Product Review: SportsBaby™ Carrier
Disclosure: I received an SportsBaby sling from the OnBoardOutfitters for review. I received no compensation, and the OnBoard Outfitters did not require that I express a particular point of view. My review policy does not allow me to keep products valued over $40, and I will donate this carrier to a local charity that collects baby items. I do not receive a commission if readers purchase this item.
Summer is officially here, and with it Seattle's wading pools are open. With three kids under 5, it's not an option for me to sit out swim season on the sidelines, so when OnBoard Outfitters contacted me to see whether I would review their SportsBaby sling, I jumped at the chance. The SportsBaby is made of Neoprene and is designed to be work in or out of the water, but I was interested in it primarily for water use.
Overall Recommendation
The SportsBaby was the least comfortable of the slings I own or have owned (the Bjorn, Ergo, and Moby), and I would not use this as an everyday carrier. If you absolutely must have something that allows you to get into the water without getting your everyday sling wet, this is a really useful product. The SportsBaby it was the only product of its kind that I could find online.
Fit
The SportsBaby Carrier slips on over your head. Once it's on, you slide baby in, clip a buckle and a swivel clip, and secure some velcro for a snug fit. The instructions that come with the SportsBaby aren't super detailed, and it took me a little while to feel confident that I was wearing the sling properly. Once I got the hang of it, the steps were easy to remember, but I continued to have a difficult time reaching up to clip the swivel clips on my shoulder.
Unfortunately, there are only three possible settings for the shoulder level clips, and none of them were snug enough for use, which meant that meant that baby Eilan swung around a bit as I walked.
Baby sits up higher than in the Bjorn and Ergo, and the top of Eilan's head touched my chin. The manufacturer claims that this makes the sling more comfortable (though I did not love that sensation), and I assume it also allows you to go deeper into the water than you could with a lower carrier. Baby can be positioned face in or face out.
Comfort
The high positioning combined with the fact that Eilan was positioned slightly away from my body, and swung around as I walked placed a lot of strain on my shoulders. After wearing the SportsBaby in the pool for about 45 minutes, I had sore shoulders for the rest of the day.
At one point, Eilan squirmed enough in the carrier to unfasten the Velcro that makes the carrier fit more snugly around the waist. The carrier's buckle clip kept him safe, but this was still an unsettling sound and feeling.
Usefulness
I loved being able to get right in the water with E and D without worrying about Eilan squirming out of my arms while I helped them with something. Eilan, who normally cries when he sees the tub or gets his feet dunked in the pool relaxed a little in the sling, and by the end of our morning together he started to enjoy having his toes in the water.
Expect to stay in relatively shallow water with this carrier - according to the manufacturer, the SportsBaby should not be used in water deeper than your waist in a pool, or deeper than your ankles in the ocean or lake or other large natural body of water.
Weight Limits
According to the manufacturer, the baby must weigh between 11 lbs and 35 lbs. and be at least 21 inches long.
Convenience
The SportsBaby is made of Neoprene and other quick drying materials. I soaked the SportsBaby in the water (much as it might be soaked in a pool) and then hung it up to dry at noon. By 7pm it was completely dry.
Price
The SportsBaby Carrier retails for $53.97 at the OnBoardOutfitters website.
9 comments |
Posted on June 30, 2010 |
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Leah on June 30, 2010 at 6:49 a.m.
I'm guessing that they're hard to find in mainstream stores, but online there are a lot of mesh sling options for water stuff like this. http://www.kangarookorner.com/c-16-me... for example. The other good thing is that this looks like something that would likely not be comfortable for mom or the baby (narrow crotch strap looks a bit uncomfy), so who knows how long either mom or baby would be able to enjoy the day at the beach. :) Oh, in another google I just found one I want! It looks like it's very similar to a Moby Wrap but with swimsuit-ish fabric: http://www.theslingstation.com/gmww.html
Debbie on June 30, 2010 at 7:13 a.m.
Leah,
Thanks for the links! I could never do the ring style slings comfortably (I know that lots of people can, but I have a very tricky back). That Moby Wrap style sling looks like a good possibility though.
Becky C. on June 30, 2010 at 11:15 a.m.
When I read that it was made of neoprene, in the back of my head I was thinking "too stretchy, too soft". Sounds like this was the problem - it's likely if you were able to cinch it tight enough to counteract the stretchiness, the neoprene would possibly rip. I'm curious if anyone has used the BabyBjorn "Air" as a water carrier... it looks pretty mesh-ey. Interesting product review!
Elizabeth on June 30, 2010 at 1:10 p.m.
I love the idea moms having options as far as pooltime goes with multiple kids. We just have one right now, but it seems like the majority of my friends with two children in the toddler/baby combination are really hesitant to take their kids to the pool without another adult present for backup. A waterproof baby carrier or sling is a rad option.
Leah on July 1, 2010 at 6 a.m.
I totally get you about the ring slings. I tried ring slings and pouches over and over and over and over until I finally accepted that I am just not a person who enjoys them and can use them successfully. I will stick to my wraps, mei tais, and Ergo/Beco buckle-type carriers.
The problem is that now that I know that Gypsy Mama water wrap exists, I think i'm going to have to buy it before #3 gets here in a month or so. This post was an expensive one for me. ;-)
Debbie on July 1, 2010 at 7:23 a.m.
Leah,
Sorry about that! Please let me know how the Gypsey Mama works out for you.
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Leah on August 13, 2010 at 4:51 a.m.
I wanted to come back and let you know how the water wrap is working out now that I have a 3 week old! We use it CONSTANTLY. It has a SPF of 45 which is great for babies under 6 months that you can't use sunscreen for. I actually think I like it better than the Moby wrap because the fabric is so light and compact. It would be perfect for travel because it folds down incredibly small (especially for the length of a wrap) and is so light. I've used it in the shower once so far and it was nice there, lots of fabric to pull over the baby so she doesn't get a face full of water. It's also great since it's so washable, you can hand wash it (or just wear it in the shower!), hang it to dry, and it is dry by morning. The only drawbacks at this point are that 1.) it's a stretchy wrap so it wouldn't work as well for a heavy baby/toddler. I'm guessing 25lbs would be about the max you could comfortably carry with it, and 2.) it only comes in black. I wish they'd come out with cool colors/patterns.
Here's a picture:
http://flickr.com/gp/lakeline/9d2pk6
I'm @lakeline on twitter there or on flickr, feel free to contact me if you (or anyone just now finding this post) have any questions!
Debbie on August 13, 2010 at 7:15 a.m.
@Leah, thanks for the update! I was able to get one for review too, so hopefully I'll be able to give my own update soon as well