Getting out the doors as a mom with littles can be hard. The challenge of this is further complicated when you’re a brand new mom with various worries. That’s where this Mountain Marsupial Jacket review comes in!
How will I keep my baby warm? What if it starts raining? How will I bring the baby along and keep up with the toddler? Do I really want to spend that much money on something I’ll only wear for a few months?
I’ve gone through pregnancy and the post-partum phase 4 times now and each time I marvel at all the barriers to getting out the door. Thankfully there are some amazing moms who have encountered some of my same challenges and pioneered some awesome products to help.
The Mountain Marsupial 4-in-1 babywearing jacket is one of these incredible products. The jacket’s tagline is “the only jacket you’ll need for motherhood and beyond”.
Amy Kuber (with the help of her husband Chris) designed the jacket with the goal to encourage mothers in their pursuits to get outdoors with their children. Her inspiration to create the jacket came from the unpredictable weather where her family lives in the Colorado rockies and the challenges this presents for moms wanting to enjoy the outdoors.
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Initial Thoughts
I am generally reluctant to believe anything that claims to be 4 things in 1 so having the opportunity to review Mountain Marsupial’s 4-in-1 jacket was met with some skepticism.
Can there really be a jacket that works for pregnancy, front and back carrying, and is still comfortable, stylish and practical when you have no baby in tow?
While I initially questioned that the jacket’s versatility may result in compromised design, my doubts were quickly cast aside. The design of this jacket is well thought out and successfully works for mothers in many different stages of mothering.
Specs:
The Mountain Marsupial jacket currently comes in black, red, light blue and a pink color that is on closeout.
The jacket is made out of Dintex. Dintex is a soft shell fabric with 3 bonded layers. The inner layer is a light weight fleece that’s warm and comfortable against your skin.
The middle layer is the Dintex wind and rain blocker (this is the layer that allows for breathability) and the outer layer is a flexible, stretchy, soft shell that wicks away rain and protects against harsh weather.
The jacket comes with a removable hood and a removable zippered panel made out of the same material. The zippered panel can be attached to the front or the back.
The jacket has long zipper tags to help with adjusting the jacket yourself while you’re wearing it.
I typically wear a size small or extra small. I ordered a small and there is still plenty of room for my baby to fit as he grows.
The jacket seems to fit on the bigger side so if you’re in between sizes and like a tighter fit then I would order the smaller size. Alternately, if you’re in between sizes and like a looser fit then order up.
What I love:
Hands down my favorite feature of this jacket is it’s versatility. It claims to be 4-in-1 and it lives up to this claim.
Versatility:
There have been so many times when I have passed up on buying something while pregnant or as a new mom because I knew I would only be using it for a short time. This is a jacket you can use for all different stages of mothering and even when you’re out of the baby wearing phase.
Back Carrying Feature:
Another feature that I love is the ability to baby wear in the back. This is my preferred way to carry my children starting at about 6 months of age.
I personally find that back carrying is more comfortable when I’m hiking or adventuring outside. I’ve seen few other jackets that have this ability to keep your baby warm and cozy while they’re on your back and I love this unique option.
Works In All Weather:
When testing this jacket I wore it in 30-55 degree temperatures and all types of weather including rain. I am impressed by its ability to keep my baby cozy and warm for extended periods of time outdoors.
When I started wearing this jacket we were already past our frigid cold temperatures. I’m confident that I would be able to engage in colder temperature activities with this jacket and still keep my baby warm.
I found that I also liked wearing the jacket on windy spring days too. Even on these warmer days the breathable fabric made it so I was never too sweaty or hot, and I was able to zip the back panel down a little to avoid my baby becoming to warm.
Takes Away the Worry:
The final thing I love about this jacket is that it takes away your natural tendency to worry over your baby. My children and most other children that I know love to be carried. Baby wearing is an easy way to carry your child, keep them happy and have your hands free.
One of my biggest complaints with baby wearing in the winter and getting outside in general during colder temperatures is that it’s super hard. I’ve tried to baby wear an infant that’s in a snow suit and it is awkward. This awkwardness is only intensified when you’re baby wearing and trying to keep extra blankets tucked around your baby’s legs and head.
When using this jacket I dressed my infant in similar layers to what I was wearing and added a hat if needed. He was never too cold and I was always aware of his temperature since he was snuggled in close.
If I had to change something
If I could change something about the jacket it would be the design of the wrist cuffs. I have pretty slender wrists and found that I liked the wrist cuffs velcroed tightly. This resulted in part of the velcro strap hanging off the jacket since the velcro on the sleeve doesn’t extend very far.
Another thing I found was that one of the zippers in the back panel was slightly cumbersome to zip up. I assume this is unique to my particular jacket and I’m waiting to hear back from Mountain Marsupial to check on this.
None of these things are dealbreakers but they do reflect my honest experience in trying to think about ways I would attempt to improve the jacket.
The bottom line:
If you are currently pregnant, hoping to get pregnant, have a newborn or even a young toddler then I highly recommend the Mountain Marsupial jacket.
If you know this is going to be your last baby and wonder if a 4 in 1 jacket is worth the investment then I still recommend the Mountain Marsupial jacket.
I know for myself this is a jacket I will continue to wear every fall, winter, and spring over the next few years while I’m in the baby wearing stage. It will also be a jacket I’ll enjoy as a soft shell later on.
Great work to the Kuber family for meeting a huge need of the outdoor mamas community and facilitating more opportunities for us to all get outside in the different stages of motherhood we’re in.
