Category Archives: Buckled carrier Reviews

TwinGo Carrier review

Buckled carrier Reviews, Reviews, TwinGo

IMG_20160101_131720802_HDRManufacturer – TwinGo Carrier

Retail price of tested design and size – £179.95

Provided to me by – Koala Slings

Website – TwinGo Carrier

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We had a twingo carrier come and visit for a few weeks recently and I loved it, both as a twin carrier, but also as a tandem carrier for differently aged/sized babies and children. There has very clearly been a lot of thought gone into the design of the TwinGo to make it work in different ways and in different situations.

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The Twingo can be used either as one carrier that carries two babies, one on front and one on the back (if there is a weight difference of 3lbs or more the heavier baby goes on the back), or as two separate carriers used on either the front or back, so that two parents/caregivers could share the carrying, or easily swap back to one carrying both babies as needed. The Twingo comes as two carriers, the base and attachment carriers, and both pack down neatly into their own integral storage bags. These are also colour coded both on the bags and the sleep hoods for easy recognition. When in use as carriers, these bags provide handy and spacious storage compartments for nappies, muslins etc. The waist band is well padded and structured without being overly rigid, and when both carriers are in use together, this support extended the whole way around my size 14 waist. The shoulder straps have a generous level of padding to help comfortably spread the weight of two babies/children. There are also safety elastic loops on the buckles for extra security.

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I was very impressed with how easy such a versatile carrier was to use. As individual carriers the base carrier is ready to go just like other buckled carrier options. The attachment carrier has straps to buckle on the make it work as a stand alone carrier, but these fit in the integral storage bag with plenty of space, so you don’t need to carry them around separately or remember to pack them for a trip out. Using the Twingo to tandem carry front and back was impressively easy to set up – you just buckle the waist bands to each other so you have the base carrier on the back and the attachment carrier on the front (without the additional straps for solo carrier use). Put one baby on your back by whichever method you prefer (a hip scoot is a great method to start with), adjust the shoulder straps to be comfortable and fasten the chest strap. Then the second baby goes on the front, with the use of the safety strap, and the panel clips directly onto the shoulder straps from the base carrier. By having both carriers attaching to one set of shoulder straps this is much easier for the wearer to use and get comfortable, as you can easily move this one strap to your comfortable carrying position, and much easier than would be possible if you were using two separate buckled carriers and therefore had four shoulder straps to contend with. The shared waist band also makes for a much more comfortable carrying experience than two separate waist bands and buckles would if you were using two separate buckled carriers.

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During the Twingo’s visit with us it attended some sling library meets as well as being tested by myself. Everyone who tried it was impressed with how easy it was to use and how comfortable they found it – I believe one lovely lady with twins even got one for Christmas. As I’ve mentioned above I was very impressed with the design and thought that’s gone into the Twingo, along with how easy it was to use as a tandem carrier or two solo carriers. I found the waistband to provide a nice level of support and it was nice to have this support extending the whole way round when tandem carrying. The shoulder straps were lovely and padded and I can see them remaining comfortable even with two larger children in the carrier.

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Overall, I think the Twingo is an excellent carrier and by far the best buckled tandem carrier that I’ve seen. Some people may be put off by the price, but if you think of it as two separate ergonomic buckled carriers (which if you wanted to tandem carry in buckles you would need anyway), then it’s actually pretty averagely priced, and it’s well worth the money with all the thought and design features that have gone into the Twingo.

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Nova buckled onbu review

Buckled carrier Reviews, Mei Tai's, Podaegi and Onbuhimo reviews, Nova Baby Carriers, Reviews

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Manufacturer – Nova Baby Carriers

Design – Buckled Onbu

Colour – Blue and grey floral design

Size tested – Standard size

Retail price of tested design and size – £52.99

Provided to me by – Nova Baby Carriers

Website – Nova Baby Carriers

Nova buckled onbu available to rent from here

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Nova Baby Carriers are a UK based family run business, who have been making baby carriers since 2011 (originally under the name SnugiWraps, which is now their stretchy wrap brand). They currently make buckled carriers, Mei Tai’s and Onbus, which are all fully customisable to your own individual tastes. They sent me one of their very popular buckled Onbus for testing and giveaway (on the Sling Sally Facebook page).

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I’ve previously used a wrap strap onbu (see the review here), but this was my first go with a buckled onbu. My first impressions were how neat and small it was, if you want a carrier that will fit in a tiny space this is definitely for you! Onbu’s don’t have waist straps so are worn (on front or back), rucksack style with the child’s legs coming out the side so that the panel goes down their back, under their bottom and curls back up between you and them to form the seat. This makes them ideal for pregnant women as there is no strap over their bump, or just for people who find slings more comfortable without a waistband. Ideally the child’s arms are out over the top of the panel, but Reu is very much an arms in sort of child no matter how many times I coax them out! The shoulder straps have a light amount of padding, very similar in level to the Connecta, and there are tightening systems both where the buckles attach at the base ot the panel, as well as perfect fit adjusters on the straps at the top of the panel. The onbu I received has a lovely floral design, but there are over 1000 different fabrics to choose from, as well as customisable strap colours and hood options.

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I found the Nova buckled onbu really easy to use, and personally found the easiest way to get nearly two year old Reu onto my back was to stand him in the carrier in front of me so the seat was already formed, and then superman him onto my back as I would with a wrap, but you could use any normal method. The webbing tightening straps were then easy to reach to tighten to a comfortable level for us. I found the padding level in the straps very comfortable, there’s enough that nothing is digging, but not so much that the straps stick out of their own accord, which I find can make straps difficult to get on and get to conform to your arms.

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We went on a long hilly country walk while testing the Nova onbu and it was really comfortable throughout. Despite slippy terrain and going over lots of stiles and hills, the carrier stayed in place and Reu was comfy enough to sleep through most of the walk. We also tested it out on a swing (which Reu very much enjoyed!), and despite all the movement the sling stayed put, holding Reu against me very securely. Through the rest of our testing I continued to be impressed by the ease of use and comfort of this carrier, and it’s very handy how small it packs away when not in use.

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I think the Nova buckled onbu is a really good carrier, very well designed, easy to use and comfortable for both adult and child. The compactness is a definite bonus and it would easily fold up into a changing bag or smaller. Nova add new in stock carriers to their website each week, but it’s a lovely option to be able to choose your own fabric and other details so you can have a truly individual carrier at a very reasonable price.

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ISARA wrap conversion carrier review

Buckled carrier Reviews, ISARA, Reviews

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Manufacturer – ISARA

Design – Toddler wrap conversion

Colour – Raspberry

Retail price of tested design and size – 559 Lei (approx £93 GBP)

Provided to me by – ISARA

Website – ISARA

ISARA baby sized in Turquoise available to rent from here

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

The ISARA arrived in a lovely box with a handle, which make it really easy to store and transport. The carrier I have received for review is a wrap conversion (there are a variety of options on their website with prices starting from the equivalent of about £63), and the woven wrap fabric is lovely and soft and flexible, so it forms a lovely snug fit around Reu and I.

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One of the first things I noticed was how generously padded the shoulder straps are and that the padded area is longer than many other buckled carriers I’ve seen and used. The shoulder straps can be used either straight down with the chest strap, or crossed over, depending on what you find most comfortable. The waist band is also well padded and is quite wide, with one continuous padded section which on me (UK size 14) comes approximately two thirds of the way around me. Someone a bit smaller could have a padded waist all the way round. The buckles are all sturdy, with elastic safety loops on the shoulder strap buckles, and there are elastic loops at the end of the webbing to neaten up trailing ends, which is a nice extra touch which you don’t get with all buckled carriers.

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On further inspection, I found all the lovely features that make this carrier so adjustable. Having been created by a babywearing consultant you can tell that first hand babywearing experience has gone into the design. The panel size can be adjusted both width and height wise, allowing you to tailor the carrier for your child’s size to carry them in the desired ‘M’ position. Where the panel attaches to the waist band there are hidden velcro strips which allow you to decrease the width of the panel and secure it in place. This way you can provide knee to knee support for a range of different aged children. ISARA state the carrier can be used from around 10 months and 8kg, although I easily cinched the waist small enough for a 3 month sized demo doll. And with the panel at it’s full width, 19 month old Reu still has space to grow so I’m sure this carrier would provide several years worth of use to a family, especially one with differently aged children to carry. I measured the panel width at 8 inches at the smallest and 17 inches at the widest, showing just how versatile this carrier can be. The height of the panel can also be adjusted using the clips at the top of the panel, with a variance of about 3 inches, so you can make it smaller for smaller children or if your older children want to have their arms out. The panel also has lovely seat darts which make it really easy to get a good seat and get the child into a comfortable position to be carried in.

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Front carry thoughts

I have found the ISARA really comfortable to use. The wide padded waist band fits snuggly around me, and thanks to the lovely seat darts on the main panel, the waist band wasn’t pulled away from me as I have experienced on some other carriers, so there was no digging in of the webbing or buckles with ISARA. The seat darts make a lovely comfortable seat really easily, and Reu has enjoyed all our testing walks and sessions. At 19 months old, Reu still had some space to grow with the fully extended panel, and I also tried it out with Dory the (scary looking!) demo doll. Dory is 3 months old sized and with the panel at its smallest size, fitted really well. I tried the shoulder straps both straight down with the chest strap and also crossed over, and for me I preferred the straps crossed but this really is a personal preference and both were comfortable. The generous shoulder strap padding was lovely and there was no digging or pulling at all. The wrap fabric molded itself round Reu and I in a lovely snug carry, and it was easy to adjust the tightness of the straps to our individual needs.

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Back carry thoughts

Reu and I also tested the ISARA in back carries on several occasions and again it spread the weight really easily and was very comfortable to use. The carrier wrapped around us really nicely again and we played horsey (I pretend to be a horse while carrying Reu), while feeling nice and secure. I even popped Reu on my back while I was climbing on chairs to clean out the kitchen cupboards.The padding on the waistband and shoulder straps were again, very comfortable, with no pulling or digging.

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Overall thoughts

Overall, we’ve really enjoyed using the ISARA and I’m very impressed with the adjustability features, meaning it really can grow with your child, or be used for children of varying ages. The wrap conversion was lovely to use and of the buckled carriers I’ve tried so far, it’s the closest to using a woven wrap for comfort and the way it moulds around yours and your child’s body. The only thing that ISARA doesn’t have that most buckled carriers do have is a sleep hood, and although this didn’t bother us at all, it’s worth mentioning as if you’re used to one you may miss it. I mostly wrap so am used to not having a sleep hood so in a way it makes sense that their wrap conversion doesn’t have one. This carrier would also be a great addition to a sling library due to its versatility for different ages. My husband aslo had a go with it and also found it comfortable and commented it was more comfortable than the other buckled carriers he has tried.

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Bunny Baby Carriers review

Buckled carrier Reviews, Bunny Baby Carriers, Reviews

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Manufacturer – Bunny Baby Carriers

Design – Bunny Baby Original

Colour – Yellow with Sunshine panel

Retail price of tested design and size – 120 Euros

Provided to me by – Bunny Baby Carriers

Website – Bunny Baby Carriers

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

My first thoughts when I opened the bag for this carrier was how gorgeous the bright colours were. I really like the sweatshirt hood (this is the option I went for on my own wrap conversion mei tai), and it’s a really nice touch that the hood is lined in the same fabric as the panel (appropriately called sunshine). The waist is well structured with a nice amount of padding, and the shoulder straps are very comfortably padded. All of the buckles have elastic safety loops to thread the buckles through, in case of accidental release. Although this adds a little bit of effort when fastening, I think it’s well worth the effort for the extra security this brings. When you unfasten the buckles you can see and feel them catch on the elastic so it’s a very worthwhile safety feature. This carrier can carry children between 8lbs and 45lbs and it has a nice sized seat, which you could cinch in easily for a smaller baby.

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Bunny Baby carriers make custom carriers so you can choose the colour and fabric design for your own individual carrier, with prices starting from 80 Euros for their budget range. They have a nice selection of custom options available including wrap conversions, roll away hood, leg padding, embroidery, ears for the hoods (always cute!), suck pads and stuff sacks. And they even offer mini versions of their carriers so your little ones can carry their toys around.

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Front carry thoughts

You can front carry with a Bunny Baby Carrier with the straps crossed over on your back, or with them going straight down and using the accessory strap between your shoulder blades. Both ways are comfortable but I prefer the straps crossed – this is very much a personal preference though and everyone’s bodies are different so see what works best for you. Reu (17 month old toddler), and I went for a walk together with him on my front with the straps crossed. I found it comfortable, especially the well padded shoulders. I did find the fastening for the reach straps on the hood a bit fiddly to fasten, as I have found with other carriers that use the double ring design. Once I had fastened them they were nice and secure, but also easy to release when needed (I have previously struggled to unfasten straps like these on a different carrier when Reu woke up upset, so was pleased these released quickly when needed). The sweatshirt style hood is great as you can cover their heads if needed but they’re not pulled so tight against you as can happen with a flat hood. It was a particularly hot day and I didn’t find the carrier too hot, and it was certainly cooler than most woven wraps.

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Back carry thoughts

Reu and I put the Bunny Baby Carrier to the test while back carrying, on walks to see the local horses, as well as over fences and through the woods. I found it really comfortable throughout and was able to get a really comfortable high back carry by fastening the waist band just below my chest. It was easy to tighten the straps to get a good fit and felt very stable, even while I was climbing over five bar gates. The only problem I had with it was that while I could reach the hood straps they weren’t long enough for me to pull the hood up on my own, so reach strap extenders or more flexible arms would be useful. The well padded shoulders were very comfortable in a back carry as well as a front carry, as was the waist band. Reu was very happy everytime we used this carrier and really enjoyed looking around at everything.

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Overall thoughts

We’ve really enjoyed trying the Bunny Baby Carrier. I really like that you can customise your own carrier so it really can be an individual carrier for yours and your child’s tastes. Of the buckled carriers I’ve tried so far this one has been the most comfortable and easy to use, and I really like the added security of the buckles safety elastic loops. And the specific carrier we tried is so cheerful and happy, it brought a ray of sunshine to our days every time we used it.

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Rose and Rebellion Kitchy Koo review

Buckled carrier Reviews, Reviews, Rose and Rebellion

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Manufacturer – Rose and Rebellion

Design – Kitchy Koo

Colour – White with pink flamingos, fully reversible to plain black

Weight limits – 3.5-20kg

Size tested – Baby and Toddler size

Retail price of tested design and size – £79.99

Provided to me by – Rose and Rebellion

Website – Rose and Rebellion

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Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

This buckled baby carrier arrived in it’s own little storage bag and packs down quite small. The design has lots of little pink flamingos on a white background, but one of the great points about Rose and Rebellion carriers is that they are all reversible to a plain black side. So if your other half doesn’t like flamingos (or whichever design you’ve selected – they have many), or if you’re in a different mood, you can just turn it round and have a plain black carrier. The sleep hood is fully integrated and tucks away into a little internal pocket when not in use, which I think is a really nice touch.

Rose and Rebellion carriers also have a wide range of weights they are suitable for (3.5-20kg), so can see you from newborn up to toddlerhood, and they also have a pre-schooler carrier which they say can easily accommodate a 5-6 year old. The carrier is well made with well padded straps and waistband. The waistband is less rigid than some other buckled carriers, and the padding is in a central main section and two side sections. While looking at Rose and Rebellion’s website I noticed they also do custom designs and accessories such as suck pads and matching handy little pockets that attach to the arm strap and hold items such as keys and wallet.

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Front carry thoughts

The straps are well padded and comfortable on the shoulders, and are easily adjustable. I did find that the straps had a tendency of sticking out behind me and on occasion this made them tricky to reach, but I reviewed a brand new carrier and I would expect these to loosen a bit with time and use so that this wouldn’t be a problem. I really like that the straps can be either straight down and fastened with a chest strap, or crossed over behind your back. Everyone has a different body so I believe the more flexibility a carrier offers, such as different strap positions, the more likely it is to suit more different people. I tried it out both ways and found it more comfortable with the straps crossed over, but others may prefer them straight. I found the waistband nice and wide and the padding was flexible around me. Reu fell asleep in the carrier the first time we tried it, and I easily hooked out the sleep hood from it’s neat little integral pocket and fastened it. The sleep hood straps fasten through double rings in a similar fashion to a ring sling, which made them very secure, although not so easy for a quick release when Reu woke up grumpy. However, a secure sleep hood is much more important, especially with smaller babies that may not have such good head control. On another occasion Reu and I went for a walk together using the Rose and Rebellion and he once again fell asleep in it, and proceeded to have his full nap in the carrier, so I think it’s safe to say it gets his seal of approval.

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Back carry thoughts

I found back carrying in the Rose and Rebellion more comfortable than front carrying for Reu, who is 15 months old. I used the straps straight and with the chest strap to secure, and again found them well padded and easy to adjust. The carrier and Reu felt less constraining with Reu on my back and I found it easy to move around freely. We went for a walk together and Reu enjoyed being arms out and pointing at everything interesting he saw. On another occasion I popped Reu on my back so that I could tidy the kitchen, and unload and load the dishwasher. Despite all the up and down and bending forwards etc, I found it comfortable, it stayed in position well, and Reu was also very happy.

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Overall thoughts

I’ve enjoyed trying out the Rose and Rebellion carrier for this review. I predominantly wrap so don’t have as much experience with buckled carriers but I found this one simple to use          and comfortable. I like the flexibility of the design and the ease with which the straps could be adjusted, as getting a good fit with any carrier is vital for the comfort of both the wearer and the baby. The reversible colour design is a nice touch and when Ben tried it out and went for a walk with Reu he chose to wear it black side out (what’s not manly about pink flamingos?!). Overall I found this carrier comfortable and a good purchase, especially with the wide weight/age range and reversible design, meaning you should get lots of use out of it.

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