LittleLife Freedom S4 Child Carrier | Baby Carrier

Product Information

It depends on your kid, and it changes with their age. In theory this carrier is suitable for all-day use, but I can’t imagine a baby sitting in there for 6 hours (not to mention a parent who’d carry them without rest for long hours). 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. 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 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. 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

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? We also own a Deuter Kid Comfort Active SL, and I’ve written a comparison of the two carriers if that would be helpful to you. Why did we choose the LittleLife Freedom S4? 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. 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.

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?

It must be comfortable for my son as he fell asleep half way through the walk", KJonah, Simply Hike customer Details Attribute 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 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. 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. To make your child more comfortable, it has an adjustable head rest and a built-in easy-pull sun shade.

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. 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? Read next: The best baby carriers: soft-structured carriers, wraps and slings How easy is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 to assemble? Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet, and mum to a one-year-old.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? 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.

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. Read next: The best umbrella strollers for easy travel and storage Is the LittleLife Cross Country S4 easy to clean? 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). 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. 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.There are plenty of different products to suit different budgets and needs, so it's worth thinking about the type of walking you'll be doing. Do you want a lightweight system? One with plenty of storage? Or is comfort your biggest priority? If you've got the cash, we think the best hiking baby carrier is the Osprey Poco Plus, offering excellent quality and sturdiness, but for an all-rounder at a great price, you can't go wrong with the LittleLife Voyager S5. 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 LittleLife Cross Country S4 with sunshade and rain cover attached Does the LittleLife Cross Country S4 fold down for storage or travel? 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?