Soft Structured Carrier Comparison:
I joined the babywearing community by buying my first Moby wrap in 2013 when R1 was born. My mom insisted I get one of those carriers that I could breastfeed in. So really, I can thank my mother for opening me up to a world I didn't know existed, a community of wonderful mamas who would become my tribe, and to the addicting nature that is wrapping.
Two or three stretchy wraps, a few ring slings, more than a handful of woven wraps, and we have arrived at toddler-hood and soft structured carriers. Our first was a Lillebaby and that was great for the first few years while R1 was growing, but now, we've decided he needed something bigger and more supportive, as well as new for R2. I also wanted to try new things, including a woven converted SSC.
During the time I was researching SSC's, I did not find a great review with measurements and photos comparing just the Lenny Lamb and Tula carriers. There are plenty that compare Tula to Kinderpack, Ergo, Boba, and Beco, but not to Lenny Lamb. Thus, the following review was born.
Tula vs Lenny Lamb (LL)
For the purpose of this review I'm going to stick to comparing just the soft structured standard size Tula canvas carrier and the baby size woven converted Lenny Lamb. We will work from the top of the carrier down to the bottom. I will reference some measurements in this post, but for all the measurements, please see the chart at the end.
The Basics:
Let's start with the Tula. It's a well known brand. Depending on the print you want, it can be accessible (some online shops receive special prints, but you can get some of the common ones on the Tula site or Amazon). Some sites will have Tula carriers on sale at 10% off, but mostly they are $149 (standard size) or $169 (toddler size). Almost all sites offer free shipping.
The basics: I purchased the Willow canvas print which comes with a feather print on the canvas and dark grey shoulder straps, hood, and waist. I have read some descriptions stating the canvas feels better when worn in, but I don't have a preference or the experience to state either way.
I do not know when Lenny Lamb began making soft structured carriers. I have only just discovered them as an alternative to the more expensive woven converted ssc's that are custom made or in limited supply (Tula). A Lenny Lamb "baby" carrier can be purchased for as little as $140 (prices go up from here depending on woven used and size). I purchased a brown/beige Bubo owls pattern in a baby size.
Notable Note: READ THIS ONE! The Tula is designed for children starting at 15 POUNDS unless you have the infant insert! So if your lo is like mine and at 4 months old is not yet 15 lbs you cannot use a Tula without their infant insert. The Tula clearly has a wider seat so if your LO has short legs, I would recommend the insert (or many people will suggest using a towel under their bottom).
Not that it makes a huge difference but, the suggested minimum weight for the LL carrier is 14 lbs. At 4 months old and just over 14 lbs our lo fit perfectly. If R2 had been any smaller I would have had to roll up a blanket to put under their bottom. In general, the Tula allows for too much wiggle room for R2 so I'm sticking to the LL for now. (Although, I have used the standard size Tula with R1 and R1 sits in it comfortably.)
(R2 in the Tula. Baby's legs were just an inch or two too short to be worn comfortably.)
Hood:
The Tula has a flat hood that can be snapped on and off. This is incredibly handy if you want to customize your carrier. You can make or purchase a hoodie hood (one that can easily cover your child's head without cinching the elastic) in a number of patterns to colaborate with or match your Tula. In contrast, Lenny Lamb has an attached hoodie hood. There is no replacing this hood as it is sewn into the body of the carrier. The hood is rather tall (in my opinion) so your child has plenty of head room.
Both hoods come with sewn in elastic that will cinch the hood smaller and that same elastic can be put under and plastic hook to secure it in place. This comes in handy for sleeping babes.
Body:
There is a large contrast in body shape that is apparent by just looking at the two carriers, without comparing measurements. The Tula has a more square shape on the sides and a top that contours up slightly at the top to accomodate for a child's head, below the hood. The Lenny Lamb carrier is two inches shorter across in the middle of the panel (where the shoulder straps attach to the main body). It is also narrower at the top by 3 inches. Obviously this gives a child less wiggle room than a Tula but if your child is skinny or narrow this might not be an issue. For smaller children (up to 12 months) this may be more comfortable if they want feel the tight, closeness to their parent (or whoever is doing the carrying). You'll see in the measurements section the Lenny Lamb SSC is taller on the outside of the panel than in the middle. This is due to the carrier being cut in such a way that the shoulder straps come up and out rather than just out the top.
(LL on top, Tula on bottom)
Notable note: Lenny Lamb has included an adjustable buckle on the end of the shoulder strap. This piece connects to the body of the carrier. The bonus to this- when carrying baby on your front, the straps can be crossed on the carrier's back which is more comfortable and can provide additional support. You'd think that particular buckle would rub against your skin, but Lenny has you covered as they placed a piece of fabric under the buckle to keep it away from your rib cage. This buckle also gives you an additional 7 inches of webbing below the buckle which allows for adjustments.
This photo shows the top and bottom of the straps. The buckle is the bottom of the strap and can be crossed in back as well as adjusted from both sides. The top webbing can also be adjusted.
(Top and bottom of LL straps)
(No added fabric under webbing, Tula)
The woven fabric used by LL is soft out of the bag and does not require breaking in, but I can only report on the owl print.
Straps:
There are a few minor differences to note in the straps. The Tula straps curve slightly toward the body at the bottom whereas LL's straps are straight all the way down. I haven't noticed a large difference when actually wearing the carriers.
There is a difference in the AMOUNT of padding in the straps. Tula gives 1 inch of padding compared to LL who only has 1/2 inch. I cannot say if the padding in one carrier is more dense than the other. New, both straps are comfortable, but if you like a puffy strap, Tula is the better choice.
One of the larger differences are the buckles that LL has included on the straps (see notable note above) as well as the 3 adjustment areas on the straps (top of shoulder, bottom of strap, and top of buckle. These three areas allow you to find a fit that is just right for each person, but it can take some time to figure that out. Tula allows for adjustments at the top of the shoulder and bottom of the straps and does not have any buckles.
Both carriers have a chest clip, although LL has given an additional 3 inches of room to adjust the strap.
(Top LL, bottom Tula)
Waist Belt and Support:
There is a clear difference between the carriers in the waist belt. Tula uses a thick padded foam at the bottom of their carrier. This thick dense foam helps to support baby and keep the carrier comfortable. The LL carrier's waist is made of woven material and does not contain a thick foam, but rather some sort of stuffing and sewing to create the waist support. I need to do more research and long term wearing to discuss if these different belts make a huge difference in the comfort of the carrier.
*UPDATE: After several months of using the LL carrier for R2 I have noticed by back beginning to hurt after wearing her for long periods of time. I have had back problems for years so I'm sure this is a factor. On the other hand, I do not notice the issue when carrying with the Tula. This is a very personal opinion that will differ from person to person and possibly child to child. I'm not in any way saying that Tula has better support, but for my own personal body I do prefer it as it supports in a way that does not bother my back.
*UPDATE: After several months of using the LL carrier for R2 I have noticed by back beginning to hurt after wearing her for long periods of time. I have had back problems for years so I'm sure this is a factor. On the other hand, I do not notice the issue when carrying with the Tula. This is a very personal opinion that will differ from person to person and possibly child to child. I'm not in any way saying that Tula has better support, but for my own personal body I do prefer it as it supports in a way that does not bother my back.
Notable Note:
1.)The Tula waist maintains the same height throughout the waist and lays flat while LL has a taller waist in the middle (5.5 inches) and is shorter at the ends (3.5 inches) and curves upward.
2.) The buckle on the LL waist belt has an extra button that must be pressed down while the clips are being pressed inward. This is an extra security measure so that the belt cannot come undone easily.
1.)The Tula waist maintains the same height throughout the waist and lays flat while LL has a taller waist in the middle (5.5 inches) and is shorter at the ends (3.5 inches) and curves upward.
2.) The buckle on the LL waist belt has an extra button that must be pressed down while the clips are being pressed inward. This is an extra security measure so that the belt cannot come undone easily.
Both the Tula and LL waist buckle on the side, but the LL buckles can be adjusted from both ends.
(Top LL, bottom Tula)
Both carriers are of good quality. They made in such a way to be comfortable and durable. They can be used for many years. There are clearly advantages and disadvantages to each, but most of those are dependent on the owners/chooser's personal preferences. I hope this comparison has helped you compare the carriers in a way that is relevant to you and contains the information you were looking for. Thank you for reading. Happy babywearing!
Measurement Chart
| TULA | Lenny Lamb | |
| Top Panel | 17 Inches | 14 Inches |
| Mid Panel (where shoulder straps come to main panel) | 15 Inches | 13 Inches |
| Bottom Panel (Including legs out padding) | 13.5 Inches | 13 Inches |
| Panel Height at middle (with seat included) | 15 Inches | 15 Inches |
| Panel Height at far side | 11.5 Inches | 14 Inches |
| Waist Band Height | 5.5 Inches | 5.5 at middle, 3.5 at end where buckle is located. |
| Waist Band Length | 27 Inches | 27-28 Inches (the waist forms up slightly on each end) |
| Waist Band additional Webbing | 29 Inches | 26 Inches at long end, 5 Inches on short end |
| Straps Length (padding only) | 21 Inches | 21 Inches |
| Straps Width (padding only) | 3 Inches | 3 Inches |
| Straps extra length of adjustable webbing | 27 Inches | 13 inches at bottom of strap, 7 inches below buckle |
| Adjustable webbing at top of shoulder strap | 3 Inches | 6 Inches |
| Adjustable length of chest strap | 7 Inches | 10 Inches |
| Hood | 9x9 | Hoodie approx 10x8 not including actual hood |
