This summer has seen an explosion of new buckle carriers specifically designed for hot-weather babywearing. With wicking fabrics, mesh panels or even carriers made mostly from 3d mesh, there are lots of new options out there if you’re in the market for a hot-weather carrier.
A note: we here at CMA don’t believe anyone *needs* a different carrier for hot weather. Also, babywearing is always pretty darn warm, because you basically have a little heater right next to your body! And no baby carrier in the world (as of this writing) can make the air outside any cooler, lol. Still, the new options are intriguing and they definitely do help when it’s hot outside.
The CMA Mom Squad tried out several summer buckle carriers, and here is what they had to say.
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Ergobaby Performance Ventus
Monica has been using the Ventus Carrier with her baby Kam (24 lbs, 32″) and she loves it! Monica especially loves how “you can really feel the air coming through the mesh.” She reports the it is “very lightweight and super comfortable and plus it is easy to adjust.” She loves how small it folds up so she can fit it easily in to a bigger diaper bag. Monica found the Ventus to be plus-size friendly as well: “I’m a size 16 and there are still 7-8 inches left on the waistband.”
While Monica gives this carrier two thumbs up for summer babywearing, she would not recommend it for a person who only wanted one carrier. For ultimate comfort, she prefers Tula carriers, which are more padded in the waist and shoulder straps. She reports that the Ventus “can get a little diggy after wearing it for a few hours.”
The Ergobaby Performance Ventus carrier is ideal for babies who are at least six months of age and already sitting up well. If you want a carrier with extra pockets, consider the Ergobaby Performance Carrier, which also uses wicking fabrics and has an additional pocket for storage. And if you want the option to face baby forward in the carrier, check out the Ergobaby 360 Performance carrier which has a Carbon Grey Cool Mesh option.
Tula Coast Carrier
Hannah tested out the Tula Coast Carrier (standard size) with her baby Jude (20 months, 20.5 lbs, 31″). The Tula Coast carrier features a mesh panel in the center of the carrier, while the rest of the body is canvas and structured almost identically to a standard Tula carrier. Hannah finds the Coast carrier to be a bit lighter feeling that the standard Tula and says that the Coast definitely keeps Jude cooler since the mesh panel is at his back. She loves that the Coast’s sleep hood is also mesh, which is much cooler. Hannah reports the carrier did not feel much cooler for her, though! The Tula Coast carrier is just as comfortable as the regular Tula in her opinion and would be a great choice for someone wanting a great carrier that is also a bit cooler for baby.
Tula has come out with several different Coast colors, and they’ve all sold out almost as quickly as we can stock them! We are currently stocked on Coast-Jagger and expect to have Coast -Prance in stock within the week.
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Lillebaby Airflow Carrier
Lillebaby has two summer-friendly options: the All-Seasons Carrier, which has a canvas panel that zips down to reveal a mesh panel, and the Lillebaby Complete Airflow whose body is all mesh. Both Justice and Hannah have tried the Lillebaby carriers. Hannah reports that she didn’t love the fit of the carrier as much as she liked other carriers, but she found the airflow very breathable and a great option for summer.
Justice found the Lillebaby carriers to be “a bit much” and she wasn’t a fan of all the different ways to adjust the carrier – she prefers simpler carriers like Beco or Tula. She did love the lumbar support of the Lillebaby Complete Carriers, but also remarks that the lumbar support made her back kind of sweaty which somewhat defeats the purpose of a summer carrier. She didn’t find the All-Seasons carrier to be significantly cooler than her Tula Carrier, which was just a standard Tula.
Bottom line: if you live in a warm climate or run very warm, the Lillebaby Airflow could be a great do-it-all carrier for you. It’s super adjustable and breathes well and can be worn with an infant without an infant insert.
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Beco Gemini Cool! Carrier
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Beco Toddler Cool! Carrier
“No back sweat!” CMA Mom Squad member Justice and her husband Paul are huge fans of the Beco Toddler Cool carrier. Living in Phoenix, AZ, heat is a major consideration for their family and although Justice loves her Beco Toddler for winter wearing, they both say the Toddler Cool is a must-have for summers in Phoenix.
“The Toddler Cool really does keep us cooler! While it is still hot to wear Bronson, we are all less sweaty and more comfortable in the Cool carrier when it’s really hot outside.”
[hr]In conclusion, many of the summer buckle carriers can help keep you and (even more so) your baby cooler and possibly drier in the heat this summer. All of these would make a great second carrier and may even be a good option as the only carrier for your family.
For more tips and suggestions for staying cool in the summer weather, read our article on hot weather babywearing Also check out this article for more suggestions on the best carriers to choose for babywearing in the summer heat!
