How does the Ergobaby All Position 360 compare to the new Ergobaby Omni 360?
We recently tested the Ergobaby Omni 360, which updates the Ergobaby 360 to allow you to cross the shoulder straps and carry newborns from 7lbs without an infant insert. The Omni 360 also includes a handy waistband pocket. Our testers found the Cool Air mesh option more breathable than the 100% cotton Ergobaby 360.
However, the Ergobaby 360 still came out ahead of the Omni 360 since our tester with an older baby found the Omni 360 far less supportive and much more difficult to adjust to comfortably fit both wearer and child. She also needed help to take her baby out of a back carry as she couldn’t reach the clips. While our tester with a younger baby found the carrier easily accommodated her baby’s size, she felt it was still a bulkier option than she’d choose for a newborn.
So although the Omni 360 technically improves on the Ergobaby 360 by allowing you to carry babies from birth without an insert, you may still prefer to choose a more compact option in the early months, moving on to the 360 as your baby grows.
How easy is the Ergobaby 360 to operate?
The Ergobaby 360 was among the most straightforward baby carriers we tested.
Straight out of the box, it’s simply a case of putting on the straps, doing up a buckle and away you go. There’s little room for error as the contours of the structured bucket seat intuitively brings your baby’s knees above their bum in the recommended 'M' position, allowing their back to curl into a natural 'C'.
Fantastic lumbar support and padded shoulder straps mean that even if you don’t get the carrier’s placement exactly right, it’s still likely to be comfortable.
Even so, the manual is easy to follow with simple but effective pictures, representative of the carrier, and clear written instructions for all four carries: front inward-facing carry, back carry, hip carry and front forward-facing carry. Online instructions and videos are also available.
Both our testers consulted the manual once or twice, but found it simple to work out from the word “go”. Bear in mind that the back strap on this carrier could be tricky for some to reach.
How adjustable is it?
The Ergobaby 360 is relatively easy to fit the wearer. The straps slide easily to simply tighten and loosen while wearing your baby in the carrier. The long waist belt and shoulder straps makes it one size fits most.
However, the broad straps could make it difficult to get a really snug fit even on the tightest setting if you’re narrow in frame. One of our testers found that, although still comfortable, the straps slipped from time to time.
The lower half of the back panel can be made smaller to allow babies to face outward while still sitting in a widely supported position – a real selling point of this carrier for parents who want to use a front-facing carry.
As your baby grows, the width of the base allows a wider seat setting, increasing by up to 8 cm and the back panel extends upwards by 10 cm.
How comfortable is it?
Both of our testers found the Ergobaby 360 exceptionally comfortable and credited this to its unique lumbar support. The carrier comes with a wide waistband that is lightly padded on both front and back without being too bulky, secured with a large buckle.
The result is that your baby's weight is well distributed with no pull on your back or shoulders. Padded leg openings also offer your baby extra comfort. If desired, this could well be an all-day carrier.
Since it extends in both length and width, the Ergobaby 360 is likely to last longer than the standard baby carrier. It’s contoured bucket seat offer long toddler legs more support than many other soft-structured carriers.
However, even at its widest, it doesn’t match the dimensions of purpose-designed toddler carriers so you may need to move on before Ergobaby’s suggested age three, depending on how much you’re carrying your toddler.