Home > Categories > Children Stuff > Kiddie Carriers > Elite Cruiser Frontpack review
This new style Frontpack fits babies from Newborn to 12 months.
It is very comfortable and in colours of Black with Lime, Red, or Orange Piping, and also in Navy with Sky or striped piping.
Product reviews...
I purchased the Elite Cruiser Frontpack as a second hand product many years ago when I would babysit my niece. I found it easier to have her in there instead of a stroller when out walking or doing the shopping, walking about town etc. Straight away I found the front back easy to use and it fitted perfectly around me and kept baby comfortable and safe as well, she always seemed to fall asleep in it straight away.
I appreciated that the straps in the Elite Cruiser Frontpack were padded to offer extra support and comfort to me especially but also how the pack offered support to my niece's head and neck as she sat in the front pack. Having the extra bonus of holding her close to my body offered her comfort and settled her quickly. She also loved being turned around to face the world when she grew older, and she loved being up high and would show her happiness by kicking out her legs etc.
Having the bonus of pockets in the Elite Cruiser Frontpack allowed enough room for car/house keys, mobile phone and snacks etc. and having both arms and hands free allowed room for the dog to tag along for walks also....much better control over the dog than when walking alongside the stroller.
I passed the Elite Cruiser Frontpack onto one of my friends once my niece was to old for it, it still looked brand new and functioned well. I would totally buy another one when the time comes to carry around my own bundle of joy.
We purchased the Elite Cruiser Frontpack for our first child and used it a bit and used the buggy. When our second child came along, we used it a lot and the buggy just a little! I found that after a few times playing around trying to get the frontpack on correctly, it became reasonably easy to put it on by myself. With our second baby, my husband has used the frontpack a lot and found he has been able to put it on by himself too. Of course, if a second pair of hands are there, it is much easier for one person to hold the baby and another to clip you in.
My husband is much smaller than me and we have both found the frontpack comfortable. It is easy to adjust the straps to fit each of us. I have back problems and being able to strap a baby to the front of me, rather than just holding the baby, has meant that I have been able to keep good posture and reduce the strain on my back.
When facing me, I found that our babies were comfortable and would fall asleep nicely. They were supported nicely in the neck too. There are some extra clips around the legs to hold a smaller baby in nicely and we unclipped these as our babies became more stable (and bigger). When facing outward, I have found that our babies have been comfortable also and able to communicate with the world! With our second baby, it has meant that I can have both hands free to be able look after our toddler and do jobs around the house.
It is well made and has lasted very well for our two children and I am sure has many years left in it! My only problem with the frontpack is that when you take the baby out, it is quite a big strappy unit to carry around as well as the baby. My husband found a solution to this (perhaps without even realising he was) - he clipped the straps in again (as if there was a baby in it) and tightened the straps so that the pack was flat against his chest. Problem solved!
I have been happy with this frontpack and would choose it again if I had to get another one!
i brought this when i had our first daughter, found it so easy to use. We ended up using it for 2 more children and its now been passed onto my niece who is expecting her baby any day now. We tried so many different front packs and slings and found this was the best one out of the lot of them. Even hubby would wear this not a problem.
i am a bigger size person and it fit me so comfortable and didnt dig in anywhere. Half of the time i didnt even know i was wearing it, this came in handy when you have a child like mine who have reflux and you need to get housework done, your arms are free to do anything. i found it rather easy to take baby in and out of this by myself.
Over all its an easy and not badly priced frontpack, easy to find in most baby shops
I was given this frontpack for my second child. She was always settled when she was in it.
At home I used it mainly when I was hanging out washing, but it usually lived in the car as it was so handy when I was out. I used it instead of struggling to get the stroller in and out of the car.
My two children are only 18 months apart so it was very important that I had my hands free to help my eldest. I would often go for a walk holding her hand or pop into a shop with the two kids. The Elite frontback was perfect for this.
I liked that it adapted easily from being Mummy-facing to outward facing.
It was easy to wipe clean.
I found it took a few goes to get the knack of putting it on by myself but after a few times it was automatic.
I wish I had it with my eldest as she never felt secure in the frontpack and sling I had for her. My sister is now using it with my nephew, so it is now onto it's third baby and still looks like new.
I have used several frontpacks and slings with my three children and the Baby First Elite Frontpack is definitely the most comfortable so far. I find it a little awkward to get baby (now 7 months) into and onto me and feel most comfortable doing this with something to rest baby on whilst getting baby fitted comfortably ie over a bed or bench. Once baby is positioned it is very easy to do up the straps and away you go.
I like that with this carrier you can have the straps adjusted so that they are ready to just clip and go each time. The clips are very easy to do up and undo.
Baby can face forwards towards you (recommended for the first three months) and outwards. Both ways have been very comfortable for my baby who is able to sleep comfortably in both positions. Initially I was a little worried that baby would suffocate sleeping face towards me but the carrier is designed that there is ample breathing space either side so no need to worry!
The carrier has a VERY handy little pocket on the waist strap which easily fits car keys and a phone. I wouldn't mind that being a little bigger or one on each side so I could put in a few other frequently required items. ie tissues, money.... (all you parents out there know what I mean!!)
The biggest advantage of this carrier is that it is incredibly comfortable to wear even for a long period of time because of the wide straps and baby is 100% secure. The carrier has two ways of placing the legs so when baby is little you can do up the extra leg straps so baby can't slip out. With two other children under five I am often carrying another child on my hip and bending down and have never had to worry about baby's safety being jeopardised. Baby also loves being close and I find this much nicer than constantly having a buggy as you have your hands free.
I can also easily wear a back pack with this frontpack. I did find when I used this in a tropical country that baby and I did get very hot and sweaty but was able to mitigate this somewhat by under dressing both of us if I knew we were using the carrier for the day, and I always had a light muslin with me to drape over baby's legs to prevent sunburn and provide shade to baby's face when sleeping. The design of the carrier is such that it is very easy to transfer baby from the carrier to cot without waking them also.
I will continue to use this carrier until no longer required and would not hesitate to repurchase if another baby was in my care.
I have two children and the first had reflux and needed to be carried around upright 24-7. I have tried several different front packs, slings and wraps and to be honest they have all felt uncomfortable after a little while trying to get the housework done. I was not looking forward to repeating the same back breaking task with number two. I have used this front pack for 2 weeks now and it is by far the most comfortable I have used. It has wide thick spongy straps and a well molded hip strap. The baby sits closer to your body than most other brands and therefore is much lower profile - haven't managed to bump her head on the bench while doing the dishes yet (a common occurance with number 1). The the wide straps also support the head from moving from side to side when facing forwards. It has a very handy pocket for wallet and cellphone when you don't want to carry a bag. The soft leg holes are very comfy for wee chubby legs and I don't worry about having her in there for any length of time. The seat of the carrier is not adjustable for height and because my wee 11 week old is quite long - the head support is not high enough. Perhaps this could be an area to improve. My girl loves being in it and I am happy to carry her around. It is easy to put on and get off. Overall a great product.
With petrol prices continuing to rise and extra weight, gained from being pregnant with my 2nd son, needing to be lost, I've been very keen on getting out there and walking a lot more. Now trying to walk through shops pushing a pram isn't always an easy thing to do. So many places just don't seem to take mums and dads with strollers/prams into account when they design the layouts of their shops, and it can cause many a traffic jam when you want to stop and take a closer look at something. So the thought of having my son strapped to my front... where I can cuddle him all I like, he still gets that closeness, AND it makes it a heck of a lot easier to wander through those tightly packed crowds and shops in the chaos that is town these days... was extremely tempting! Having used a frontpack when my older son was small (a few years ago now) and not finding it all that comfortable or secure, I wasn't really putting a lot of faith in frontpacks of any kind. However, given the chance to try out the Elite Cruiser Frontpack, I figured it was putting it through its paces at least.
Taking it out of the box, 1st impression was that it looked quite good, and was well padded... the latter definitely a plus for someone who has a lot of back problems! Trying it on the first time was a bit of a mission however, especially when I was on my own. But playing around with it a bit, I quickly discovered an easier way of putting it on single-handed... make an X with the shoulder straps and put your head up through the middle; clip waist "belt strap" together and tighten, then slide baby in and tighten each side while giving baby a cuddle til it sits comfortably, then maybe tighten waist strap a bit more...voila!! Nice and comfy and secure!! And all without assistance! Definitely a plus!
Ok... no grizzles from my son so far and he certainly felt snug and secure inside it. With him turned in to face me, we headed out into town which meant a half hour walk. The entire way there, it was comfortable, light, and kept my son snug and warm, despite the icy winter nip in the air. Walking through crowds with a baby had suddenly become a lot easier too, as there was no awkward pram to try and navigate round people, display tables, shelves, etc without knocking into anything. Hmmm, this thing was already winning a lot of points on several different levels so far. Then came the half an hour walk home again... and my back started to complain about having the weight on my front.
The next time I headed out, I took a backpack with me (you know... one with everything BUT the kitchen sink, where only 1% of its contents is actually for you, and the other 99% is all for Bubs!! Why is it even when you try to take JUST the basics, you still end up with a heavy bag??), and this took care of the one and only serious problem I'd encountered so far... the heavy weight on my front and a bad back. I was able to walk for HOURS without any discomfort. Taking my son out proved easy as well, when it came time for nappy changes and feeds... just loosen off the shoulder straps and slide him out or unclip them (but unclipping later proved to make things a bit awkward when it came to putting him back in... UNLESS you do them back up BEFORE putting the pack back on), then you're free to take the entire frontpack off - again, all single-handed. The little pouch on the waist belt was rather useful as well... I was able to carry a container with his pacifier inside, but it'd be just as handy for keys/cellphone/eftpost card wallet etc.
About a month later, as my son's neck got stronger and he got more demanding to be able to actually see where he was going, and not just mummy's front, I turned him so he faced out, and found this just as comfortable and secure... and he grizzled far less now he could stare at all the crazy chaos around him (input...NEED input!!). Now, if he's due for a nap and we're out and about, he faces towards me, where it keeps him warmer, plus he gets those snuggles and is less distracted. But if he's woken from a nap, then I turn him to face out because otherwise he squirms and grizzles. So far, there seems to have been no problems caused with him sleeping in the frontpack... and he'll quite happily have his full 4 hour nap in there if we're out and about for that long (even sit through the movies snuggled in it!).
So all in all... a definite success, both from a mum's AND a baby's point of view. The only thing I'd recommend with it... if you've got a bad back (or even just planning to be out for a few hours with this), then you may find you need a backpack of some kind to give it that counter-balance if you want to avoid back pain. In every other way though... an absolute winner!!
Being a father for the second time, I had some 'interesting' memories of carrying my first son around in a frontpack. Like the time I leaned over to pick up his dropped pacifier, only to have to make a mad scrabble grab at him as he slid, giggles and grins all the way, out of the pack and headed for the floor! Or the time he reminded me why little boys need extra padding in the front of their nappies, when he decided to soak my front in milk-stinky wee. Or perhaps the time that one of the straps broke and he was, for a few moments, able to appreciate the feeling of swinging sideways and down at a great rate of knots.
These being my experiences to date, I was suitably worried about a rehash of those days, so it was with a keen eye and much experimentation I studied this offering to parents who were not fortunate enough to be genetically spliced with octopus DNA, thus cursed with a mere 2 hands, and a need for 6.
Structurally, this unit is quite sturdy and sound, easily able to take far more weight than a healthy child could offer. Strong stitching, strudy durable fabrics, thick well-padded straps and solid clip-buckles... all add up to a safe place to put your precious bundle of laughs while still keeping you somewhat able to function. The shoulder straps do a cross-over above your shoulder blades, giving you comfort and a fairly unrestricted range of movement. The waist-strap helps distribute the load more evenly, while also serving the important purpose of keeping little kicking legs safely under control and close to your body, without the need for a cricket-cup for the Dads out there. It even comes with a perfectly-placed zip-up pouch for keys, pacifiers, parking meter change, etc.
I had heard that this unit was "...a 2 person mission to put on..." but a few moments of thinking, and a bit of good ol' Kiwi brainwork, and I was able to not only strap it on and slide in my son on my own, I was even able to demonstrate the technique to others who grasped it quickly and can now use it solo too. The trick is to start with the waist strap firmly tight, and the shoulder straps really loose. Slide the baby in, give it a good warm hug, and tighten the shoulder straps bit-by-bit until they are evenly tensioned and snug.
However, I discovered it's remarkably easy to take them out... method 1: Give baby a firm, but not hard, hug, pop the buckle on one side, swap arms, pop the other buckle, and lower entire pack to the table. Fold back the seat-flap and there's baby. Method 2: Lean over the cot and pop both buckles. Tah-dah! Same result just as easy.
If I had to give one critique, it would be this: The tensioning straps are a tad uncomfortable on hands. On the Feren Laptop Backpack the tensioning straps have moulded plastic ends with big holes suitable to hook your thumbs through and pull... now THESE would have great on this frontpack, making securing the baby a lot more comfortable. I also suggest a re-think of the manner and direction in which the straps attach might be in order, as some of the straps just seem to be too awkward to reach with a sprog inside.
By far the best feature is that the design allows for 'little' babies to be snuggled face-in, while 'bigger' babies can face out to explore the world as they travel. Now that my son has good strong neck muscles, he *adores* being taken for walks in the 'pouch', so he can explore and stare with baby awe at the huge world he will one day wander freely in... when he's not warm and snuggled down fast asleep, happily making gurgles and baby-burps, or that really cute leaky-squeeky-airbag noise.
Overall, an excellent frontpack, well worth the price and effort to locate. Sold at leading baby supply shops, it's in a box with the other, cheaper brands. Personally, I am a firm believer in paying that little bit more to get the good quality gear. What price do you place on your baby's safety? This is quite a fair price for something of this quality, IMHO.
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