by Muriah Summer

Created on: August 15, 2010   Last Updated: August 17, 2010

I received the Infantino Easy Rider infant carrier as a baby shower gift from a well meaning co-worker. To be fair, if my husband and I had purchased the carrier ourselves, we probably would have bought the same one. The Easy Rider is one of the most economical baby carriers on the market, and we were faced with a lot of expenses connected with the birth of our first child. Unfortunately, this carrier proves the old adage “You get what you pay for.”

The Easy Rider is a front carrier in which the infant can ride facing forward or facing their parent. It is rated for infants from 8 to 20 pounds, and retails for about $40 new. It comes with a detachable bib meant to protect the parent from spit-up and drool when the baby is in the tummy-facing position, but my husband and I found it to be inadequate to that task.

When I first placed my son in the carrier, he was still small enough to be placed in the tummy-facing position. I had to tighten the straps as far as they would go to fit me, and although I am not large, I know there are women out there smaller than me. The biggest problem I found with using it, though, was the two large buckles which attach the straps at the bottom. The buckles are placed so that they press into the baby's thighs as he sits in the carrier, and also press into the parent's stomach. At the time, I was still healing from birth and this was very painful to me - I can only imagine most new mothers would feel the same.

A second problem with the carrier is the weight distribution. The first time I tried to use the carrier, my son probably weighed about 11 pounds. His weight all pulled forward and down, and I felt as though I had to stand with my shoulders back and my hips thrust out in order to be balanced. There is no support strap or structure to distribute the weight to anything other that the parent's shoulders. At 11 pounds, it was difficult. I tried again recently, now that my son is old enough to face forward, but at 17 pounds his weight is unbearable. The buckles no longer press into his legs, but they still jab me in the stomach.

A baby carrier is an extremely useful item, especially for active parents who enjoy walking or hiking. My advice to parents is to spend a little more money and get a carrier that you will be able to wear comfortably for long periods of time. Look for support structures, such as straps across the belly or chest. If cost is a concern, resale shops will often have high quality carriers for reduced prices. My husband and I found one that we are very happy with for $20 at a local resale store. I would not recommend the Easy Rider, or any carrier with a similar design.

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