach.

When storing the Osprey Poco, lower the child seat, fold the sidearms inward, and secure the child cockpit by clipping the closure hooks on each side. Although fastening the closures can take some effort, it's doable.

Should You Buy the Osprey Poco?


The Osprey Poco is a high-quality option with a plush cockpit that provides a smooth and comfortable ride for your little passenger. We appreciate its storage capacity, built-in canopy (handy if your little one likes to remove and toss their hat!), hydration pocket, and structured back panel that's comfortable for the wearer. These design elements make a long trek more of a reality. Unfortunately, we did encounter a cockpit buckle struggle that was inconvenient. If you can overlook this issue, you may like the Osprey Poco.

What Other Baby Backpacks Should You Consider?


The Kelty Journey PerfectFIT Elite is an impressive baby backpack. It's functional, easy to use, offers comparable comfort, and more storage. It gives the Osprey Poco a run for its money, and we did not experience a cockpit buckle issue with this contender.

Manufacturer Video



Molly Bradac & BabyGearLab Review Team