In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician
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The Infantino Swift Classic was the cheapest carrier we tested, and boy did we feel it. Flimsy construction combined with poorly thought out buckle placement were just a few characteristics that gave both our parent and baby testers a less than stellar experience. While some parents may be tempted by the amazingly low price or seduced by the superficial resemblance to the best-selling BabyBjorn Original, don't confuse this for a bargain; we urge you to look elsewhere.
REASONS TO BUY
Light
Simple
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Flimsy
Padding
Limited positions
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Infantino Swift Classic was hands-down the most uncomfortable carrier we tried. It's made of a cheap-feeling, almost “fluff-filled” nylon material that just offered no support whatsoever. We felt like we had to keep one hand on baby the whole time, especially if bending over at all. It really seemed like baby could slip out at any moment. The shoulder straps dug into our parent testers and the back support just wasn't there. Baby was squirmy and uncomfortable, we think mostly in part to two giant plastic buckles that come together right under the crotch. We barely lasted 10 minutes in this carrier.
Very narrow shoulder straps with minimal padding on the Swift did not provide much support for heavier babies.
Credit: Adrian Hogel
Likes
Inexpensive — The Infantino Swift Classic does have a couple things going for it. For one, the less than $20 price tag is ultra-low in the world of baby carriers. However, we consider it money wasted. If you can help it, we don't recommend investing in this carrier just to save a buck.
Simple — One more plus? It is also a fairly easy carrier to figure out and use.
Dislikes
Uncomfortable for both parent and baby — Once in place, baby does not feel secure. It is poorly designed with large buckles right where baby sits. It also lacks proper ergonomics, leaving baby's legs dangling straight down.
Parent Padding — Less than substantial, particularly in the shoulders
Bib is a Bust — Infantino touts a “Wonder Cover 2-in-1 Bib” to catch baby's drool, etc. but it is made of a thin, non-absorbent material which just wasn't functional.
Limited Carry Positions — This carrier only offers 2 carry positions: front carry facing in or front carry facing out. Although it states a 25 pound weight limit, this carrier was not appropriate for a toddler who was pushing that limit. It was much too small and not supportive enough.
Baby's legs dangle straight down in the Infantino Swift Classic.
Credit: Kelly Beson
Conclusion
In our experience, the Infantino Swift Classic definitely gave us a return on our investment, which happened to be next to nothing. We were really disappointed to see such an affordable option score the lowest in our ratings. If you're a fan of the Infantino line, we say go for their still affordable, yet much better scoringInfantino Sash Mei Tai.
The “Wonder Cover” bib was pretty much useless on the Infantino Swift Classic, and baby wasn't too stoked to be in this carrier.
