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Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Real Men Wear Their Babies: Boba Carrier Review

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I do love to see a man wearing his little in a carrier. I know other women do, too. You would not believe the oohs and coos that Tim gets (yes, Tim, NOT Darah) when he sports a baby in a carrier! Out of control, people.

But aside from the fact that men look adorable when baby-wearing, babies and toddlers look happy beyond measure. When Darah was a wee one, we would strap her in her carrier for a dinner time stroll. That would nip the crying spell that most babies experience around 5-7pm in the bud. She would get totally quiet as soon as she was in the carrier and outside. It was like magic, people.

If you don’t have experience with a carrier, or if you are on the lookout for a new one, I want to give my most enthusiastic endorsement for the Boba carrier. We’ve had one for about 9 months, now, and I wish we had purchased it much sooner. We had a Baby Bjorn, and it did the trick just fine, but the Boba seems to offer so many other great features for little ones as they grow into toddlers. And if you can get your baby to transition to being worn still as a toddler, your life will literally be extended by 5 years. This is based on nothing, but I believe it in my heart to be true! There’s a time for dallying, as toddlers love to do, and there’s a time to get moving! When a toddler will go into a carrier, you both rest easier, especially if you’ve got a Boba and have the weight of the child evenly distributed for maximum comfort! Sometimes we also use the carrier when Darah just wants to be held. Putting her in the Boba is easier on our backs, and frees up our hands so we can do some chores about the house while holding her.

I don’t have any personal experience with an Ergo carrier, but they seem to be the gold standard. The Boba compares very nicely with it, and actually offers a few things that the Ergo doesn’t, so if you are looking for a long-term carrier and are considering the Ergo, check out this comparison chart, and I think it will put Boba on your radar as a very serious contender:

features Boba Baby Carrier Ergo Baby Carrier
made with 100% certified organic cotton (Boba Organic) or 100% Natural brushed cotton (Boba Classic) regular or organic cotton
weight recommendation 15 to 45 lbs (7 to 20 kgs) 15 to 45 lbs (7 to 20 kgs)
lining soft brushed cotton canvas (organic cotton used for Boba Organic) poplin or organic sateen
batting 100% organic cotton (Boba Organic)100% natural cotton (Boba Classic) 100% cotton
front carry yes yes
back carry yes yes
hip carry no, we do not promote off-center carrying as it is not ergonomic for the wearer yes
waist buckle centered military grade buckle buckle on the side with safety elastic to catch release
height of carrier 16 inches – clings to and supports child’s entire back, brings child and center of gravity closer to you 13 inches – may only come to mid-back of toddler, leaning-back feeling on wearer due to lack of upper back support in child, may put pressure on shoulder and chest straps
width of carrier 13 inches in the seat/17 inches mid section to hug your child 14 inches
rounded top yes – envelops and pulls child’s entire back close to your body no – straight top may pull baby closer with horizontal line of pressure against toddler’s back
sleeping hood yes – removable hood yes
foot straps yes – provides a place to rest bigger legs, improves circulation, no pressure on nerves. Pelvis tilts under, hip sockets fill out, spine aligns properly in toddler no
made in Boba Organic – USA
Boba Classic – China		 China and India
price $100 for Boba Classic
$128 for Boba Organic		 $115 – $120 for organic

 

What do you carry your little one in? Do you have any questions about Bobas that I can answer or get someone from the company to answer for you?

Disclosure: I received a complimentary carrier in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

ERGO Vs. Boba: The Toddler Carrier We Chose!

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You may recall that a few weeks back I told you that were were getting a new carrier. Some of you may be scratching you head, thinking, “I know your child is no longer an infant, so why would you need a carrier?” My friends, we have a child who loves to be held, especially by her beloved daddy. When she fit in her Baby Bjorn, she was at her happiest in that thing! There are carriers that are made to carry toddlers, we just didn’t have the good fortune to own one.

Until now! And where did we get it? That fabulous place we all know and love:CSN Stores. If you aren’t familiar with CSN Stores, oh my word are you in for a treat. This is a collection of over 200 stores in the CSN family, and they sell, well, just about everything you can think of that you might need or want in your home, including furniture, decor, clothes, toys and yes, even baby carriers. I was more familiar with their toys and their furniture from my previous shopping experiences with CSN Stores, and was surprised to find an impressive selection of some of the top carriers out there.

Boba vs. ERGO carrier We diligently did out homework, and thought we wanted to get an ERGObaby carrier, since they get such rave reviews. Unfortunately, CSN was out of the ERGOS when we went to make our purchase. We thought about waiting until they came back in stock (you can sign up for email notification when a product you want is re-stocked), but then went back and did a bit more research on another brand I had heard was excellent: Boba. We actually found a great comparison post written by a mom who owned both carriers, and she came out a bit more in favor of the Boba.

Bottom line, I think we would have been extremely happy with the ERGObaby. But I can also tell you that we are thrilled with our Boba! CSN Stores had a nice selection of colors from which to choose, and we went with the Dusk carrier. It is absolutely beautiful! Darah is snug as a bug inside of it and it has certainly made going on walks MUCH easier.

CSN Stores offers free shipping on all of its Boba carriers, and you are notified when your package is sent out and can track it. While it would have been great if they could have had our first choice in stock, I’m so pleased that they also carried another brand that moms and dads seem to like just as well. I don’t think we compromised one bit when choosing our carrier, in the end!

Do you use a carrier? Do you have a favorite brand?

Disclosure: CSN Stores provided me with a $75 gift certificate in exchange for my honest review about shopping with them. I paid the difference between what the certificated covered and what the carrier cost. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post contains affiliate links.