Osprey Poco AG Plus Review

I’ve sold no fewer than a hundred Osprey Poco Plus backpacks to adventurous parents… over many years, unofficially, and without compensation. Interested and curious moms and dads simply ask me about this spectacular kid-carrying utility backpack whenever I’m in parks, on trails, in airports, or wherever. I always gush about its efficacy and life-changing magic. My kid is invariably observed relaxing or happily snoozing in it. And after my warm and gregarious sales pitch, most folks assure me of their intent to immediately purchase one.

My Poco has gone through two kids and just over seven years of heavy use across the United States, Mexico and Cuba. It’s been hiking up sand dunes, camping in the mountains, and meandering the streets of towns and cities both large and small. When it gets all dirty, I pressure wash it at some do-it-yourself car wash and it’s good as new!

This pack stays cool in the heat with all those mesh vents and a built-in sunshade. (This is great for my family as we live in Mexico half the year). For cold-weather-livin’ folks, toss on the easy accessories to make it snug, warm, and dry in the rain, wind, and snow.

Going Places

It’s the most brilliant for air travel. Kids love being in it while trucking through the airport, waiting in lengthy baggage, Starbucks, and customs lines. It puts ‘em up high. Rather than looking at uninteresting legs from the stroller, they watch all the delicious hustle and bustle from your back.

And, this thing holds not only your kid, but tons of gear. For quick trips I use it as a mini-suitcase with clothes, diapers, toys, snacks, toiletries and other things me and my son need. Oh- and there’s zipper-safe and accessible pouches for passports, cash, cellphones, jewels, or anything else you hold dear. And, best of all- you get to check this thing for FREE at the plane door. That’s super convenient. Better than paying 30 extra bucks to use the overhead bin.

One Size DOES Fit All!

Like a lot of other guys with kids, I also have a wife. And, like many couples, we are different sizes both upward and outward. What’s brilliant about the Poco, is that one can adjust it in 10 seconds to fit any body type. It’s not hard to do or I wouldn’t be able to handle it. So this isn’t just a guy or gal, short or tall, thin or stout sized thing. It works for us all. The Poco does not discriminate.

How Does It Feel?

As anyone who has seen me in shorts knows, my legs are ghoulishly weak and thin- roughly the same diameter as a petite lady’s wrists from the thigh down. Despite this, I can stroll, hike, trek, or sashay just as long and effectively with or without this pack on! One simply doesn’t need to be strong to use the Poco. Somehow the warlocks who designed this were able to distribute the weight to easy-to-cope-with areas, like the hips rather than the shoulders. So, muscle fatigue is not an issue! I didn’t wake up sore after walking 7 miles across Havana with this strapped to my back with a 30-pound kid inside. Witchcraft, to be sure- but, I’ll take it!

Best of all, the Poco puts your kid right up close to you. With heads close together, it encourages conversation and connection. I’ve logged hundreds of hours of chats- about grape juice, why the sky is blue, and what happened to that smooshed raccoon over there. This is one of the best attributes of the Poco. There’s so much value to choosing a transporter for your kid that also promotes a stronger relationship.

Today I’m wistfully passing on my Poco to a lucky new family after a final trip to the carwash.

Note: That’s my son up top, growin’-up in this same pack!