Infantino Flip Advanced Baby Carrier Review

Infantino Flip Advanced

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How it Compares

The Infantino Flip Advanced is a fairly basic baby carrier. It has a straightforward design and is pretty easy to set up and use. This was our budget choice when testing fourteen popular baby carriers, pricing out around $30, but it has a few drawbacks that we will dive into later.

Our Video Review

Most Common Complaints

As with other carriers, we read through the critical reviews of the Infantino to compare them to our experience. Below are the results.

Criticism	Our Experience
Too complex	We disagree. We did not feel that the Infantino was very complicated to use
Hard to strap by yourself	We felt that the buckles were a little stiff, but this one was easier to strap than some others that we tested
Uncomfortable for baby	Baby didn’t seem very uncomfortable, but we did notice it putting pressure on her legs
No breathability	We thought that the cotton material was fairly breathable
Hurts back	We did notice some soreness in the upper back and shoulders while wearing this
Stiff/hard material	We felt that the material was decently soft
Cuts off baby’s leg circulation	The carrier did put pressure on baby’s legs, but we didn’t notice any circulation issues

The Infantino advertises being able to hold children between 8 and 35lbs. However, when testing the carrier with a 26lb one-year-old, we felt that she was pushing the limits of the carrier.

Her shoulders would barely fit under the straps when stationary. If she moved at all, her arms tended to slip out from the straps and they would push on the sides of her arms. This didn’t seem to bother her, but she seemed much less secure in the carrier when this happened.

Testing and Research

We researched the highest ranked baby carriers and purchased the top fourteen to test and compare. We read several buyer guides and critical reviews to determine the best criteria to test the carriers. From testing the comfort to comparing the versatility of each carrier, we put each of them through several tests to determine which would come out as the best baby carrier. The Infantino scored well in the usability categories, with decent, but more average ratings in the other three areas.

Usability

We set up the Infantino to determine how user friendly it was, how easy the instructions were to follow, and how long it took to set up. 

It only took us around four minutes to set up the Infantino. We ended up liking the instructions for the Infantino the best out of all the carriers were tested. It clearly lays out each carry style with detailed graphics rather than being text-heavy.

Something we appreciated about the Infantino is that it recommends having a second person to help you set up a back carry. Though this may be inconvenient if you want to use the carrier when no other adults are around to help you, many other carriers offer ways to move baby into a back carry by yourself, which we found very complicated. Additionally, we felt that trying to load baby into a back hold yourself was more dangerous. 

Though the Infantino is decently user-friendly, we did feel that the buckles were fairly stiff when both buckling and unbuckling. This could make adjustments a bit harder, especially if you are wearing baby while trying to adjust them. Though the stiff buckles were not a dealbreaker, they were a little inconvenient and uncomfortable to use.

When setting up a standard front carry, you slip on the main shoulder straps and buckle the waist belt. The shoulder straps secure with a clip behind your shoulder blades. You can then rest baby onto the seat and buckle them in with additional clips buckling from each shoulder strap to the chest cover of the carrier. We found this method to be easier than many other carriers that wait until baby is seated to buckle behind the shoulder blades.

Versatility

We tested the Infantino on its options for carry position, child size capabilities, and size range of adult wearers. 

The Infantino allows for the basic carry position styles: Infant inward facing, baby inward facing, outward facing, and a back carry. This stays consistent with the Infantino’s basic design and does not include any unique holds such as a hip carry.

The carrier did score lower than some on child size range, with an advertised range of an 8lb newborn to a 35lb toddler. Unfortunately, we found that a child’s height should also be taken into account. When we tested the carrier with a 26lb one-year-old, but because she was taller (32 inches), she barely fit in the carrier. Though she was well within the weight limit, her height made it very difficult to carry her in the Infantino. Generally speaking, we think the Infantino is more effective for a small infant compared to an older baby or toddler.

The waistband can be adjusted up to 49 inches, offering a range of wearability to adults of different sizes. This was not the roomiest of carriers that we tested, but it did offer more space in the waist than some of the others. The shoulder straps can also be adjusted, ranging from a 21 inch to 39 inch range.

Design Quality

We tested the Infantino’s design quality based on its component design, security and support, and size.

Once again, there was nothing remarkable about the design quality, but also nothing overly negative. The material is machine washable cotton. Some reviews complained that the material was stiff or hard, but we didn’t think so. 

As we mentioned before, the buckles are a little stiff. People with arthritus or weak hands could have issues getting the buckles in and out. There are not an excessive amount of straps, but the ones it has can tend to get a little tangled up if you are not careful. 

The child we tested the carrier with was well within the weight limit of the carrier, but because she was tall, she did not have a lot of stability or security while in the carrier. The Infantino seems to offer less stability to an older baby. 

We did note complaints that inward-facing babies did not have very good head support. The material is not very thick and there is not a lot of padding to keep it stiff, so there could be some issues with head support if your baby leans back too hard. However, proper adjustment of the straps should help with support.

As with all carriers, you should not bend at the waist when wearing a child. We certainly did not feel safe bending over with our one-year-old test subject, and would not advise attempting it even with a smaller baby. Always bend at the knees when you are babywearing.

We noted some complaints that the carrier felt too bulky, which we did not find to be the case. We felt that the Infantino is lightweight and thin, though still well padded. 

Comfort

The Infantino got a fairly average rating when it came to comfort. For an adult, a certain amount of pulling is to be expected when wearing a child in a backpack style carrier. We did notice some discomfort from the pulling and weight distribution after a few minutes of wearing the carrier, particularly in the upper back and shoulders.

We did feel, though, that the lightweight cotton was fairly breathable and wouldn’t make you or baby too warm while wearing. The shoulders are decently padded. The padded material isn’t too thick, but it is more comfortable than just a strap. 

Comfort Rating:

Our child test subject never acted fussy or uncomfortable while in the carrier. However, we did notice that it seemed to squeeze her legs some. Cutting off leg circulation was a common complaint in the Infantino’s critical reviews. 

This carrier didn’t seem to have as effective of an ergonomic seat as some of the others we have tested. It did not keep our test subject’s legs in the “M” position very well, but rather, her legs seemed to hang straight down. This is likely what contributes to the pinching and circulation issues complained about with this carrier. We especially noticed this in the forward-facing carry. The inward facing carry with the opened up seat seemed to support her legs a little better.

Despite these things, our one-year-old test subject, who generally does not like to be in a carrier, seemed happy and comfortable the entire time she was in it.

The Infantino Flip Advanced 4-in-1

The Infantino is a no frills, budget-friendly option for parents who are looking into a decent carrier. It did not score the highest in our testing process but did score higher than many other carriers. Since it only costs around $30, it is a solid carrier for the cost.

The Infantino will not take your child far into toddlerhood, but if you are wanting something for when they are small or wanting to try babywearing before spending a lot of money on a carrier, we certainly recommend considering the Infantino. 

This carrier is also a great baby registry item if you are wanting to request or purchase an inexpensive gift for a baby shower.

The Infantino Flip Advanced does come in a variety of colors, with a slight range in price depending on the color: 

– Gray
– Black Denim
– Light Gray
– Sandy Tan
– Camo
– Leopard
– Rainbow