I want to start by saying I decided to write this review because I felt the only other review of the Tough Traveler Colt was not entirely fair.

My wife and I looked for a while to find a good lightweight baby carrier to replace or supplement the use of our Baby Bjorn. As many know, wearing a 15-pound kid on your chest really taxes your back! I tried all of the easily available framed child carriers and found them to be either too complex in their design or just too heavy. As with most people who end up buying a Tough Traveler product, you probably heard about it from some random person on the street or recall some passing reference to “the one made in the USA.” I don’t recall how I heard about Tough Traveler, but I will admit it was not easy to research. They are not available at your neighborhood REI and if you do find one on eBay, it is either so old you don’t want it or it’s a fake, yes fake! I got the phone number for Tough Traveler and called them with a short list of questions about their child carriers. After some swaying back and forth and buying and returning a Sherpani child carrier I decided to get the Tough Traveler Colt, in black.

I am so glad I did!!! I will admit it was not a glamorous package to arrive in the mail, but after setting it up to hold our son it was immediately evident why people love the Tough Traveler brand. The colt worked great. As for comfort level, it did take a little breaking in. The shoulder straps are made of very firm closed cell foam that softens after about five outings. Once these pads and the waist belt have worked in, the Colt is actually quite comfortable. Keep in mind as many other reviewers have mentioned you are hoisting a little human being onto your back.

The real advantage to the Colt is how light and compact it is. At just under three pounds it is much lighter than any of the competition. The kickstand is easy to use and tucks in towards you as you wear it. Both my wife and I can use it with no problem. All we need to do is move two waist pins to adjust for our size differences. With a nine month old that no longer enjoys being pushed around in His thousand dollar Bugaboo, the hundred dollar Tough Traveler Colt has made our lives easier and we also now have room in the back of the SUV for groceries!


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 107.00
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months