With a minimalist and lightweight design, the Deuter Kid Comfort Active is well suited to parents with a smaller frame or those who may struggle with the weight and bulk of a larger carrier.

I would recommend this product to a friend if they are big walkers, but not on a day to day basis. It's great when you're out hiking, as the carrier distributes the weight evenly so it's not uncomfortable for myself to walk any length of time. My son enjoys being up on the same level as myself as he can see a lot more. Key specs – Weight: 2.65kg; Maximum load: 18kg; Dimensions 70 x 43 x 34 cm; Colour options: 1; Weather protection: Sold separately Unlike the rest of the carriers we tested, this Norwegian-designed product doesn’t have a pull-out bar base, but instead has a base anchor where you rest a foot and then load in your baby. Because of this, it’s not possible to use as a seat for your child, as it will easily topple over without support. However, it does have the benefit of making this carrier compact yet still sturdy. The Littlelife Adventurer S2 is easy to adjust for both parent and baby. It’s more than comfortable for shorter walks of around 20-30 minutes. It’s also worth mentioning the super-soft child face pad that our little one loved resting his head against, and once again, it’s fully detachable and washable.

Whilst the rain cover is sold separately, it comes with a generously sized sunshade, ensuring your child has a high level of sun protection without reducing their visibility, although you’ll find a larger sunshade on the Osprey Poco Plus. Key specs – Weight: 3.13kg; Maximum load: 22kg; Dimensions 73 x 38 x 43 cm; Colour options: 3; Weather protection: Built-in sunshade and detachable rain cover included Thankfully, adjusting the seat isn’t fiddly in the slightest, meaning there is little risk of you trapping your finger in a fluster. For parents with more than one child, this feature also means you can adjust the seat to fit a slightly older child as well as your younger child (though not at the same time, obviously). Let the fighting commence. To be completely honest, there is nothing I would change about this carrier. With other carriers the list was endless, but not with the Adventurer S2. I feel it has been designed and built by someone who knows exactly what parents require. We will continue to use our carrier until our little ones are no longer able to fit in it. Tested by mum Annamarie Smith for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:

Despite the feather-light design, it's surprisingly sturdy, with chest and waist straps that ensure it feels perfectly secure for both parent and child. The ideal progression from a front carrier, the Ranger is a great alternative for short to mid-length journeys if you want to leave your pushchair at home. The Adventurer is ready to use straight out of the box. The straps take no time at all to get to grips with and everything adjusts as you would expect.Key specs – Weight: 3kg; Maximum load: 18kg; Dimensions: 76 x 32 x 15 cm (folded); Colour options: 2; Weather protection: Hood and rain shield included

Key specs – Weight: 3.1kg; Maximum load: 20kg; Dimensions: Various; Colour options: 1; Weather protection: Sunshade and rain cover sold separately As you and your child will be exposed to the elements, it’s essential to consider weatherproofing. Some of the carriers we tested came with rain covers and sun shades and some are sold separately, but it’s worth factoring this in to the overall price as you’ll almost certainly need some sort of weather protection.

What they say:

The only thing I would change about this carrier would be the range of colours it is available in! It is a suitable colour for my son, however if I had a daughter, I would like to have the product available in more girly colours. Other than the choice of colours available I have no further criticisms of the carrier. Tested by mum Lindsay Urquhart for the Mother & Baby awards 2018: Yes, this product should be a front runner as it looks good, feels great quality, is lightweight and very easy to use and store. Above all, my little ones are happy and obviously feel very safe and secure in it. Love it! A new and improved version of the ever-popular Littlelife Adventurer, this lightweight and super sturdy child carrier features upgraded fabrics and features to make family adventures more fun.

What I would say is that it needs to come with some sort of sun shade. I believe that you can buy them separately but think a sun shade is vital for this carrier. When out walking in the sun, the child is very exposed so needs some sort of shade, otherwise you can't go out in hot weather. The only way I would improve this would be to have a shade as part of the carrier, or for it to be included in the price. Tested by mum Ainsley Smith for the Mother & Baby awards 2018: With many of the quality and comfort benefits you’d expect from the Osprey brand but in a more compact design, the Osprey Poco LT measures significantly smaller than the original Poco at 37 x 34 x 61cm and is over a kilogram lighter too, making it a lightweight option for everyday urban environments as well as rural walks and treks in the countryside. Key specs – Weight: 1.9kg; Maximum load: 20kg; Dimensions: 73 x 32 x 41 cm; Colour options: 2; Weather protection: Sold separatelyDisappointingly, the item only came with a tag that explained how it works in very basic terms. There were no images, or a step by step, which would have reassured me that I was using the product 100% correctly. The carrier was easy to figure out, but providing clearer and more in depth instructions would ease your mind. Product Information