Customer Reviews

Chicco Smart Support Backpack Blue Sky

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First, my now 27 mo old son has loved this pack since he was 7 mos old!

Pros:
(a) price,
(b) lightweight,
(c) sunshade/rainshield is generously sized without getting in the way ... it creates a very effective barrier to winter winds and precipitation
(d) stable when loading your kid,
(e) minimal extra backpack storage, which I think is deadweight,
(f) lots of webbing to clip accessories on or carry a jacket by pushing through a loop,
(g) fits my 6'0" 175lb husband very easily!

Cons:
(a) designed for a longer torso than I have (15.5" back waist to neck) and there's no way to get a snug back fit from shoulder pads to lumbar support,
(b) there is only 1 chest strap position and I'd like it to be 2" higher,
(c) kick stand lock is located on the back leg, approximately 1" below my right shoulder blade (makes it awkward to lock/unlock the kick stand by myself),
(d) the label on the pack says child weight limit is 33lbs while the item is described as going to 40lbs,
(e) there's no place for your kid to put his feet if he's big enough that his legs dangle.

How I use it: when I dont want a stroller - walking the dog, walking about town on errands in the snow (urban living), riding the bus or subway, wearing it on extended playground/zoo visits in case my son gets tired at the end.

I'm a mother of a 21-month-old. I just got a puppy and was having a hard time managing the stroller AND the leash on our walks. This backpack is perfect. It fits me well and my daughter loves it. She asks to stay in it when we're done! I was worried about that because she never liked any of the baby carriers I've tried before when she was younger. You do have to toughen up your shoulders (by taking shorter walks at first) before going on any long hikes, of course. I don't understand the chest problem on one of the other reviews, because the chest strap is adjustable, long, and sits just below the shoulders, avoiding the "busty" area very well. However, it does come out of the box at the shortest setting, so you have to loosen it to fit your frame. The question of being able to "close" the frame with the child in it doesn't seem to be an issue on mine. The stand part folds up easily under the child once the child is on your back. You do need long enough arms to grab it behind you, though. It makes no difference to you or the child if you leave the frame in the open position during your walk, but if you're in tight quarters, you'll want to close it. I did make the mistake of trying to put Aeryn's (my daughter's) feet behind me in the frame at first, which made her knees rest uncomfortably on the frame. The legs are supposed to go naturally forward toward either side of your waist. (The picture on the box helped me figure that out.) It is for kids from 6 months up to 36 months, and comes with a clear rain shield that easily zips onto the retractable sun shield. The rain shield is also helpful in windy conditions- my daughter thinks it's cool and leans over to fog it with her breath. It's not easy to do with a six-month-old puppy jumping around on you, but I've even managed to get into the straps and stand up from the floor with Aeryn in the pack (I'm reasonably fit, and she's just under 30 pounds). This thing is rugged, comfortable, good-looking, and has "be prepared" features like a cellphone holder and a matching fanny pack (that can be carried on the frame, if you'd rather).

I am a six foot tall women with large size ribs and medium chest and this backpack fits me very well. As I am large and this pack fits me, I would think this would ajust to a small person well. I especially like all the padding on the surface that meets your back. I hike hills up to two hours with my seven month old (19 lbs) in the pack without problems. The built in shade cover is great as you dont have to put it on and off as needed. The pack is very comfortable for both of us. The interior of the pack also adjusts for the baby size and as mine grows taller, I can drop him lower in the pack. I looked at many other more expensive packs as I thought they would be better fitted out, but this pack has all the features I wanted for a lower price. I highly recommend this pack.

We bought this carrier after owning an older one that has started to look quite ugly. I must say, this company thought of everything! There is a place for my cell phone right on the shoulder straps and the padding for the parent in the shoulder and back area is superb. I never thought I would use a canopy on this type of product but I have and it is a great feature to keep your little one dry. Great job Chicco

I was tempted by the price of this pack, but as a hiker, I should have known better. A quality pack should have a wide, padded strap that sits on the hips and distributes weight to the lower half of the body. The pack should feel like it is perched on your hips and holds itself up. With this one, the weight was all on my shoulders, pulling me down. After a few minutes my fingers were tingling from poor circulation, and after 30 minutes, my shoulders were absolutely killing me. Also, my child's head was several inches lower than mine, even though she is a very tall 14-month-old, so she was looking at the back of my head. I returned it immediately, but could not do so by mail because once you snap the back into place, there is no way to collapse it, so it won't go back in the box. I had to return it to a store and got store credit instead of my money back. I now realize that to get a really good pack I'll probably need to go through a hiking company rather than a baby company. It will cost a lot more but it will be worth it.

I just received this today, and from the moment it arrived I've been testing it all day with my 8mo old 23lb little boy. I'm 5'4" and had no trouble adjusting the shoulder straps to fit me perfectly. I'm also a busty busty gal, and the chest strap was no issue for me, I even have more room should I need it (though I doubt it). Baby boy loves it. I plan on using it this summer for camping trips with our family (4 kids) so having free hands is a must, and baby boy is too much of a porker to put in a front pack. I also plan to use it for short outings, like a quick trip to the post office or to and from the car for picnics (most places we go are not stroller friendly).
Cons that I have noticed already.....
There isn't a whole lot of extra storage with this, just one little pouch (big enough to fit maybe 3 diapers and a travel case of wipies) and a glasses case.... so with my shoulders occupied, finding places to stash stuff I might need may prove to be an interesting task.
Baby boy sits eye level with my hair, and has yet to NOT pull it.... mommies with grabby babies may want to invest in a hat.

Otherwise, I'm pleased so far- then again, I've only had it a day.

We had originally purchased an Evenflo toddler backpack and it ripped apart. We use it at least a couple times a week. We can put the baby in it and mow the lawn, grocery shop, whatever. The Evenflo had a handle on the back to use to lift the baby up which was awesome and I wish this had one. We had to take the over the shoulder straps out of the pillow/cushion otherwise it would not fit around our baby--he's 21mos and in the bottom 25% for size, so the pillow is a great idea, but doesn't work for a toddler. Also, the straps do not fit myself (5ft tall) or my husband (6'2"). On me, the waist strap sits around my thighs and on my husband, the chest trap would strangle him if he did it up. But, if you're in between our sizes, it would probably fit great. Overall we really like it and have decided NOT to send it back. Our baby loves to look over our shoulders and see everything around him. It is holding up well with use and we have now had it for at few months. I do recommend this because overall it is a great value for the price. Just be aware of its limitations.

I have been using this baby backpack for about 5 months now and am generally pleased. My son is now 19 months old and he seems to like it. It is comfortable and I like the built in sun shade. The only thing keeping it from a 5 star rating is the fact that the chest strap is not adjustable in its position on the shoulder straps and if I use it, it comes right up under my chin. It seems fine without using the chest strap though and the position may work for shorter people (I am 6'2"). The price of this product is about half of the competitors (I paid $89) but I have never tried the others so can't say if they are worth it but I am pleased with this one so the others need to be a lot better to justify the extra cost. I mostly use it around town and for hiking. It is big because of the frame, but folds up flat a little. I assume all the models with a frame are big which might be a consideration if used for travel. I did use a Baby Bjorn once when my son was small enough to fit (which is very good for travel because no frame) and did not like it unless I wore it on my back (not the normal position). When I wore the Baby Bjorn on my stomach it casued my back to ache very quickly but I assume that was an issue with me personally.

This backpack is lightweight, and my son loves sitting up high so he can see everything. He never complained about getting in the backpack like he usually does when we try to put him in the stroller. It is extremely uncomfortable for my husband and I when we wear it, however. Neither of us can wear it for longer than 20 min at a time, and I'm usually ready to take it off after 10. Our son is only 21 lbs, which is well-below the highest recommened weight for this product. We have tried to make every adjustment possible. If it was not already past the 30-day return mark, I would return it.

I was going to order this backpack but wanted to try it out first. I went to a local store with a friend and tried this thing out. The sternum strap would not even snap over my chest...I have an average build but have a chest....and it would'nt reach. My friend tried it also and had the same problem. I would suggest that if you are interested in this carrier you find one and try it on first or it could be a costly mistake.