In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

LuvdBaby Premium Review

Inexpensive option with good storage, but it isn't that comfortable to wear or ride in
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luvdbaby premium baby backpack review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   LuvdBaby
By Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Dec 19, 2019
60
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 11
  • Parent Comfort - 30% 6.0
  • Storage - 20% 7.0
  • Child Comfort - 25% 5.0
  • Ease of Use - 25% 6.0

The Skinny

The LuvdBaby Premium is a budget-friendly option with good storage and some interesting features. It's somewhat basic compared to the other options in our baby backpack carrier review, and it doesn't offer enough features for parent or child comfort to earn enough points to compete with the winners. Improvement in these areas might make the LuvdBaby a contender. But, it provides more than most of the wallet-friendly competition. Even though none of the packs are super user-friendly, the LuvdBaby Premium is easier to use than some of the competition, thanks to straightforward features. Overall, it's nice to see a less expensive baby backpack provide a better user experience and decent storage, essential factors when toting your child around.
REASONS TO BUY
Budget-friendly
Good storage
REASONS TO AVOID
Lower quality
Not very comfortable for parent or child
Editor's Note: We updated the LuvdBaby Premium's gear review on September 8th, 2022, to ensure the product is available, that the information is still current, and to add charts to the metrics.

Compare to Similar Products

 
luvdbaby premium baby backpack review
This Product
LuvdBaby Premium
Awards Best Value Award Best Value Award    
Price $200 List
$179.90 at Amazon
$280 List
$280.00 at Amazon
$135 List
$109.95 at Amazon
$140 List
$139.99 at Amazon
$130 List
$129.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
60
79
41
29
18
Star Rating
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Pros Budget-friendly, good storageEasy on the wallet, fit for narrower builds, comfy for passengers and parentsInexpensive, sun and rain canopyLightweight, budget-friendlyPlush lumbar padding
Cons Lower quality, not very comfortable for parent or childVery limited storage, canopy costs extra, no dedicated spot for a hydration bladderHard to access storage, convoluted adjustments, poor child comfortNo torso adjustment, no canopy, thin paddingLimited adjustability, no storage, no stirrups, inadequate canopy
Bottom Line Inexpensive option with good storage, but it isn't that comfortable to wear or ride inThis high-quality, less expensive pack is comfortable for babies and parents with narrower builds but the storage is limitedAwkward functionality in a poorly fitting packLimited adjustments means a poor fit for parents and babiesA bare-bone backpack carrier with limited adjustability or features
Rating Categories LuvdBaby Premium Deuter Kid Comfort... Clevr Cross Country Phil and Teds Parade Chicco SmartSupport...
Parent Comfort (30%)
6.0
9.0
5.0
1
1
Storage (20%)
7.0
6.0
3.0
4.0
1
Child Comfort (25%)
5.0
9.0
4.0
2.0
1
Ease of Use (25%)
6.0
7.0
4.0
5.0
4.0
Specs LuvdBaby Premium Deuter Kid Comfort... Clevr Cross Country Phil and Teds Parade Chicco SmartSupport...
Usage Ranges Min-Max: 16 lbs - 40 lbs Min-Max: When child can sit upright independently - 48 lbs Min-Max: 16 lbs - 33 lbs //Min/Max:// 16 lbs - 40 lbs Min-Max: 17 lbs - 40 lbs
Max Pack Load N/A 48 lbs 40 lbs 40 lbs 40 lbs
Weight 6.4 lbs 6 lbs 5.3 lbs 4.6 lbs 5.8 lbs
BGL Folded/Flat Dimensions 14.7" W x 9.5" H x 28.5" L 16.5" W x 10" H x 31" L 15" W x 11" H x 30" L 14" W x 7.5" H x 24" L 17" W x 11" H x 35" L
Frame Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum
Fabric Waterproof 600D & 300D Ripstop Polyester 210 denier polyamide fabric. Tear and abrasion resistant, watertight to 1500 mm 600d Oxford Cloth 300d and 600d Fabric 90% Polyurethane Foam Pad
10% Polyester Fiber Batting
Stirrups Yes Yes No No No
Canopy Yes No Yes No Yes
Hydration Bladder Compatible Yes No No No No
Included Accessories Changing Pad, Rain Cover None
Care Instructions Spot Clean Hand Wash Spot Clean, No Detergent Spot Clean Wipe Clean Only

Our Analysis and Test Results

The LuvdBaby is a company born of necessity when a dad embarked on the potty training journey with his child. This Irish, family-owned venture primarily sells toilet training and related items. They recently dipped a toe into other areas and began selling the Premium backpack in the US, as our hiking season is longer (as relayed by the founder).

Performance Comparison



luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby is not the most comfortable to wear as heavier children...
The LuvdBaby is not the most comfortable to wear as heavier children will be more uncomfortable to carry.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Parent Comfort


The LuvdBaby Premium backpack is not that comfortable for the wearer. While it can feel okay at first or with smaller passengers, overall, it isn't comfortable enough to use with larger children or on longer adventures.


luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - despite padded shoulder straps and load lifters designed to ease a...
Despite padded shoulder straps and load lifters designed to ease a heavy load, the LuvdBaby is still uncomfortable for most testers, especially when using with older/heavier children.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The shoulder straps are padded, but the padding thickness is lacking, and the structure is minimal. While the straps have load lifters, some testers experienced significant discomfort with heavier passengers compared to the competition, which couldn't be relieved no matter what adjustments were made.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby waistband isn't as padded or ergonomically shaped as...
The LuvdBaby waistband isn't as padded or ergonomically shaped as some of the competition. The structure lacks a curve for natural body shaping resulting in chaffing or rubbing on the top of the wearer's bottom or hip bones.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The waistband on the pack is less structured and padded than much of the competition. The shape and design of the band put pressure on the top of the buttocks, and some testers complain that it chaffed over time and was generally uncomfortable to wear when weighted down with a passenger. Other smaller testers reported that the lack of contour in the belt resulted in pressure on the front of the hip bones when carrying heavier children.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the back of the luvdbaby has mesh for airflow, which wasn't a common...
The back of the LuvdBaby has mesh for airflow, which wasn't a common feature in the less expensive packs making this a standout.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The back padding on the Premium is better than the less expensive competition, and it is one of the few cheaper options that provide torso height adjustment with a range of 3.5-inches.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby isn't the most comfortable for passengers with fewer...
The LuvdBaby isn't the most comfortable for passengers with fewer features designed for little ones.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Child Comfort


The LuvdBaby is not the most comfortable pack for children as it lacks some of the features found in the more expensive competition that keeps little one's comfort at the forefront.


luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby cockpit isn't as structured or well-padded as much of...
The LuvdBaby cockpit isn't as structured or well-padded as much of the competition. It lacks a side-entry point, and the back headrest isn't high enough for taller passengers. It also lacks an angled front face pad for more comfortable resting.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The cockpit is roomy and not as secure feeling as some of the competition, with less padding overall and small wings to keep little ones contained. There is no side entry on this pack, so you need to lift the child up to place them down and into the pack.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The back headrest is virtually non-existent depending on your child's height, and the front lacks a good face pad for napping. While there is a pad present in front of the baby's face, it isn't angled for comfort, nor is it removable to keep it clean. The Premium has two lightly padded shoulder straps that connect to the front of the cockpit near the seat bottom. The strap height adjusts with Velcro. There is an elastic sternum strap with a buckle in the middle that moves up and down on the shoulder straps, which we could not keep in one place. The mechanism (straps and levers) to adjust the shoulder strap lengths are found near the child's hips, which is a strange, less user-friendly location.

The manual gives instructions about strap placement for the cockpit and the child's leg. We couldn't see how following the instructions would be possible or even comfortable for little ones placing their legs above a strap instead of below.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby comes with stirrups which can increase passenger...
The LuvdBaby comes with stirrups which can increase passenger comfort by preventing dangling legs or chaffing from swinging legs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

This pack offers child stirrups to help offer support for the baby's feet and prevent dangling leg discomfort. Our little testers liked and used the stirrups with no problems.

The canopy legs on the LuvdBaby slide into fabric loops in the back...
The canopy legs on the LuvdBaby slide into fabric loops in the back before connecting via plastic connectors in the front.
The canopy on the LuvdBaby is somewhat small and could block...
The canopy on the LuvdBaby is somewhat small and could block visibility for the passenger depending on their height.

The Premium comes with a canopy, which is nice given that many less expensive packs forgo this useful addition. The canopy is somewhat flimsy and can block the visibility of taller children, but it's better to have protection from the sun and rain than not have protection. It also includes a rain shield, but it isn't as practical in use as we'd hoped.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby isn't the easiest to use, but compared to the...
The LuvdBaby isn't the easiest to use, but compared to the competition, it fared relatively well.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


The LuvdBaby Premium is relatively easy to use compared to others in our review of baby backpacks.


luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - adjusting the torso height on the luvdbaby is convoluted but not...
Adjusting the torso height on the LuvdBaby is convoluted but not challenging.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The torso strap adjustment is simple and can be done with little ones in the pack. The adjustment is Velcro and requires threading through a variety of slots to make the change. While not difficult, it is somewhat convoluted. Theoretically, you won't be making this change often if the same parent wears the pack.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the shoulder straps and waistband on the luvdbaby are easy enough to...
The shoulder straps and waistband on the LuvdBaby are easy enough to adjust on the go, but we think they could be easier if the waistband was a pull-forward movement.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The shoulder straps are easy to adjust with the pack on or off. The straps have some ventilation for airflow but less than the higher-priced competition. The waistband is also easy enough to adjust, though the strap tightens with a pullback that isn't as smooth as the pull forward, more ergonomic adjustment found on some of the competition.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The child's shoulder strap height adjusts with Velcro. The seat height can be shifted up or down using a strap mechanism you pull to increase the seat height and a buckle you lift to release the strap to lower the seat. The process is easy and one you'll likely want to do with your baby out of the pack.

The carry handle on the LuvdBaby is on the back of the pack.
The carry handle on the LuvdBaby is on the back of the pack.
The kickstand on the LuvdBaby feels stable and is easy to operate...
The kickstand on the LuvdBaby feels stable and is easy to operate for the wearer.

The Premium has a single carry handle (above left) on the back of the pack where the wearer's back goes near the child's face. The pack's kickstand (above right) is easy to push out and pull in. It isn't stiff, it works well, and it feels stable.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the luvdbaby offers an adequate amount of storage for most outings.
The LuvdBaby offers an adequate amount of storage for most outings.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Storage


Storage is an important factor to consider when you're on the go with your child. The LuvdBaby has adequate storage for a pack in this price range with an above-average placement in the group.


This pack has a mesh stow pocket on either side (shoulder level) for water bottle storage. You won't be able to reach these pockets as the wearer, and a tall bottle is unlikely to stay in place. The mesh is loose and semi-stretchy across the top. This pack also doesn't have a hydration bladder or location for one, which is a bummer as longer adventures are far easier with a hydration bladder.

The waistband pockets on the LuvdBaby are large and have a zipper...
The waistband pockets on the LuvdBaby are large and have a zipper closure.
The main compartment is roomy and will fit most items including the...
The main compartment is roomy and will fit most items including the rain cover and changing pad included with the pack.

The waistband on the Premium has two pockets, one on each side that closes with a zipper (above left). They are both on the large side and can fit even larger cell phones, and other items with the waistband pulled tightly across the hips. The back of the pack also has a low pocket between the kickstand legs that closes with a zipper (above right). This main storage compartment on the Premium is large and deep enough to hold multiple essential items. The compartment is accessed by a zipper that runs across the top; it is hard to open this pocket with a single hand.

luvdbaby premium baby backpack review - the top rear pocket on the luvdbaby is insulated and could...
The top rear pocket on the LuvdBaby is insulated and could potentially retain the temperature of its contents better than non-insulated pockets.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

In addition to the main compartment is a medium-sized, insulated compartment located higher up on the backside behind a small mesh pocket. The backpack includes a well-padded, large changing pad (not commonly included with backpacks), a detachable canopy, and a rain/wind cover that stows in the main storage compartment (also a unique offering).

Should You Buy the LuvdBaby Premium?


Although the LuvdBaby doesn't score as high as some award winners, it offers a lot for its very affordable price, and we consider it an option for those with a tight budget. It's not the most comfortable backpack in the group (although it's not the worst), so if comfort is your main priority, we suggest looking elsewhere. But, the LuvdBaby can be a helpful baby-carrying pack for occasional or shorter adventures.

What Other Baby Backpacks Should You Consider?


In our opinion, you get what you pay for when it comes to baby backpacks, and we don't recommend going below LuvdBaby Premium's price. If your budget can stretch, the Deuter Kid Comfort Active SL is a compelling contender to consider. It's a wallet-friendly option that scores higher and offers exceptional comfort for the parent and child. It's also a good fit for parents with a narrower frame.

Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
 

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