Not the best choice in child carriers...

I did extensive research on several carriers including the TT Stallion, the Madden Caravan, and the Kelty Expedition. I tried out all three carriers with my 9-month old son as a passenger, and after this first-hand experience I found that the Madden was easily the best constructed carrier, the Kelty offered the most cargo capacity, and the Tough traveller was sorely wanting in all areas.

Particularly uncomfortable on the Tough Traveller were the 3/4" thick shoulder straps, which are constructed of inferior quality foam. Most modern packs feature contoured slimline shoulder straps of high-density foam, which might appear to offer less padding but in fact are much more comfortable than the straps used by ToughTraveller. The TT straps are really outdated.
(For the record, I found the Madden to have the best shoulder straps, followed by Kelty.)

The packcloth on the ToughTraveller was of a lesser quality than on the other carriers I tested. It probably won't blow apart with careful use, but it was significantly less durable than the Cordura on the Madden carier or the ripstop Spectra on the Kelty. (My opinion: the Madden packcloth is absolutely bombproof, but somewhat heavier than the packcloth on the Kelty. Each packcloth is excellent, you just have to make a choice for durablity or light weight. The Tough Traveller cloth is the worst of the three tested.)

The hip belt on the ToughTraveller, though adequate, suffered the same problem as the shoulder straps: outdated design. (Again my opinion: the Kelty had the best hip belt. I preferred the way it attached to the pack as compared to the Maden, though both belts were of very good quality.


Cargo capacity on the Tough traveller is minimal, around 500 cubic inches. By comparison, the madden has a 2600+ cubic inch capacity, and the Kelty has a 2700+ cubic inch capacity.

The child compartment on all carriers seemed satisfactory, but my son isn't able to comment on his perspective from the seat. I would note that the Kelty child straps were the best of the bunch, while the Madden featured standard stirrups that let your child "stand" and reposition himself if he becomes uncomfortable. Stirrups are an added (more $) accessory on the Tough Traveller.

Finally, the Madden and Kelty carriers both feature a lifetime warranty. I'm not sure what the Tough Traveller warranty is, but after a call and email to their customer service dept. to inquire on pack specs, I would not look forward to having to deal with this company with any warranty issues. My simple (and friendly) inquiries to Tough Traveller were handled very poorly. The email I received was rude and dismissive, and my phone conversation with a company representative was equally unpleasant.

In the end I bought the Madden Caravan. It's phenomenally well-made, the definition of "bombproof". A close second choice would be the Kelty carrier. I cannot say I would buy the Tough Traveller carrier under any circumstances.