Baby Carrier Reviews

With literally hundreds of different baby carriers on the market, it's easy for parents and caregivers to feel overwhelmed when trying to select the perfect make and model. However, we've found some excellent professional research along with helpful consumer feedback for baby carriers.

We found that the most honest and fair reviews of baby carriers are written by parenting experts, pediatricians, child development experts and, of course, parents. Denise and Alan Fields have written several books about babies, toddlers and related products. Their book "Baby Bargains" is the best guide to baby gear, including baby carriers. The Fields' base their picks on personal testing, manufacturer reputation, customer service and parent interviews. Baby Bargains addresses a wide variety of carrier types, including soft carriers, slings and backpack carriers.

Consumer Reports is also a credible source of baby-carrier reviews. In April 2007, the editors reviewed backpack carriers as well as soft carriers and slings. There's not much in the way of discussion about individual carriers, but there's excellent general information, as well as separate ratings for safety, ease of use and comfort. TheBabyWearer.com is an excellent and busy consumer review site that also includes a forum that lets parents discuss individual baby carriers. Retailer sites such as Amazon.com are also useful in gathering first-person feedback from parents.

When it comes to traditional soft baby carriers, there's a wide spread in prices. Some low-priced carriers -- such as the Evenflo Snugli Classic (*Est. $15) -- are generally not well regarded. Most users say that the Snugli Classic isn't very comfortable to wear; though some can't escape the attraction of the low price. The Snugli Comfort Vent (*Est. $20) does a little better with parents. It features a button-close side vent to keep the baby cool. The Snugli By My Side (*Est. $40) gets still better reviews because it adapts to three different positions and has dual side-entry buckles, but some reviewers say it isn't a good fit for petite women. The Snugli By My Side's price begins to approach those of still better alternatives. A common complaint from parents about all front carriers is the lack of back support for the parent.

In the end, many professional reviews and user comments say parents are really better off spending the money on a higher-rated carrier, such as the BabyBjorn Original (*Est. $65). This baby carrier comes in many contemporary, subdued colors. Even though they look a lot alike, reviews say the BabyBjorn Original is vastly more comfortable and convenient than the Evenflo Snugli mentioned above.