Unisex carrier for 6mo+

[jamama]

DD is currently 5.5mo, & we use a 2nd hand Close carrier for tasks about the house and short trips. She is happy & comfortable there, enjoys snuggling, falls asleep there less often now (but falls asleep everywhere less often now), but for periods of longer than 1/2hr or so it gets tiring on my neck/shoulder muscles. DD is still a little dot at 13.5lb, but this can only worsen.
The Close is also a little girlie for my dh, so I am thinking about more structured carriers vs. wraps. I like the look of the manduca, but not sure how long it lasts (for £100 I'd really like to get more than 6mo out of it!)? Also, do they hold their value well 2nd hand? Other suggestions of suitable alternatives would also be welcomed.

Don't know about the manduca, not heard of it so sorry if what i suggest isn't the type your looking for. I used the baby bjorn active from 6 month with my first and from birth with the second. husband also uses it. have in black and red so really not too girly. both mine are big babies, 91st for weight and 99 for height, but still managed to use it with first for quite a while (can't remember when we stopped, know he was over one). Although I'm tall, was thin (size 8,) so carrier really did need to support me as i have little upper body strength. Did originally have a tomy one donated to me but I hated it. really faffy and not supportive.

Hope that helps or you manage to find what you're looking for.

The Manduca is a great carrier. You'll be able to use it until around age 2, maybe beyond (you can keep using beyond 2, although it would be comfier to get a toddler/preschooler size carrier). They hold their value pretty well 2nd hand....they tend to go for £70-ish second hand on Natural Mamas and Ebay.

The other possibility would be to go for a woven wrap. There is more of a learning curve for that though (and in my experience, most DH's prefer buckles)

Should have added, if you're near a sling meet or sling library you could go and try some things out - different shaped carriers suit different people. Other ones to potentially try include the Ergo, Boba 3g, Angelpack, Olives and Applesauce, Beco Butterfly etc.

Thanks for the advice, will find out if the local sling library has anything of this type to loan us. I almost think there are too many choices!

Me and DH have carried both dds in an ergo. DH refused to use the Moby wrap I had but is quite happy with the ergo. In my experience it can be used for as long as you are prepared to carry then. DH carried dd1 who is now 5y in it the other day. (She can walk fine just she had skinned her knee and we had got fed up of the moaning.). She is quite skinny so under the 40lb weight limit.
A friends husband who is about 6 foot did find the straps too short on the ergo but I think the newer ones my be a bit bigger