Beco Be Mine

Why I Fell In Love With the Gemini Carrier

I love my Bjorn, and couldn’t live without it. But my third child rapidly outgrew the 25 lbs limit on the BabyBjorn as well as my back muscles, and I had to look for other options. Now that I own a Gemini Carrier by Beco myself, I wish I had invested in one to use with my other two children.

Unlike the original Ergo, the Beco Gemini can be worn facing in or out in the front position. It does not require any additional inserts to use with an infant. (The Ergo does require you to buy that additional piece, which then ends up forgotten, rendering the carrier useless until you reunite the pieces.) The super padded lap belt adds tons of support without taxing worn out back muscles. And I had no trouble getting into the thickly padded straps.

The Beco Gemini can go on your front or your back. In either position, you can position the support straps over your shoulders and straight back down, or cross them like the Bjorn straps in the middle. I loved the additional flexibility of those strap positions to get the right fit without straining any muscles. It also offers a hip carry position, which I’ve never tried.

The fabric in front comes up to offer infant head support and folds out of the way nicely for older babies. The base snaps into one of two positions: wide or narrow, to support baby facing in(wide bottom support) or out (narrow between leg support).

My favorite thing about the Beco (besides the wide variety of colors and patterns): The receiving end of the buckle attaches directly to the sides of the carrier. That might not sound like such a big deal, but with the Ergo, the adjustment portion attaches to the arm straps. That means the hard plastic parts move in relation to the sides of the carrier as you adjust the tightness of the straps. For me to get the right fit and distribute my child’s weight properly, the plastic rubbed under my armpits constantly, creating sore spots every time I wore it. I had no way to avoid that irritation, unless I wanted to loosen the straps, and then my child’s weight didn’t distribute ergonomically.

With the Beco, because the receiving end of the buckles attach directly, they can never end up under my armpits. That subtle difference makes a huge impact. There’s no way they can rub under my arms to cause irritation.

My only two complaints with the Beco: Much like the bulky Ergo, it’s nearly impossible to pack into a bag and take with you. It’s much simpler to simply wear it out even sans baby. And I have to take my coat off to get my child in or out, no matter which way I carry him.

The only other downside to the Beco Gemini is the cost. I avoided some of that by buying secondhand. When I somehow lost a piece of the chest buckle, Beco sent me a new one free of charge. They even made sure it arrived before I left on my week-long trip, despite the short notice. Each carrier comes with a lifetime guarantee. If for any reason you (or your baby) don’t like it, you can send it back for a full refund.

I can’t gush enough about the wonders of my Beco. I can only wonder why I hadn’t tried it sooner.