Comfortable fitting pack with cozy seat and useful features
Credit: Abriah Wofford
1
2
3
4
5
Price:
$430 List | $429.95 at Amazon Pros: Useful storage features, comfortable fit and seat, removable day pack Cons: Stiffer shoulder straps Manufacturer: Thule
By Wendy Schmitz, and BabyGearLab Review Team ⋅ Sep 16, 2020
Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more
The Thule Sapling Elite is a high-end baby backpack carrier for little ones from 16-48 lbs. It features a cool mirror for spying on your passenger and lots of pockets for the organization of all your supplies. This backpack includes a sturdy waistbelt and shoulder straps that offer enough adjustment for a good fit for most users. The design helps take the weight off any pressure points and helps the wearer to keep going for longer periods. The cockpit is also adjustable and fits most children with ease and comfort. The ELite is somewhat expensive, with a price higher than most competitors. However, the features and quality seem to justify this price when compared to the packs. We love what the Elite has to offer and think most families will too.
The Thule Sapling Elite is no longer available. We are now linking to the Thule Sapling (non-Elite) and hope to test it soon.
Editor's Note: We updated this review on April 29, 2022. You can read more about the Sapling in the tip tag below.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Sapling Elite Vs. Sapling
The Sapling Elite is no longer available, and we now link to the regular Sapling (non-Elite). These packs are similar in size and structure but vary in their features for storage and convenience. One of the main differences is the non-Elite Sapling does not have a detachable daypack. It also has a U-shaped kickstand and a larger bottom storage compartment. See the comparison photos below Sapling Elite (below left) and the Sapling (below right).
The Thule Sapling
Thule, a Swedish company, was started in 1942 by those with a passion for life. They work to design and create gear that is easy to use, safe, and stylish for transporting everything you need for fun for an active lifestyle. The company makes bike trailers, cargo carriers, strollers, and backpacks for carrying kids.
Performance Comparison
The Elite is one of the most comfortable backpack carrier in the group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Parent Comfort
The Elite is very comfortable for the wearer with multiple adjustment points and unique features for an ergonomic fit for most wearers. These features include adjustments you can make while wearing the pack with your baby in place.
The Elite includes comfort-related adjustments that you won't find on the competition. These features give you a custom fit that can improve the wearer's comfort as the day progresses.
The Elite includes features for increased airflow along the back to make it more comfortable for the wearer in hot weather or longer trips.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
This backpack has a breathable back with a padding design that provides support but allows airflow for breathability.
The torso adjustment on the Elite is super easy and has 4 adjustment points.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Sapling Elite has a torso adjustment strap that is easy to move and stays in place without shifting. This feature helps the pack fit parents of different sizes better than competitors without torso adjustment options. There are 4-adjustment options over 6 inches.
The waistband on the Elite is comfy and the strap pulls forward which is very user-friendly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Elite has a structured waistband for additional support and it adjusts with pulls inward which is natural for the wearer. The belt fits just over the hips for most wearers in our tests and it helps distribute the weight of the passenger well increasing the comfort for the wearer.
The Elite shoulder straps are stiffer than the previous Sapling, but still comfortable and supportive.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Thule shoulder straps can be adjusted on the fly and are padded and stiff for added support. The chest clip pulls the straps together providing more adjustability and support. It helps improve weight distribution depending on the size of the child and wearer.
The cockpit on the Elite is cozy and well-structured for little ones to feel secure when riding.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Child Comfort
The Sapling Elite offers a lot by way of features for passenger comfort.
The Elite has a stable cockpit for passengers and testers were even able to jog with the pack on without too much disturbance for the passenger.
The child seat and harness adjustments on the Elite are largely under the drool pad.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The supportive side straps on the Elite can be tightened with a child in the seat. This feature makes it easier to secure passengers and prevents excessive flopping around inside the cockpit. Overall, the feature makes it easier to carry little ones and gives them a feeling of enclosed comfort.
The Elite cockpit sides and be tightened for smaller passengers to prevent excessive flopping in the seat.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Elite includes a removable face rest or drool pad. This pad is comfortable with adequate padding but is no longer designed at an angle, so it is potentially less comfortable for napping than the old Sapling. It hides all the straps for seat adjustment underneath and there are more Velcro straps in the way than the older version.
The passenger shoulder straps are soft and adjust between the frame and the headrest. The seat bottom is firm but padded well for passenger comfort. You can adjust both the seat and harness with your child in the pack, which is convenient and useful in most circumstances.
The headrest on the Elite isn't as contoured as the old Sapling, but still supportive and comfortable. It also has a bottle or treasure pocket within reach of the passenger which is very useful.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The headrest isn't contoured, or as well-padded as the previous Sapling but it offers adequate support nonetheless. In our experience, children use the back headrest less frequently than they do the front drool pad/face rest.
The Elite stirrups are height adjustable for a custom fit for comfort or leg length.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Elite has similar stirrups to the previous non-Elite backpack; feet fit inside easily and they can be adjusted for height or passenger comfort. This pack is one of the few options we've seen that comes with a canopy.
The canopy for the Elite has its own storage pocket.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
It has its own storage pocket and is easy to attach to the pack when you need it. We love a good canopy for protection from the sun and rain. This canopy has an open side and mesh above them to help decrease the sun and wind exposure near the eye-line of most passengers.
Being able to remove the day pack on the Elite makes this packs's storage more user-friendly.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Elite has a variety of features and functionalities you'll need a guide to decipher, but once you sort it out, you'll be glad you have them.
The wearer waistband has a forward pull adjustment that works well and can be changed while walking for minor comfort adjustments. The belt is cushioned and comfortable with two parts that provide a more customized fit.
The new seat height is only adjusted from the front but is easily done with a child in the seat. The adjustments are easy to identify, are under the drool pad, and move without any trouble.
The Elite has two handles for holding, positioning, or storing the pack.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Sapling Elite has two carry handles at the top that can be used to carry an empty pack to hang it for storing. There is a place to put your foot for added resistance to make it easier to do adjustments to the buckles and straps.
The canopy connects with a process of legs and toggles, it isn't difficult, but it does seem convoluted.
The canopy connection on the Elite is a convoluted process with more steps than feel necessary.
The canopy folds down easily and stows behind the baby in its own pocket. It has loops on the front, and Velcro that attaches to the back. The ends fit snugly in the front slots provided. While attachment is difficult, it is more convoluted with a higher number of steps than the competition.
The included mirror accessory is great for checking on a sleeping passenger without taking your pack off or requesting help.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
This model also includes a handheld mirror that lets you check on your passenger without taking the pack off. It is a small but ingenious idea and we wonder why we never thought of it.
The Sapling Elite has a lot of storage options and we fit loads of supplies inside.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Storage
The Elite has more storage than most of the competitors.
Better storage in your backpack means you can bring more supplies and keep them better organized for quick retrieval when you need them. This translates to easier and longer adventures with your little ones.
The waist pockets on the Elite are so large you can fit all your quick access items inside.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
This pack includes storage in two ways, a large compartment and a mesh pocket on the pack itself, plus there is a removable day pack that includes a large zippered compartment, a small zippered pocket, and a medium-sized mesh pocket. The pack also includes very roomy waistband pockets that you can use for snacks, phone, keys, wallet, or other quick-access items. While the main pack doesn't have any kind of internal organization pockets, during testing we fit a jacket, snacks 2 water bottles, diapers, wipes ad sunscreen in the main compartment. The removable day pack will fit all that and more.
After months of intense testing with six leading Backpacks...
Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
