Wrap Conversion Mei Tai WCMT Review and Comparison: Didymos DidyTai | Diva Milano Essenza Mei Tai | Hoppediz Hop Tye | BBSlen BBTai | Inda Jani Mei Tai | Baby SayBe Mei Tai | Topa Top Mei Tai

Please visit my updated review of this carrier on my new babywearing website!

Click here for the updated review.

Okay people, this is a book. Hang onto your hat. Or scroll down and look for the capitalized sections to find specific info.

I must insert a disclaimer - I am sharing my personal experience with different carriers. All opinions and measurements are my own. You wear your own child, at your own risk, and buy and sell carriers, at your own risk. Please educate yourself on babywearing safety and shopping addictions to keep yourself and your child safe! With love, Joy!

Finally - ALL THESE PHOTOS AND WORDS ARE MY OWN COPYRIGHT. Please do not steal them, use them, Pin them, post them elsewhere, without linking this post.

I have tried (ahem) nearly 200 different baby carriers., that were either mine, or borrowed from other folks to test out.

First off, baby carriers are like shoes.
Let me explain.

There are as many brands, colors, styles, shapes, as you could imagine with carriers, as there are with shoes.

There are high-end expensive Prada shoes (that someone can afford). There are carriers that sell for thousands, an occasionally, tens of thousands of dollars. But you don't have to wear Prada, to wear good quality shoes.

Carriers are functional, as are shoes. Carriers can also be a fashion accessory and hobby. So can purses, or shoes, or cars, or clothing, etc. Please don't judge my carrier hobby, because perhaps you have your own sort of hobby. And today, my hobby is here to help you!

Finally, the perfect shoe for one person is a combination of brand/fit/style/price.
It is not the same perfect shoe as another person.

In some cases, you may find that just as you need more than one pair of shoes, you may also need more than one carrier.

You may choose your shoes, or carriers, for an number of reasons
- hot weather, cold weather, rainy weather
- indoor use, outdoor use
- fancy, casual
- style and appearance
- color
- fit to your body
- comfort

I have tried many kinds of carriers, and overall, mei tais are my favorite type of carrier.

INTRODUCTION TO MEI TAIS

This post assumes a basic knowledge of baby carrier general use, and familiarity with mei tais.

For readers who have never worn a mei tai before, or are not familiar with them, PLEASE READ THIS POST first, Introduction to Mei Tais.

In the post Introduction to Mei Tais, I write about:

- Structure of a Mei Tai
- Comfort of a Mei Tai
- Standard Mei Tai versus Wrap Conversion Mei Tai (WCMT)
- Choosing the right size Mei Tai
- Adjusting a mei tai size
- How to wear a mei tai

Please read that post first, if you are a new user. It covers important mei tai basics, as well as language to understand and apply what I talk about in the following comparisons.

THE BIG COMPARISON
of Wrap Conversion Mei Tais

I will review brands of "ready-made" (manufacturer sewn) mei tais. Custom mei tais are harder to acquire for the beginning user, and their characteristics are so varied it would be impossible to review them all.

I will only review mei tais with wide, unpadded shoulder straps. I personally find that narrow straps, and straps with padding, begin to dig into my shoulders, concentrating the child's weight in the narrow band of strap. For me, wide, unpadded shoulder straps distribute weight all across my shoulder and back, which is more comfortable.

Padded straps can be more comfortable to some people, especially when baby is worn on the back. A few brands of WCMT I am aware of that have narrow, padded straps are Chimparoo, Girasol MySol, and KoKaDi mei tai. I have not tried those, because I don't like narrow straps. They are made from woven wraps though, which means they will have beautiful, soft, cuddly fabrics.

Didymos DidyTai

Didymos DidyTai Lisca Viola with newborn 3 weeks 10 lb 22 inches. It is a bit big, even with the waist rolled up once.

Didymos DidyTai Silver Waves mei tai laid flat

Winner:
- Wins for greatest variety, quality, and beauty of woven wrap fabrics.

Sizing:
- Best for about 2/3 months old through about 18 months old.
- I personally found my newborn to slump inside the body panel until he was 4-6 weeks old and had more trunk control.
- I personally found my two year old was too big. I was able to make it fit "in a pinch" by completely changing how I put the mei tai on. I would not purchase a DidyTai for a child older than 18 months.

Highlights:
- Cinchable base in the body panel allows adjustment of the body width for for smaller / larger children.
- The most beautiful, luxurious fabrics of them all. The sheer variety of appearance and wrapping qualities of Didymos woven wraps is a significant part of what the brand is known for. The variety and beauty of Didymos woven wraps are available in mei tai form with the DidyTai.
- Didymos has been making baby carriers since 1972!
- Some DidyTai fabrics are "standard line" that have been in production for many years, and are easy to find new or used. Others are limited edition, only available used, and may come up for sale rarely.

Considerations:
- Each different fabric of a DidyTai will have different characteristics such as breathability, support, texture, thickness, - just like the woven wraps they are made from. Even different colors of the same weave can have different characteristics.
- Straps are medium length within the range of those reviewed. My husband is six foot and wears size XXL shirts; he could not wrap the straps in the reinforcing pass and had to tie off under baby's bum.
- Hood is short and functions like a head rest. This is perfect as neck support for a small baby or after baby falls asleep. It isn't large enough to shield a baby's head from the sun, or to shield them from looking around.

Sizing Note:
- There has been talk about Didymos changing the body panel size of the DidyTai. I believe may be merely rumor. I have owned a DidyTai that was produced in 2012, and owned a DidyTai I ordered brand new directly from Didymos in 2014. The only change I noticed between the two was a difference in the width of where the shoulder strap attaches to the body panel. I have not owned one older than 2012, so it is possible there was a change prior to then. From the observation of a babywearing educator friend who is also a seamstress, it appears the body panel and hood (all one piece) are sewn from the width of the wrap. Sometimes Didymos wraps vary slightly in width, by an inch or so, which could account for a variance in the size of the body panel of the DidyTai. I found perhaps 1/2 inch difference in height (including the hood) between an older and newer model. I believe this could be just a variance in the original wrap width, or perhaps even the older wrap having been washed and dried more times. My personal view is there has not been a company-wide change in the DidyTai sizing.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - completely unstructured and floppy, no defined height
Body Panel Width - 16" wide, cinches to 6" wide
Body Panel Height - 19" tall including U-shaped base, fits more like 14"-16" usable height, depending on how it is worn

Waist Band Structure - completely unstructured, no defined waist, double layer of fabric throughout
Waist Band Height - 4" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 34" from where body panel ends, to end of one side (making a total of 84" of waist belt from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Structure - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders
Shoulder Strap Width - 11"
Shoulder Strap Length - 80" long from shoulder to short taper, 82" long from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - double layer, cinching, extra small, folds in half to make a head rest or unfolds to make a too-short hood
Hood Height - 7"
Hood Width - 11"

Diva Milano Essenza Mei Tai

Diva Milano Essenza Mei Tai Smeraldo with newborn 4 weeks, 10 lb, 22 inches. It fits perfectly, however I should have adjusted him so that his bum would be lower than his knees.

Diva Milano Essenza Mei Tai Argento

Winner:
- Wins best for a newborn.

Sizing:
- Best for newborn through about one year old.
- Body panel is one of the smallest here, which means it fits an infant better, and a toddler not at all.
- Diva Milano changed the body panel in 2014, as stated by websites who sell their carriers in the U.S. The original Essenza mei tai was approximately 14x14 inches, and the newer ones approximately 15x15 inches. If purchasing a used one, I would ask for measurements to verify the sizing.

Highlights:
- Body panel cinches top and bottom, and has elastic on the sides. The small size held a small baby perfectly. The cinching at the top of the body panel provided fantastic head support for a newborn lacking head control. Newborns tend to roll their heads back or sideways since they don't have head control. This was the only carrier that completely supported my newborn's head. In other carriers I sometimes needed to adjust the hood periodically, or even hold his sleeping head up with my hand.
- Elegant woven fabric in a paisley-type pattern. Fabric comes in only one pattern and thicknesses, but in a variety of vibrant colors.
- Fabric is thin and neither too grippy or too slippery. It is sturdy for how thin it, and has just the right amount of diagonal stretch. This is important for brand newborns or preemies who need the support of a strong (not stretchy) fabric. (Keep in mind that preemie wearing has special considerations and is definitely a good opportunity to consult a babywearing educator).
- Fabric is particularly breathable and light for hot weather.
- Waist and shoulder straps are extra long.

Considerations:
- Waist straps are narrow, and combined with the thinness of the fabric, can dig into the wearer's waist when baby gets heavier. I had mild discomfort from the pressure of the waist strap after my baby exceeded 16 lb or so. Prior to that, it was not an issue at all.
- Small body panel size will not support a toddler. This isn't a carrier to last from newborn through two years old. I have seen a photo of someone wearing it with their two year old, and am still trying to figure out how they made that work!

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - cinches at base and top of body panel, elastic on sides of body panel
Body Panel Width - 14" wide old model (prior to 2014), 15" wide new model, cinches to 5" wide at base and 6" wide at top of panel
Body Panel Height - 14" tall old model, 15" tall new model

Waist Band Structure - unstructured, no defined waist, double layer of fabric throughout
Waist Band Height - 3" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 34" from where body panel ends, to end of one side (making a total of 82" of waist from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Structure - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders, box pleat attachment to body panel
Shoulder Strap Width - 8.5"
Shoulder Strap Length - 83" long from shoulder to short taper, 87" long from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - double layer, flat (not cinching)
Hood Height - 8.5"
Hood Width - 9" wide at base tapers to 12" wide at top

Babylonia BBSlen BBTai

Babylonia BBSlen BBTai mei tai Pineapple, with Newborn 3 weeks old, 10 lb, 22 inches, and Toddler 2 years old, 30 lb, 36 inches

Babylonia BBSlen BBTai Turquoise, newborn insert with stuffed monkey, and shoulder bag it comes with

Winner:
- Wins for best "emergency car carrier" or "backup beater."

Sizing:
- Fits 2/3 months old through two years old.
- Newborn insert is removable using velcro tabs inside the body panel.

Highlights:
- Budget friendly (less than $100 used).
- Good for a "one carrier family" who need to wear both a small baby and a toddler using one carrier (obviously not at the same time).
- Good for using on-the-go or keeping in the car, since the short straps won't drag on the ground too much while putting on/off, and are black so as not to show dirt if dragged on the ground.
- Comes with a shoulder bag for carrying the carrier (or for carrying your stuff so your bag can match your carrier).

Considerations:
- Shoulder straps are short. In these photos, I have barely enough strap length to wrap shallow reinforcing passes over and under baby's legs. The other carriers have long enough straps that the reinforcing pass can be spread wide across baby's back and bum, which is more supportive and comfortable for everyone. I am petite, so I imagine most users will not have enough strap length for reinforcing passes at all. Instead, most users will have to tie off under baby's bum. Reinforcing passes contribute greatly to the comfort of a mei tai, so it seems a waste to have straps so short you can't even wear it that way.
- Newborn insert is cumbersome at best, and unusable at worst. The insert is shaped like a diaper where the sides velcro into the carrier. To put the baby inside, lay the carrier flat on something, and try to wiggle a floppy baby's legs down into the insert. Then put the carrier on, while baby is flopping around inside the way-too-big insert. It's really hard to do. Hard enough that after trying it once, I didn't want to do it again. Cinching body panels functions much easier.
- Only the body panel is made from woven wrap. The shoulder and waist are a solid black woven fabric that it isn't as soft, or pretty, or breathable, like wrap fabrics are.
- Strap fabric is a bit on the thick side, which is more supportive, but also warmer to wear.
- No hood. The little flap of fabric at the top of the body panel sort of functions as a head rest, but doesn't open up enough to become a hood. It's kind of odd really.
- I have owned three different BBTais, and the black shoulder strap fabric has been different on them all. The oldest one (2005) is thick, dense, and has stretch/bounce to it. The newest one (a couple years old) the shoulder fabric was a bit thinner, less dense / more airy, and lacked the stretch/bounce of the older model. It seems they have changed the weave of the fabric several times over the years, based on my experience with the three different models.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - square shape, contains removable newborn insert to accommodate a small baby. Newborn insert is probably necessary until around 6-9 months.
Body Panel Width - 15.5" wide
Body Panel Height - 16" tall

Waist Band Structure - slightly structured, area of padding at base of body panel, double layer of fabric straps
Waist Band Height - 3" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 30" from where body panel ends, to end of one side (making a total of 75" of waist belt from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Structure - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders
Shoulder Strap Width - 14"
Shoulder Strap Length - 71" long from shoulder to short taper, x" long from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - no hood
5" tall extra flap of fabric to function as a head rest

Hoppediz Hop Tye

Hoppediz Hop Tye mei tai, Chicago, with baby 6 months old, 17 lb, 25 inches

Hoppediz Hop Tye Chicago mei tai, laying flat

Winner:
- Wins for warm to wear in cold weather.
- Smallest size reviewed here.

Sizing:
- Newborn to one year.
- The body panel is very small, around the same size as the Diva Milano mei tai. I would not imagine this working for any longer than 18 months old, and perhaps not even that long.

Highlights:
- Budget friendly (sells for less than $100 used).
- Good for a newborn in a cold winter climate.

Considerations:
- Some Hop Tyes are made completely from colorful wrap fabric. Others are like the one shown - only the body panel is wrap fabric, and the straps are a plain black fabric.
- The black (non-wrap) fabric is not very soft or cuddly. However, it is sturdy and bears weight well.
- Hot to wear. Strap fabric is a bit dense and warm, and the body panel is lightly padded. The body padding makes it warm for baby in the carrier. In cold weather, this could be a benefit. In hot weather, a small baby could possibly overheat. I could not use this in Texas summers.
- Padded waistband contains too much padding for most users. The padding continues so far into the waistband that it is difficult to tie the waist. The spot where most people would be ready to tie their knot, would still contain padding too thick to tie off. For me, I actually wrapped the waist twice around me, then was able to tie off on the unpadded strap area. Most people would probably wrap it once and half times around the waist in order to tie off on the unpadded area.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - Base cinch, two layers with internal soft padding (similar in feel to quilt batting), elastic on sides of body panel
Body Panel Width - 15" wide, cinches to 12" wide
Body Panel Height - 15" tall including waist area (no structured waistband under the body panel, probably 14" of usable height)

Waist Band Structure - Lightly padded under body panel, thickly padded in remainder of waist, perhaps too much padding for most people to tie off easily, ends of waist belt are double layer unpadded fabric
Waist Band Height - 3" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 30" of padded area under body panel extending to sides of body panel, 21" of unpadded strap length on each side of padded part of waistband (making a total of 72" of waist belt from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Style - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders
Shoulder Strap Width - 10"
Shoulder Strap Length - 86" from shoulder to short taper, 89" from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - double layer, flat (not cinching)
Hood Height - 9"
Hood Width - 10" at base where it attaches to body, tapers out to 13" wide across the top/end

Inda Jani Mei Tai

Inda Jani Adjustable Mei Tai Azul, with 6 month old baby and 3 year old

Inda Jani Adjustable Mei Tai Azul, laid flat

Winner:
- Wins for widest age-range of child it can carry.
- Winner for combination of value/price/size usage.
- Largest size reviewed here.

Sizing:
- 6 months to 3 years.
- Inda Jani sells an "adjustable" mei tai shown here, and another which is not adjustable (easy to identify by its buttons sewn on the top of the body panel for the removable hood)

Highlights:
- This is the winner for most versatile sizing, however, it is much to large for a preemie or tiny newborn. My sons are around 10 lb, 22 inches at birth, and I could fit them in it around three months.
- Largest body panel reviewed here.
- Cinches top and bottom of the body panel. If completely cinched and also waist rolled a couple times, could fit an infant; or can fit a toddler when fully open.
- Fabric is dense, textured, thick, and supportive, yet isn't too hot to wear.
- Budget friendly (around $100 new or used).
- Handwoven in Mexico.
- Very large hood has plenty of room to shade baby.

Considerations:
- Fabric is not particularly soft and flexible, and may be a bit rough when brand new. Mine has broken in softer with use, and is pleasant now, but will never be the luxurious softness of the DidyTai fabrics.
- Since the body panel is so large, it will take some education on the part of the user, how to safely re-size it based on their child's size. In the photo with my six month old, I have the body panel cinched top and bottom, and the waist rolled upward and outward 1.5 times (to shorten the body panel). With my three year old, I have the body panel fully open.
- Fabric is relatively thick compared to these others, and straps are also wider than most. May be bulky for some users.
- Even when cinched down completely, thickness of fabric can make this too bulky to wear with a small baby. Although it "could" be used for a baby less than six months, is is better suited for six months and up.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - body panel cinches top and bottom, two layers of thicker fabric, a bit bulky when cinched all the way, no defined waistband
Body Panel Width - 16" wide at base of body, 19" wide at top of body, cinches to 7" at base and 12" at top
Body Panel Height - 19" tall including waist area, more like 18" usable

Waist Band Structure - completely unstructured, no padding
Waist Band Height - 6.5" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 31" from where body panel ends, to end of one side (total of 78" of waist from end to end)

Shoulder Straps - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders, pleated attachment to body panel, blunt ends (not tapered)
Shoulder Strap Width - 13.5"
Shoulder Strap Length - 85" long

Hood Style - double layer, cinching, extra large
Hood Height - 11"
Hood Width - 12.5"

Baby SayBe Mei Tai

Baby SayBe mei tai blue, with 6 month old, 17 lb, 25 inches

Baby SayBe mei tai standard size blue

Winner:
- Wins thickest, grippiest fabric.
- Wins for handwoven.

Sizing:
- Manufactured in standard size or toddler size. I have pictured and reviewed a standard size.
- 2/3 months to 2 years

Highlights:
- Handwoven-wrap fabrics are usually more expensive and desirable than machine-woven wraps. I have only tried budget handwovens (Baby SayBe and Inda Jani), so I can't compare them to higher end handwovens (which cost anywhere from $500-$3,000).
- Fabric is thick and grippy, much thicker and more textured than any of the others here. The fabric itself is something unique. The textured "grippy" fabric stays put once you wrap it, and the thickness is delightfully supportive and not "diggy" on the shoulders. The weight distribution is particularly nice because of the thickness of the fabric.
- Has a structured waistband that is not padded, but is separate from the body panel. This makes it easier to roll the waist upward for a smaller baby.
- Handwoven in Thailand.

Considerations:
- Color variations are limited, but they seem to be manufacturing new colors soon. All colors thus far are earth tones.
- A bit hot to wear compared to the others featured here (but not as hot as the Hop Tye). I wouldn't want to wear it over 80 degrees Farenheit.
- Straps are medium length, could be too short for some people's preference.
- Average to small size hood does not give much coverage.
- No cinch mechanism on the body panel, so any adjustments to the fit would be manual by the user. This is harder for a beginner user.
- Fabric is rough when brand new, and requires "breaking in" to get it softer.
- Baby SayBe has recently started making a completely different body style with an adjustable cinch mechanism. It VERY closely resembles the DidyTai; in fact I have mistaken it for a DidyTai in flat photos of for-sale postings. The style I have reviewed here is still being manufactured currently, and is more common since it's been around longer. I have not tried the newer style.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - Flat without manufacturer adjustability, two layer, structured waist
Body Panel Width - 14" wide at base, tapers to 16" wide at top of body
Body Panel Height - 19" tall including waistband, 3" structured waistband, equals 16" usable body panel height

Waist Band Structure - Structured but not padded, thick fabric creates a slightly padded feel, double layer throughout
Waist Band Height - 3" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 26" from end of body panel to end of strap (total of 66" of waist from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Structure - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders, gathered attachment to body panel
Shoulder Strap Width - 10" wide
Shoulder Strap Length - 80" long from shoulder to short taper, 84" long from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - Double layer, cinching, extra small
Hood Height - 6"
Hood Width - 10"

Topa Top Mei Tai

Topa Top Topatop Mei Tai standard size, Didymos ellipsen, linen, with baby 6 months, 17 lb, 25 inches

Topa Top Topatop mei tai standard size, Didymos ellipsen, linen, laid flat

Winner:
- Wins for customizable features.
- Wins for combination of quality/fabric/value/price.

Sizing:
- Comes in standard size or toddler size. I have pictured and reviewed standard size.
- Newborn to 18 months

Highlights:
- Topa Top is the only brand reviewed that is not ready-made directly by the manufacturer who also makes wraps. Topa Top is a custom WCMT converter (a seamstress company who uses woven wraps and other fabrics to sew mei tais). I reviewed them because they are accessible (easy to locate new or used), and their price point is similar to the others here.
- Made from a WIDE variety of wrap fabrics and non-wrap fabrics. Each mei tai will have different characteristics based on the wraps or fabrics they are sewn from (similarly to DidyTai). Some are made from a variety of woven wrap brands, including Didymos, Hoppediz, Storchenweige, Girasol, and others. Some are made from non-wrap fabric such as cotton or linen.
- This particular one is Didymos Ellipsen woven wrap body panel, and linen fabric waist and straps. I was truly shocked when it arrived, as this particular linen is thickish, grippy, textured, yet remarkably breathable. It was all the characteristics I like best in woven wraps!
- Extra long straps, the longest reviewed here.
- Extra large hood is also single layer, which provides the greatest amount of shade for baby, without being as hot as a double layer hood.

Considerations:
- May not be 100% cotton. Many Topa Tops are cotton, but others have a body panel from a silk or hemp blend; or the straps may be linen, etc. Non-cotton fibers have different wrapping characteristics. Non-cotton fibers also require diligent washing routines (such as no powder detergent for hemp or linen), no drying in the dryer, etc. It isn't hard to learn how to care for a particular fabric, but extra caution should be taken to do so, to avoid damaging and weakening the fabric. If purchasing a used carrier that is not 100% cotton, inspect the fabric for wear and tear from possible improper care by prior owners.
- Variety of wraps and fabrics provide a different user experience with each one. Hoppediz wraps are dense, sturdy, supportive, and can be hot. Girasol wraps are thin, soft, cuddly, slippery, and can be hot. Linen is usually thin, breathable, supportive, textured, but can be "diggy" for some people. A user who is experienced with different woven wraps will enjoy the variety to choose from, but a user new to babywearing may end up with a fabric they didn't expect or may not prefer.

Measurements:
Body Panel Structure - Cinching base, structured waist, two layer
Body Panel Width - 16" wide, cinches to 11" wide
Body Panel Height - 17" tall including waistband, 4" padded, structured waistband equals 13" usable body panel height (baby may tend to "sink" into waistband, creating a fit more like 14"-15" usable height)

Waist Band Structure - Padded under body panel, unpadded double layer for the rest
Waist Band Height - 4" tall / wide
Waist Band Length - 23" of padded area under body panel extending to sides of body panel, 29" of unpadded strap length where padding ends (total of 81" of waist from end to end)

Shoulder Strap Structure - Single layer of fabric, unpadded wrap strap style shoulders
Shoulder Strap Width - 13"
Shoulder Strap Length - 90" long from shoulder to short taper, 92" long from shoulder to long taper

Hood Style - Single layer, cinching, can roll up and attach to the body panel so it isn't dangling down (very nice feature, I am wearing it this way in my photos), extra large, plenty of shade for baby
Hood Height - 11"
Hood Width - 11" at base where it attaches to body, tapers out to 16" wide across the top/end

Labels: baby wearing

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