The only carrier my husband and I have regularly used with our baby boy is a baby wrap. We’ve tried a sling and a soft structure style once before, but neither was as comfy—nor felt as secure and snug—as a baby wrap. So, we stuck with what we knew … until now. I was curious to try out the new Boppy ComfyFit Hybrid Baby Carrier because it seemed like the perfect fit: all the comfort and security of a baby wrap with the ease and versatility of a soft structured carrier.

It was also the perfect time to try something new with our bitty boy because at 7 months old he’s pretty hefty, and the last time I wore him in the baby wrap facing in he was practically breaking his neck and bending over backward trying to see everything going on around him. He used to be perfectly content to just stare at mama—but not anymore. He’s an incredibly curious kid, and he clearly wants to switch up his view. The Boppy ComfyFit does not require an infant insert and allows you to wear baby in three carrying positions: front face-in with legs in frog position, front face-in with legs out, and front face-out. Honestly it seemed like the perfect answer to our babywearing needs.

When I opened up the box, I was happy to see the baby ComfyFit baby carrier came neatly tucked into a handy storage pouch. It was much more compact than I was anticipating, so that was a nice surprise. I already know we’ll be using that stash n’ go pouch again for our upcoming family vacation to keep the carrier neatly tucked away in our suitcase until we need it. But it would be great to stow it in a diaper bag for day-to-day use as well.

The one-size-fits-all carrier is made of a light, soft fabric. Inspired by yoga apparel, it’s a stretchy and breathable spandex blend, so I imagine it will help keep you cool in warmer months even if you have a tiny body strapped to yours. We opted for the heathered gray color (it also comes in black camo), which hides messes well when you get a spot of spit-up. The fabric is also machine washable if it gets really gross, which I am grateful for because summers in the South are guaranteed to be sweaty. Plus it’s UPF 50 for a little extra sun protection for baby when out and about. (Remember to use sunscreen for your little one’s exposed skin.)

Using the Boppy ComfyFit

Next came the real test: trying it on with baby. At first my husband seemed concerned because he immediately noticed it has a waist belt that buckles and shoulder straps that tie, so I think he was worried it might be doubly complicated. But it’s actually incredibly easy to put on. It only takes three simple steps.

1. Buckle the support band around your waist. (Tip: It should hit around your belly button, not your hips.)
2. Slip on the shoulder straps. There are loops, so it works kind of like a backpack but backwards. Once you put one side one, you can slip baby in and put on the other side.
3. Tie the longer pieces of the shoulder straps. You’ll want to criss-cross them on your back while keeping the fabric flat and spread apart to prevent any twists/tension spots. (This makes babywearing a lot more comfortable.) Then wrap the fabric around your waist and under baby’s bum, and tie it in a knot out of the way. Pull the part under baby’s bum up over his lower back for support.

If the last step sounds cumbersome, it’s not. It’s actually second-nature to us because that’s how our wrap carrier works, so I loved that our new carrier felt familiar for both me and my son. If you’ve never used a baby wrap, you’ll get the hang of the tying in no time.

We first tried on the carrier at home just to get the hang of things, and it took maybe a minute to put on if that. It was just as comfy as the baby wrap (my primary complaint about soft structured carriers is they just feel so bulky), but having the adjustable padded waist belt (54″ maximum length) really made a difference in dispersing his weight. Speaking of the waist belt, there’s even a zippered pocket across the front of it, so you can easily stash necessities and small items like car keys or a teething toy. Even my plus-sized phone fits, no problem. Score!

My son absolutely loves being worn in the Boppy ComfyFit hybrid baby carrier, particularly when facing out (as I mentioned I had a feeling he’d be all over that). He was giddy with excitement and kept kicking nonstop—what he does when he’s particularly thrilled with something. He could see the world! And be close to mama! He was in heaven.

My husband gave it a go, too. He was never a big fan of the wraps, like I was. So, I’ve always done the majority of the babywearing in our family. I think the sheer amount of fabric that is involved when using a traditional wrap just felt daunting to him. He never felt completely comfortable in it, and honestly that was fine because I loved wearing my son. But now my husband can enjoy babywearing, too! The first thing he said after putting it on was, “This is so much easier!”

It seems like we’ve found the perfect carrier to carry us through the next stage of babywearing. Pun, obviously, intended. Parents of newborns will appreciate that no infant insert is necessary for use. My husband is happy that he can put it on without any hassle and that it’s machine washable. My son is happy that he gets to snuggle up while facing out. And I am really happy that it comes with comfortable wide shoulder straps and distributes my baby’s weight—and that it can be used up to 35 pounds (his wrap only goes up to 25), which means more babywearing for us! Hooray!

Price: $50