Stretchy wraps

The Boba Serenity Wrap let us and our baby down, literally. Despite the wearer’s efforts to wrap this model as tightly as possible on their body, a 17-pound baby still slouched low once placed inside (could not reach for a kiss, as the TICKS guidelines advise) and bounced with each step.

The Moby Evolution Baby Wrap Carrier is made of a dense fabric that feels scratchy in comparison with the Solly Baby Wrap and isn’t as long. Ultimately we were disappointed in the fabric’s overly generous stretch and texture.

The first writer of this guide, Jennifer Bogo, tested the Boba Classic Wrap and found that the cotton-spandex blend was too stretchy—babies bounced considerably on walks and felt heavier to carry.

The CuddleBug Baby Wrap seemed even stretchier than the Boba Classic Wrap, to the point of not feeling secure. Multiple testers didn’t feel comfortable leaving the house with the baby in it. Even moderate walks resulted in backache.

Hybrid wraps

Two testers found the Boppy ComfyFit Baby Carrier uncomfortable on their shoulders with the baby in a facing-in carry (unlike with the other stretchy and hybrid waps we tested, with the ComfyFit, older babies are safe when carried facing out), and they removed it early in testing to avoid lasting pain.

At first we loved using the Konny Baby Carrier Flex AirMesh; the sides adjusted easily, and it was lightweight and simple to figure out. However, after our testers wore it for a while, the fabric felt scratchy on the neck, a particular concern for us knowing that so much of the fabric touches the baby. The additional head-support piece was too flimsy, as well.

The Baby K’Tan Active Oasis Baby Carrier is the only hybrid carrier we tested that comes in specific sizes (XS to XL), but Kerry’s baby didn’t seem to be supported well in the size recommended for Kerry’s body. Perhaps sizing down for a better fit, as some reviews say to do, would have helped, but this makes us hesitant to recommend it.

We didn’t test the Baby K’Tan Original Baby Carrier because of complaints about the thick fabric in hot climates. We did test the company’s Breeze Baby Carrier for the first iteration of this guide, but not again in 2024 because it’s similarly made of 100% cotton (though it has a mesh panel that you can rotate over the baby in warmer weather); the Active Oasis version’s fabric seemed like a better, breathable fabric.

We didn’t test the Lalabu Simple Wrap since it requires a baby to weigh at least 13 pounds.

We passed on trying the Líllébaby Lillelight Baby Carrier (no longer available) after reading that it needs an additional newborn insert that isn’t included.

We didn’t test the Moby Easy-Wrap Carrier, as reviews seemed mixed.

A relatively high price and a lumpy-looking back caused us to eliminate the Mumma Etc. Wrap Carrier from consideration for testing. We were also unable to find any independent reviews of it at the time of our initial research.

We declined to test the Stokke Limas Carrier because of a very thin backstrap on the design that looked unlikely to support the weight of a baby up to 33 pounds, as it’s designed for.

Ring slings

The Kyte Baby Ring Sling is a less expensive linen sling that failed to impress due to its thin and nearly undetectable rails, which made it harder to adjust. Plus, the rings failed to lock the fabric down tightly every time.

Wildbird’s Linen Ring Slings rank among the more affordable of those we tested, and its linen blend feels very soft out of the package, with excellent, thick rails. But multiple testers needed to adjust the rings often to keep their baby secure, even after rethreading. However, this model may still be a good option if you’re starting wearing a sling with a toddler, where tiny adjustments aren’t critical.

Jennifer sweated while wearing the Tula Ring Sling on warm summer days and found that her back ached after a mile-long walk.

The Hip Baby Wrap was lightweight for tucking into a diaper bag and easy for Jennifer to pull on and off while holding a 6-week-old baby. But when another tester wore the Hip Baby Wrap with a 12-week-old infant, she found that the sling loosened more than the others and needed to be continually adjusted for a good fit. It also led to backaches.

We didn’t test the Moby Ring Sling because online reviewers disliked the fabric.

We elected not to test the Mumma Etc. Sling after two babywearing educators we spoke with said they had never heard of it, and we couldn’t find any independent reviews at the time of our initial research.