ErgoBaby Omni 360 Baby Carrier Review: Comfort, Versatility, and Durability
investing in a quality baby carrier can pay big dividends for both parents and a new baby. but with it’s $180 price tag, does the ergobaby omni 360 live up to the hype?
Regularly wearing your baby can be such an amazing bonding experience. Combine the developmental and bonding benefits of baby-wearing with the ability to use not one but BOTH of your hands, while keeping baby safe and comfortable, and you have an absolute no-brainer. But a good quality baby carrier is something that is often overlooked on a registry. Ergobaby has a history of making durable and feature packed carriers, and our experience with the is no exception.
Now, full disclosure, we bought our Omni 360 second hand. My wife (as she often does) was pursuing the local mom gossip on a Facebook group, and stumbled across a woman selling the Omni 360 with the original box and it had only been used once. Apparently her infant hated being in a carrier, so after one use it was up for sale at about 50% of retail. Huge win for us.
So, do we like it just because we got it cheap? Maybe. Would I pay full retail for this if I had to buy it again? Absolutely.
pros
Padding in all the right places. This carrier is easily the most comfortable that we own, beyond that, it’s one of the most comfortable carriers that we’ve ever tested, full stop. If you ever worn a hiking pack (this something by Osprey), you’ll understand how much padding is on this carrier. This makes the carrier feel incredibly supportive for both baby and parent. I wore this carrier almost daily for a year, with several longs days in the Carolina heat and humidity. I was never uncomfortable (sweaty, very sweaty), but not uncomfortable.
Infinite adjustability. The Omni 360 has a range of adjustments for both baby and parent, making this a one and done kind of carrier that will fit parents of all sizes. For example, I’m 5’10 and 230 lbs, and this carrier comfortably fits me and my 5’2” wife. The carrier is also adjustable to fit kids from “week 1 to 48 months” according to the ErgoBaby website. The padded straps are adjustable for parents of all sizes, and they can even be crossed for more petit wearers.
Front, back, side to side. The main showpiece of the Omni 360 is that it can be worn in multiple configurations. Baby can face in or out (depending on age and weight), and can be worn to the front, to either side, or on your back.
Durability. We’ve had our ErgoBaby Omni 360 for almost two years now, with almost daily use for an entire year. It still looks new. There are no signs of wear, no fraying threads, no pilling, no staining. Nothing. All of the clips are in tact, the straps are still in great shape, and the entire carrier looks almost like the day we brought it home.
Machine washable. Because blowouts are a thing…
Breathability. With it’s primarily mesh construction, this is the most breathable carrier that we own. Will it stop you from sweating on a hot day? No. Will it keep you and baby cooler than most other carriers? Yes.
cons
Straps galore - The beauty of an infinitely adjustable baby carrier means that you have straps and buckles everywhere. This can also make the carrier a little confusing to use, especially when using it for multiple people. There are straps to adjust any and every point on the ErgoBaby Omni 360. Once you adjust them, they all need to be tucked back into their little elastic holders to avoid looking like you’re walking around in bondage gear (no judgement here, you do you!).
Confusing at first - When we first brought this carrier home, it wasn’t clear what all needed to be adjusted in order to make it fit our body, and our baby. It took about an hour of reading through the manual, adjusting, reading again, and re-adjusting to get everything looking and feeling the way we wanted it, and more importantly to where our baby was safe and secure. If you don’t have patience and commitment to use this carrier, it could easily become an expensive attic storage item.
Conslusion
So, after over a year of nearly daily use would we recommend the ErgoBaby Omni360 carrier? Absolutely! Out of all the carriers we own, this one has been by far the one that we’ve gotten the most use out of. Is the most convenient to use? No. Is it the most economical to purchase? By no stretch of the imagination, no. Is it still our favorite carrier to this day for long outings, trips, and more? 100%. Overall, the issues that we saw as cons aren’t deal breakers. Once you’ve used the carrier more than a few times, it’s easy to get the hang of it. Its combination of adjustability, comfort and durability outweigh the learning curve.
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