Even though our little guy is not quite so little anymore (birthday number 4 coming up this spring!!!), I still regularly get questions about the best gear for infants.  And while we certainly had our go-to gear favorites when it came to adventuring with the crag-kiddo, the gear junkie in me is thrilled to try out the latest and greatest in infant outdoor gear!  (And as a side note, I’m shocked at all the stuff that is on the market NOW as opposed to just a few short years ago…)

Hiking along the Endless Wall cliff base at 24 weeks.

That being said, I’m very excited about the opportunity to try out the new 4G carrier from Boba – TWICE.  Because not only will the Boba hopefully make for a comfortable baby option for our new little girl come March, it’s versatile enough to accommodate a toddler up to 45 pounds!  True, C likes to hike by himself a lot these days…but when it comes to long approaches at the crag, his short little legs are not surprisingly the first to poop out.  This in-between stage has actually proved to be fairly challenging when it comes to carriers – he’s too big for long-haul carriers such as our Kelty, and the terrain is too rough and too long for a transitional carrier like the Piggyback Rider.  Our temporary solution up until now has been the Ergo – he slides right in under the weight limit, but it’s questionable whether or not he’s too “long” for it – the back support doesn’t come close to supporting his entire back, so while this works great when he can hold on to my shoulders, it doesn’t make for pleasant sleeping conditions on a long, end-of-the-day slog out of the mountains (which is of course when we rely on the carrier most!)

Here’s the specs on the new Boba 4G, and how they apply when it comes to toddler carrying.

16″ Back Panel – This is a full 3″ taller than our Ergo, making a much roomier and comfortable fit for both rider and wearer.  Plenty of back support for C means he has a license to get snuggly and snoozy whenever he wants.

Hip Belt – The Boba hip belt can accomodate anywhere from 25-58″, making it a very convenient option for a husband/wife team on either end of the size spectrum.  Elastic bands make for an easy way to roll up the “tails” of your straps for smaller-waisted folk.

Detachable Leg Straps – This is a unique feature designed for toddler comfort. The straps are ergonomically designed to maintain   important alignment of the hips and takes pressure off of longer toddler legs.  C can slide his feet in and out of the straps by himself fairly easily, and according to him they are very comfy! and they  The straps are adjustable, so they can extend as your child grows (probably all too quickly…)  

Pockets and Shoulder Strap Holders – I’m not one to carry a purse (especially at the crag lol!), but some moms will probably make good use out of the shoulder strap holders, designed to keep your pocketbook from sliding off your arm.  I do, however, make good use out of the multiple pockets that were creatively engineered into the carrier.

(Taken from Boba website)

As successful as the Boba has been for 3 year old C, I think the infant age range is where this carrier will truly shine.  It will even fit newborns (7lb weight minimum) with a small pillow-type insert that snaps in just below baby’s bottom – which is INCLUDED rather than paying extra, unlike several other newborn carrying options…but the newborn version of this review will still have to wait another couple of months.  Until then, which carriers do/did you use with your child in the 2-4 year “transitional” phase?

*NOTE: As is the case with many of the reviews on this blog, our family received our Boba 4G at no cost for purposes of this review.  However, we cannot be bought, so all views expressed here are our own, unbiased opinions!