I received this item at no cost to facilitate my review. All opinions remain my own.
Oh, Lenny. Yes, I’m on a first-name basis with my carrier. First name Lenny, last name, Lamb. My first impression of Lenny Lamb carriers was that I adored their logo. I have a soft spot for all things ovine, so their enthusiastic sheep mascot has been beckoning me with open arms ever since I decided I needed to #TryAllTheCarriers.
Jennifer at Lollypop Kids, ever the enabler, sent me this baby size (11-45 lbs) “Power of Hope” wrap conversion soft structured carrier, and it is magnificent:
If you are new to Lenny Lamb, let’s start off with a peek at this glamorous carrier’s features:
Rather than a removable hood, the Lenny Lamb hood is attached to the carrier. The toggle closures on either side allow you to cinch it into an actual hood that can sit on baby’s head, even if she’s not napping. (It looks adorable.) The elastics can also attach to the plastic tabs on the shoulder straps, allowing the hood to support a sleeping baby’s drooping head.
Lenny Lamb’s shoulder straps can be fully unbuckled, allowing the user to cross them in the back if this is the preferred carrying method. Personally, I prefer using the straps uncrossed, but it’s great to have the option. The straps can be tightened in two directions at the base and can also be tightened at the shoulder, allowing for a snug fit that adjusts to most body types.
The Lenny Lamb’s waist belt is thick, wide and contoured:
The front panel of the carrier features deep seat darts and padded leg openings.
The waist belt is secured with a sturdy safety buckle: my first carrier to have this feature. You need two hands to unbuckle the waist: one to press down on the safety button and one to press down on the sides of the buckle. I’ve never had a problem with my waist buckle accidentally unbuckling, so I actually found this a bit annoying. I like being able to do things with one hand! There’s also a safety elastic to hold the buckle in place if ever it did accidentally unbuckle.
The structure of the front panel creates a very deep and obvious seat for baby. Little Miss Cub doesn’t fill it out just yet. (She’s likely about 18 lbs.) I hold the top of the panel and kind of shimmy-shake her deep into the pocket.
With a heftier build and maybe about two pounds heavier, you can already see that her buddy, Petit Prince, fills the seat out a bit more:
And just in case you want to see those cute butts side by side:
I take my baby carrier testing very seriously: Lenny has been our primary carrier for well over a month. (That might not sound like a long time, but I wear Little Miss multiple times per day, every day.) He’s come to the grocery store, on walks to the library and hikes (I use the term “hike” here lightly) in and around Calgary. He also gets a lot of use at home, as carrying her is the way I normally get her down for her naps. As with any carrier I’ve tested, there’s the initial “learning curve,” figuring out just how to adjust it perfectly for me and Little Miss. The three-way adjustable straps mean there is more to fiddle with, but this is, in the end, an advantage because you can get the perfect fit!
At first I thought the attached hood would annoy me, but honestly, I love it! I love how it looks when it’s not on baby’s head, I love how it can sit on her head as a hat even when she’s not asleep, and I like being able to hang the carrier up by its hood in our entrance way.
For back carries, the deep seat of the Lenny makes it tricky for me to get Little Miss properly seated. She is still such a lightweight that it’s hard to get her to sink deep enough without a bit of help. I’ve been practicing, though, and I can hip-scoot her onto my back in the grocery store parking lot now! If she falls asleep, reach straps help me get the hood up. My Mom made me a set!
Now that Little Miss is big enough for back carries, I am loving the freedom of movement, both at home and on the go. Cub is super into helping me to the dishes, which we can do together when his sister is riding on my back.
You might wonder what’s so great about a carrier that’s made from a woven wrap, rather than canvas. I swapped back and forth between one of my canvas carriers and my Lenny to try to put my finger on it. Having now experienced wrapping (also thanks to Lollypop Kids), using a wrap conversion carrier like Lenny gives me the cuddle-factor I so enjoy about wrapping without all the… wrapping. My Lenny is softer, more flexible than my canvas carriers, and that’s thanks to the luxurious wrap fabric with which it is constructed. It’s my favourite structured carrier for pre-naptime snuggles.
What I love about the Lenny Lamb Soft Structured Carrier:
- Thick, padded, contoured waist belt;
- Three-way adjustable shoulder straps;
- Ability to cross straps at the back if that’s how you roll;
- Attached hood that is adorable and functional;
- Ethically manufactured in Poland with high-quality, fair trade materials;
- Contoured front panel for a deep and ergonomic seat;
- Padded leg openings.
What I love less about the Lenny Lamb Soft Structured Carrier:
- There’s no storage—I’d love a small pocket on the waist belt;
- The safety button on the waist belt means I need two hands to unbuckle (safer, but less convenient);
- The price point makes this a luxury product for most families: Lenny Lamb carriers, depending on the fabric, retail for between $200-$300 Canadian. I don’t think the price is unjustified: it reflects the high standards of production, high-quality wrap material and the fact that each carrier is handmade. Bear in mind that like Tulas, Lenny Lambs resell well, so you can expect to recoup up to 80% of your initial investment. (Sometimes more, depending on the fabric and its desirability!)
Shop & Connect
Jennifer at Ontario’s Lollypop Kids is your go-to destination for all things Lenny Lamb! And guess what? Lenny is on sale in her FIRST Anniversary sale!
[wpdevart_like_box profile_id=”Lollypop.Kids.Shop” connections=”show” width=”300″ height=”175″ header=”small” cover_photo=”show” locale=”en_US”]
Leave a Reply