Slings and backpacks - share your thoughts

[Rachel (mumsnet)]

We're in the process of updating our reviews of slings and backpack carriers and I was wondering whether any of you out there are using/have used either of the following slings:

Mothercare three-way sling
Hugg-a-bub sling
Didymos sling
Any Little Life, Vango or Dales backpacks.

Would be great if you could just post your thoughts up on the board. Particulars we're interested in are: comfort for wearer,comfort for child, ease of use and value for money. If you've other sling or backpack facts or anecdotes to share on other models, we'd also love to hear. Thanks so much for your help in advance,

Rachel

[Rachel (mumsnet)]

bump

[Justine (mumsnet)]

Now we know this isn't the most riveting of subjects but has no one got a sling or backpack they want to tell us about? Please? (sniff, sniff)

[RTKangaMummy]

we used the one with the long straps that looks very complicated but we liked it

We liked the fact that DS head was kept close rather than the ones when the baby looks like it is hanging. IYKWIM

Although it can be used on parents back we never used it that way.

Sorry can't remember its name but sure someone will know it

It is blue and white stripes.

[Bagpuss30]

We have a Littlelife Ultra light back carrier which we bought last year for about £50. I thought it was reasonably comfy for what we needed (having said that dh used it for most of the long walks!), dd loves it (still wants to go in it now) although she could quite easily slip out of the shoulder straps but she is petite. Putting it on is a little tricky but OK if you have two people or a car seat/sofa to lean it on whilst you load it up. I was pleased with it overall for the money/amount of use we had from it (i.e. light). We bought ours from Swiss Fridge and they did next day delivery for £2.99 which beat all the other suppliers hands down. Oh, it also comes with a case which was a nice extra for storage. HTH.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Rachel, I'm a big fan of the Kelty Kids sling. You put the harness on you, then you clip the carrier bit around the baby (more or less like a nappy), then put the two together. No real wrestling involved, and you can unclip a sleeping baby and put him down, if he's a solid sleeper.

It's very adjustable, and ok for people up to 6'2" I think - but DH, at 6'4" is a fan, too.

I also managed to breastfeed while wearing it, although I think this only works for smaller-breasted women.

I've used mine for my two babies, loaned it out to two other mums for their babies, and it's booked for someone else's baby in April or so. The fact it's a front-carrier style (the baby is really really secure, can't wiggle out), but some people can also feed in it, is really worthwhile. It has a raincover thing, suncover, zip-on nappy bag, etc, etc.

I think it is more pricey than other slings, but well worth it.

[Bogwoppit]

ok I have a hug a bub, 2 coories & a rockin baby sling. - plus a dooker & a chittery & also a macpac (like the little life backpack). am a member of a W.Yorks baby wearing group too.

I'll try & do a review over the weekend

[Rachel (mumsnet)]

Bogwoppit - What a star ! A member of 'the West Yorkshire baby wearing group' -doesn't get much better than that in my view (am W Yorkshire girl myself). I was wondering whether you could give me a bit more detail on your experience particularly with the Hugabub and the Macpac - no worries if you don't have time to fill in a review (although if you do it would be great) - just let us know your thoughts here..as I said, user/baby comfort and ease of use are particularly important - and any other things you've liked/disliked about the models.

Thanks too to Kanga, Bagpuss and Notquitecockney - I appreciate your input - as justine said not the most riveting thing to have to write home about for most folk (doing the research has given me a bit of a sling/backpack obsession and you'll catch me staring at every one I pass on the streets trying to figure out which model...sad I know ),

Thanks again

Rachel (mumsnet)

[Chuffed]

We've got a macpac possum backpack. We love it and dd has been using it from 5mths (she was sitting then). She loves going out in it far more than her pushchair.
We tried on every possible brand we could find in the high street stores when we were looking. It has lots of room underneath and has another zip up area behind dd's back as well. The issues we found with some of the other packs were the back adjusters were a pain to change with a large height difference between dh and I (he is 6'3 and I'm 5'7). It is also really light (2kg).
In comparison with others I think it is good value for money for how much we have used it already. The bushbaby was cheaper but we didn't like the back adjuster they used and the little life again was similar in price to the macpac but the adjuster wasn't as nice.

[Bogwoppit]

have added a hug-a-bub review. they dont make my model macpac anymore. once dd is asleep i'll do another!

[rickman]

Message withdrawn

[LittleRedRidingHood]

Kanga - I think you are talking about the Wilkinet!

FWIW - I use a wilkinet and a huggababy if you want a review of either of those

[alison222]

Again have a macpac backpack and love it. DD is 2 and loves being level with me so she can chat and see what I do as we walk around. The back adjuster is fab due to DH's very long back - he is 6'3" and has a very long back. and there is tones of storage space - I have had tonnes of food shopping in it too (as well as DS when he was small)

[Justine (mumsnet)]

Hi there,
Thanks for all your help so far - on a member's suggestion we've added this as a competition entry requirement for this week - so do fill in a review for us and you'll be entered.

[jabberwocky]

I haven't used the ones you mentioned. Did use the maya wrap and liked it pretty well except for all the extra material at the end. It's supposed to help for shielding with bfing but I just felt that it was more of a bother. I also used the Over The Shoulder Baby Holder (are they available in the UK?). It's nice in the winter but in the summer all the padding can get hot.

[LittleRedRidingHood]

Jabberwocky - I think Margaret who designed and now sells the Huggababy sling based it on the overtheshoulderbabyholder and added her own improvements - I adore mine

[Chandra]

Can say that I tried the Baby Safai, the Wilkinet and another whose name I don't remeber. Wilkinet was very fiddly but the most comfortable as well. However DS hated them all, couldn't stop screaming.

[gingerbear]

Oh, mis-read the title as 'Slingbacks - share your thoughts.'

Well a pair of pink kitten heeled ones are just devine.

On the other hand, I used a bush baby lite - do you still want my review of that or have you all the info on bushbabies you need?

[Rachel (mumsnet)]

Thanks again for all these - The Maya wrap is available in UK now, Jabberwacky. It would be great if you could send in a review. It may not make the survey this time but could well get in there soon if we get enough reviews. Kelty kids sling review would also be great, NQC and so too Bushbaby light, gingerbear - not sure about slingbacks, though pink ones do sound rather stylish.

cheers again and keep sending in those reviews!

Rachel

[Jimjams]

just bought a didymos- blumming fantastic! (previously used a wilkinet and a huggababy- liked bth but the didymos wins hands down) where do I post?

[Jimjams]

well I think I sent the review into the right place. Let me know if I didn't...

[Levanna]

I made something very similar to a Didymos (and it's fantastic . Could you attatch a link in the reviews to a 'how to make one' page for stingy people like me (or, stingy DH's to be more accurate)? It's only a piece of fabric after all, and everyone should be able to have one!

[LittleRedRidingHood]

If you search the web there are loads of ideas about how to make your own sling - very impressive if you are crafty and frugal - mostly American sites i think - you can even buy sling rings! With a suitable piece of material all you have to do is thread it through the slings and Volia!

[smellymelly]

Hi Rachel - have just added my review on the Karime baby sling which I have just bought. I think it is great!

[smellymelly]

Whoops make that a Kari-me baby sling!

[Blackduck]

Used the mothercare two-way sling (its a real cheapy number..) I'd say it would be absolutely useless if you had a large (or even average sized) baby. Ds was a dot so it was fine for him and lasted until he was about 6/7 months, but by then even the weight of him used to make the straps slide down IYKWIM, so you had to keep tightening them.
Having siad that, easy to get on and off, and easy to get him in and out of...