Monday, July 25, 2011

The Beco Vs. The Ergo: Who wins the battle for the best carrier?

Posted in Baby Time, Online scrapbooking, review

Here I am carrying Miriam in the Beco last month at Meredith’s baby shower.

Gabe enjoying the views from my back at the zoo when he was 10 months old.

Today is the battle to decide which is the best baby carrier. I have heard several moms debate between which one to get, so I thought that I would give the pros and cons for each, from my humble opinion :).

The Beco Pros:

  1. Let’s start with the superficial shall we. The Beco carrier is much cuter than the Ergo. I almost feel like I should be walking down the red carpet of stylish baby gear when I sport the Beco (if such a thing existed that is). They really have adorable prints. I mean, take a look here. I could even put a bird on my beco :).
  2. The Beco I know was at one point made in the USA, but I’m not sure if that is still the case. I think that my Beco says that it was assembled in another country. Do any of you know if they still make the Beco in the USA at all?
  3. The Beco has a built in carrier for small infants, although Miriam was already too big for that part when I got it used off of Craigslist.
  4. I don’t know how to explain the design, but I feel like babies are a little more secure in the Beco. With the baby secure in place within the carrier between an extra layer of fabric, it would be ideal for transferring baby between adults (although we have never done this) or a little safer to put on my back.

The Beco Cons:

  1. I feel like I have a harder time getting comfortable in the Beco. I think that I need someone who is a Beco expert help me get situated in it, because I feel like no matter how much I adjust it, it just doesn’t feel exactly right or comfortable. I think the weirder fit has something to do with the extra piece of fabric in the inside that keeps baby more secure.
  2. It is a little more of a pain in the booty to put on than the ergo, and because I haven’t gotten the perfect fit, I haven’t even attempted to use it on my back.
  3. The Beco is more expensive than the Ergo. It is at least a solid $20-30 more from what I have seen online.

Ergo Pros:

  1. Okay, so a little of this will be repetitive since I have already started comparing, but the Ergo is so comfortable. Last Saturday, I literally carried Miriam (who weighs probably 21 pounds), for around 5 hours before my back started hurting, and truth is…. I was just exhausted from being out and about that long.
  2. Ergo is a little more affordable and a little more common so it may be easier to find used??
  3. I have mastered putting babies on my back in the Ergo. Miriam is just barely getting to the age where I feel comfortable moving her to my back.
  4. I think that newer Becos have the head cover, but mine doesn’t. I love that when Miriam falls asleep, I can cover her head with the head cover to give her peace and protect her from the rain or sun.

Ergo Cons:

  1. Like I mentioned before, the Ergo doesn’t tend to be as cute as the beco, although I think that they are coming out with funkier colors/prints.
  2. Even though the Ergo is more affordable than the Beco, it is still expensive. $95 is a lot to pay for a baby carrier.
  3. Okay, is there any way that the designers of the ergo can make it so my fat doesn’t get sucked over the strap of the ergo when I wear Miriam on my back? It is so not complimentary. What’s that you say… I just have to lose stomach fat to prevent that… oh shucks!!
  4. I don’t love the infant insert with the Ergo. I’d honestly rather just use the Bjorn until baby’s legs fit into the Ergo. They just don’t seem that secure. The Beco is probably better for a tiny baby.

Okay, so although both baby carriers are great, I think that we have a clear winner. If I had to choose, I would definitely choose the ergo!! In fact, often times when they are sitting next to each other, I do choose the Ergo. I would love to hear your opinions. Do you agree? Disagree? Or are you the leader of the fan club for a totally different carrier?

Posted in Baby Time, Online scrapbooking, review

10 comments

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EmmaJ - July 25, 2011 - 4:00 am

Thanks for this. I have been looking at the Ergo because they now come in cute Petunia Picklebottom patterns. I have also looked at the Boba, the kids look like they fit better in these from the pictures I’ve seen. Do you know anyone who has one of those?
Also, why do all of these carriers have four letter names?
We use the Bjorn. We have a couple of them. We use them until our children are almost a year because they don’t exceed the weight limit. After that they are in the stroller. The only thing I don’t like is that, depending on the bra I am wearing, my boobs stick out the side and look like headlights.

kara - July 25, 2011 - 12:43 pm

I’ve never heard of the Boba, is it closer to a beco… because maybe it does sound familiar. I actually really like the bjorn until 5 months, when my babies are 20 pounds :). Haa… if your boobs stick out like headlights, then at least everyone will know you are coming and not to get in your way :).

Camille - July 25, 2011 - 1:07 pm

I’m with you about being disgruntled with the gut hanging over the waist strap thing. I don’t think my stomach will ever be the same after having kids, but I’d rather not accentuate that fact. Overal, though, I am completely satisfied with my Ergo except for the fact that I was a cheapskate and bought a ridiculous bubble-gum pink one because it was on sale. Save $20 and be covered in pink paisleys? I’m not sure I’d make that decision again.

Beka - July 25, 2011 - 1:43 pm

I LOVE my Beco!!! I’ve used it everyday with my little one for the last 2 years.

One thing I didn’t see mentioned about the Beco is the one thing that happens to be my favorite feature…because of the way it is built (with a frame/fabric part inside) you can easily move a child from front to back or from person to person. This came in handy when our son was younger and slept in the Beco a lot. I could take him off me and put the Beco on my husband without taking the baby out! Also, and perhaps this is TMI, it is really easy to unbuckle the waist strap and use the bathroom without removing the little one :).

One last thing about the Beco — I broke a buckle when I shut it in the car door and their customer service was fantastic! Sent me a new buckle in 2 days at no charge (even though it was my fault that it broke). I was very impressed.

kara - July 25, 2011 - 3:28 pm

Haaa… I’m sure that I would have bought whatever color/print was cheapest too. I would be cool with bubble gum pink, but not sure that Chris would sport that all over. Actually, he probably wouldn’t care since he wears the Beco with a pink print.

Beka,
We have not used the transferring feature I must say. Great to know that they have good customer service. Good to know about going to the bathroom. Going to the bathroom can be quite the juggling act now :).

Rachel - July 25, 2011 - 4:07 pm

What worked for us was to start with the Moby (the Bjorn was just never comfortable for Ryan or me) and then move to the Ergo when he got too heavy. Moby then Ergo is my advice to any new mom. My friend Heidi said to me, “Carriers are like strollers, you think you will be able to find the ONE that works for everything, but you actually need 3. Get over it.” :)

Audra - July 26, 2011 - 9:26 am

I Love my Moby wrap super comfy! When My baby’s are newborns I start with that. I have the baby insert for the ergo and like it not my favorite but it works. I find that sometimes it easier to use the ergo then the Moby especially if you have errands to run:). For me I tried using the born with my first and couldn’t use it for longer then 15 min before my back started hurting:(. Kara I am so with you on the fat hanging over the ergo definitely not the best look for me haha, but add that in conjunction with my sometimes crazy hair glassy eyes and smelling of spit up. Oh and the classic I forgot I have my soft star slippers on@_@. I really think that completes the look lol!

kelsey - July 26, 2011 - 2:40 pm

Per your recommendation 2 years ago…I got the ergo, then I got another one because I love it so much. I put all three of my kids in it (one at a time of course) there weights aren’t that big of a range but they all fall somewhere in the 23-36 pound range. I mostly use it on my back, except for when I want them to sleep. Yes I hate the belly fat thing too, but oh well it’s part of the deal. I’ve never tried the beco, but I don’t feel like I have a need to I’m pretty much 100% satisfied with my ergo. When my babies are infants I use the bjorn (and most recently the moby, while the weather’s cool) or I swaddle them in a blanket and plop them in the ergo – front carrying (I don’t have the infant insert but this seems to work just fine and they’re all nice and swaddled). We got our ergos for $45 and $50 on craigslist which is well worth the price for how much we use them.

kara - July 26, 2011 - 4:56 pm

Moby lovers,
I really like the idea of a moby, but honestly, I couldn’t justify buying one more carrier this time.
Audra,
I love the image you painted for me. Ha….. to bad every time I see you in real life you look amazing :).
Kelsey,
I love when you told me that you and jeremy each have a kid on your back when you go to costco. I have the cutest image in my head of you all. I’m so glad that they worked out for you well, because they are life savers!

Sunny - July 26, 2011 - 8:49 pm

I’ve never tried the Beco, but I LOVE my Ergo! I put Evan on my back as soon as it was safe and it is his favorite place to nap when not at home, although as soon as he wakes up he wants out! I used a Peanut Shell sling with Liam and Evan in the newborn stage and liked it alot. I was able to keep them swaddled up and carry them around, plus it is super easy to get on/off. I felt like the more horizontal position was nice for newborn sleep. I also used a Moby with Evan when he was really little. I liked the snuggle factor of the Moby, but it stretched out as I wore it. I was constantly having to retie it to feel like it was secure. Each stage seems to need it’s own carrier…thank goodness for hand-me-downs and generous gifters (thanks again girls)!

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