The Joie Savvy carrier is an internal harness style baby carrier retailing around £105 but you can often find deals around £60-£80. The lovely Tracey from the Lady with the Slings, kindly sent me the Joie to review after seeing my review of the Nuna Cudl.
The first thing to say about the Joie Savvy carrier is it does look a lot like the Nuna Cudl, but it a good chunk lighter, softer, is easier to use and will fit more body shapes too. Plus its so much cheaper! The Cudl retails at £160 and (as you can read here), I absolutely hated the Cudl and really wouldn't recommend anyone buys it when there are so many much better options at the same price range. So definitely compared to this carrier the Joie comes out in a favourable light...
BUT, when you judge it on its own merit - the fit for baby when inward facing on the Joie carrier isn't amazing. In particular, I couldn't get the top part of the carrier tight enough and so I'd be really worried about the risk of a real baby slumping inside and being at risk for suffocation.
See what I mean in my video review here (and then read on for more about this carrier below):
It is a real shame as there are some real pros to this carrier, but unfortunately this is often the downside of carriers with an internal harness. While easier to pop baby into, its often harder to adjust for a really great positioning. The result is baby's weight pulls away from their caregiver, putting more strain on the caregiver's back and creates space baby can slump into and can be particularly dangerous for younger babies (under 4-5 months). Post 5 months when baby has more upper torso control and maintain their own airway it is less of an issue safety wise, although the issue with more strain on the caregivers back will only get worse as baby gets heavier.
The real pro of the Joie Savvy carrier is its outward facing position. It has a really great bucket seat and gives a really wonderful outward facing position. The position is really similar to that seen on the Ergobaby Omni Breeze and the Tula Explore. Making the Joie Savvy potentially a great choice for carrying outwards. BUT, as most parents find they only really use outward facing between 5 and 10 months - does the Joie represent good value for money? As a carrier that works best only between 5 and 10 months and only really does one positon well ... £105 seems a bit steep. When you compare it to the Ergobaby Omni Breeze or the Tula Explore that both work brilliantly (and safely) from 6-8 weeks and will last all the way to around 2 years of age. Plus offer a closer fit that will protect your back as baby grows. While they are more expensive, the fact they last alot longer and give more options mean that they offer better value in the long term.
If you are looking for a more budget friendly option then really worth considering the Beco Gemini which again will last longer than the Joie, offers a safer positioning for younger babies and a closer more comfortable fit for parent too and can be found on Amazon for around £80.
Hope that helps! If you have any questions about this carrier or any other please do get in touch and ask!
-Madeleine
