Customer Reviews

BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Synergy - Black, Mesh

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

My husband and I started out with the regular Bjorn, which hurt our backs after about 30 minutes. Then we tried the Bjorn Active, which made a huge improvement in terms of comfort, but we were unable to wear it in warm California weather because it was so big and bulky. Finally Bjorn figured it out - combine the Air and the Active -and you have the Synergy. I just wish it wasn't so ridiculously expensive ($150 for a mesh carrier mass produced in Latvia, c'mon!), I wish it came in other colors (navy, red, olive, like the Actives), and I wish Bjorn would finally develop waist support so the baby's weight wasn't carried so much on the parent's shoulders and back. But until then, this is a great carrier for newborns to 6 months old, especially if your young baby (like mine) resists slings and froggy-style carries in mei tais.

After doing lots of research between this and the Ergo, I purchased this today to replace my original Bjorn. I decided on this because I like my other Baby Bjorn, as does my son, and didn't like that the Ergo required an infant insert (which seems hot for summer and a bit complicated to use) until the baby has good head support (3 to 4 months) and didn't allow baby to face out (something my daughter loved when she was still using the Bjorn).

Anyway, this afternoon I wore my 7 week old son for about an hour while doing errands in the house. Keeping in mind it is 97 degrees outside and we do not have air conditioning. He seemed very cool when in the carrier and also when I took him out. After being in the original Bjorn for that long, he is always sweaty and I have to change his clothes, poor guy!

I also felt it was comfortable for me as far as breathe-ability, but did start feeling a little "hot" in the lumbar area which doesn't breathe well.

As I stated before, I have the original baby bjorn and used it for my daughter but wanted this one because of the mesh material considering it's summer time (my daughter was a winter baby so the thicker material of the original carrier was just fine for her) and the lumbar support for me as my son is about 14 pounds and my back aches after having him in the original Bjorn for any length of time.

I did notice an improvement in my posture while wearing him and my back didn't hurt, but my shoulders still ached as they do when wearing him in the original bjorn.

I also don't like that there isn't as much head support as you get with the original Bjorn. The material is too soft around the head. Perhaps I just need to play with the straps a bit to get it right...I just felt he was a bit more "wobble" headed in this one than he is in the orignal Bjorn. He also doesn't sit as high...perhaps again another adjustment I need to make.

I wish it came in more colors; I have the white one and suspect it will need frequent washing! Also again, I wish the head support was a bit firmer.

Overall I'm not sure it's a great improvement over the original Bjorn and definitely not worth the $160 price tag - especially considering you can get the orignal for about $50 now and the others (air and active) for about $80! I'm still debating on whether I am going to take it back - not sure it's such a great improvement to justify the price tag.

But it's a good carrier, I do like it, thus the 4 stars, but again, not much of an improvement over the original Bjorn.

Over the course of three children we have had FIVE carriers: Two slings, a Baby Bjorn, a Snugli and the Ergo Baby.

The Bjorn is definitely the best looking and very easy to use. The clips and connectors are very intuitive and it's easy to get smaller infants into it.

My big complaint is that when the kids get larger (or if you wear it for more than 20 minutes at a time) it really starts to kill your back. This is because the design keeps all the weight on your shoulders. It's like wearing a backpack BACKWARDS!

The "Active" version has wider straps and a which provide additional support for a small improvement over the "Original," but it still puts all the weight on your shoulders, pulling them forward. The additional strap is still too high to put the weight on your hips.

If you backpack, you know what I'm talking about. A lightweight daypack is fine for lugging 20 lbs of textbooks from class to class, but if you want to be able to hike for an hour with 40 lbs you have to shift the weight from your shoulders to your hips.

If you only plan to use this when grocery shopping and think you'll give it up when they're 6 months old, this might be for you. If you think you might want to go to the park and hang out, or use it even when the kid starts to crawl, then the Ergo Baby is probably more your speed. It's almost as easy to use, though does not look as sleek or stylish.

p.s. this is coming from a guy who is 6', 180# and fit. My wife is smaller and far more critical of the ergonomics of this carrier.

If you've found this review helpful, please let me know!

The Synergy is definitely an improvement over the Original Bjorn and is much lighter than the Bjorn Active. It's not bulky and is as easy to use as the Original Bjorn. I've found that the back support greatly increases how long I can carry my baby as compared to the Original (which I used with my first child). A lot of the baby's weight is still on your shoulders, but the lumbar support does help. I like that the Bjorn lets my 3 month old baby sleep peacefully (facing me) and then when he's awake he can face out and explore the world.

They do a great job describing the size range for the child, but don't think about getting this if you're an above-average size male. I'm 6'3" and the "lumbar support" didn't even make it past my upper back (at it's fully extended setting).

Otherwise, if you're small- to average-sized, it seems like the construction, etc was great.

I own the original Baby Bjorn (classic), the Baby Bjorn Synergy, the Beco Gemini and a Balboa Baby Sling. I've test driven the Baby Bjorn Comfort, the Ergo, and the Beco Butterfly in the store with my baby. In order of preference, I like the Beco Gemini best, then the Beco Butterfly, Ergo, Baby Bjorn Comfort, Baby Bjorn Synergy, and the BB Classic last. The baby sling is in a category of its own because it is slung only over one shoulder.

Here's my evaluation of the different carriers

**Baby Bjorn Classic (I own this)
Pros: Really good design with clasps that click when secure, easy to take on and off. Well made carrier. Can carry baby facing in and out. Can be used with newborn.
Cons: Hurts your neck and back. The problem is that the Baby Bjorn is designed to put the weight on your shoulders and once your baby is over 10 lbs, the average woman will develop a neck ache from using this carrier. I've talked to lots of moms and they hate the Bjorn for this reason. Men seem to have fewer problems with it, maybe because their shoulders are stronger. Made of thick material which overheats baby.

**Baby Bjorn Synergy (I own this)
This is almost exactly the same as the Classic except that it has an added lumbar support and is made of mesh, so the baby doesn't get too hot. Everything else with the clasps and the use of the carrier is the same. I bought this thinking the lumbar support would help my neck strain but it didn't help at all. My neck still hurt a lot. This is a lot more expensive than the Classic but doesn't seem to add much benefit.

**Baby Bjorn Comfort (Tried it on in store)
Pros: Puts weight on your hips. Allows baby to be carried facing in and out.
Cons: Bulky and difficult to put on. Weight is on hips but it still isn't as comfortable as the Ergo, which distributes the weight better. Cannot be used with newborns. I think the minimum weight is 13lbs.

**Ergo (Tried it on in store)
Pros: Puts the weight on your hips. Comfortable to use. Can carry baby on front, back, and side.
Cons: Clumsy to put on and take off. Difficult to put baby into carrier and take him out. Cannot carry baby on your front facing out. For newborns, you have to buy a separate infant insert which is huge and awkward, and carries the baby with his legs scrunched up. My baby hated it and screamed the whole time he was in it. Design is kind of ugly.

**Beco Butterfly (Tried it on in store)
Pros: Puts the weight on your hips. Comfortable to use. Has an internal pouch so you can strap on the carrier to yourself, adjust the straps, before putting the baby in (you can't do that with the Ergo). This internal pouch makes it a lot easier to put the baby on your back, because you can put the baby in the pouch, turn around, and strap the carrier to your body. Comes with built-in infant insert. Nice looking carrier. Can carry baby on front, back, and side.
Cons: Easier to put on than Ergo but still clumsy. Baby cannot face out. Baby's legs are scrunched up inside infant insert.

**Beco Gemini (I own this)
Pros: Puts the weight on your hips. Comfortable to use (no more neck ache!!!). Baby can face in or out. Nice looking carrier. Can carry baby on front, back, side.
Cons: Very clumsy to put on and take off. Straps drag on ground while you struggle to put it on, and you have to be careful the baby doesn't fall out while you do so. Clasps are difficult to click and unclick. Straps and cords don't seem well thought out and sort of drape over the baby's face. Carrier is supposed to carry newborns but baby would have to have his legs scrunched up froggy style inside or stretch out wide on side, so I don't recommend it. I think it's OK for babies 3-4 months and up. (Note: I have a lot of cons for this carrier not because it's a bad carrier, but because I use it a lot so I have had a lot of time to think of things I could change. I still really do like this carrier. I use it allll the time.)

**Balboa Baby Sling (I own this)
The baby sling is slung over one shoulder so it's a totally different creature than the front/back carriers. My baby couldn't use it as a newborn as he had no neck control and just slouched over with his neck buried into his chest in a dangerous way when I put him in. When he got older and could hold up his neck, he hated being squashed into the sling. Finally when he hit 5 months old and could sit up with support he started to like the sling as he could sit up and look around in it, but by then he was too heavy to lug around on one shoulder. I use the sling mostly for short trips from the car to the store, when I don't want to take time to strap on a carrier. I know other moms use the sling a lot, even with newborns, but I think it really depends on your baby. Some love it, some hate it. I'd still say be careful with newborns though, as a newborn might not be able to breathe properly with his head folded into his chest.

Conclusion: I love the engineering of the Baby Bjorn. They've thought very carefully about where straps go and how clasps click together, and how the baby goes in and out of the carrier. Unfortunately the Baby Bjorn just hurts my neck too much to be usable. Ultimately there is still no perfect carrier, but I went with the Beco Gemini because it is comfortable and allows my baby to face forward, and I sort of put up with the weird straps.

An extra note for the Beco. If your baby doesn't mind facing inwards, I would actually recommend the Beco Butterfly, just because the internal pouch makes it so much easier to wear the carrier and put the baby in and out. My baby loves facing out, so I went with the Gemini. Using the Gemini takes practice, and I can't even imagine how I'm going to put the baby on my back unassisted. Still, I have been using the Gemini for over a few months now and I love how my neck no longer hurts. Baby rides in it comfortably. I'd put the extra $20 in and get the strap drool pads, as baby sucks on the straps all day. Love the different patterns the Beco comes in. I own Ginger and it's beautiful!

I never take the time to write reviews, but I rely on them so much when making expensive purchases that I felt I had to finally share my opinion on baby carriers. In a nutshell, I own 4 different types of carriers and have tried many, many more than that. The Synergy is by far the best the Baby Bjorn brand has to offer, but if you have any issues with low back pain do not be fooled by the lumbar support panel. It does absolutely NOTHING to support your low back or to redistribute baby's weight away from your shoulders. There is NO padding on the shoulder straps, which is a killer after about 10 minutes of wear with even a light baby. AND you have to tighten all the straps so tightly to feel secure that it feels like I'm cutting off the circulation around my waist.

The only carrier on the market today that is actually comfortable for you AND your baby is the Ergo. As the name suggests, it is ergonomically designed with you and your baby in mind. The thick, comfortable waist band is the ONLY design that actually distributes your baby's weight to your hips - away from your neck, shoulders and low back. The thick, padded shoulder straps are wonderful. They seem bulky at first, but definitely worth it for my 23 lb. 11-month old boy.

You may wonder why I even give the Synergy 2 stars. I considered giving it less, but I think it is ok for smaller, lightweight babies or those who no longer want to face their parents while in the carrier (as babies cannot face outward in the Ergo). Also, if you do not have any back issues and do not care about padding on the shoulders then I could understand how you might be happy with this carrier. But I say save your money and make the Ergo your long-term baby carrier by buying the infant insert to accommodate your newborn. I discovered the Ergo too late in the game and already wasted about $300 total on carriers.

We have a newborn baby boy and he's now a month old. Wanting a carrier, my wife first tried a sling. She found it to be nice looking but uncomfortable for her and awkward for the baby. The next selection was the "BabyBjorn Baby Carrier Synergy" which I am reviewing here. We chose the white model and have been very satisfied with it.

Our baby now weighs about 11 pounds. He fits nicely into the carrier and we arrange him facing his mother. When he gets older and larger, we'll turn him forward. In any case, he seems very comfortable and completely at ease. We've noted many times that he may be crying when we put him into the carrier, but when he's in and Mom is walking around he becomes quiet and seems fascinated by his surroundings. We've had no trouble with him and it seems to work every time. We take him into stores and other public places and he remains quiet and well behaved. Part of this must be due to the carrier.

We go on walks every other day and our hikes are up to three miles at present. We plan to increase the distances as part of our fitness program and it won't be long before we're doing five miles or more. So far, my wife is the only one of us to use the carrier. She reports that the fit is good cross the shoulders and back and the baby presents no burden, even on our longest walks. Our baby seems to like the walks and has remained quiet and well behaved even on the longest of them. The carrier is nicely designed and is amply adjustable. We anticipate no problems as the baby grows and as I start to use the carrier.

This is a nicely designed quality product that's comfortable and easy to use. It's well constructed and is an attractive, sporty piece of equipment. The price seems a bit high, but we expect it will have good resale value when our boy finally outgrows it.

Gary Peterson

I did not find this better than the original bjorn - the extra lumbar support didn't help me or my husband. I think the trekker (a Canadian brand) has better back support because it has a waist band, which is really what the bjorn needs in order to take some of the strain off your shoulders and back.

I had the original Baby Bjorn carrier with my first born, who's now 6-years-old. It was one of those baby products that I couldn't live without! She wouldn't let me put her down, so this product was the one thing that allowed me to both hold her and get some things done. For me, it was only a matter of time before using one with my newborn. I LOVE the synergy because of the breathable mesh and back support. It's so much better than the original model, and definitely worth the extra money. Since my newborn often wants to be held, and will sleep in this, I look at the money as an investment in our sanity. I couldn't live without this product!