Thule Sapling Child Carrier - Black

My husband and I have loved going on hikes together for years and years, then we had our little one and thought our hiking days were behind us for awhile...not with this! This carrier has been awesome! We used it last summer and fall on many hikes and it worked perfectly-uphill, downhill, 5 miles, 10 miles (haven't tried it for more yet but plan to). I usually carry our little one (figure it'd also help me kick some of that baby weight) and have no issues. It's a workout of course but Ive found this to be a very comfortable carrier. It's super light and easy to toss into a trunk and it's got very ample storage space. It fits all my and babys essentials as well as our lunchbox and my camelbak. It even has the loops/straps in the right places on the backpack straps for camelbaks/water pack hoses which I love! It gives little ones a great vantage point during hikes and it's definitely a conversation starter when you run into other hikers on the trails! People couldn't help but smile and/or say hi. Our little one loves being in this, coos and babbles happily the whole time. We've only used it for 2 seasons so far but I can't wait to break it out again when the weather warms up a little soon! Definitely recommend this, it is one of my favorite baby item purchases for sure. Another winning item from Thule!

This has become our new stroller, it's that versatile. Our toddler loves sitting in it for extended periods of time so it seems extremely comfortable. The way the seat is shaped moves their hips forward into a more ergonomic seated position. The pack does not have foot stirrups like I have seen with others, but because of the position of the legs I don't think it's necessary.

There is tons of storage space that is easy to access without help and I appreciate how adjustable it is because both my partner and I can pass it back and forth without delays for strap fittings.

My only qualm with the pack is the side sleeves. In order to get your child in and out you have to take these apart each time. They're a struggle to slide back in and buckle up, especially so if the pack is heavy or full of child.

All in all though I would highly recommend, we've been renting various brands for ages and I'm so happy we finally decided to purchase.

Everything Thule makes is great and makes sense I trust Thule with everything

Thule has managed to combine high quality materials with lightweight performance. I also appreciate the sunshade!

We swapped to the Thule carrier shortly after using a hand me down MEC carrier - and glad we did because this thing is awesome!

It's comfortable and has great adjustability for multiple wearers. The hip belt is supportive and holds the weight nicely, and has all of the features you would expect from a high end hiking backpack.

The child carrier is well thought out, stable to load and easy to use - there isn't anything we have yet come across we would want to change.

There is a pretty generous amount of storage as well, which makes it easy to take the essentials along.

Super happy with this carrier!

Really enjoying it. Easy to adjust. Comfortable for 6'0" man and 5'4" woman. Had my 9 month old in it for the first time yesterday (for about 2 hours). He was comfortable enough to fall asleep! We also bought the separate bag attachment that clips to the back. Definitely worth having too.

The simple reason we purchased this was our child doesn't sit still for long in strollers. After a bit of refusal our child now happily rides on the Sapling. At thirty pounds it is not exactly "comfortable" but it is superior in comfort to our Ergo 360.

The intention is to bring it on an international trip, however it just might be a bit too bulky. Either way it would be a great addition to any family outing that involves hiking and doesn't include lots of flying.

The carrier is attractive and pretty comfortable, but the sunshade is the worst-designed thing I've seen. It is detachable, which is not inherently a problem, but it is poor quality (mine bent the first time I used it) and really annoying and finicky. The sunshade supposedly "folds" but it is really awkward - you have to twist the whole thing and it doesn't sit flat. And there are these annoying plastic dowels sticking out that will poke you. And putting on the sunshade requires manipulating these very tiny slide clasps. I think I'm going to return this thing.

Wish it would come with a booster! My kid is a tiny format but fits the weight criterias and I just wish there was a little more room for leg adjustment. Will fit her properly eventually!

Good bag space for personal stuff. Love that it is adjustable just like a regular hiking back so it can also fit on my husband.

My girl otherwise looks pretty comfy in there!

DOESNT COME WITH BABY!! Anyone got a reference for someone to get a baby??

I just have to take a moment to thank Thule for this product. Since my kid was born I feel like I've been underwhelmed by everything baby-gear until this. It is so intuitive and works so well. My 1 year old is very comfortable in it and it has saved my back after a very difficult pregnancy. I'm officially back on the trails and feeling human again thanks to this product.

Expensive but this one is worth it.

We bought the Sapling last month, and we are loving it! It is comfortable and super adjustable, so my partner and I can both take turns hiking with our little one. The spacious compartment allows us to bring all our hiking essentials, and it is easily accessed by the side zippers, while the carrier is being worn. We also purchased the rain cover, which has been great too! We have used it a few times, mostly on windy days without rain, and it does a great job at keeping baby protected from the elements.

Thule make the best quality stuffs, I would definitely buy products from them again

Pros:

- child loves the ride, the seat seems comfortable and secure 

- lots of storage room

- lightweight and comfortable 

- many points of adjustment for precise fit

- child is stable even when leaning and squirming 

- child position seems to be hip-healthy

- able to use without help, but it is much easier with another person helping 

Cons:

- requires significant upper body and core strength for stability, especially on uneven terrain, practicing on flat non-technical trails is advised

- hiking will most certainly require poles

- seems to be more comfortable for taller people

Very excited about the Thule Sapling - it's the perfect ride for our 30lb toddler. It has great support for both child and parent, with numerous points of adjustments that can be tailored to taller (and shorter) carriers. The weight is well distributed, making it easy to maintain balance while wearing the pack. It's also well ventilated and comfortable for everyone to wear even on longer outings, and I really like the kickstand on the back that turns it into an impromptu seat when it's time for a snack or sitting around the fire. The gear compartment is nicely sized (22L) with easy access even while in use, and there are handy front pouches at the waist for smaller items (keys, phone, snacks). Highly recommend!

I've tried several different carriers, and this one made my daughter feel the lightest. I can easily do a 5k with her on my back and not mind it. My daughter loves to be carried around in this and has lots of room for toys. In other carriers she would get fussy, but she's constantly asking to be carried around in this one.
Bonus: all the other dad's are jealous.
One thing that could be improved would be to add cushioning where the back of the head goes.

First off, the material is incredibly comfortable for both the person carrying and the child. It is lightweight, machine washable, well ventilated and even contains a drool pad for any doodlers out. Secondly, this sapling is build very wisely. The sunshade is easy to deploy and provides ample sun protection. I also appreciated that I could easily access the backpack compartment (which had tons of snacks in it) while wearing the pack and was also easily able to drink via the drink tube exit port. These little details make this product ingenious. Thirdly and most importantly it's comfortable for Mt back!! It took me a little time to find the perfect adjustment settings but when I did it felt very comfortable, which was surprising! Both the torso and hip straps adjust easily and quickly so you can effortlessly switch the sapling from parent to parent. For any hikers with young children out there, this product is a MUST! You'll love it, your back will l thank you and your child will have the best memories from fantastic hikes. Ask my niece Lilly, she keeps pointing to the Thule Sapling begging me to take her on another hiking adventure.

Pack feels pretty comfortable, even with a 27lb toddler in it. The support and structure of the pack seems to do a good job distributing weight. It is not the most intuitive set up process and the manual could give a little more guidance than it does. The green color is also pretty drab, and the other choices are similarly boring. But overall it seems good. Very secure with thoughtful features like locking clips so my kid cannot easily unclip herself.

I love to hike and was always dreaming of taking my young niece Lilly on a hike with me. As soon as I saw this product I had to try it! It works perfectly and exceeded all my expectations.

First off, the material is incredibly comfortable for both the person carrying and the child. It is lightweight, machine washable, well ventilated and even contains a drool pad for any droolers out there, like my Lilly, it's a saving grace. She loved the ErgoRide seat and was singing (her way of showing how happy she is) and smiling for the entire hike.

Secondly, this sapling is build very wisely. The sunshade is easy to deploy and provides ample sun protection. I also appreciated that I could easily access the backpack compartment (which had tons of snacks in it) while wearing the pack and was also easily able to drink via the drink tube exit port. These little details make this product ingenious.

Thirdly and most importantly it's comfortable for Mt back!! It took me a little time to find the perfect adjustment settings but when I did it felt very comfortable, which was surprising! Both the torso and hip straps adjust easily and quickly so you can effortlessly switch the sapling from parent to parent.

For any hikers with young children out there, this product is a MUST! You'll love it, your back will l thank you and your child will have the best memories from fantastic hikes. Ask my niece Lilly, she keeps pointing to the Thule Sapling begging me to take her on another hiking adventure.

This is a quality backpack that you can safely put your child in while you are walking around town or even going on a hike. I did not worry at all. I would recommend to anyone that is active with a child.

I am so happy with this product! First off it is beautiful and I am obsessed with the color! It is so well made and extremely comfortable. My baby is around 20 pounds and she is so happy in this backpack and I can wear it for extended periods of time. I love that is has a stand and all of the pockets are so convienent! The only downfall I will say is the sun shade had directions on how to fold it to store it and after folding it as advised it does not snap back into shape quite right. I would recommend not folding it at all because now it's kind of off kilter and I can't get the wire to bend back. Otherwise it is perfect and definitely worth it!!

Thule sapling child carrier backpack is excellent backpack, it is so comfortable for my 18 months son and for me .
The quality of the material is excellent.
It has a seat that give leg support, it is easy to access the gear, you can remove all the components easily.
It has a good sun protection.

I was really excited to try out our new Thule Sapling baby carrier. We did a test run at the shop and it seemed very comfortable. Unfortunately the carrier broke on our first outing! Baby's seat is "secured" by a plastic clip that allows you to adjust the height of the seat. This is a major design flaw as this tiny clip takes the full weight of the baby and is clearly not strong enough. The seat clip broke and our son dropped to the bottom of the carrier. He is 12kg so is nowhere near the upper weight limit for the carrier (20kg). The quality is not at all what I expected from a brand like Thule and it's not a cheap carrier. We've returned this and I would advise parents not to waste their money on this product.

I researched all the different carriers carefully, because this is not a cheap purchase. I decided to go with the Thule, even though there was little information and reviews available. The carrier had a large storage capacity and looked most comfortable for the baby. I also trust the Thule name after using their running stroller.

My 9 month instantly loved this pack. He get's a big grin on his face as soon as he is strapped in. He is silent the entire hike and typically falls asleep. I take it he is comfortable! That is most important to me.

However, I did consider returning this pack. Before doing so, I went to a local store to try out the competition's pack. Why? First, this pack was not comfortable for me, right away (it is now!!!). And the other brand had many great reviews, while this pack had few. However, I kept the Thule.

Like I said, the pack was not comfortable for me at first. The strap isn't is soft as I am use to with the pack I use for backpacking. However, after playing around and adjusting the pack, I got it just right. Now, it is very comfortable. So make sure the pack is fitted right before judging if it is comfortable.

The other reason I stuck with Thule was the design. With the Thule, baby is more in a sitting position. With the other other packs, the baby is in more of a standing position. I guess that is why the other packs have the feet stirrups. Thule does not have them, but feet can rest on the luggage part of the pack. But again, baby is more of a natural sitting position. This pack also has a ton of storage with the option of adding even more.

I am very happy with this pack, especially since I got it adjusted to fit me correctly. We have done several short hikes and we are all happy. I was hoping the pack folded flat, (I thought maybe it would by looking at the picture.) but this would have just been a bonus. This really is great pack!

My partner and I have been using the Thule Sapling for just over six weeks and we have nothing but great things to say about it! We have a 24 pound youngster who loves to be on the move. We use the pack a least once a day if not more. It's ideal for doing activities around the house, however, it's even better for hiking. The pack easily adjusts for different body sizes/types and is incredibly comfortable. Our little dude is also very comfortable and content anytime he gets to ride in the pack. We've tried other packs that don't hold a candle to this one. The only complaint is that we didn't purchase this pack sooner. We highly recommend this product.

We just started using this pack and are very happy. The backpack itself seems safe and secure with my baby in it and obviously that is very important to us. My son seems comfortable and has enjoyed going hiking. The pack itself is light and comfortable to wear. I like that there are lots of pockets.

So awesome , use it to hike, take the dog for walk, and do chores - makes everything so much easier to do because I can use both hands. We love it.

My husband and I have used these for hiking with our Twins since they were 1, now 2 1/2. We mostly use them for day hiking all year around. Our Toddlers try to get into the Carriers by themselves before we are even ready to get them in. They love being on our backs and find it easy to take a nap on our way back down from a summit.

Some things that stand out for me;

Everything is adjustable, shoulder straps, torso and the hip belt, making it fit your body height and type. This makes carrying a heavy baby or toddler a lot easier. I'm 5'3, I've been carrying my son who is almost 40 pounds. The actual straps and saddle for the child is adjustable to your child's height as well. They have spent 2 3 hours in the carriers with breaks in between to walk around and eat snacks. They always seam comfortable.

Storage; Lot's of storage. It fits all our toddler essentials, food, water, plus a heavy camera or drone.

Very supportive; padding in all the right places!

I really do like this pack. It is comfortable, and easy to get my daughter in and out. Three minor things that I wish it changed. The kick out legs go out a bit further. When on a hill I don't think it feels secure. I HATE water bladders, so i wish there was a way to have a nalgene holder. Currently I have to keep it in the lower big pack, and stop to take a drink. I tried having it attacked to a chest pack i also wear, but it is so uncomfortable. I also wish there was a place for bear spray that wasn't by my chest.

We bought this pack for our grandson and future grandchildren.