I wanted to create a blog to help you when buying your hiking carrier. If you have narrowed it down to Osprey because you love thier brand as much as I do, then you are in the right spot. I have both carriers and have put on many kilometers with each pack and I love them both. I am going to simply go over the differences high-level in the chart below. Then I will share my recommendation based on use.
All affiliate links go towards the Kids Who Explore community and getting more kids outside. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support.
Photo credits to Aubrey Elizabeth (an amazing photographer in Hawaii)
The main breakdown of differences is in the storage capacity, features, weight, and pricing. I created this chart to make it easier for you to read.
More narrow and slightly shorter | inch wider, inch taller |
20 L Capacity | 26 L Capacity |
7.7 lbs | 7.89 lbs |
23.8-48.5 load range | 23.8-48.5 load range |
Same durable material | Same durable material |
Open mesh pocket on hip belt | Zippered pockets on hip belt for snacks |
Mesh breathability | Mesh breathability |
Bar snaps closed | Bar covered by material, closes partially |
Fit-on-the-fly hip belt | Fit-on-the-fly hip belt |
Same sun protection | Same sun protection |
Same child comfort & buckle system | Same child comfort & buckle system |
Same child safety | Same child safety |
Less expensive | More expensive |
Same rain shell (bought separately) | Same rain shell (bought separately) |
Same travel case for flying (bought separately) | Same travel case for flying (bought separately) |
Grab handle on top isn't as sturdy | Grab handle with more padding |
No additional mesh pockets | Additional mesh pockets for water bottle |
Really these packs are quite similar in what they can do! I chose the pack I am going to use based on 4 main questions:
How far am I hiking?
What is the weather doing?
Where am I hiking?
Am I bringing more than 1 child on the hike?
Great for shorter half day hikes | Great for longer day hikes/ multi-day trips |
Great for hiking days where you don't need a ton of layers for rain or winter as storage is limited. | Ideal for needing to pack along extra layers, summit jackets, kids clothing, rain gear, etc. |
Great for weather neutral areas where you don't need to pack a lot of stuff around. | Ideal for hiking in places like Alberta's back country as weather can change rapidly and being prepared with additional supplies is a must. |
Great for baby and parent items but not a lot of space if bringing multiple kids. | Great for kids and parent items. My toddler goes through so many snacks and our lunch bins fit in the plus better. |
I almost always choose the Osprey Poco Plus to hike with. I often lean to towards more storage on my hikes because the weather is wild in Alberta and can be winter in seconds even if its August. I always have both kids with me and my toddlers items takes up a lot of space. I usually choose this pack for travel too as additional space really helps with diapers and all the baby essential items.
I choose the Osprey Poco when I am in a warm climate and don't have to pack a lot of items along with me. The weight really doesn't make much difference for me. It is a little less bulky so if I am going downtown Banff or Canmore or to a farmers market then I will bring this pack.
I hope this helped you! Please ask me anything in the comments and please come and check out my video comparison on my social channels.
