If you have been following along with Little Prince Leopold, I’m sure you saw our recent post about our wonderful Lillebaby All Seasons Complete 6-in-1 carrier.

*Disclaimer: We were gifted these Lillebaby carriers to review. All opinions are my own, as always!*

We adore our Llama Mama carrier, it’s so comfy and you can use it any way you like! Recently, the darlings over at Lillebaby offered to send us a second carrier to compare and of course we said “Yes, yes, YES”!

This time around we got the CarryOn Airflow Toddler Carrier in Charcoal/Silver. I wanted to get something that is similar yet different and I thought the neutral colors would be perfect!

My biggest predicament now is which one to take to our upcoming trip to Oregon?? We will be flying all the way across the US so we definitely need something reliable and comfortable!

I’m going to break down the differences so you can help me decide, and maybe decide for yourself which carrier better suits your needs.

First, let’s talk about the Llama Mama Complete All Seasons 6-in-1.

Let’s go ahead and state the obvious…it’s pretty. That has nothing to do with how comfortable it is or the ease of use, but it needed to be said.

This particular carrier is special because you can use it (you guessed it) SIX different ways.

• Fetal
• Infant
• Face Out
• Toddler
• Hip
• Back

I really love that you can buy this for your newborn and essentially use it until your child doesn’t need (or want…*sob*) to be worn anymore.

The weight restrictions are 7lbs-45lbs.

I’ve never been too crazy about the thought of spending over $100 on a carrier that I would have to exchange in 6 months for the next size up. BUT that’s just me.

We live in hot, sticky, sweaty South Carolina so we aren’t huge baby wearers in the summer. On the odd occasion that we do feel the need, this is a great option. This will take us through the whole year, in fact! Zip the temperature control panel down for extra hot days, and back up again once the weather starts cooling down.

We are almost exclusively back wearers.

This is mainly because I can’t be bothered to get ‘good’ at whisking Leopold up into the carrier in many other positions. I also love the looks on some folks’ faces when I toss him over my shoulders!

*Side note, I learned my method at my local Babywearing chapter meeting:

I put my hands (crossed) under each of his armpits and then throw him over my back, carrier at the ready. I keep one hand on his back while I slip my other arm into the straps. I’ll have to do a video one day. In the mean time here is a video by Pretty in Pink Mama showing how she does it! I like to pull the base of the carrier up over his bum before I reach into the straps. It helps the carrier go all the way over his back instead of getting stuck or scrunched up.

When he is sick or if we are somewhere where I may worry about people touching him while he is on my back, I’ll wear him in the front. We tried the forward face out position and it was really cool, but since he has never done it I don’t think he liked it too much!

The belt needs to be un-threaded to switch to face out position (and then re-threaded when switching back). It is very simple to manage and go back and forth though!

The CarryOn Airflow Toddler Carrier in Charcoal/Silver

*I realized after the fact that he should probably be up a little higher on his daddy’s back.

The straps in the front needed to be pulled down a bit more. Make sure when you are wearing that everything is adjusted properly so that you and baby are as comfortable as possible! This is especially important when wearing infants. When they are in front they should be ‘close enough to kiss’. Be sure their head is upright and airways are clear!

This simple yet wonderful carrier is almost completely 3D mesh material. It even comes with a storage pocket that the Complete does not have.

This one feels a lot more simple to me than the Llama mama. I don’t know if it’s just based on the color scheme or the fact that it just doesn’t have as many carry options, but I love the simplicity of it. Since the added neck support isn’t there and there isn’t a panel to zip and unzip, I feel that this one had less ‘hardware’ (as in buckles, zips, and straps).

I feel strange having a toddler sized carrier but here we are! I love all of the support it offers. He seems so snuggly in there! The torso is extra wide and tall to support his big ole toddler body.

This carrier can be worn only three ways:

• Front
• Hip
• Back

The CarryOn Toddler size ranges from 20-60lbs.

Both carriers have a hood for sun protection or privacy for naps or nursing.

Leopold has always been stubborn about the hood and will wake up 9 times out of 10 if I try to cover him, but it’s very nice to have the option!

What I love about Lillebaby in general is how comfortable they are! The straps are very padded as well as the support for baby’s legs. Each carrier has lumbar support which is great for your back (especially with toddlers)! I use it in front when I back carry because it’s especially handy for covering up my mom belly.

So which carrier do I take to Oregon with me???

I am heavily leaning toward the CarryOn Airflow (I mean it says carry on in the name)! My reason for this is it will be cooler standing in long lines at the airport. It has less going on as far as straps and buckles. Lastly, I love that there is a bigger pocket so I can keep small toys and suckers in it, or my boarding pass!

Which would you choose? Tell me in the comments!