Testing the Sun & Beach baby carrier

Baby carrier review: Sun&beach

The sun&beach is a baby carrier locally produced in Japan.

The fabrics are made here and the carriers are hand-sewn in Japan too.

Because of the short production ways, the quality is well controlled and very high!
The carrier was also tested under the Japanese safety standards.

The owner and designer of the sun&beach is also producing after international standards in babywearing and is well educated. I do not know under which school but I am quite sure she is trained as a babywearing consultant too.
This gives you the safety to use a product that’s well designed and safe for babies.
You will also see the owner of this brand participating in local and international trainings, and being very much interested in recent international developments in the babywearing world.

However, even though you find overseas’ influences, the carrier is designed for the Japanese market and to fit the Japanese body.
After all, the intention behind the brand was to create a product that fits Japanese people – other than the old Ergobaby and co.
If you are very slim and don’t have wide hips, you might find that this baby carrier is a very comfortable choice for you!

The seat is adjustable and fits newborns. However, because the focus is lying on these small babies, you will find that the seat of this carrier won’t support your child from knee to knee as long as some other brands. Until 1.5 to 2 years it can fit your child well though.
Carriers that promise to fit until 20kg for example, usually don’t fit newborns well.

But as a babywearing consultant I always advice to buy a good and safe carrier for a newborn because the “perfect fit” doesn’t matter too much for older children. To support a newborn as best as we can is more important.

What is special with the sun&beach is, that it is designed with newborns in mind, and using a special cushion in the neck area to support a newborns neck.

The cushion is removeable for when the child grows older.

In order to open the buckle in your neck, you have, like with any other carrier, to loosen the shoulder straps. The buckles for this are designed in a way that makes it very easy to do so. 

In my opinion, the sun&beach is a very good baby carrier. I am especially excited about the people behind this brand who really have the newborns in mind and not, unlike other big brands, putting the parents wishes before the comfort of the baby.

But just like any other carrier, I think that it is important to try it before buying it.

Only few people can buy a jeans without trying it before. Same with bras and shoes. Why should a baby carrier be any different? It is, after all, clothing. Clothing that helps you carrying your baby comfortably and hands-free.

Of course, I tested this carrier too. Because I didn’t have a newborn or baby when trying the new model, I used my professional babywearing doll.

I am not of the size and shape of a typical Japanese woman. My shoulders are brought and my hips are also broader.

If I wear the waistbelt high how it is intended with newborns, it is cutting a bit into my side and not completely comfortable. When sitting on my hip, the waistbelt feels fine.

I have a mesh-type carrier (the waistbelt and shoulderstraps come with a layer of mesh) and for me the mesh feels uncomfortable and scratchy, especially when I wear short-sleeve tops. So my choice would be a non-mesh type, especially since there is not much of an advantage of mesh.. you are feeling just as sweaty in summer as with other fabrics, only that some natural fabrics dry better.

Last point: the extra security chestbelt for the baby. This was implemented in Japanese carriers (also Ergobaby for the Japanese market) because a baby fell out of the carrier.
However, these kind of accidents are usually because of inappropriate use of the carrier or false infant handling.
Using the extra safety chestbelt in an unintended way can lead to a much higher falling risk in my opinion. The chestbelt is removable and you can use it or not. It is up to you but if your baby is falling out of the carrier when not using this belt, you can’t claim anything.

All in all I really really love the Sun&Beach! It is so very well designed and puts safety and comfort of the baby first!

Are you curious now if the sun&beach in one of the beautiful and stylish designs will be the right carrier for you?

Then try it in the sun&beach shop, one of their retail partners, or in a consultation with a babywearing consultant or use a sling library 🙂