February 9, 2009 Sheri

New Lillebaby EveryWear Carrier review

Lillebaby EveryWear Carrier If you’re shopping for a new baby carrier, you’ll find a lot of different options. You can wear your baby on your front, on your back, or on your hip. You can wear him upright or cradled. He can face in or face out. Most of the time, a carrier is limited to one or two of these different configurations. (Wraps can do it all, but have a steeper learning curve than other carriers.)

The first moment I saw the new EveryWear carrier from Lillebaby, I knew it was something special. Here, finally, was an easy-to-use, sleek, lightweight carrier that could do just about everything. I have been testing it out with Zev over the past several weeks and have been thrilled. I even wore my EveryWear to the company bowling party a few weeks ago – and was actually able to bowl (please don’t try this at home and don’t ask about my score either – I’m not a good bowler to begin with).

The EveryWear carrier is a best-of-both-worlds combination of the two most popular carriers we sell – the Ergo Baby Carrier and the Baby Bjorn. Like an Ergo Baby Carrier, the EveryWear can be worn on your front, your back and your side. Like the Baby Bjorn (and unlike the Ergo), when wearing the baby on your front, you have the option of facing your baby in or out. The EveryWear accomplishes this via a clever design element that can quickly change the contour of the “saddle” from wide to narrow, making it comfortable and safe in either direction.

The EveryWear carrier has two optional accessories to optimize the carrier for its youngest and oldest passengers. For newborns, the EveryWear offers a unique cradle insert that features a safety harness and reclines the baby horizontally within the carrier. For toddlers riding in the hip carry position, there is a special, stretchy strap that spreads wide at the shoulder for even weight distribution and comfort (reliable sources tell me this accessory was designed in part based on feedback from yours truly!). You can use the carrier in the hip carry position without this accessory, but it won’t be quite as comfy. You cannot use the carrier with a newborn without the Infant Cradle and Harness.

The Lillebaby EveryWear carrier is made from soft microfiber and includes a detachable sleeping hood that functions similarly to the one on the Ergo carrier. Like the Ergo, it takes some time (and flexibility) to get used to reaching back to secure the strap that goes across the shoulder blades. And it surely takes some practice to master the backpack position –stand over a bed or sofa until you get the hang of it.

The EveryWear can be used with the infant insert from 7 pounds and up to 43 pounds in the hip carry (my four-year-old weighs about that much). It will fit waists from 24″ to 41″ (or 62″ with the optional Waist Extension Strap).

The only downside is the instruction manual, which is not as clear as it could be. This is apparently already being addressed, but in the meanwhile, there is a flash-based instruction guide on their website which is much clearer. But that’s a pretty minor shortcoming, all things considered.