Going Reviews: The Ergobaby Ventus Performance Carrier

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I love wearing my baby. I try to urge everyone to choose babywearing over alternative methods whenever possible. Check out my post on Why I Wear My Baby to get a better understanding of how important it is for parent and child and know my stance on the topic.

Being one who always wants to try everything, I was delighted when Ergobaby agreed to send me their new Ventus baby carrier from their Performance Collection to review. The Ventus is designed for the active parent who wants to comfortably take their child on adventures both around the city or hiking on trails. Adventures, baby, comfortable; all sound great to me!

I’ve had the pleasure of wearing Avery in an Ergobaby Original carrier and we both enjoyed the time spent with it on. But, when it gets hot outside which is guaranteed here in Texas, things can get sweaty, fast!

In the Ergobaby Original Carrier
In the Ergobaby Original Carrier

When the Ventus arrived, I immediately noticed the difference in overall look and feel from the Original.

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The Ventus is lighter and less bulky with breathable, moisture-wicking fabric throughout. It only comes in one color, graphite, and is perfect for a gender neutral carrier.

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The Ventus offers 3 carry positions (front, back, and hip), but I’ve only worn Avery in front so far. Once she’s a little older and sitting up on her own, I will feel better about trying her in the back position.

Putting the carrier on was fairly easy, and if you’ve ever used a soft-structured carrier before, this will be no problem. The straps are pretty thick and proved slightly difficult to adjust which is annoying when you have a squirmy baby to hold on to at the same time. But, those thick straps also help to limit slippage and the need to re-tighten after a while, so I’m okay with the straps.

Front carry position
Front carry position

I truly appreciate the ability to move the chest strap up and down to get the right fit, and reaching behind my head to connect it was pretty easy. Actually getting the clips connected is hard at times; I just have an issue with how they are shaped and feeling my way to connect them. It’s not always, but just a minor thing to note.

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Our first walk in the Ergobaby Ventus was over an hour and Avery slept most of the time while I was able to comfortably move at a brisk pace. Avery felt secure and snug against me the entire time and we both kept rather cool despite the heat and humidity that day.

Napping with the hood up!
Napping with the hood up!

If you are looking for a baby carrier, a small but very important thing to look for is a built-in hood. The Ventus has one and it works great to block everything from wind, dust, sun, and noise when I’m walking and trying to let her nap.

Once it is adjusted to fit Avery and me, the lightweight structure feels great all around except one area. The straps wrapping around me under my arms rub and put pressure on my shoulder blades. This only happens when I’m on a walk and I don’t notice it when moving around a store, but I walk a lot!

See how the clip us just under my arm where it will rub.
See how the clip us just under my arm where it will rub.

Again, the rubbing comes and goes and doesn’t stop me from using the carrier since it really is a great option for us both. Going Mom even enjoys wearing Avery in the Ventus and we even argue over who is going to use it when we’re together. But, Going Mom, as usual, wins.

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That’s okay though, I love seeing my two girls together and know how much Kelley misses Avery when she’s at work; they both put a permanent smile on my face.

Part of what makes the Ventus so light is the absence of the bells and whistles like other carriers. You get a zippered  pocket that conceals the hood and that’s it. To me, this is good and bad. If I were to go hiking in the Ventus, I would want some sort of storage compartment.

In our Onya Outback, it is heavier, but it has several pockets to store necessities which always comes in handy for me. So for going on an outdoor adventure, I’d prefer the Onya.

But if you have other places to store your necessities, the Ventus is a great choice with its breathable, lightweight material. I’ve actually started keeping it in my car so it’s always on hand when I bring Avery to the store. Plus, I know she likes that she can already stick her head over the top without an infant insert.

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And it’s the perfect spot for her to chew and soothe those sore gums.

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I have only tried a few soft-structured baby carriers thus far, but the Ergobaby Ventus is an overall great carrier for the active parent just as it claims. Since it is made to carry babies weighing anywhere from 7 to 45 pounds, it will last years as your baby grows with no need to upgrade.

Being lighter, Going Mom enjoys wearing this one more than our heavier Onya. I don’t mind the extra weight in trade for its storage space, but I would say the Ventus would be preferred by those with a smaller frame.

Here is the list of features on Ergobaby’s site:

Special

  • Body Material/Shell: 100% Polyester
  • Body Material/Mesh: 100% Polyester
  • Lining Material: 100% Polyester

Standard

  • Comfortable for Parents: Baby’s weight is evenly distributed between the hips and shoulders

  • Ergonomic for Baby: Baby is cradled in a natural sitting position

  • 3 Carry Positions: Front, Back and Hip

  • Baby Weight Range: 7*-45 lb/3.2* – 20 kg (*Newborn with Infant Insert)

  • Stitching: Reinforced at all fabric intersections for extra durability

  • Shoulder Strap Length Range: 24”-44” (61cm-112cm)

  • Waist belt Circumference Range: 29”-55” (74cm-140cm)

  • Shoulder Strap Padding:4mm EVA with 15mm High Density PU Foam

  • Hood

  • Machine washable

  • Designed in the USA

I have and will continue to enjoy using the Ventus with Avery and want to thank Ergobaby for the opportunity to use and review their carrier. As an active dad I want to get out and move with my baby to show her the world, and carriers made for this are awesome!

Check out Ergobaby on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest and send them some babywearing love!

Disclosure: Ergobaby sent me their Ventus Carrier free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. I did not receive compensation for this post.

15 thoughts on “Going Reviews: The Ergobaby Ventus Performance Carrier”

  1. Stumbled upon this post just in time! I’m researching carriers at the moment for my daughter (she’s 7 weeks old) and I’ve been worrying about wearing her coming into summer with hot sunny days. I’ve been using a BabyBjorn I borrowed from my sister, but there’s no waist support and my shoulders are already in pieces – and she’s only 10lbs! I’ve been wanting to buy the ERGObaby original but now I think I’ll check out the Ventus since you found it more breathable. If it survives the Texas heat, I think it’ll do just fine in Ireland 🙂 Thanks!

    1. Hi there, so glad you found the post/blog!
      Yes, I learned rather quickly that the Baby Bjorn just won’t do and can even cause hip problems for babies. The Ergo is very breathable, and I’ve been wearing our Onya Baby Carrier the most in the heat. What I like about Onya is that it has pockets where I can put a cooler/freezer pack to make sure our baby stays cool. I even wrote a post on wearing your baby in the heat. If you haven’t already, you can read my review on the Onya here.

      Hope you find something that works for you and your daughter! Most of all, enjoy your precious girl, I’m finding out they grow fast!!

      1. I know! I can’t believe she’s nearly two months old already. Considering how little we’re sleeping it’s going by pretty fast 😉

  2. Thanks for a great review. I have been wanting a carrier and cant decide between original, ventus, 360. I think am leaning towards ventus since I also live in TX.

    1. Glad you liked it and thank you for visiting. I’ve used the Ventus a lot since this review and think it’s great for Texas and wearing your baby all over when you’re out and about. Glad to see other baby wearers, hope you find a good one!

  3. Happy new year! I know this was an older post (actually it’s how I found you because I was searching for ventus reviews). Now that Avery is 2 do you find it still as comfy to wear her? I think you used it on your last trip and you were carrying her in front. Gabriela is a bit on the tiny side (18 months, 22 lbs) and I’m sure Avery is bigger. I’m worried that it won’t be as comfy as Gabi gets bigger. Thanks for your time and can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for your Going-Family!

    1. Hey Jen, Happy New Year to you too! Sorry for the late response.

      I don’t wear her as often since she likes to move around on her own, but she has days where she happily jumps in to ride on my back using the Onya (Review Here), but as for front wearing, it is not as comfortable for anyone anymore. At this age, there is too much to see and do (and grab at), so I would say no more front carry, but yes to wearing on your back. It’s great when you can spin it as something special to get to ride in the carrier! 🙂 Thanks for sticking with the blog, I’ll have less personal life details and more reviews of useful items big and small to share with everyone!

  4. Hi! Your reviews are perfect, especially with all the pictures! Thanks for all the efforts. Makes choosing so much easier. Greets from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

    1. Hello, I’m so glad to hear I’m helpful! Sometimes I question whether or not I’m giving any advice that others can use, so your comment seriously keeps me motivated and makes my day!

      Hope you enjoy the new baby carrier, and I’m assuming your new baby! 🙂

  5. Nice review, thanks for sharing it!
    Little question,Do you have a photo of the little buckle,for the back and sides webbing? Does the big buckle for the waist has text “stealth” as the ergo original?
    I just bought the 2nd hand (for try out before I decided to buy carrier with mesh material) but wasn’t sure if it’s the authentic one.hardly find the comparison fake vs real for this carrier. Thanks so much!

    1. Hi Laura, thank you for stopping by and for the compliments. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of the buckle and have since passed the carrier on to a relative. From what I remember though, the big waist buckle on the Ventus also has the hidden area.

      My apologies on the delayed response, hope it helps you with your search. Either way, wearing your baby is awesome!!

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