The Best Piggyback Backpack Carrier
Step Caddy's is designed for bigger kids: active toddlers to preschoolers (2-5 years). Its unique design creates a totally weightless carrying experience. It is perfect for hikes, festivals, theme parks, travel, and family outings.
Bay Area Parent's Magazine - 'Editors Pick'
Child Carrier for Big Kids
Discover Step Caddy: a compact, lightweight child carrier for growing toddlers and preschoolers, perfect for outdoor adventures.
Nearly all Child Carriers for older kids are just larger versions of young toddler designs. They have not evolved to account for the differences in size, weight and activity.
- They are cumbersome to get into.
- The kid sits uncomfortably facing your back, legs and arms dangling out the sides.
- They place all the child's weight on your shoulders and back.
That's where the Step Caddy is different. The Step Caddy child carrier is designed for the larger, heavier, more active child.
Eliminate Back Pain
From day one, Step Caddy was designed with the primary goal: to eliminate back strain while carrying bigger kids. While many carriers claim comfort, most still place the child's weight high on your torso, forcing your spine to compensate and your posture to suffer.
Step Caddy takes a smarter approach, positioning your child in a natural standing stance shifting all the child's weight directly to your hips. This frees your back of strain, improves your posture, and gives you greater balance and mobility on any terrain.
Customer: "I was absolutely blown away with how light my kid felt when I was carrying him."
Unrivalled Ease-of-Use
The piggyback standing position is a game changer because it is easy for your child to mount and dismount without fuss or the need for any additional supervision. Step Caddy's piggyback position, thoughtful ergonomic designs, patented waistbelt with stirrups, and the new magnetic self-locating and auto-locking buckles deliver safety, comfort, and unparalleled convenience.
Customer: "It features some very cool buckles to attach the shoulder straps which make putting it on a simple task."
Shared Adventures and Special Moments
Piggyback carriers turn every walk into an adventure by giving your child the same view that you have. Traditional carriers keep them stuck behind your back, Step Caddy lets them see, hear, experience everything, and engage with you. Whether you're exploring a trail, wandering through a market, or navigating a crowded festival, your child stays connected, curious and chatty.
Customer: "He was so happy riding on my back, his mood rebounced and he got all chatty all the way to the car."
Lightweight. Durable. Packs Small
A critical feature of the Step Caddy child carrier is that it packs up small so it can be taken anywhere, even just in case. It is engineered to be supportive and firm where needed, comfortable with four layers of foam, and also to strategically fold so it can pack up small. Small enough to throw into your bag, trunk, or carry-on.
Customer: "It is still pretty small and I shove it at the bottom of my backpack."
The Best Child Carrier for Hiking
For parents who love the outdoors, the Step Caddy Child carrier is the perfect solution for hiking with a 2-year-old to a 5-year-old. Step Caddy offers unmatched comfort, ease of use, and flexibility. It allows toddlers, and preschoolers to walk when they want and ride when they need a break, all while keeping parents pain-free, hands-free, balanced, and mobile.
Customer: "I can't say enough good things about this product, makes hikes and walks so much more fun for them!"
Invented by a Dad
Hi, I'm Nick Fishwick, a dad, an engineer, and the creator of Step Caddy, the best child carrier for outdoor fun; well, that's my completely unbiased opinion. In 2014, my kids were 5 years old, little but heavy, and they had outgrown the big framed carrier a long time before. I needed something that could pack up small but still take the weight off my arms, shoulders, and especially my back. So, I made my first prototype (seen in the photo) and they loved it. Finally, after a long pause followed by dedicated years of development and testing, the Step Caddy child carrier is ready. It is the best portable, packable child carrier there is. If your kids need the occasional lift, either periodically or just at the end of a long day, this is the child carry you need.
Questions You Have Right Now
Sling Carriers are for babies. The big Framed carriers are excellent for young toddlers who spend a lot of time watching and sleeping.
But when your kid gets more active, more energetic, more adventurous then the Standing Carrier is what you need. Step Caddy works best for kids aged 2-years-old up to 5-years-old, or up to 50 lbs.
In every way.
Step Caddy represents a new way of thinking about child carriers, with a focus on supporting the needs of older, more active toddlers and preschoolers (ages 2-5) while keeping parents comfortable, mobile, well-balanced, pain-free, and hands-free. It is a unique design that is based on biomechanics research.
1) Saves Your Back: The Step Caddy is based on biomechanics research, which is why it utilizes a special, patented load-bearing waistbelt combined with the piggyback rider standing position, completely eliminating strain from the adult's arms, shoulders, and especially the back.
2) Greater balance, stability, and mobility: The higher the center of mass of the child, the more unstable the platform; you instinctively know this from carrying a child on your shoulders. Step Caddy transfers the weight directly to the hips; the child's center of mass is very close to the adult's, hence giving the adult normal levels of balance, stability, mobility, and improved posture on any terrain.
3) Exceptional Ease of Use: By positioning your child in a natural standing "piggyback" stance, with an exceptionally low center of mass, the weight is transferred to the hips, making it easier for them to stand up when they have climbed on.
4) Eco-Friendly Foams🌱: Algae-infused foam is a real innovation with practical, measurable benefits. Traditional foams rely heavily on petroleum-based polyols. Algae-infused foam replaces a portion of the polyols with algae-derived biomass, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
5) Packs Up Small: so it can be taken anywhere, even just in case. It is engineered to be supportive and firm where needed, comfortable with four layers of foam, and also strategically designed to fold up small. Small enough to throw into your bag, trunk, or carry-on.
Yes, Step Caddy piggyback carrier is VERY SAFE.
1) Stirrups are built into the load-bearing waist belt. These secure the feet, prevent unplanned dismounting due to slips. The stirrups grip the feet during transits and relax and cleverly release the feet when dismounting.
2) Child Safety Harness is worn by the child prevents them from falling.
3) Magnetic Self Locking Buckles immediately lock the safety harness to the yolk with no hassle. The harness attachment points are at chest level, forward of the shoulders so the parent can see buckles with ease without craning their neck.
4) Web Tunnels for the harness straps under the grip handles. These protects the hands of the smaller riders. See, we've thought of everything.
Kids love Step Caddy.
1) It is the freedom from an hassle free onboarding and dismounting.
2) It is the high vantage point, so that they can see everything, and not be staring at a forest of legs or your back.
3) It is the interaction and chatting that comes from the proximity created. Step Caddy creates special shared moments, turning a tired child into a chatty child.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Try Step Caddy risk-free for 45 days.
If it’s not your kid’s favorite ride ever, return it hassle-free.
Let customers speak for us
Game Changer for Zoo Adventures!
We just spent over 3 hours exploring Happy Hollow—covering nearly 4 miles—and not once did my 3-year-old complain about tired legs. Even better? I wasn’t dealing with sore arms or shoulders from carrying him!
The Step Caddy made the entire outing effortless. Since my son was comfortably at my eye level, he could easily see all the animals without needing to be picked up. I noticed other parents struggling to lift their kids for a better view, while we just cruised by stress-free. I could feel the envy from both kids and grown-ups!
This is hands-down one of the best parenting gear investments I’ve made. Highly recommend for anyone with little explorers!
Tony N.
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Super Step Caddy
We’ve been using the Step Caddy for a few months now, and it’s a great addition to our house. We have a 2 and a 4 year old who have both mastered getting in and of the step caddy and really enjoying putting their ‘backpack’ on. Compared to alternative baby slings and other carriers, it made our children feel super lightweight and they loved being so high up. The caddy is comfortable for hikes and walks, adjusts easily for different sized adults and children whilst feeling super sturdy. It features some very cool buckles to attach the shoulder straps which make putting it on a simple task. We’re sure the Step Caddy will be a regular feature in our house for a few years to come!
K.G.
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Perfect child carrier for family adventures
Step Caddy saved the day when our 4 year old got tired on our 2 mile walk. Small and light it was very easy to transport. Simple to setup, Teddy was on my shoulders, enjoying the view, within a couple of minutes. Step Caddy made the walk more enjoyable for Teddy and encourages the kids to get out of the house.
Conwick Family
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Absolutely Amazing!
I can't say enough good things about this product for parents who love the outdoors. Unlike traditional child carriers, this carrier allows kids to stand while you walk, making hikes and walks so much more fun for them! my daughter loves it.
The design is brilliant—it distributes the weight so well that it feels just like wearing a regular backpack.
If you enjoy hiking or walking with your little one, I highly recommend Step Caddy!
Alireza
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Super useful for hikes with a little toddler
Step Caddy is extremely useful for carrying your kid when he is tired and refuses to walk anymore. It is easy to set up and allows us to do longer hikes without worrying about dragging bulkier carriers.
R.F.
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Great Toddler Carrier - 5 stars
I was given the Step Caddy for Christmas, and haven't had the chance to use it until recently becasue of the weather. But I have to say it is really oool. And it really works.
We were on a walk with my son (3), nothing too serious, just a nice walk, pretty flat, on paved and gravel paths, we were walking and he was on his balance bike. Towards the end he hit his wall and wouldn't move. I ended up carrying him on the Step Caddy, and carrying his little bike too. It was so easy. He was so happy riding on my back, his mood rebounced and he got all chatty all the way to the car. The day was saved. It was so awesome.
The construction is really solid. I don't like the g-hooks they use, but once you work them out you can see why they use them. they are really solid and safe. I think the magentic buckles are the coolest part, they make it very easy to clip his harness in, and I can see them without straining my neck. The buckles just attach and lock in, you hardly have to do anything just guide them to right location.
I wish it would be even smaller when packed up. But it is still pretty small and I shove it at the bottom of my backpack.
In summary, it's great, we love it. I am sure we will use it more in the future, more than just hikes. I hope this helps.
Mike Chef
Step Caddy Child Carrier
Absolutely Amazing Child Carrier
I was absolutely blown away with how light my kid felt when I was carrying him - you feel almost nothing on your shoulders or back. It was great for our hike, and is now essential gear for us. He loved being so high up and also getting on and off constantly.
Nick.C
Step Caddy Child Carrier
