MiniMeis — The Ultimate Baby Carrier for Dads, and Moms
Don’t Waste Your Money on the Chest Carries That Last Only a Few Months
I remember before my son was born, my wife and I spent so much time researching and looking for the right carrier that would fit me, or fit us both to be able to carry our son around. I picked a great carrier. I liked it a lot. It was comfortable, plain enough not to stick out too much as a woman’s product, and I got to wear it plenty, albeit for only a few months. The BabyBjörn New Baby Carrier One Air is the one I had if you must get one. And please note that this is an affiliate link, because if you do buy one, I could use some help buying my coffee in the morning.
So, why did it last me only a few months? Well, I was given a gift, and it was about seven or eight months before my son was big enough to use it. He had to grow some more, and when he did, this gift because amazing. So what was it? The MiniMeis shoulder carrier. It is a lightweight, foldable carrier that you an start using as early as six months. Here is a link to their shop. No affiliate link with them. This is me making a very worthy recommendation on a fabulous product.
My son absolutely loves it. He gets a much better view from my shoulders whenever we are hiking in the wild or walking through town. He also gets the play with the snapback on the back of my hats. And, thankfully I haven’t walked into anything low hanging where his bell could get rung. But, that’s where my father and parental instincts, and role as the family protector comes into play. He gets excited to strap up into it and go out on our next dadventure.
For me, I love it that it isn’t too expensive (if I upgrade my gifted model) compared to other carriers, is extremely portable, frees my hands up, and will outlast the front loading carrier, because what 5-year old wants to sit in one of those when they can get up on your shoulders? It’s great for general use, such as walking around the city, day hikes, taking a child with the dogs for a walk, and any other of a number of ideas. You could easily fit it folded under a stroller, so if you had to make a quick grocery run on your walk home you could through your child on your shoulders and put the groceries in the stroller.
My model is older (I got it way back in 2019, the G3) and was a gift, so I wasn’t aware of a compatible backpack, but that is another great option with these carriers. You can tell with the design, this was meant to be a minimalist carrier, taking the idea of parents who carry their children on their shoulders, but adding some additional support for you, your child, and you can be hands free. The new G4 model looks to have a design that lifts the carrier off of your shoulders.
I’ll say for sure it is not perfect for every kind of use, or every person. If you are hiking on more intense terrains, especially in the summer heat, you’ll want something with a sun cover and more padding for the shoulders, and maybe even hip support. My preference is a shoulder carrier, and I also heard good things about the OE Hiking Carrier, as it has the hip support to distribute weight better if the MiniMeis isn’t suitable enough.
Neither the BabyByorn, the MiniMeis, or the OE Hiking Carrier are ideal for running, but is any carrier ideal for a run with a baby in tow? That’s a lot of head bobbing, body shaking, and weight shifting. I also wouldn’t wear the shoulder carriers with your child still strapped in if you are at the movies or a ball game where you could block someone’s view. The MiniMeis also might not be well-suited for you if you have massive shoulders from body building, as I’ve read comments from others that it will be tighter on you. I’m not a small guy, but I have had no problems. If you weigh 100 lbs. and your kid is 35 lbs., maybe you need more support, like from the OE Hiking Carrier. But, for all of the shoulder carriers out there, remember there is a baby on your shoulders if you stop to visit the Keebler Elves house. But, I would rather manage that than getting through a door with the back carriers. They seem bulky.
I will state from my own experience, that absolutely without a doubt the MiniMeis makes your children involuntarily point at random objects that you can’t tell what they see. They don’t see anything, they just feel like they are on a Lewis and Clark level expedition. Just roll with it! If you are dad wearing this, just remember, mom never put the child on her shoulders for the 9 months she had to carry the child around. This is new territory for them, and if they are not pointing at all the random objects then something is wrong. The included Velcro strap helps to support smaller children, especially when they fall asleep. But, do expect a loving dose of drool down your neck or ears.
The Scandinavian countries seem to own the baby carrier market. And the MiniMeis was the ingenuity of three dads from Norway, which is also why the name itself is difficult to read and pronounce. But, don’t let that stop you from buying this product. The only name you should care to remember the your child strapped to your shoulders.
