beco vs mei tai

[omelette]

Can anybody give me some input?
I have the Ergo which I used with my first and I was extremely happy with it. We are expecting #2 and I'm looking for something a little prettier but just as comfy.
I notice the price difference between the Beco and the MeiTai is pretty significant, why is this?
And, is the main difference between the 2 that the Beco has the clipstraps that you can adjust and the MeiTai has to be tied?
If you have another great carrier similar in style to these I'd love to hear about that too.
Thanks.

[Down2Earth]

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[maymorales]

Are you referring to the Beco Butterfly or the 4th Generation?

The Butterfly is what I compare to as a luxury mobile. It has lots of bells and whistles. Wearing it is different than an Ergo and a traditional mei tai. But it is heck of a comfortable and easy back carrier.

4th Generation Beco is closer to an Ergo but they're only available as second hand purchases now. 4th Generation Beco straps are a little thinner and less bulky than Ergo and the 3-section waist belt conforms to my bulging belly more.

I can keep going...but first, 4th Gen or Butterfly?

[allisonrose]

One difference to note is that Becos and Ergos have padded straps and waists. Some mei tais do as well but not all. I suspect that the padding really helps once the LO puts on weight because I noticed a difference going from an unpadded MT to an Ergo. (I haven't used one with padded straps so I don't know which is better.)

I also had a Beco Butterfly I for a time. I liked the print but ultimately found I liked the Ergo better. The seat darts made it seem more comfy for my guy. Also he got some marks on his legs from the internal seat so I wondered how comfortable it was for him.

If you are thinking about a soft-structured carrier, there are pretty options other than Beco. Angelpack is one: in the same price league as Beco, I believe, unless you were lucky enough to snag one on Mamabargains.com recently. Another is Olives and Applesauce which I is pricier but lovely carriers. It's my if-I-came-into-some-money carrier.

[skueppers]

I've never had a Beco, but I do have both an Ergo and a Mei Tai.

Personally, I really dislike tying a Mei Tai. Particularly in places where the ground is dirty and/or wet, because then I have to worry about keeping the straps up off the ground.

[OneLove]

Do you all really like your ergos?

I had one when they first came out, they were a little bit smaller I think (the straps and waist). And I hated it. I am large chested, so I don't know if that was the reason. I also was irritated, bc I waited forever to buy it, and then 2 months later they came out with a new and improved version -which may have solved all the problems? I just can not imagine.

I don't mind tying my Mei Tai. I have a pretty simple one, but it does have some padding on the straps and waist. I used it a lot with my second. I could still use it when he was 3, to walk around the zoo. I actually trust tying something on more than using a strap that clips.

I have baby #3 right now. He is 1.5 weeks old and I have been using my fleece pouch and my arms, but my neck and shoulders are starting to hurt (my breasts are also huge right now, as my milk is just coming in, which may be adding to it). I'm thinking I need to get out my Mei Tai, so I have him even on me.

BTW, my Mei Tai doesn't fit dh. I need one with longer straps. So, I am looking for another carrier that is like a back/front pack that we could both wear.


Andee

[mysticmomma]

I loved my beco. It was very secure to put on.

[pixiepunk]

what kind of mei tai are you considering? there are dozens of brands, some of which are more pricey than a Beco. but the mainstays like Babyhawk, Kozy, Freehand and Sachi are pretty reasonably priced - though you can usually find a gently used SSC for similar to what a brand new MT costs.

i like mei tai's for smaller babies and SSC's once they get bigger/heavier. i don't mind the straps of a mei tai at all, but i do find that an SSC provides more support with a heavier kiddo. though my fave nowadays for a heavy kiddo is a chunei - but that's a whole different thread

i find mei tai's are more comfortable for front carries and infant high-back carries, and SSC's are more supportive for heavy kid back carries. it largely depends on what you want to do with the carrier and from what age you want to use it. but i would say get a mei tai for infancy and then an SSC once baby is older (depending on size of baby, maybe 9+ months).

i don't think i'd like the internal harness on the Butterfly, personally. and if i wanted an internal harness i think i'd definitely go for a Calyx instead (they have some really pretty prints too!). But as a pp said, Angelpack and Olives and Applesauce are great carriers, also if you're looking in the higher price range like O&A you might want to check out the Kanga-J and Dream Carrier too.

[omelette]

I was looking at the new Beco's as it seems hard to come by them 2nd hand. The mei tai's I was looking at were the Babyhawk ones.
I definitely want padded straps and good support; my shoulders can only handle a sling style carrier for so long and physically I was only able to carry my son until he was 30lb. I plan to wear baby from the get go but am also hoping to only by one carrier.
I'm going to check out some of the other brands mentioned and then I'll probably be back with more questions.
Thanks for all the input so far.

[omelette]

Originally Posted by maymorales

The Butterfly is what I compare to as a luxury mobile. It has lots of bells and whistles. Wearing it is different than an Ergo and a traditional mei tai. But it is heck of a comfortable and easy back carrier.

Could you explain how it would be different then the Ergo. The Ergo is what I'm used too; would you say it's better, worse, more comfy...?