Anatomically shaped child seat and soft face protection pad which is removable and washable (very sensible) Read next: The best umbrella strollers for easy travel and storage Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 easy to clean? 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!)

As for the child seat, my daughter was comfortable and relaxed in the carrier the entire ride but found it more comfortable to hold onto the shoulder stabiliser straps than to leave her arms dangling. She rested her head against the drool pad on a number of occasions, but didn’t actually fall asleep in the carrier (although given time, I think she would have). The foot stirrups offered some support, although her feet did slip out a couple of times. What's the LittleLife Cross Country S4 like to use day-to-day? comfortable both for child and carrying parent – adjustable fit, great padding, head support and anatomically shaped seatWhen 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 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. 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?

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. You’ll find two sturdy grab handles at the top of the carrier, which are invaluable for helping you pull the carrier onto your shoulders once your baby or toddler is securely positioned in the seat. LittleLife Cross Country S4 with sunshade and rain cover attached Does the LittleLife Cross Country S4 fold down for storage or travel? 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.

Our Policies

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? Husband carrying our 16-month-old in the LittleLife Cross Country S4 on a nature walk How we tested the LittleLife Cross Country S4 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.

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).

Read next: The best baby carriers: soft-structured carriers, wraps and slings How easy is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 to assemble? 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. 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.

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!We were able to try this carrier out with both the LittleLife sunshade and rain cover, and transported it in the car boot of our small Ford Fiesta for days out. While stains are fairly inconspicuous thanks to the grey fabric colour, you can easily spot clean the Cross Country S4. Handily, the face pad - which is Velcroed to the carrier and the part you'll most likely want to clean regularly - can be removed for machine washing. Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 good value for money? 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. 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? rearview mirror is quite useless, because string is too short, and it doesn’t provide a clear view, anyway – though I have to admit we never cared about it, never felt a need for a mirror