mmcphee's Full Review: Infantino 6 in 1 Rider Baby Carrier
The Infantino 6 in 1 Baby Carrier was the first baby carrier I ever owned. It succeeded in scaring me away from them for a while!
The Basics
As the name implies the Infantino 6-in-1 Baby Carrier can be used 6 different ways to carry children up to 35lbs. The carry can be used in grocery carts and high chairs, as a make shift high chair, as a backpack, as a front carrier facing both in and out and in a car seat. This fabric carrier can be washed in the machine.
Let's Get it On!
This carrier is a nightmare to put on. You must have a place to lay the carrier out flat to put the baby in. This probably doesn’t sound like a big deal but when you are out of the house there isn’t always a clean place to lay the baby down flat while you fit this contraption around him or her. To secure the child the straps must be threaded through fabric loops and clips must be attached. The clip is the type where you must press down on a lever and slip the ring through as opposed to the standard male/female clips we are accustomed to on most baby products.
One you get the baby in the clip fastened it is time to get the carrier on. This is not an easy task to accomplish by yourself. You need to hold the baby firmly against you and reach around behind your back to attach the waist straps. This is much easier to do if you have help. However to have to rely on assistance to put on a baby carrier is impractical.
This carrier comes with an instruction booklet and a video tape. The video is an absolute must to figure out how to use it. And keep track of it because you will need to refer back to the video time and time again. I think it is a sign of a poorly designed product that a video is necessary to use it.
Some Safety Concerns
There are side wings for the baby’s who do not have good head control yet. These wings are held in place by snaps. I personally don’t like snaps as safety features on baby items. I fear that if the baby pushed hard enough against one of the pieces the snap will pop open.
The seat suggests that if your child is asleep you can leave them in the carrier and strap them into the car seat. This is a huge safety no-no! Anything that puts that much distance between the harness and your child’s body jeopardizes the safety of your child. Children should be removed from the carrier before being placed in their car seat.
Carrying Comfort, or Not!
This carrier is not comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The weight is not well distributed and it makes my back hurt. The straps are not well padded and dig into my shoulders making me very uncomfortable.
I did try this a couple of times as a back pack, but it was very awkward both to put on and wear. This carrier is not designed to distribute a child’s properly to wear them on your back. In a matter of minutes my back, shoulders and chest hurt both from the weight of my child and having the straps dig into my skin.
The carrier did not seem comfortable for my child either. It is not breathable and my daughter and I both got hot very quickly when I was wearing it.
Beyond Carrying
Because of how difficult it is to get the baby in and out of the Infantino 6-in-1 Baby Carrier, I did not find it very helpful for use in grocery carts or restaurant high chairs. Once my child would start to cry (as they always do) I would want to get her out and pick her up quickly. This holder made the process of getting her out quickly difficult. You can buy products specifically designed to provide a full barrier between your child and shopping carts and high chairs. I never had need to use this as makeshift highchair by seating my child on a regular chair and hooking the straps around the back.
Final Thoughts
There are many other infant and child carriers out there, and since originally writing this I've tried quite a few. Definitely look elsewhere for a baby carrier!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 46
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
BRAND NEW Infantino 6 in One Rider Baby Carrier Navy/Dots #151-014 __________________________________ New in manufacturer's box Baby can face in or ou...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.