Many people are familiar with both the Ergo infant carrier and its well-known competitor the front-carrier Evenflo Snugli. They both are meant to carry your baby in a pouch-like structure close up against their caregiver’s chest, but why is one so much more expensive than the other? Is the generic version a legitimate choice to buy? Here is a brief summary comparison between the two:
Quality
Snugli – The Snugli is made of a soft cotton material. I have owned one in the past and the stitching started coming undone pretty quickly so I got rid of it. I’m not quite sure about the buckle system either. I saw a woman once wearing a Snugli in the supermarket with her little boy and as she bent down to pick up something she had dropped and the buckle pop open! Fortunately, she grabbed her little boy right before he smacked his head on the floor.
Ergo – The Ergo is made with heavy-duty 14 ounce cotton canvas with a 400 thread count per square inch. When holding the two next to one another, you can certainly tell both visually and by feel how much stronger and thicker the Ergo carrier is.
Functionality
Snugli – The Snugli (and other similar carriers such as the Baby Bjorn) have earned the infamous name the “crotch dangler.” The baby is placed into the carrier and the weight of his body is support by his or her crotch area while their legs dangle out. He or she can be worn facing the caregiver or away from the caregiver, but only on the frontside of the adult. Many avid baby wearers shun at the idea of how the Snugli seats the child because it puts unnatural pressure on the spine and pelvic area and forces them to sit unnaturally upright. Also, many are cautious about facing a baby outward because it can cause overstimulation for a sensitive baby such as mine. However, the Snugli is very easy to put on and take off and it is quicker than the Ergo.
Ergo – The Ergo can be worn on the front or back. While in a seated position with their spine naturally curved outwards, the baby sits with their legs wrap around the mother. Unlike the Snugli where the baby is supported by the crotch, the Ergo supports the entire baby’s bottom from one pivot of the knee to the other. Think of it as sitting on a hammock. The Ergo takes a little prepping and time to put on comfortably and there are some buckles far in the back that require some flexibility to fasten.
Comfort
Snugli – I wore my Snugli with my newborn daughter probably until she was 9 or 10 pounds. Because the Snugli uses your shoulders to carry the weight of the baby, my upper back began to ache not long after use. I can’t imagine carrying a baby up the maximum weight recommendation of to 26 pounds! I can’t say much for my baby other than the fact that it simply looks uncomfortable and awkward.
Ergo – The Ergo is much more comfortable than the Snugli as it distributes the weight of the child across your entire upper body — hips, back, and shoulders. The Ergo states it can carry children up to 45 pounds, which I wouldn’t doubt because I have seen petite mothers carrying their 3 or 4 year olds on them in the store. My daughter did not find the Ergo comfortable at all and refused to be worn in it until she was about 6 months old, but she seems to tolerate it now just fine.
Price
Snugli – I purchased my Snugli at the thrift store for $2, but I know my local Walmart sells them for about $25 or $30.
Ergo – The Ergo ranges from about $100 to $140 on Amazon.com.
Bottom Line: The Ergo is certainly worth the money over the Snugli. Not only is it much more comfortable for you, but put yourself in your baby’s shoes – would you rather sit on a park swing with your legs dangling on either side and hanging from your crotch, or would you rather be sitting in a hanging hammock with your knees dangling over the edge and your back curved against the material?
