Infantino Carry On Baby Carrier Review

Why This Carrier?

Wearing the right soft structured carrier is essential for having fun and safe adventures with your baby. As he or she grows, you want it to continue to fit both of you comfortably and offer good support. Not only that, it has to be able to stand up to the demands of the outdoors. With so many SSCs on the market, though, it's hard to know which one to choose. In my experience, the Infantino Carry On Active carrier checks all the boxes! It's a budget friendly option that doesn't skimp on quality. It's also the most supportive and comfortable carrier I've found for hiking and backpacking with a little one. I'm going to use the words comfort and support a lot in this review, but I can't stress enough how important that is. Both for mom and baby! The Infantino Carry On comes in two versions: the original Multi-Pocket and the Active. I'm mainly going to focus on the Active version in this review. Both are great carriers. However, the Active is slightly lighter and more compact than the Multi-Pocket due to its simplified design. For those reasons (and many more) I've found it's better suited for use on the trail.

Friendly Disclaimer: Everybody is different and every baby is different. This soft structured carrier worked really well for my family, and while I hope it does for yours too, there's a chance it might not. Everything shared here is my own opinion. I'm just sharing my personal experience using this product while hiking and backpacking with a baby. I am in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Infantino! There are no affiliate links in this post.

Specs, Features, & Comparison

Below are the specs, features, and a comparison between the Multi-Pocket and the Active versions of the Infantino Carry On Baby Carrier.

Model	Carry On Multi-Pocket Carrier	Carry On Active Carrier
Material	polyurethane foam, polyester fiber batting, polyethylene foam	polyurethane foam, polyester fiber batting, polyethylene foam, nylon
Weight	1.5 lbs	1.25 lbs
Claimed Load Limit	8 - 40 lbs	8 - 40 lbs
Special Features	4 ways to carry, 5 zippered pockets, 1 mesh elastic closure shoulder pocket, breathable mesh panel, padded shoulder straps, supportive waist belt, adjustable snap seat	4 ways to carry, 4 elastic closure pockets, pacifier loop, v-shape interior opening, padded shoulder straps, supportive waist belt, adjustable snap seat
Price Range	$45 - 50	$40

I'll briefly go over some of the main differences between the original Multi-Pocket and the Active carrier. The most obvious being storage space. The original has 5 zippered pockets: three on the front and one on either side of the waist belt. There's also a stretchy mesh pocket on the right shoulder strap. The Active has four mesh pockets with an elastic closure: a double layered pocket on the front and one on either side of the waist belt. In place of the shoulder strap pocket, the Active has a pacifier loop. Although the Multi-Pocket version allows you to bring a few more items along, I actually prefer the simpler mesh pockets. Not only do the zippers add more weight and bulk, they also tend to catch on branches and brush when hiking less maintained trails. Another reason I prefer the mesh pockets is they give me easier access to my phone. I can quickly check the GPS without having to fumble around with the zippers (or try to remember which side I stowed it in.)

Next, the Multi-Pocket has a breathable mesh panel on the inside. This feature is great for wicking away moisture and mitigating the build up of sweat between you and your passenger. It is not, however, ideal for mom's who want to nurse their baby on the go. The panel covers the chest area up to the collar bone, so you would have to stop and completely take the shoulder straps off. The front zippered pockets are tall enough to fit most 8oz bottles, though. The Active version is conducive to both bottle and breastfeeding. With no divider inside, the shoulder straps can be moved aside offering easy access for baby. The layered mesh pocket in front can also hold most 8oz bottles.

A neat feature both versions have is the adjustable seat. Using a set of toggles and snaps, you can switch it between narrow and wide. This allows the carrier to adapt to your baby as he or she grows. I found the adjustable seat especially helpful when Wiggle was between 6 and 9 months old. When wearing her inward facing on my front, she needed the wide seat. Otherwise her feet would get caught on my legs as we walked. When she wanted to ride outward facing, switching the seat to narrow was simple taking only a minute. Although it's recommended to use just the narrow seat for outward facing, Wiggle was more comfortable with the wide seat as she got closer to a year old. I really appreciated having so much adjustability during each of her developmental stages.

Thanks to the reduced features and simpler design, the Active carrier has a sleeker more compact feel to it. It's also 0.25 lb lighter than the Multi-Pocket. Which may not seem like a lot of weight, but you'd be surprised the difference that quarter of a pound makes when hauling a baby up to your favorite overlook! Despite being a pared down version of the original, the Active offers the same amount of comfort and support for both the wearer and passenger. The padding on the shoulder straps, waistbelt, seat, and leg openings are identical.

Trial Run, Durability, and Maintenance

I've been using the Infantino Carry On SSC for about one year. It's gone on every adventure with us from the time my daughter "Wiggle" was able fit in it at 6 weeks old (8 - 10 lbs). I started out with short easy hikes at local parks, and by 10 weeks old I felt ready to give backpacking a try. Nothing too crazy, just an overnight close to home. At 12 months old, Wiggle still fits in it comfortably!

I instantly fell in love with this carrier and wanted to use it all the time. So, I purchased the Active version to use specifically for hiking. Having a second carrier was great because I could still use the Multi-Pocket at home and to run errands while the Active was in the wash after a trip. I predominantly wear my daughter on my front either inward or outward facing. I've only worn her in this carrier on my back a couple of times. Mostly because there's not enough storage space to bring everything we need for a hike. I still need to bring a daypack along. Also, it's not as comfortable for me. Everyone is different though. Back carrying our daughter doesn't bother my husband at all.

The most pressing question you probably have is: "How far can you hike with this thing before it starts to hurt your back and shoulders?" That depends. With so many variables at play like fitness level, conditioning to certain terrain, and the weight / size of your own baby I can't guarantee your experience will be the same as mine. But I can describe my experience, and hopefully it helps you determine whether covering similar mileage (or more) using this SSC would be feasible for you too. The farthest Wiggle and I have day hiked together with this carrier is 7 miles. She was 4 months old and around 12 lbs. My daypack was somewhere in the 8 to 10 lb range. The terrain was moderate and I took several breaks to rest and let her stretch out throughout the day. The farthest we've backpacked in a day is 4.5 miles (9 miles round trip.) Wiggle was 7 months old and around 15 lbs. It was Summer, so I had lighter gear with me with my pack in the 22 to 25 lbs range. The terrain was mostly moderate with a few short strenuous sections. Following these longer adventures, my shoulders and waist were definitely sore. I wouldn't describe it as painful though. Most of our day hikes are between 3 and 5 miles. Backpacking trips are anywhere between 2 and 4 miles into camp with side adventures in the surrounding area between 1 and 5 miles. That may not sound like a lot, but my goal isn't to cover the same distance I used to pre-baby (10 to 12 miles a day) with my baby. It's to share the places I love with her. As a result, our backpacking trips specifically take on a more leisurely pace.

As far as durability goes, I'm very impressed with how well both versions of this carrier have held up. Especially the Active. After a year of use and abuse on the trail I haven't had any rips, tears, or holes in the material. Not even the mesh pockets. There aren't any pulled threads or frayed webbing either. Despite all the tension put on the seams and straps by my growing baby, none of the stitching has failed. The foam padding does, however, hold onto odors. Sweat is the biggest offender. In my experience, synthetic materials like nylon and polyester are no match for hiker sweat. Over time, it works its way so deep into your gear there's not much you can do to get of rid it. Consistently using a laundry sanitizer has helped keep the carrier smelling fresh to some extent.

Which brings us to maintenance. To clean the carrier I toss it in the washing machine by itself on the gentle/hand-wash cycle. For reference, my machine is a top loader and does not have a raised agitator. I use free & clear detergent as well as Lysol Sport Laundry Sanitizer. Afterwards, I hang it up to dry outside in a sunny place. I wouldn't recommend putting it in the dryer. If I'm washing it on a day when the weather isn't great, I'll hang it up in the shower with the bathroom fan running. The material is very fast drying, so the carrier is typically ready to used again by the next morning.

Anything I Dislike?

I have two small criticisms for the Active carrier. The main improvement I think could be made is keeping the internal mesh panel the Multi-Pocket version has. Or better yet, offering it as an attachment that snaps into the carrier! This way you still have the feature and can easily remove it when you don't want to use it. I understand that making a lighter, simpler version means a certain features and materials needs to be left out. Still, it would've been nice to have a breathable panel to separate us and wick away moisture on those sunny Summer hikes.

Although the addition of the pacifier loop is a nice touch, its placement isn't ideal. I think it would be better if the loop was placed on the inside of the shoulder strap rather than the outside. Many of the lanyards we used were barely long enough to reach Wiggle when clipped to the loop. To keep the pacifier from being pulled out of her mouth as we walked, I had to clip her lanyard to the webbing for the top buckle instead. Apart from those two things, there's not much I dislike or wish I could change about this carrier.

Final Thoughts...

I tried other more expensive SSCs like the Boba-Air Ultra Lightweight ($70) and Baby Bjorn One Air 3-D Mesh carrier ($220 - $240.) Both boasted breathability, comfort, and ergonomic designs. Unfortunately, neither one measured up to the Infantino Carry On despite the higher price tag. After just a few minutes of wearing the Boba-Air my daughter started screaming and trying to climb out. It wasn't very comfortable for me either. The waistbelt was a thin strip of fabric offering no support. As I walked around, it rolled up and dug into my sides. The shoulder straps also lacked any kind of support and caused a sharp pain in my neck.

Wiggle's reaction to the Baby Bjorn carrier wasn't nearly as dramatic. She seemed relatively content with it. I, on the other hand, was not. Although the sliding buckle design is unique and innovative, I found it along with the heavily padded straps very bulky. At 2lbs, this carrier was also much heavier than I was used to. Lastly, the material didn't offer as much air flow as I was hoping. In the end, it just wasn't for me. Thankfully, I was able to buy it secondhand. So, it wasn't a huge financial loss when I decided to pass it on to a friend.

I can't recommend this carrier enough! I've been very impressed with its performance on our hikes. It's made introducing our daughter to the outdoors so much easier. To sum it all up, if you're looking for a simple yet versatile SSC for hiking and backpacking with a baby, then you'll want to give the Infantino Carry On Active a try. It's lightweight, comfortable, and affordable. What more could you ask for?!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found this review helpful. If you're thinking about giving the Infantino Carry On carrier a try you can find it a number of places including but not limited to: Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Again, I'm in no way sponsored by or affiliated with this brand. I'm just sharing my personal experience with a product I've enjoyed using on the trail.