« summer | Home | truckee: clips of faith »
gear review: ergobaby carrier
By ccrossen | July 21, 2010
Periodically, we focus on the family at RDS, mainly gear that lets us get out there with our kids, considering many of us have one or two+ kids roaming about. This review is for all those parents intent on getting out there … in comfort and style and peace.
As a father of a three year old and a four month old, there have been a few CRITICAL items that have kept me and my wife sane, traveling and adventuring. One of these is the Ergobaby Carrier backpack.
The short version of this review is as follows: if you have an infant or toddler or are going to have an infant or toddler, buy one of these carriers. They are the best sling/backpack/front-carrier system out there, bar-none. Really. And they will last through a few kids (or more) from ages newborn - three/four years. These carriers are not designed to carry a lot of additional gear, rather they focus on being relatively small and compact, while offer excellent support and comfort.
My wife and I have used one of the first basic Ergo carrier designs for awhile, and Ergo sent us a newer Original Design, which has a number of updated features, to test out. Like the older style, the Ergobaby carrier can be used as a sling, for infants, and as a backpack or front carrier. Your choice of carrying style depends largely on age, and what your child likes best, as well as what’s most comfortable for you. The pack comes in one size, and due to its adjustability, both my wife and I can use the same pack without any difficulties.
We’ve used the sling-mode extensively with our four month old over the past three months: he likes it a lot and can usually last about five minutes before he’s fast asleep. On a recent trip, the Ergobaby was our go-to for getting him to sleep on a number of occasions. Once he has adequate neck strength and can sit up well, we’ll transition him to the front and back modes, which carry the weight better than the sling mode.
One great feature for any mode is the sleep-hood, an attached elasticized fabric piece that folds up over the child’s head to provide additional neck/head support, as well as sun protection. The sleeping hood features easy snaps and elastic for a customized fit. The hood can be tucked and folded away as well.
Overall, the Ergobaby is very comfortable to wear, with wide, well-padded shoulder straps and hip belt (better than many ski-focused packs I won, distributing weight evenly, even for my 36 pound three year old son who wasn’t quite ready to tackle a 500 stairs climb down and up on a recent trip. The carrier worked fine for me, though we were in the jungle, it was quite warm and rainy, and the 100% cotton fabric takes a while to dry, if at all, in a rain forest setting. This will happen with any 100% cotton fabric, however.
The model we tested did not have an additional pocket, but you can buy one that attaches easily or improvise on your own.
Construction/stitching/fabric quality are all excellent, and as mentioned previously, these carriers will last for many many years.
Compared with the newer style packs, our older model was lighter and more compact, more minimalist in design, and a bit better suited for long-term travel. that said, the newer models are easy to fold up, stuff in a bag, suitcase, duffel, etc. and are not that much larger/heavier.
A key accessory item is the Infant Insert, which you need to buy if you’re going to use the carrier for an infant, which we did. It’s important to get this insert if you have an infant, as the carrier without the insert does not adequately support an infant’s neck, spine, and body. Per Ergobaby, the design encourages healthy maturation of the spine by supporting the pelvis, hip joint, and leg position rather than putting a baby in a compromising sitting position before the spine is ready. The ERGObaby Infant Insert also supports the safety of the baby’s head and neck in this critical stage of development. The ERGObaby Infant Insert is a specially padded and shaped cushion that can be quickly and easily placed in the carrier and readjusted as needed. This design easily enables parents to ensure that their newborn is positioned correctly on the pillow, keeping pressure off the developing sacrum, and supports the development of the spine and hips. It snaps closed around the infant, holding the baby in a cozy, protected environment close to the heart, as well as in an ergonomically correct natural sitting position.
Also look for Ergo’s new ERGObaby - Performance carrier. This lighter, sportier, pack/carrier looks excellent as well.
From Ergobaby:
Using the ERGObaby carrier gives you continuous connection, fabulous feeling of freedom, and security knowing your baby is safe.
This is the all-in-one soft baby carrier, assisting you through all the stages of your baby’s growth and moving from front to hip to back position easily.Parents tell us the ERGObaby carrier is the best of all the baby carriers on the market. It was designed by Karin Frost and has undergone extensive testing by tens of thousands of parents. Its innovative design makes wearing your baby comfortable for hours at a time, gives you the freedom to remain active and productive in your daily life, and holds your baby secure to your body so you are HandsFree.
ERGObaby’s baby carrier design supports a natural sitting position for babies, eliminating compression of the spine and hips that can be caused by unsupported suspension. The baby carrier also balances the baby’s weight to parents’ hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.
Standard Baby Carrier Features
Ergonomic design
400 threads per inch cotton poplin lining and hood
100% cotton batting in body of carrier to soften edges
One inch, high density foam in shoulder straps
Quarter inch high density neoprene foam in waist belt
High Quality buckles tested by SGS
Waist belt circumference from 25″ to 43″
Fits from 5′ to 6′5″ body height with adjustable shoulder and chest straps
Sleeping hood with elastic, adjusts in length to growth of babyHigh quality webbing, matched to carrier color
Reinforcement stitching used at all fabric intersections
Interior rip-stop reinforcements at critical intersections
Durability/strength tested up to 90 pounds
Machine washable - cold, gentle cycles, mild detergent, no bleach. Dry in low heat
Topics: Introduction |