Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First, let me say that this is the first product for which I have felt compelled to write a review. Second, I have tried for over 2 weeks each of the following baby carriers: moby wrap, baby k'tan, baby bjorn original, beco gemini, boba 3G and the ergo performance. My recommendations are as follows: a. the baby k'tan is best for a newborn up until 6-8 weeks. It's much easier than a wrap but the baby gets the same benefit of being snuggled close. b. the baby bjorn is by far the most uncomfortable, but very easy to get on and off and I started using this carrier when my baby's legs could extend straight spontaneously and when he had good head control (3-4 months). I only use this carrier in the face out position, but my baby wants to see the world and get some wiggles out. I could not wear it for more than 30 minutes, but it was useful for soothing and entertaining him. c. Now my son is 6 months old and we have used the beco gemini, boba 3G and ergo performance. All of these have adaptations for younger babies, but they just aren't as good as the K'tan. However starting at 4-6 months, a soft carrier like these have been essential. So here is my evaluation of these top carriers. The beco is a nightmare to get on and off - the safety clips are just too hard and it wasn't that comfortable. The boba is really nice and very easy to adjust. It has has foot stirrups for the back carry that I really like. This is a great carrier. I would have probably used this carrier alone, had I not discovered the ergo performance. Bottom line - the ergo performance is my recommendation for a long-term carrier for children older than 4 months for the following reasons: 1. the material is so soft especially around the leg holes - the softest of all carriers. 2. it is so much easier to get on and off than the beco or the boba because the straps unhook from under your arms - this is by far this carrier's most attractive feature. 3. it is so much smaller when you roll it up to fit in a diaper bag 4. the accessory bag that attaches is so nice and really allows you to be hands free 5. the padding on the straps comes down lower than all other carriers making it more comfortable. 6. the waist strap is wider and distributes the weight better I can strap my son to my back by myself and easily cook dinner! I love this carrier. This that I don't love: 1. the napping hood, while much softer than other carriers, does not detach. 2. the waist strap is very long (I could wrap it around myself 3 times, but it's easy to tie up)