Ergo Baby Carrier

I noticed the Ergo Baby has been getting more and more popular with parents, and was content to continue noticing that from afar, but our friends LC & The Monk are expecting their first kid and happened to have an Ergo Baby that they were kind enough to let us test for a few days….
Have to admit, I started out fairly dubious, in no small part because it is the new “it carrier” and my contrarian nature tends to kick in from time to time.  “We’re just fine with the Bjorn that already worked nicely for two kids, and that I know.  I have no need for fads that make the kids and hippies feel all lovey dovey.”
Ok, I wouldn’t really say that, but Archie Bunker would.  And he’d say Buhjorn with a “J” not Byorn as in Bjorn Borg, he of the longest hair and shortest shorts. Am I right?  Go ahead, give it a spin, say it like Archie.  I’ll wait.

“We’re just fine with the Buhjorn that already worked nicely for two kids, and that I know.  I got no need for foreign fads that make the kids and hippies feel all lovey dovey.”
“But Aaaahchie, the Buhjorn ain’t Ameerrricaaan!”
“Ah, shut up Edith, what do you know?!  It’s an American word.  Buhjorn, as in the final vuhdict is in, we got the best, and the jury is hereby Buhjorned.”
“I don’t know Aaachie…”
“Exactly Edith, you don’t know. Kindly Buhjorn yuhself to the kitchen so’s I can nap here in peace, huh?”

Well, I’m loving the freedom of movement that comes with putting the boy on my back.

Getting him in was a challenge at first, but I’ve been working on my technique and I’m getting it down, both the “lay him out on the bed and slip it on” technique, and the more advanced and impressive “flip him over your back and in” technique.  Definitely easier to get him in on the front than the back, but the back’ll get easier with practice.  Of course, if you’re not alone it’s not hard at all.
As opposed to the Bjorn, the Ergo has your kid facing inward, whether he be on your back or front, and that bugged me at first.  He likes facing out.  But there’s a certain intimacy to having him face toward me, and I’m liking it more and more.  Plus it has a little hood you can snap over your kiddo’s head when the sun’s to bright, or when he falls asleep – the latter being key because you can stay on the move, as opposed to the Sherpani, which kind of requires you to stop hiking once he falls asleep, it having no real head support.
In short, the Ergo’s growing on us quite a bit.

The Skinny:

• USE – This carrier might be the perfect nexus between the Bjorn and the Sherpani.
• AFFORDABILITY – About $105 new, $80ish second hand.
• SIZE – Small and soft, easy to stuff in any bag.
• SIMPLE STYLING – Yep.
• SANITY – This is a well designed carrier.  Want to get our hands on one, despite already having the Bjorn, because it seems to free us up even more, can be used for hiking as well, and is so easily packed.

The Ergo Baby is designed in Hawaii, manufactured in China.

Thanks to LC and The Monk for the test drive.