Boba Wrap Review

The following review was written by guest blogger and fellow "Attached Mama" Jennifer Marple.  

 I recently tried out the Boba Wrap (orange) from my local babywearing group’s lending library. I’d previously used a Moby and a Sleepy Wrap in exactly the same color, which I learned was the former name of Boba Wrap, as well as more recently some woven wraps.  It had been some time since I last used the Sleepy Wrap, having passed it along to another mama before my daughter was born, so I was looking to evaluate how it worked with a slightly older baby (about 6 months old and 15 lbs).

Stretchy wraps in general are designed to be very soft and comfortable, with no diggy fabric or buckles, straps or buttons. The Boba Wrap specifically is intended to be used with newborns up until 18 months for weights 7-35 lbs. The Boba Wrap’s fabric is different from Moby, having more of a jersey knit type texture – there’s a definite right and wrong side. To me, the fabric seems to make the difference in being able to use this wrap with a larger-than-infant size baby. Having experience with both this style of wrap and woven wraps, I did not experience much difficulty in getting the Boba Wrap on and baby into it. I did have to tighten it up the first time, as I’d forgotten just how much stretch there was and to not leave slack. My daughter seemed very comfortable and cozy in it, and enjoyed several wrap naps during my borrowing period.

When I tested the Boba Wrap, it was the hottest time of the year where I live, and I was taking frequent walks while babywearing, at a pace intended for exercise.  So, it was hot, and the thick fabric isn’t exactly breathable and cooling, but it wasn’t any hotter than my favorite cotton woven wrap, and was more comfortable than my slightly cooler gauze wrap. I was walking at a pretty good speed when testing this wrap, and I found that my daughter “bounced” in the Boba more than I was accustomed to. Not quite to a level where I was concerned of any danger, but much more than I experience on a day to day basis with a woven wrap. She is heavier than I’d ever used a stretchy wrap with in the past, but still 20 lbs below the top end of the recommended weight range the manufacturer listed. She didn’t seem bothered by it, but I did find it distracting and impacting on my personal gait/balance. When walking at a more leisurely stroll I did not experience the bounce. I also know that this was not an issue with my son when he was a newborn using this same wrap under the old branding.

Overall, I was surprised at how well the Boba Wrap did with my 6 month old, as I’d never considered using a stretchy wrap past 2-3 months of age. It’s a great option for a comfortable, affordable babywearing solution from birth on – though I still do not think I’d recommend it much beyond perhaps 8 months, not into toddlerhood as Boba’s site states is feasible.


Pros:
Easy to care for the fabric
Easy to store (comes with a storage bag)
Several color choices to meet each person’s preference (mostly solids, a few prints)
Pre-tie before leaving the house keeps the wrap out of parking lot puddles
Comfortable for wearer and baby
No complicated sizing
Simple instructions, less learning curve than woven wraps
No rings, buckles or straps to dig like a soft-structured carrier or ring sling
Affordable

Cons:
Thick, heavy, can be warm in summer
No sizing means lots of excess fabric for most wearers
Not as supportive for larger babies (allows a lot of sag or bounce past the infant stage)









NOTE:   Boba donated the Boba Wrap Carrier to our local babywearing lending library in exchange for this review.    The views expressed in this review are Jennifer's own and were not influenced by this donation.   Our community whole-heartedly thanks Boba for their very generous donation.