A specially designed seat, located just above the wearer's shoulders, does not stress the neck and shoulders. The MiniMeis G4 is equipped with a weight distribution system that allows the child to sit on an elevated arch, avoiding direct pressure on the adult’s neck, shoulders and collarbone. With older children, it’s slightly different in that the adult puts the carrier on first and lifts the child into it.

What pushes the Pro down in our rankings—and below the other Kid Comfort options—are a few questionable design choices. MiniMeis certainly know how to build up the excitement in the opening, but it’s thankfully backed up by the quality inside.

As in a highchair, the child should be able to sit upright without support before sitting in a MiniMeis. Perhaps the target market is slightly older children who don’t nap and can reliably walk some distance, and that my daughter, who tires after waddling about 100m is just too young for it to really benefit either of us. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.

Ultimately, though, you are still adding extra weight to your neck, shoulders and back, and while the MiniMeis allows you to carry your child on your shoulders for much longer than usual, there is still an upper limit.However, the MiniMeis G4, while still a carrier, is a completely different proposition and cannot really be compared.