BabyHawk, maker of totally awesome meh dai baby carriers, announced the addition of a new carrier to their line, the BabyHawk Oh Snap!

I was privileged to be able to test an earlier version of the Oh Snap, a prototype from the design process. Let me first say that I love BabyHawks. I’m a meh dai girl, I know them in and out, I know a dozen different ways to tie them. Buckle carriers have a lot of similarities to meh dais, but what most don’t have is flexibility, not just the ability to adjust for different users, but real, true flexibility for different carries, different weight distribution, etc. Until now.

The Oh Snap is a meh dai improved. And not just any meh dai, the cream of the crop BabyHawk. The first thing you might notice about the Oh Snap is that it looks like a BabyHawk. The flip-up headrest is still there, the bold fabric combinations, the comfortably padded straps.

The number one complaint about meh dais is all that tying. With the Oh Snap it’s just buckle and go! No straps dragging, no fiddling with knots. The straps connect at the sides with a buckle, and extra webbing length means that you can easily cross the straps behind you for front wearing, or keep them buckled right in to the same side for backpack style shoulders when baby is on your back.

When you are doing a back carry and have the straps like a backpack, the chest strap (or sternum strap) can be used to keep the straps well-positioned on your shoulders. You will notice that the chest strap on the Oh Snap is unlike any other on the market. It is dual-adjusting, with two connectors on each shoulder strap. This gives a more customized fit. No twisting buckles, no pulling on the straps so they flip and look bunchy. The Oh Snap chest strap will move up and down on the shoulder straps and adjust so that it lays flat against you and does exactly what it should: keep the shoulder straps on your shoulders.

A few notes about the design of the Oh Snap. The size is similar to that of a BabyHawk. Seat darts have been added for a more form-fitting result. The straps will adjust to fit anyone up to a size 22 with no additional pieces necessary. And yes, they will adjust down to fit even a size zero. There’s nothing more annoying than doing a back carry and not being able to tighten in a carrier enough to hold your baby close, and the Oh Snap has taken that into account, making it ideal for small moms who may not have had success with other structured carriers. The Oh Snap is recommended for children 6 months and up. There is no infant insert currently available (although there is one in the works!), but until then, make sure your baby is able to sit on their own and can straddle the seat of the Oh Snap before you use it. Maximum weight is 45 pounds. That’s a lot, folks!

And now I would like to share my favorite part of the Oh Snap. I need to share a little bit of personal information in order to do this. I’m a small mama. Not tiny, tiny, but small. Being small, I’m lacking in one major area, my derriere. I don’t have much of one. Not much hips, either. This makes wearing carriers with waist support belts a little difficult. Most people will wear padded waist straps down around their hips, effectively transferring much their baby’s weight off their back and to their hips. This is a lot more comfortable when baby reaches 25 plus pounds.

Not everyone has the same shape around the hips, though. And those like me, who don’t have much of anything back there to hold a waist belt in place might find that the waist belt doesn’t stay in place, instead it slips down. Others might find that it creates pressure on the sides or becomes problematic with certain clothing. Well the Oh Snap takes this into account! Instead of just having a plain waist belt, or trying to decide between curved or straight, the Oh Snap is the first ever structured carrier with a customizable waist belt!

With two adjustments on each side of the waist belt, the Oh Snap can be adjusted to perfectly fit hips in all shapes and sizes. The adjustments allow the top of the waist strap to be adjusted separately from the bottom of the waist belt, so you can truly get the belt to sit on your hips, therefore your baby’s weight will be on your hips. Instant comfort!

The BabyHawk Oh Snap carriers are currently available for sale at PAXbaby.  Retail price is $140 and PAXbaby will has a wide selection available for instant shipping.  If you don’t see exactly what you want, let us know or visit the Design Center to pre-order your ideal Oh Snap!

For a limited time we are taking Oh Snap Preorders. Fill out the form below with your choice of strap color and fabric panel and we’ll email you with full details and an estimate of when it will ship.

Custom Orders Closing 1/4/2009

Please see BabyHawk.com for strap color and fabric panel choices.
Additional Fabric Panel Options ($149 each):

Dylan	Morgan also avail. on RED	Jasper