Carrier: Beco Gemini Baby Carrier
Weight: 7-35 lb
Cost: ~$130
Website: www.becobabycarrier.com
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Bottom Line: A very handy, comfortable all-in-one carrier, but it tries to be too much in my opinion. Not as convenient as owning both a Moby Wrap or K’Tan and a Boba 4G.
Pros: I want to love my Beco Gemini. I really do. It should have all the main advantages of the ERGObaby Carrier or Boba 4G (weight carried on hips, child can ride on front, hip, and back) plus the added advantages of an adjustable base for newborns and the ability to allow the child to face out. All of these things are definite pros. Plus, my 4 month old daughter fits in it comfortably without it being too bulky and it’s more attractive than the Ergo. Also, I received a carrier with a defective snap at my baby shower, which I didn’t realize for about 5 months. The customer service was great and the exchange was painless. I think that had I not lived with the convenience of the ERGObaby carrier with my first child, I would have adjusted to this carrier fairly painlessly. Even with other carriers that I prefer, such as the K’Tan for the newborn stage and the Boba 4G for the big kid stage, I still used this carrier during the awkward intermediate stage when my baby felt too big for the wrap, but too little for the wide-based, soft-structured carrier. This really is a carrier which can be used from birth on up.
Cons: I initially received a Beco Gemini Carrier that had a snap which kept coming undone when I used it with my 30 pound son, so I had to get it replaced. Also, the straps are designed to criss-cross on your back, not be worn backpack style like the Ergo or Boba. I do find it comfortable once it’s on, but the straps frequently have to be undone to get the child in and out which is inconvenient since they are long and hang on the ground. I can actually get my child in and out with out undoing the straps, but it’s definitely not easy. When they’re undone, the straps are so long and unwieldy that I accidentally whacked my child in the face with them once. Also, the safety mechanism on the Beco Gemini requires both hands to release each buckle, which is inconvenient most of the time and nearly impossible when I was pregnant. I had to loosen the straps, pull the child out, then undo them to get the child back in. The additional head support is not very supportive as one can easily pull it to the loosest setting unintentionally. Lastly, my toddler is just way too big for it compared to the Ergo Carrier despite its 35 pound weight limit. Overall, I think the Beco Gemini is a great idea and maybe future designs will resolve some of its problems, but for now I think the present model tries to do too much and does it all adequately, but not ideally.
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Hey Michelle,
I am also having the problem with the defective snap, but I didn’t realize it until my daughter hit 20 pounds. It keeps coming undone when she is in a position that requires a wide base. I am glad to hear their customer service was good.
Laura
Hi Laura, I’m sorry about your carrier! I think it must be a fairly common problem, because there were definitely no questions asked. They just sent me another one immediately and then paid the shipping for me to send the defective one back. I guess it’s possible they’re just really nice no matter what the problem. :) Good luck getting yours taken care of. That snap is important!