Baby Carrier Review: Beco Butterfly VS. Ergo Original

First, let me start off by saying that I am not being endorsed by either carrier. I have purchased both an Ergo Original Carrier (in Galaxy if you must know) and a Beco Butterfly 1 carrier (I don't know the pattern name) with my own money. These are just my opinions, from my experiences with the carriers. No gain of any part is resting on this post! There, now the Government can't get their undergarments in a twist.

I am an avid babywearer. Although I didn't/don't wear Keevia around the house all that much, they have been invaluable throughout my entire almost (*gulp*) 15 months as a mother. I've probably invested more in baby carriers than I have anything else baby wise (except maybe clothes).

Around last March, I purchased my first soft-structured carrier. I had previously used Mei Tei carriers, as well as some pouch slings (I didn't discover wraps until later!). Keevia was getting just a little to big for her MT (Mei Tei) and I was looking for options my husband could use as well.

I have to admit, when I first bought the Ergo, I wasn't crazy about it. I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that Keevs was at an awkward size. She didn't really "fit" in there. Plus, I totally wasn't wearing it right.

This led me to purchase the Beco Butterfly 1. I bought it off of the FSOT (For Sale or Trade) board of The Baby Wearer. Initially I LOVED it.

As Keevia got older (and fit in the Ergo better) I began to love the Ergo more. I used it today for a few hours and had no issues. I seem to do better with the Ergo as a back carrier though, and still haven't managed to get a really comfortable front carry. I, personally, prefer the Beco to the Ergo, but it is NOT because one carrier is superior to the other. I know several Mommas who prefer the Ergo. I think a lot of it has to do with your body shape and size, where your personal ergonomic carry position is (I.E. Where it is most comfortable for YOU to wear your baby), and other reasons as well.

Here is my little list of differences between the carriers. I'm sure you can find this on various websites, but hey, this is my blog.

Both have a padded waist.
Both have padded straps. (My opinion: The Ergo's padding is too thick. It doesn't seem to be any more comfortable than the Beco, but it sticks up much farther and is in some instances uncomfortable because of how thick it is (especially in a front carry, it digs into my arms in the back).
Both have sleep hoods. (Ergo is superior here! They have a sleep hood that easily snaps into place, and folds into a pocket in the front when not in use. The Becos is detachable, which is actually quite annoying. I've lost mine. The Ergo's is great because if Keevia falls asleep, I just pull it out of the pocket, snap it on, and viola! It's GREAT for nursing and for sleeping babes in general!)
Beco has a infant insert. Ergo has one available for purchase. (My insert is not removable. I'm told they are in the Butterfly 2's). I can't really review this part, as Keevia was 5 or so months when I got both.
Beco has an internal harness. Ergo does not. (Okay, originally this was a point in Beco's favor... and it still is. I can sit Keevia on the front seat of the car and strap her in the carrier and then swing her up on my back like a back-pack. It scares other people in the parking lot to death, but hey, it works. However, it's harder to get her out of the carrier on my own if I can't sit down somewhere. The Ergo does NOT have the internal harness, and so you can't swing the baby on like a back-pack (Well, you could, but it may not be safe). I end up doing the hip scoot, which is hard to do and keep your clothes (and your modesty!) intact. However, it's much easier to finagle the kiddo out of by yourself (which, when the kid is screaming in the middle of wal-mart, is important).
It is incredibly easy to nurse in the Ergo. Not so much the Beco. (That handy internal harness gets in the way of nursing.)
The Beco is smooth lined and not bulky at all, but remains comfortable and well padded.
The Ergo is bulkier and not as streamlined. Still comfortable and well padded, the padding sometimes gets in the way. (Personally I think the waist is way over padded. It actually borders on uncomfortable when I wear Keevia in the front).
Both are easy to adjust.
The Beco is harder to get the baby down in (I.E. It doesn't go as far up their backs if you're not careful. It's a "shorter" carrier). The Ergo seems to go farther up their backs and hold them in tighter. This is both a pro and a con depending on the situation.)

This is all I can think of right now. If I think of more things, I'll come back and edit this post. All in all, I think the most important thing is to TRY the carrier before you use it. Heavenly Hold has an AWESOME carrier trial program, and I'm told the owner is great to work with! I would loooooove to try a Beco Gemini, A Boba carrier, a Beco Butterfly 2 and an Ergo Performance (even though I don't have the budget to buy a new carrier right now!), and I'll definitely be looking into her trials in the future.

I ended up not selling either carrier, and I can't really complain. I have one for the car, and one for work now (Look for my upcoming guest post on Playdate Crashers for my work-at-home saga). It's great to just be able to flip her up on my back and go! Just thought I'd jot down my ideas on the two carriers, and give people a little bit of a review and a comparison!

In review? I love them both. :)

Edited to add - 7/15/11
Since writing this, I've purchased a Boba carrier (thanks Zulily!)! You can see my review of it here! P.S. It's my favorite!