Baby carriers (view report contents)
Buying Guide
A well designed carrier is one that works well for everyone – whatever their abilities. Most parent testers agreed on which carriers they found easiest to use, whatever their disability. Comfort when out and about seemed to override a bit of difficulty getting the carrier on and adjusting it. Uncomfortable carriers were unpopular even if they had some good features. Carriers that cold be used without help were popular.
The following carriers did best in our tests. There are full details in the Summaries.
Front carriers
All the following held the baby facing the parent or outwards.
Baby Bjorn £49 was rated best overall by all the parents with disabilities, and either the best one or one of the best by each of the groups with particular needs. With its drop-down front, many parents could use it without help. It was comfortable and nearly everyone felt their baby was secure at all times. However a lot of parents found the fastenings fiddly to use.
The much cheaper Mothercare Aquarius (£15 when it was still in the shops) was straightforward and light to use, and parents generally felt their baby was secure. It was too small for the bigger babies. Visually impaired parents found it one of the easiest for putting on and loading the baby, but parents with walking difficulties and impaired manual dexterity found it harder. Mothercare have replaced it with their similar Two Way Carrier (£15).
Tomy Safari £30 and the Baby Trecker (about £62 including shipping from Canada) were quite liked overall and babies were considered secure. However neither was found particularly easy to put on and load. Also the Tomy Safari was heavy to use. It was liked by visually impaired parents.
Slings
We assessed two traditional slings – the Huggababy £38 was liked better overall than the Earthwise. Although neither was easy to get the baby in and out, the Huggababy was light to use and fairly comfortable for both parent and baby. It was also the only carrier that breast feeding was successful in. Babies had clear views about slings, snugglers were happy in them but wrigglers were not.
Soft back carriers
A few of the front carriers could also be used as back carriers. We selected two for parents to try this way along with the two framed back carriers. The Huggababy sling was preferred to the Kipling Heartbeat Bis front/back carrier as a back carrier. Parents found the Huggababy useful for short distances but did not venture far and it was not hands free.
Framed back carriers
Parents’ own priorities dictated which of the two framed back carriers they liked. Both were at the lighter end of the market.
The Trubend GS-30 £35 was liked by some for its lightness and it was very easy to get the baby in and out. There were complaints that it lacked padding – that the metal frame caused back pain. The extra padding on the shoulder straps and waist band on the Vaude Jolly £90 were appreciated by others despite its extra weight and cost, and babies were secure. Both makes do other models with a range of weights padding and extra features, including adjustable backs for parents.
Strapped into the Trubend GS-30 - ready for loading
Report Contents
About this guide
Baby issues
How to choose a carrier
Ability
issues
Types and what to look for
Buying guideGuide to summaries
Front carriers
Slings
Framed back carriers
Keeping safeHelpful Organisations
Suppliers list
