As a mom of a 4-month old and a 2-1/2 year old, I evaluate baby carriers based on how well they accommodate both ends of the baby carrying spectrum – from the very young and floppy to the more mature and heavy. The Boba Carrier is a great solution for both! It safely holds children 7-45 pounds and can even support newborns, making it the perfect grow-with-me baby carrier.
The moment the Boba Carrier came out of the box, it looked comfortable. The 100% cotton is soft yet durable, and the shoulder straps are generously wide and nicely padded. The waist belt is also wider than most, allowing my baby to sit higher on my torso. Because I live on a hill, I really appreciate this design detail – walking uphill is much easier with baby legs dangling further away from my own.
Another small but highly effective detail is the addition of purse-holding loops on both shoulder straps to keep your purse from sliding down your arm. Such a great idea! If you choose to leave your purse at home, you can simply stash cash, your ID and some credit cards into a small pouch in the waist belt. The location of this pocket is great as it’s not up against your child’s body, so you don’t have to worry about the corners of your cards digging into your child as he attempts to sleep. Also great for the sleeping child is the sleeping hood, which also protects your child from sun and wind. This hood can be adjusted so that it grows with your child.
One of the best elements of the Boba Carrier is that it can be used with infants without the need for an additional insert. To use your carrier in infant mode, you’ll need to roll up the waist band and rethread the belt buckles, which is not the easiest to do, so it’s not ideal to use the same carrier simultaneously for two different aged children. However, it’s perfectly fine for one child since the hassle of reversing the buckles once is well worth the convenience of not having to buy two separate carriers or a separate infant insert.
For big kids, you have the option of carrying your child in front of you, facing in, or swinging her to your back to ride backpack style. Snap-on foot straps provide extra support by holding your child’s legs at a 90 degree angle.
For a full list of Pros and Cons, please see below:
PROS:
– Can be used as an infant carrier without an extra insert
– Versatile with both front and back carrying options
– Wider waist belt sits your child higher up against your body, making it easier to walk by keeping your child’s dangling legs further away from your own
– Adjustable and removable sleeping hood can be extended to grow with your child
– Back buckle/chest buckle (depending on whether you’re wearing it in front or back-carry mode) can be slid up or down to achieve better fit and comfort
– Removable foot straps provide older children with a more ergonomic sitting position
– Loops in the shoulder straps help hold your purse in place
– Pockets in the waist belt are great for carrying a few small personal items
– 100% machine washable cotton
CONS:
– Switching from infant mode to standard mode takes some effort, as you need to take the buckles off and rethread them. Not a big deal if you only do this once for a growing child, but you won’t want to switch back and forth to accommodate older and younger siblings.
– Doesn’t allow for carrying your child in an outward facing position
The Boba Carrier 3G is an excellent choice for baby-wearing fans with a comfortable design and the versatility to carry an infant in front or an older child either in front or in back. Durable and soft with plenty of padding – this is a hard carrier to pass up! Learn more about it on Boba’s website.