They have a tendancy to pull your hair when they're sitting in it !
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
We initially started to look at baby carriers for our second child, mainly because our first child started school and as we live fairly near to the school, we decided to shun the standard '4 x 4 school run' shenanigans, and walk!
" Why not use the buggy?" I hear you cry?
Well, not only are the pavements dreadful around where we live, and your arms feel like they're going to fall off by pushing it to the end of the road, through vibration from constant pot-holes - also too when your 4 year old needs to hold on to the buggy and walk along side, because we have to pass and cross a very busy road - and they have this tendency to pull on the buggy, you feel like you're pushing 10 stone!!! Also too, I don't know if you've ever noticed, but it tends to rain rather a lot in this country, and it's difficult to push a buggy and hold an umbrella at the same time!
We also find when on holiday, it's hard to take a buggy on the beach, sand making it hard to push and generally end up pulling it behind us - not very comfortable for the passenger! A carrier would come in handy in this situation too.
Also too, when my little girl started school initially, she was only just 4 years old, and as they all do at that age, they want you to come into the classroom with them to drop them off. Her school is a combined village school and the corridors are narrow and obviously get busy at 9 in the morning! As soon as the bell goes, 420 children ranging from 4 - 11 years all try to get in to the same entrance, and pushing a buggy through there is not an option - although some do try!
So, I started to look on the internet for baby carriers, for our then 10 month old little girl. I thought then, it would easier to drop my little girl off at school, with my baby and I being 'more compact'! Also too, when it rained I could just use our large golf umbrella and it would cover both of us. Also I could hold my little girl's hand when crossing the road, and many school bags!
I also wanted her to be on my back, rather than front, because she was a large 10 month old, and the front carriers don't tend to go up to weights such as hers. They are generally made for smaller babies, I also thought it would be easier to have her behind me when walking for long distances, as I was planning to take up walking for exercise - and she would be underneath the umbrella more, than if she was on my front.
The back carriers all tend to be 'back pack' in style, and framed with metal poles to help to disperse the weight and look after your back. They look quite bulky generally as they tend to contain lots of pockets to store things in, and bags etc. but I saw this 'Cosatto Sherpa Carrier' and thought it was ideal. You could remove the carry bag (which also doubled as a bag to put the actual carrier in, for storage purposes, as it folds down very easily, and can be carried by means of a shoulder strap) as it was only attached to the frame with a couple of popper-straps. As we were only walking to the school, I didn't think it necessary to take lots of stuff with me!
I chose this carrier above others, because it wasn't very bulky in itself and was very light. Some are heavy to begin with, and me only being 5'4" tall, weight needed to be minimal. Also the bulkier ones looked like I had someone stood behind me! Some were huge! This one also came fully assembled, no need to put it together, or attach the seat yourself. After taking it out of the storage bag and unfolding it, clipping a couple of bits in place, it was ready for use.
I also had to consider that I would have to be able to put this on, when by myself! The manual does stipulate that you should, for safety reasons, put the carrier on BEFORE putting the child into it, and taking the child out, before removing the carrier. This is totally impractical, and I think more unsafe the doing it my way detailed below. You need to obviously find the best way to suit your own needs, and far be it from me to suggest a potentially dangerous way of using the carrier, but if like me, you need to put it on when the other half is at work, this way is just a suggestion, and can be extremely safe if 'common sense' is applied! (I think sometimes the manufacturers think we have no common sense!)
* My method! *
This carrier stands alone, by pulling out a leg (or as they call it, the 'support bar') at the back. It feels very stable, and would also probably double as a feeding chair, if out and about. Although the child shouldn't be left in it unattended, as I guess if they tried hard enough, they could topple over, although this isn't easy to do. Millie has never managed to do it, and believe me, probably would if she could!
You then put the child in the carrier, securing them in with the crossover 'seat-belt' like straps, pick the carrier up and put it on a chair (this is the part the manufacturer probably wouldn't like, but if done with a bit of common sense and on a flat non padded chair or bench, it really works very well - I am the last person to put my children in danger, believe me!!! You're not going to put them on the chair and walk away, you are holding the carrier at all times), and stoop a bit to put it on your back, just like a rucksack, putting your arms in the two well padded, adjustable shoulder straps, standing upright and doing up the waist belt and chest strap which have 'click-in' type buckles (similar to those you tend to get on belts provided on children's ride-on toys, or bouncer chairs etc.). These are easy to undo again by squeezing the sides inwards to release. You then reach behind and pull/close in the leg used to stand the carrier, and clip it in place using the clip attached to the frame by your bottom!
To take it off is exactly the same in reverse. It can also be done on stairs, as long as you don't extend the leg right out, as it's wider than your average stair tread. You could then sit on the stairs, undo the waist and chest strap, take your arms out of the straps, holding the seat while you turn to face them to make sure it doesn't fall, and lift the carrier on to the floor. This is handy when you visit people, as everyone tends to have stairs - except if they live in bungalows!! I guess you could also use a chair! Fairly easy once you get the hang of it. Also, if you have a 4 x 4 with a waist height boot floor, you can do it from here too.
Once on, the backpack feels good. It doesn't poke you in the back anywhere, and feels very comfortable. Also too, I would suggest, in my case I could hardly feel the weight of my baby either. If I held her normally in my arms, after a while I'd have to put her down, as my arms would ache - but in this, because her weight is dispersed I suppose, she feels a lot lighter. I used to get a bad back occasionally after hoovering or carrying the kids in the normal way, but have been using this with no problems at all. Now she's started walking, she walks with her reins to go to the school, but when it's raining, I still take her in the carrier, even though she's now an extremely heavy 18 month old, with no problems at all. People have commented about her 'being heavy to carry', but they can't believe that on your back, you really don't feel it at all.
A note about the frame itself. The straps are all adjustable for your particular build (Just a note: It's worth getting someone to help you on and off with it while you get the straps adjusted correctly, with the child in the carrier.). Also, it's easy to keep clean. The material they've used to cover the padded parts and child's seat etc. is fairly water and stain resistant, and if marked, just needs a sponge down.
The carrier comes with a carry bag (as mentioned previously, used to store the carrier in when not being used, also too, can clip it onto the back, if going out for the day, useful for those 'baby essentials'!). It also comes with a useful change mat for those 'on the move' emergency nappy changes (we've all experienced I'm sure!) and a raincover - although I personally find the raincover to be too 'shallow' - it must also be quite claustrophobic for them and they'd probably get quite hot in it. I noticed that when I put it on when Millie was in the chair, even when she was only 10 months old, because it wasn't very high above her head, almost touching it in fact, her breath steamed it up!!! Not very well designed, that part! It does let in down in that respect. If you do want to use the rain hood, it attaches to the back and front of the seat using velcro straps.
Also worth noting are the pockets in the waist belt. There is a zip-up pocket situated either side of your waist on the waist belt, which are handy for purses, wallets (if you can get the other half to wear it, mine won't!), keys etc. I've managed to get a couple of wipes (in a small plastic bag to save them from drying out), a nappy sack and disposable nappy rolled up into one of them, just in case!
* Extra points I would mention:- *
Having used this carrier when walking through alleyways - bear in mind the child's head is higher than yours, and when you duck to avoid low hanging branches/plants etc. remember to duck low enough to compensate for their head too!!! Also worth bearing in mind they will grab every low hanging branch, and will probably end up with a handful of leaves by the time you get home. You will also find leaves in your hair!
Another tip is to make sure, in cold weather, they have gloves secured to their coat somehow (or on a string like we used to have, that runs from one glove, behind your neck to the other glove!) because if they lose these things you will not be able to see, as they are behind you. Also be wary of lost shoes and hats! I've got a hat for Millie with an under-chin velcro strap that she is yet to be able to get off by herself - I'm sure that will change though, given half the chance!
Not all children like being in this carrier, and if they throw a wobbly when in it, you are in a vulnerable position! Pulling hair has been known! You can't reach them and they know it! They will take full advantage of this fact!
Mind you, pulling hair seems to be obligatory - and why not? Gives them something to do! I have personally attached toys to the carrier on the end of straps (the one you pull to adjust the length of the child's shoulder straps is useful - you get a fair amount of slack, enough for them to pull the toy over to them and play with it. The strap end is folded over giving you a loop.) A tip is to attach a 'keyring' ring to it, and then a teething ring or something equally entertaining (see picture below!).Other information includes:-
The weight of the frame itself, empty, is 3.3Kg including the carry bag (which I find is bulky).
Maximum child weight is 15 kilos, recommended as being suitable for babies 7 - 15kg in weight (or approx. 6 months to two years). Maximum weight of items in the carry bag, when attached to the frame and used to carry things in while the carrier is being worn - 3kg.
The manual supplied is informative and tells you everything you need to know. A spare manual (or if you're thinking of buying this, and want to look at the manual first) can be downloaded in Acrobat Reader (pdf) format, from www.cosatto.com.
The carrier is available in two colour combinations - 'Ice Breaker' (Sky blue and navy blue trim - silver frame), or, like the one I have 'Trend Tan' (Beige and cream trim - silver frame).
Prices range from £14.99 (Toys R Us, although they're generally out of stock) to £49.99, unbelievably! Maybe that's why Toys R Us are out of stock all of the time! I paid £29.99 for mine from Kiddicare.com.
