In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

LILLEbaby Complete All Seasons Review

Harder to use and wear option that isn't as cozy as the competition
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LILLEbaby Complete All Seasons Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $100 List
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Manufacturer:   LILLEbaby
By Juliet Spurrier, MD and BabyGearLab Review Team  ⋅  Feb 19, 2018
46
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#15 of 16
  • Child Comfort - 25% 6.0
  • Parent Comfort - 35% 4.0
  • Ease of Use - 30% 5.0
  • Ease Of Cleaning - 10% 2.0

Our Verdict

The LILLEbaby Complete is a soft, structured carrier for children from newborn to toddlerhood. It offers several carry positions to accommodate your child's developmental needs, including front carry, either forward-facing or outward-facing, hip carry, or on your back. Compared to the best baby carrier contenders, the Complete includes some attractive features, like a removable lumbar support panel for added support. However, the carrier's overall padding doesn't suit everyone and lacks comfort for the baby and wearer. Wearers had trouble adjusting the Complete and learning to narrow the seat for little one's comfort. This difficulty results in frustration, hasty adjustments, and potentially shorter trips with your little passengers as they may struggle to stay content in this carrier.
REASONS TO BUY
Multiple positions for various ages
Soft mesh fabric
REASONS TO AVOID
Uncomfortable to wear
Harder to use and clean
Can feel bulky

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Baby Carrier
 Best Value Award
Easy to Use Wrap
Best Value Award
Great Wrap on a Budget
Price $100 List
$99.99 at Amazon
$90 List
$69.99 at Amazon
$95 List$60 List
$59.95 at Amazon
$45 List
Check Price at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
46
87
87
73
68
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A bulkier carrier with disappointing comfort for the parent and childComfy sling to wear and sit in with an easy to use designComfy for baby and parents but the fabric could be softerBudget-friendly wrap style that is easy to use and comfy enoughEconomical and comfortable but you need to hold baby when you put it on
Rating Categories LILLEbaby Complete... Nalakai Ring Sling Maya Wrap ComfortFi... Baby K'tan Original Boba Wrap
Child Comfort (25%)
6.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Parent Comfort (35%)
4.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
8.0
Ease of Use (30%)
5.0
9.0
9.0
7.0
4.0
Ease Of Cleaning (10%)
2.0
8.0
8.0
10.0
10.0
Specs LILLEbaby Complete... Nalakai Ring Sling Maya Wrap ComfortFi... Baby K'tan Original Boba Wrap
Min/Max Weight 7 - 45 lbs 8 - 35 lbs 8 - 35 lbs 8 - 35 lbs 7 - 35 lbs
Carry Positions Facing In (7 - 45 lbs)
Facing Out (6 mo - 45 lbs)
Hip Carry (6 mo - 45 lbs)
Back Carry (6 mo - 45 lbs)
Facing In (8 - 35 lbs)
Hip Carry (8 - 35 lbs *BGL recommends Head/Neck/Torso Control)
Facing In (0 - 3 mo)
Facing Out (3 - 6 mo)
Hip Carry (6 mo - 35 lbs)
Kangaroo Position (8 - 35 lbs)
Hug Position (8 - 35 lbs)
Adventure Position (8 - 35 lbs)
Explore Position (8 - 35 lbs)
Hip Position (8 - 35 lbs)
Facing In (Newborn - 35 lbs)
Weight 1.97 lbs 0.9 lbs Sm: 0.92
Lg: 1.16 lbs
Sm: 0.89
Lg: 1.04 lbs
1.41 lbs
Packable Size Large Small Small Small Small (5.5 yards in length)
Fabric Polyester, Cotton 58% Bamboo
42% Linen
Cotton, Polyester 100% Cotton 95% Cotton
5% Spandex
Hood Yes No No No No
Storage Options Storage pouch below headrest, Lumbar pad, Mesh back panel Pocket on the tail Zippered pocket on the tail Pouch on the belt. Storage Pouch
Other Features & Notable None None Available in two different lengths, standard and long Azo Dye-free None
Included Accessories None None None None Storage Sack
Care Instructions Machine wash warm, hang dry Machine wash cold, hang dry Machine wash cold, hang dry Machine wash cold, tumble dry low Machine wash cold, tumble dry low

Our Analysis and Test Results

LILLEbaby is grounded in Scandinavian design principles of stylish, functional, and obtainable. Designer Lisbeth Lehan founded the company intending to create baby products that reduce hassle, simplify the process, and improve quality of life. They researched and designed the Complete to be what they hoped would be comfortable, functional, comfortable, and stylish.

Performance Comparison



lillebaby complete all seasons - our little testers had trouble being truly content in the lillebaby...
Our little testers had trouble being truly content in the LILLEbaby Complete.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Baby's Comfort


The Complete has a softer mesh fabric than other mesh we saw in this review, but baby comfort is still lacking overall. This carrier has some adjustability designed for children of different ages and sizes. However, it still struggles for true comfort for everyone, and our little testers needed some help staying content in the carrier, indicating some discomfort.

The added back pad on the LILLEbaby Complete is stiff and somewhat...
The added back pad on the LILLEbaby Complete is stiff and somewhat awkward making it not as comfortable as it could be if it were less substantial.
The straps on the LILLEbaby Complete are almost too thick and stiff...
The straps on the LILLEbaby Complete are almost too thick and stiff making them uncomfortable with the edges digging in or failing to fit on the shoulders.

Parent's Comfort


The Complete performed below average in our tests on parent comfort, indicating it is not a carrier we consider very comfortable to wear, especially for longer adventures.

Between the padding and features, the carrier feels bulky. Parents with larger frames (primarily men) liked the wider padding on the shoulder straps and waistband. But, more petite-sized users (primarily women) felt the padding was uncomfortable and remarked that the super thick padding on the waistband rubbed while walking and dug into legs while sitting. This is a problem during the front carry (above left). Making adjustments for comfort was difficult as the straps are stiff, and some testers never found a comfortable “fit,” especially in a back carry position (above right).

Flipping up the LILLEbaby Complete headrest can be difficult to...
Flipping up the LILLEbaby Complete headrest can be difficult to operate with a single hand because it has a safety feature that requires some dexterity.
The waistband belt on the LILLEbaby Complete has a buckle that is...
The waistband belt on the LILLEbaby Complete has a buckle that is somewhat stiff and the strap is harder to lengthen than it needs to be for functionality.

Ease of Use


The Complete is not user-friendly out of the box, with very few testers being able to adjust the straps intuitively. The directions are particularly confusing for changing to “Narrow Seat.

lillebaby complete all seasons - adjusting the lillebaby complete is difficult when wearing the...
Adjusting the LILLEbaby Complete is difficult when wearing the carrier, and testers struggled with on-the-go changes due to stiff straps.
Credit: Abriah Wofford


We experienced difficulty adjusting the straps and putting the carrier on for back carry. Eventually, We determined that putting in on front carry and rotating is the easiest way for many testers. Overall, getting everything adjusted was cumbersome and frustrating.

lillebaby complete all seasons - the lillebaby complete is harder to clean than some of the...
The LILLEbaby Complete is harder to clean than some of the competition because it is harder to spot clean and must hang to dry.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Cleaning


The Complete is not the easiest to clean despite being machine washable in warm water. While we appreciate that it's machine washable, it would be nice if it was tumble dry instead of hanging dry. Depending on where you live, its thick padding could take longer to air dry, meaning you'll be without a baby carrier until it's thoroughly dry and ready for babywearing.

Should You Buy the LILLEbaby Complete All Seasons?


Comfort is vital to a successful babywearing journey, especially if you intend to use a baby carrier for the long haul. The Complete is designed to grow with your family, working from newborn to toddlerhood, but it lacks the level of comfort we expect. Those with a slender or more-petite size may feel particularly uncomfortable wearing the Complete due to the carrier's thick and wide padding. Since the lineup includes more comfortable contenders that deliver a better user experience, we suggest passing on the Complete.

What Other Baby Carriers Should You Consider?


If longevity is at the top of your priority list, the Tula Free-To-Grow is a better option. It's a higher-scoring contender that works from newborn to toddlerhood (7-45 lbs, the same weight range as the LILLEbaby Complete All Seasons) and is more comfortable for both parent and child. It offers fewer carrying positions than the Complete, which may or may not be a deal-breaker for you. If you're open to other baby carrier styles, the Nalakai Ring Sling is a comfortable sling option. It fits parents of different sizes and is less bulky, so you can easily stash it in your diaper bag or under your stroller.

Manufacturer Video



Juliet Spurrier, MD and BabyGearLab Review Team