Marc Shelkin of the Working Dads Group tries out the Stokke MyCarrier and gives us his full review here. In his own words.
As a new dad I've recently been introduced to a world of baby products and a huge number of products that apparently I need to buy to benefit my child, wife and myself. Being totally honest I think 30% of these products add genuine value to the development or support of my child or us as parents. The others are simply crazy and there is no reason for them to have ever been made!
So when I received the Stokke MyCarrier I was pleased to own something that is a great addition to being a father. I'd actually come across the Stokke brand before when shopping for a pram a year ago and felt that Stokke had built a trusted and quality brand, so I expected big things.
1. First impressions and carry positions
My child is four and a half months old. She's surprisingly independent and strong but obviously still needs a level of support. We tried two positions in the carrier with her:
- On my chest with her facing outwards.
- And one on my chest with her facing inwards towards the chest.
Both of these positions seemed safe after I read the recommended age ranges for those different positions.
2. First real test - assembling the MyCarrier
I am not the best at these things and my patience can wear thin at times. I tried to figure out how to put in on myself but quickly got frustrated as it was taking me longer to figure things out. I needed the support from my wife to make sure I had covered all bases and my child was strapped in correctly.
It took me about 3 mins to get it on for each position. I found it relatively easy to get on but when I put my child in, the last remaining fastenings were difficult, as I couldn’t see them. My child was blocking my vision to the complete the process.
3. Oh hello comfort
I have to say, it felt incredibly comfortable on! I would happily score it 5/5 for comfort because:
- It's really light weight. when carrying my child, the weight felt equally distributed. Even when she was wriggling around and kicking her feet I couldn’t notice any extra weight.
- Both times I used it for over an hour and never felt any back pains, or rubbing of the material.
- It deals well with heat. As part of this review I also used the Stokke MyCarrier on two very hot days, which was a good test. Even in those conditions it really was a pleasure to use. I can imagine it being very handy on holiday too!
4. Stylish and then some
I thought it was stylish and would rate it 4/5 for style, for the following reasons:
- I am someone who is conscious of what I look when out in public but when wearing it I felt comfortable in myself.
- Apart from a carrier having a beer pack on I don’t think the look and feel of any carrier would make it a 5/5.
- It seemed to go well with what I was wearing both days and was a colour that I would imagine any man would be happy wearing. People often looked at me when I was wearing it but I got the feeling they thought it was cute as opposed to sad and untrendy.
5. Pros and Cons
Alongside it's style and comfort, I thought it has a huge range of other pros, including:
The only concern I have was getting in on by myself but I would highly recommend it to any dad.
6. Find out more
To find out more, visit the Stokke website, or explore the very latest price on Amazon.
