We loved this baby carrier by Ergobaby, as the ‘cool air mesh feature’ stood out as helping mum and baby to stay cool in hot weather due to the breathable material. The carrier can be used for both inwards and outwards facing baby carrying, as well as back carrying and side carrying. It might not be the most affordable carrier (you will need to buy a newborn insert if your baby is younger than four months), but it’s packed with plenty of great features like extra cushioning around baby’s legs and a sun protection UV hood.
What they say:
"The four position 360 Performance Cool Air Baby Carrier is the newest addition to the Ergobaby award winning collection. The breathable 3D Air Mesh lining keeps baby cool all-year round while its unique, structured bucket seat, padded shoulder straps and wide supportive waistband offer exceptional comfort and ergonomics in all carry positions. It provides four comfortable and ergonomic ways to carry your baby: on your front facing either you or the world, on your hip and on your back. It is suitable to use from birth with the newborn insert (sold separately) or from 5.5kg without the insert."
Tested by mum Beata Jenner for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
The mesh design is great especially during the summer days, meaning your baby can't overheat and I love the fact it comes in different colours. The Ergobaby 360 Cool Air Baby Carrier is very practical and a lot smaller and easier to carry around than our previous carrier. The best element of this carrier for me as mum is the even weight distribution, this is thanks to the wide back strap and padded shoulder straps.
How did this product make your life easier?
I absolutely love the fact it is simple to use in all four positions with no extra attachments needed. It's easy to fold under the buggy and put on when we are out and about. My daughter ( who is seven and a half months old and weighs 7.5kg) loves sleeping in the carrier, which is incredibly gentle and snug and allows her to get really close to me. I really love the extra head and neck support when inward facing.
Would you choose this product to win?
Although it's on the slightly more expensive side of carriers available, it's worth the investment especially for those who are after a versatile, multifunctional version. I tried a number of different carriers with my daughter since she was born and Ergobaby 360 is the only one that distributed her weight evenly, allowing my baby to get properly up close.
What changes would you make to this product?
There are only two things I would change, one being the back buckle which is quite challenging to do up and un-do. The second would be some sort of side fastening that would make it easier to get baby in and out of the carrier. Outside of this I can't fault it and it's probably one of the best carriers out there! It would also be great if a newborn insert came with the product, which would make it slightly more affordable overall.
Tested by mum Maria Bang for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would definitely recommend this product to a friend or fellow mum. First of all, it is very comfortable to use. The carrier distributes the weight of the child evenly across your upper body, so it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, even for me who suffers from lower back issues. The design is clean, not too loud but still trendy. I love that the carrier is well padded and the baby is seated ergonomically correct. It also has a hood that can be used to shield the baby from the sun or harsh weather, which is perfect living in England! This carrier is very easy to use, just like a backpack. The only criticism I have regarding ease of use, is that the clip on the back (which you have to use when carrying baby on your front), is very hard to reach by yourself. In the instruction manual it advises that this clip should sit in the middle of your back, but this is impossible to do on your own. Finally, another plus point is that you can machine wash this carrier, which always comes in handy.
How did this product make your life easier?
I got the most use out of this carrier when I was travelling, especially at the airport, as it only takes a minute to put the baby in the carrier, and off you go! Also, if you have a clingy baby, you can use the carrier at home, or when out shopping and you have two hands free, which always makes life easier as a mum. My baby instantly felt comfortable in the carrier and could easily sleep in the front carry inward-facing position.
Would you choose this product to win?
I would definitely choose this product above others. First of all, it has a cool air mesh, so gone are the days where the baby overheated in the carrier and started to complain. Secondly, in this carrier, your baby can be carried in four different ways, which I love!
What changes would you make to this product?
One practical thing would be how you can store and travel with the carrier. If it could be neatly rolled or packed away into a pouch or something, it would be even more practical.
Tested by mum Jane Mcleod for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
Yes! This carrier was so comfortable and once I had read the instructions over it was very easy to use. It folds up quite small and is very lightweight, so is ideal for keeping in the car for emergency use. My little one loved being close to me during fussy times and I was able to potter around without feeling guilty.
How did this product make your life easier?
The carrier provides an easy solution when taking a pushchair is not practical. I found I used the carrier most when making a quick trip to the shops when I needed both hands free, or even round the house when my little one wouldn't let me put them down but needed to get on with other things. The breathable mesh panel meant I wasn't worried when the weather changed from cooler to warmer, as I knew we would be kept at a comfortable temperature.
Would you choose this product to win?
This product really does cover every aspect of baby wearing, it ensures baby is in the correct position when worn in all positions. The lumbar support waistband keeps the wearer extremely comfortable (especially if have previous back complaints) and encourages longer periods of wear. The cushioning around babies legs also meant that baby also remains comfortable, so much so my little one was happy to fall asleep. The sun protection hood is a fantastic addition and provided extra peace of mind.
What changes would you make to this product?
For me, I found the instructions to be a little too basic, there are some detailed pictures but no writing and I found I had to read over them a few times before I felt confident to have a go. I also found there to be very few instruction videos online, which I have relied upon for other baby carriers for additional help. If Ergobaby could provide a Youtube video of how to use the product it would be a massive improvement. It’s a great product otherwise!
Tested by mum Abigail Wilkinson for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
This carrier I would recommend to other mums, as I loved it!! The quality of it was really worth the money and with the four different positions, it’s a carrier that baby can get quite a lot of use out of. At the beginning my baby would be close to me as I was breastfeeding and he found comfort from facing that way, but as he grew older and became more nosey he would love facing outwards, whilst still having the comfort of being next to me. I found this carrier comfortable to wear, but as I needed to extend the straps on the arm they became very uncomfortable after a while. I also didn't find the clip on the back very safe, it was easy to click as it was on the back, but I really felt it was unnecessary to be there as it didn't give me much support.
How did this product make your life easier?
This product came in very handy as we were away on holiday and I decided to take it away with us to try. I was able to do activities a lot more easily with my baby attached to me, and not having to bring a pram with me to walk around was easier too. I was also able to feed my little one when using this carrier when I was out for a walk. The only negative thing is that it did take me quite a while to understand where certain parts of the carrier would click together, but if my little one was upset or grumpy knowing that he would be close and I could comfort him is a winner for me.
Would you choose this product to win?
I think this product should win, as once you get used to using it, it does become very quick to use, and very handy. The different ways you can position your baby as they grow up means its fantastic value for money. It is quite expensive, but it has such a wide age range meaning you can use it for a long time. It did take up quite a lot of room under my pram which I sometimes found quite annoying, but with the bulkiness comes the comfort and the quality of the fabric.
What changes would you make to this product?
The main thing I would change about this carrier is the price, I find over £100 to be quite steep. It is very good quality and my baby loved going from the front to the back, but for me the straps were very uncomfortable and kept digging into under my arms even when done correctly by my partner. I also felt it was very time consuming to put on.
Tested by mum Sophie Thompson Smith for the Mother & Baby awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
Me and my husband both tried out this product and both said we would recommend to friends and fellow parents. It is compact enough to keep in the boot of your car or even in a cupboard at home, as it doesn’t take up much space at all due to it being soft and spongey. The design is really cool and modern and we would be quite happy to have our daughter in this carrier. A darker colour would have been preferred just due to staining and baby fingers who like to eat on the go. It’s quite difficult to use alone, we found fastening it at the back and then adjusting the straps hard and I needed help from someone to do that whilst baby was in the carrier. It is made out of breathable material so both the user and baby don’t get too hot; I used the carrier on a really warm day and didn’t feel overheated at all.
How did this product make your life easier?
The carrier makes life easier when you don’t want to get the pushchair out for a quick journey. It makes life easier when going on walks or on the beach, as buggies and sand are a no! If, like our daughter, your children like to be on their feet and walking, its great to carry them in this and then you can easily take them out and they can go play. We also went to a carboot fair and found it so much easier having our daughter in the carrier whilst looking at things as she couldn’t pick things up, but was still close enough so I could entertain her whilst looking around.
Would you choose this product to win?
We already have a carrier and I would definitely choose the Ergobaby over it! Although at first we thought it was quite expensive, the quality was of such a high standard it seemed worth it. It would have been good to have a few added extras, such as some pockets for storage of small items. That said, I do think the carrier deserves to win because even though there are some negatives, the positives of the sleek design, the comfortable design and the UV hood outweigh these.
What changes would you make to this product?
To make this perfect, the only thing I would change would be the ease of use, as for me it just wasn’t easy to do alone. Once the baby is in the carrier, fastening it up can be quite difficult and the straps around the back are quite tricky to adjust. Also, a little pocket would be great – somewhere just to put keys or a snack for baby, or your phone. Other than that it’s great!
Product Information
Suitable for babies from 5.5kg - 15kg. Newborn insert suitable for babies 0-4 months sold separately.