Snugli Front & Back Pack Carrier Vs. Ultimate Baby Wrap

There are many reasons to buy an infant carrier. For one, holding a baby, even a small one, can be quite tiring on a person’s arms and muscles. If you’ve ever tried vacuuming while holding an infant, you’ll know that this is quite a workout, not just on the arms, but also the back. Having a child slung on your hip twists your body and the since the weight is all on one side, the displacement of the baby’s weight is not equal, causing strain on your back. Another reason is that you may be somewhere that doesn’t allow strollers, or your baby is not old enough to sit in a cart, or their are no carts. Whatever the reason is, a Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier might be for you.

Unlike most carriers, the Snugli Front and Back Pack carrier lets you carry the baby in three different ways: facing forward on your back, in the front facing your chest, or in front facing forward. Many will tell you that a baby can get bored with the carriers that only face your chest (and the majority of carriers are designed this way). How exciting could that be for an infant? They want to see the world and all their view consists of is the fuzzies on your sweater. Bor-ing. Having the baby face forward allows them to see straight ahead, but at a higher perspective. It can carry a baby that weighs between 7 and 26 pounds.

Buckling and wearing the Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier is a breeze, with dual-sided buckles, and you’re wearing it. While at first you might feel a little silly having your baby strapped to your body, a Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier can really be helpful to your lifestyle.

The Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier has a padded backrest and head support for baby’s comfort, as well as a removable storage pocket, good for storing keys, money, or snacks. It’s comfortable to wear and keeps you close to your baby while allowing the freedom of movement. The lower strap that goes around your hips really helps to prevent any back/shoulder strain from using this carrier. However, a person should get familiar with all the straps before wearing their child. There are, in fact, many straps and they are not the click-in kind. The Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier is designed with customization in mind, threading the straps appropriately to fit comfortably and snug. While the straps can be a little confusing, once you become accustomed to them, it’s very useful for comfort and multiple positions.

The only big drawback to the Snugli Front and Back Pack Carrier is that, despite the mesh panel, mom and baby can get warm due to the very thick padding. The thick padding is necessary for security and safety and is machine washable, but it can get a little too warm for comfort.

Overall, I’d say that for the price you pay for this item (retails at about $30), it’s a great deal, keeping your baby secure and even displacing their weight for more comfort. This is a very versatile, if somewhat confusing at first, carrier.

If you’re a little tired of the buckles and such on typical carriers, or just want more positions to wear your baby, you might be interested in the Parents of Invention Ultimate Baby Wrap. The product is specifically designed to distribute a baby’s weight evenly so there’s less back aches and pains for mom. You won’t see hide nor hair of a buckle or loop. It’s made out of a stretchy, cotton-Lyrca material. While it can take a while to get on and properly adjust the wrap, the material of the Ultimate Baby Wrap is much more comfortable for mom and baby than traditional carriers. The Ultimate Baby Wrap consists of seven feet of the cotton-Lyrca material that you wrap around yourself and baby. It comes with an instructional video, too, and you just might need it.

The best thing about the Ultimate Baby Wrap is that it’s like buying a great carrier and sling in one. It has five different positions, unlike the Snugli which has three. The wrap can be worn tummy-to-tummy with baby, baby facing forward, on the hip, on the back, on in a sling-style for nursing or rocking. There is a hidden 3-point harness inside as well for security. The Ultimate Baby Wrap is capable of carrying a baby of up to 35 pounds. The wrap is machine washable, has a little pocket for storage, and retails at approximately forty dollars, ten dollars more than the Snugli Front and Back Pack carrier..

Essentially, I feel that although both have their strengths and weaknesses, it comes down to safety. You could comfortably wear your baby in the Ultimate Baby Wrap when younger…but 35 pounds against Lyrca? While the many buckles and straps on the Snugli Front and Back Pack carrier can be daunting, it seems more secure for baby to ride in than a length of fabric wound around the body.