I purchased the Baby Bjorn Black Carrier after I used another cheaper brand that caused me to have should and back pain after use. I didn't really believe that the Baby Bjorn would really be that much better and could not justify the price for the amount of time I would be able to use it. I figured a carrier was just a carrier and they all appeared to be pretty much the same at first glance.
I decided to give this one a try with the idea if it was no better I would take it back to the store. Well it took me a little while to figure out how to put it on, I tried it first with a doll before I attempted to put my baby in it. Well I could see that a carrier was not just a carrier after all. This carrier is superior to any other I have ever seen. There is enough padding to be comfortable on my shoulders and enough padding in the seat part wear the baby sits. Yet there isn't so much that it would cause the baby to get to hot.
When I first tried it with my baby I had to have a little help from my husband to get it on correctly. The buckles are a little hard to do but I believe this is because they are bigger and heavier than some of the other carriers, I feel that makes it more secure so I don't really mind. After I had it correctly on I took my first stroll with my baby. It was really nice, I didn't need to constantly support my baby with my hand like I did with the other carrier. I did not feel like the baby was going to flop out at any time, I was a bit nervous with my old one whenever I leaned over. After that first use I knew I would keep it for the long haul.
I have used mine in the house, on walks, and at the mall. It has been great and was worth every penny. One of the nicest features I have recently used was the option to turn the baby facing away from me. My baby was always trying to turn around to see what was happening in front of us so I turned her around and couldn't have been more pleased. Again, I felt totally secure without the fear of her flopping out if I bent over. The front can be folder down so it isn't in the baby's face.
There is also a nice wide strap that supports your back, torso area, this is a must have if you have low back pain.
I would recommend spending the extra money if at all possible for this carrier.