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Guest Post: This review is written by my husband.
As a father of six I know how tough it is to feel like a man while carrying baby gear around. The flowery diaper bag, or the carrier wrap that looks like I have the baby tucked into a a shirt-like sheet aren’t my top choice. As a former Law enforcement special operations team member, I love tactical gear and that’s what I want for MY baby gear too! When my wife told me about Mission Critical, I was thrilled. I have never been so excited to have something arrive for the baby. It was something for ME for a change! It wasn’t pink, pastel blue, or a “beautiful” chevron in anyway! Mission Critical sent us something 100% for this Dad!
Mission Critical Baby Carrier:
The Mission Critical Baby Carrier is a front carry baby carrier. Simple, intuitive design makes it easy to put on and secure your baby. Baby can face in or out, depending on their stage of development. It features a removable and washable liner, hidden hood, MOLLE straps for customization, and a unique secure vest design allowing full freedom of hands and mobility.
When I received my carrier and daypack it looked just like my bullet-proof vest. (My kids thought it was my vest at first glance.) My first thought was…
“How cool does this thing look?”
The material on the outer is made from 1000D nylon. There is a lot of padding on the inside where it touches your baby’s body and more where it touches yours. I wish the interior of Mission Critical’s carrier could be used on the inside of tactical vests for officers instead. One problem that I had when wearing my work tact vest was it was sweaty. The material that is on the inside of the Mission Critical Baby Carrier is made from very breathable material; it’s almost like a soft thick netting. The interior feels great, is very comfortable, and doesn’t leave my shirt soaked with sweat.
Having the MOLLE system on the outside looks awesome AND is awesome! For those of you who are not familiar with MOLLE, it’s used by military and law enforcement agencies as a way to access tools/weapons/ammunition efficiently in fast-moving or critical situations. Dad’s who are babywearing need to be able to access everything they need for baby as easily as possible too. (No meltdowns when daddy is around!) The MOLLE system allows Mission Critical users to add pouches and carriers via a loop system. Once these pouches are added they are almost impossible to be snatched off. My first pouch that I’m going to add to mine is going to be a first aid pouch for our emergency supplies, including my daughters EpiPen Kit.
“Give me the baby! My Turn!”
My first carry with my infant was a successful mission. He fit securely in the carrier and fell right to sleep. I do like how the back of the carrier is high enough to support is head and the straps on the side also provide support when he is asleep.
It did take me a couple of times to feel comfortable buckling him in by myself. The straps are adjustable and they need to be tightened by someone else the first time you put it on. This custom fit will make sure you and baby are both as comfortable as possible. After that, learning where the straps are, and making sure you are snapping them in without twisting, is easy with a little practice.
The little pocket on the front… about that… it isn’t just a pocket. Inside of this zippered pouch you will find a built-in sun shade that fold out and buttons to the shoulders on the vest. This worked really well when we ventured to the zoo a few weekends ago. With the weather warming up, the sun-shade made sure he was cooler and prevented the top of his head from becoming burned.
Don’t forget- YOU CAN WIN a Baby Carrier and Daypack HERE or click the image below!
“Here honey, your turn now… (teasing)”
A great feature is that the child carrier part can be removed and is washable. My wife tells me that she feels most comfortable washing it on a delicate cycle, by itself.
“Diaper bags for MEN?”
Mission Critical offers three “bags” with each bag providing a specific use. The messenger bag is designed as the diaper bag for dad. It’s feature is that it can hold everything for baby, and your laptop too, while still looking manly. (Review coming soon)
The next bag they offer is the Backpack. This bag is for the adventurous dad who knows to leave his laptop behind…but might bring it anyway. It has lots of pockets and specific places to store hiking essentials and more. I love the straps on this bag! It looks really comfortable to wear. (Review coming soon.)
I also received the daypack from Mission Critical to wear along with my carrier. This is a backpack that can be carried by itself or attached to the back of the vest via MOLLE. It also has quick buckles at the top for easy access and detachment when you aren’t planing on wearing the pack all day.
The Mission Critical Carrier Daypack:
The Mission Critical Carrier Daypack is a versatile backpack custom designed to attach to the back of the Mission Critical Baby Carrier using the MOLLE system, or worn alone using the stowable shoulder straps. The Carrier Daypack features a side access changing pad and a large compartment with all the room needed for extra diapers, wipes, changes of clothes, snacks or whatever you may need. The Carrier Daypack also has the MOLLE system allowing any accessories you purchase to fit the Carrier Daypack as well. Using the Carrier Daypack on the back of the Mission Critical Baby Carrier helps create an evenly distributed load making it easier to stand up straight.
There is enough space in this bag to carry all of your baby needs for a day trip. We are a cloth diapering family and can easily carry diapers for our infant and toddler inside of this pack.
One great feature is that it comes with a changing pad that can be accessed without taking the daypack off. It is tucked into a hidden pocket on the side and can be reached with one hand. The changing pad also allows for you to store one diaper and portable wipes container inside of it. For us, this means diaper changes are easy for mom or dad to do with a quick hand off of the supplies.
“Just what we needed!”
I’ve been a dad for almost fifteen years now and I can’t believe we have waited so long for a product like this. I wear my youngest son in our carrier DAILY. I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to babywear him and to do it wearing Mission Critical’s carrier. Anytime I leave the house I am always prepped with a couple Mission Critical business cards for those who approach me curiously.
If you are looking for a baby gift for your son, husband, or friend – get him Mission Critical.
Please visit Mission Critical for more information on their baby essentials for dad.