Carrier: Hoodie Carrier (Full-Buckle)
Material: Cotton/Polyester
Weight/Age recommendations: 3,5-20kg / newborn (with extension pack) till 3 years
Dimensions: baby “seat” with extension pack measuring around 22cm. Panel height measured from top of extension pack: 27cm. Without extension pack: Panel width: 33cm approx; panel height: 45cm
About the brand: Love Radius is a french brand. So far I only knew the stretchy wraps from them. You knot, the ones with the big pouch placed in the middle of the wrap… I bought one of them for my consultancy stash as they were recommended in my education. Because they’re a bit more supportive than other stretchies (which is true).
Love Radius Hoodie Carrier – make an appearance
With this baby carrier, we wanted to give you a tool that blends even more subtly into the world of today’s parents. Without cramping your style or imposing the childcarer look.
It may seem superficial and unnecessary, but we believe parents who feel comfortable about their appearance when they’re equipped with a (good) baby carrier are more likely to start using it. And if we can get more people to use baby carriers, we’re accomplishing our mission.
My first impression: The Hoodie Carrier looks simple and cool (check out the product link if you like). I’m a bit sad that the width of the panel isn’t adjustable which is something I really expect from baby carriers nowadays… However you can buy the extension pack. It’s some kind of cushion that lifts babys position high enough until approx 4 months, Love Radius says.
The fabric is a “3D breathable all-seasons material offering a soft and slightly stretchy wrap-like feeling“. It has, especially with the hood, the look of a sweatshirt. The carrier indeed is designed very appealing and makes me wanna try it instantly.
Extension pack for newborns available
How does it fit and wear: The carrier is fast and easy to use with as less adjusting options as possible. In the first moment, it’s pretty comfy. However, when carrying on my back and walking around for longer than half an hour I felt my back. Maybe it’s due to the rather soft and small hip belt. Maybe also due to the construction that the weight of the baby is distributed mostly on your shoulders. That’s what another baby consultant told me when she tried the carrier.
The back panel gets bulky by shortening
But with all carriers it might just be a matter of figure and you really need to try it. Mentioning the figure: The black, not padded part of the shoulder strap is placed right under my arm pit. This isn’t too comfy if you’re not wearing a long sleeve. That for sure isn’t your problem if you’re on the skinny side. 😉
If you’re shortening the back panel, it gets a bit bulky on the sides where the straps are. Just as if the air wouldn’t be able to move out of the fabric. Just to mention…
Conclusion: Fashionable and not too expensive baby carrier. Suitable for all who use any easy to use carrier. Idealy for short trips with babys from around 4-5 months and older.
Tested with my 17 months old baby in june 2018. Thanks to the sponsor Sonnenkind.ch for the opportunity!
Hello there,
Thanks for your review. I’m hesitating between this one and the Manduca Xt. Which one did you prefer? Is the hood big enough for the baby or is it too small at a point? Would you think it is suitable to hike (material + confort)? And is your back still hurt or do you think it was more a positioning/morpho issue?
Thanks a lot
Hi Guillaume, thanks for asking! I’d definitely choose the Manduca XT because I’ve done several hikes with it and it’s really comfy and doesn’t hurt anywhere. The expendable seat also is a plus for your child sitting more comfy. I think the hood is big enough until 2 years at least but the material of the carrier in my eyes isn’t supporting enough for a hike. I don’t think it was a positioning issue but it might be due to my figure of course. One carrier can be perfect for one and not optimal for another but the Manduca XT is a good choice. If you have the possibility to try further carriers, I always recommend the babyroo for toddlers when hiking, I found it the most comfy one back when my elder daughter was around 3-4 years old (still carried her at that age). I hope this helped! Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need more advice.
Hello Tamara!
Thanks for your reply and your advice about the Manduca XT. My baby is 6 weeks old at the moment, so it is not for now (even if “theoretically” they both suit for newborns). During summer, I will go back to France (my home country) so I’m prospecting to buy a carrier as I heard these two brands are great> I’m living in New Zealand and I cant find all these brands. Wouahhh, still carried at 3-4 years old! Congrats… I hope I’ll go that far as well. I had one extra question:
– About the heat: is baby/you feeling hot with the hoodie carrier when walking? What about the Manduca xt when hiking? (I know, hiking means sweating but were you melting or just sweating :)?
Thanks again !
Oh, so tiny yet 🙂 In that case I also recommend a baby wrap, by the way! I use baby wraps, too, for a long time, also with a toddler. Wow, what a travel from NZ to France, already wishing you good luck! You will be able to buy all the carriers in Europe, no problem. Manduca should be available in NZ, too but I always recommend to use a wrap during the first 4-6 months and then switch to a carrier if necessary.
It just depends on your lifestyle and how your child will prefer walking or carrying. Mine preferred to be carried and we loved to hike. Concerning the heat: I’ve been always sweating, no matter if carrying or not 😀 I guess both carriers are okay, Manduca is made of cotton canvas, it’s totally okay. I recommend packing 2-3 extra bodies or shirts for you and your baby so you can change the wet ones after pauses. My hubby also had the need to this because he got wet on the back where he carried out backpack 😉
I’ve been thinking about trying to find an Ergo….I think you sold me. 🙂 With my first, my Moby wrap was my favorite, with the Mei Tai coming in close second.
Thanks for the review!
you’re welcome, dear! 🙂
Hi! Sorry to bother but I have a question .can you put the baby facing the other way?
Never mind! 🙂 It’s not recommended, to be honest. Legs would be forced being too wide apart. Besides, forward facing leaves too much pressure on babys back which should be able to maintain a rounded spine. And last but not least, your baby can’t turn away its head to cuddle on your chest and fall asleep as soon as it is satisfied with all the visual stimuli…