BOBA Air Review

As a new mom, im still learning the differences between 'what to bring' and 'need to bring' during my outings with baby Max. If I could, I wouldn't mind taking a little bit of everything in his nursery just so i'm well prepared for whatever surprises that might come our way!  One of the many things that i always have with me is a baby carrier. This is especially important for those times when baby just either needs a position change or be close to mamma- believe me when i say that it is physically uncomfortable to carry around a growing distractible baby in your arms (read restless and heavy), while maneuvering a stroller, all while trying to get the purpose of your outing dealt with...oh and trying to reach your purse for your wallet or a snack for baby who doesn't want to be let go! Ow!

I have the Ergo Carrier, it's amazing and comfortable but it is huge. it takes up all the valuable real estate in my stroller undercarriage and because the carrier was such a necessity, i had to really prioritize what i bought or brought along with me. Just by chance, I read a posting about the Boba Air on Mrs. Loquacious' blog. A carrier that i've never heard of! light? compact? comfortable? Sold!
BOBA is an American company that you don't hear of too much up here in Canada. Thank you smart citizens of the world for creating a carrier that weighs less than a pound, the size of a cosmetic bag, but can support a 15-45lb child!

book, ShawTV remote, 11 month old foot ...what a convenient size!

these two exothermic men love being so close together, especially when it's cold out!

photo credit 

What I love about it:

• size and weight, portability, convenience
•  I felt comfortable with Max and that Max was safe and comfortable
• it's black...goes with everything. great for winter months to absorb heat
• familiarity: the position of the straps and buckles are similar to the ergo (upper back and around the waist)
• ergonomic: the position of the straps allowed for dispersed weight distribution. in reality, you will be hurting after carrying a baby for a long time. but with ergonomics in mind, you wont be hurting as fast and or as much
•  the straps are adjustable, and do not need an extension around the waist for the rubenesque mommas
• self storing: it folds back into its pouch easily...like it literally takes a minute!
• its nylon, just less material to deal with for those hot days
• 'facing me' position with a well supported 'sitting down' position of the baby
• can be used to carry the baby on your back- like a backpack (though i haven't tried this yet as Max is too small in my opinion)
•  i was worried that the lack of padding would dig into Max's thighs after being in it for a prolonged period of time, but as long as he's wearing pants or shorts (not bare-thighed onesie), there is no digging into the skin or red marks
• the conveniently located pouch/pocket to store the utmost essentials
• the sleeping hood that snaps onto your collar bone area 
• the adjusting straps are long so if you're not that flexible it's easy to just reach back, pull, and adjust for your comfort
• easy to do by yourself
• the non-padded straps are actually NOT uncomfortable
• as long as you're wearing a shirt, or at least have some sort of fabric on your upper body, the buckles will NOT dig into your bony prominences
• i was able to fit it in my purse when travelling, instead of taking up room in my carry on luggage
• it fit in the glove compartment of our vehicle! think emergency, and you really just got to pack up and go

What I wasn't loving:

•  as above, as long as you're wearing a shirt or some fabric, the buckles will not dig into your boney prominences. with a tank top and Max's weight, i can feel the buckles dig into my scapula's at times
• it's nylon. i dont think this is breathable fabric, so im not too sure how sweaty Max will get in the summer
• it's black. summer, heat absorption
• because the straps are not padded it was not always noticeable that i had twisted the straps as i put it over my arms/shoulders. with Max on and me trying to buckle and secure him on, i was having trouble doing so by myself because the buckles weren't facing the proper way. had to restart with an impatient baby!
• the pocket/pouch though convenient, has no surrounding padding so i would not put too much stuff in there and treat it like a purse - read, the baby will feel the jagged keys! like i said, just take the essentials!

Overall, I highly recommend the Boba Air. it has totally changed the quality of my outings with Max as   he has the option to be closer to me on demand and i can utilize my stroller storage more efficiently! i carry this around with me all the time while out and about!

After a few hours of googling (and a lot of frustration after reading "cannot be shipped internationally," or being automatically redirected off the site as im on a Canadian network -ahem, Boba website!),  thank you Happy Baby Daily Needs for being the only company in Vancouver/Lower Mainland/Greater Vancouver area to sell this product!