The BabyBjorn One Air 3D Mesh baby carrier is incredibly popular. This innovative baby carrier is available in a famous leopard-style print, and parents everywhere have loved its luxuriously soft mesh and trendy patterns. The BabyBjorn Harmony 3D Mesh carrier came out in 2021, and is an upgrade from the older 2019 One Air model.
These are both super comfortable baby carriers that use mesh to allow a lot of air flow around your baby, which is good not just for warmer climates! Baby-wearing over a long period of time can get sweaty and a cool mesh carrier like this is my favorite to use. Let’s take a look at some of the similarities and key differences between the One Air and Harmony BabyBjörn carriers.
This review is my honest personal opinion. BabyBjorn has not paid me to review their product and I bought both carriers with my own money. The ads on this site and commission from purchases is what offsets the cost of running my website.
*If you choose to purchase a carrier by clicking an Amazon affiliate link on this website I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Both Carriers Feature:
- 3D Mesh
- Infant Leg Adjustment Zippers
- 2 Infant Height Positions (newborn baby position and baby/toddler position)
- 4 Carry Positions (newborn, baby facing in, baby facing out, and back carry)
- Safety Buckles
- Approved by International Hip Dysplasia Institute (hip healthy)
Key Differences:
- One Air model I’m reviewing is from 2019
- Harmony model came out in 2021
- Harmony has more airy mesh
- Harmony has sleeker buckle design
- Harmony has thicker padded shoulder straps
- Harmony has padded lumbar support
- Harmony has better infant adjustable head support
- Different weight limits (details below)
What’s the difference between BabyBjorn One Air and Harmony?
Price
The BabyBjorn Harmony costs around $229 when it’s not on sale.
The BabyBjorn One Air costs around $219 when it’s not on sale.
Wondering why BabyBjorn mesh carriers are so expensive? BabyBjorn carriers are top of the line premium products and the price reflects it. I’ve used some really cheap ring slings before that left red marks on my baby’s legs and gave me a back ache. If you’re looking for a baby carrier for long term usage that has an outstanding comfortable design, a soft structured carrier like this is where it’s at! These carriers from BabyBjorn are also the absolute SOFTEST mesh carriers I’ve ever felt. Cheaper mesh carriers can be uncomfortable for you to wear (less padding and support) and some I’ve used have caused chafing or rashes on baby’s skin due to less soft materials.
Amount of Mesh
The Harmony hands down has more airy mesh than the One Air. You can see so clearly in my side by side photo comparison that the mesh of the Harmony carrier is much more breathable. The Harmony is by far the coolest baby carrier to use in warm weather.
Newborn babies love a lot of closeness and to hear the sound of your heart. Using a baby carrier like this helps provide a constant feeling of closeness while leaving your hands free and giving your back support.
Weight Limit/Longevity of the Carrier
The weight limits of the Harmony are another big improvement over the older One Air carrier.
- BabyBjorn One Air 8 lbs – 33 lbs.
- BabyBjorn Harmony 7 lbs – 40 lbs.
This means you can use the Harmony earlier in your baby’s life (no infant insert needed) and use it longer into their toddlerhood.
If you enjoy having the option of carrying your toddler on your back, the Harmony is a great option. In my opinion, wearing a toddler on your back who is over 30lbs starts to get into territory where you may want a specialized toddler hiking carrier in order to remain comfortable. BUT…. It’s nice to have the option to use this carrier longer.
These carriers are both lightweight and fold up easily. You could have it as backup if you’re out and about and suddenly need to carry your toddler if they’re too tired to walk.
Infant Head Support
The neck support is different between these two models in a couple of significant ways.
- One Air head support is adjusted with sliders (doesn’t work as well)
- Harmony head support is adjusted with snaps (works great!)
- One Air head support made from super soft mesh
- Harmony head support made from even softer jersey fabric
The system that controls whether the neck support is up or down is a big upgrade in the Harmony model. The snaps work great at keeping it from flapping up into my baby’s face when he’s on the front of my body and forward facing. This was something I always had to watch out for with the One Air; the sliders and toggles never reliably kept the head support out of his face as well as it should have. You can use the snaps on the Harmony in three different positions to give your baby flexible head support at the right height as your baby’s neck muscles develop.
The fabric surrounding baby’s face inside the head/neck support is made from extremely soft mesh on the One Air model. I’ve never had a problem with it leaving a mark on my baby’s skin. The One Air has never caused chaffing on my baby’s skin either.
BabyBjorn decided to go with a different fabric surrounding baby’s face inside the head/neck support of the newer Harmony model. It’s even softer than the 3D mesh is, which is probably why they chose it.
One downside is when my baby is fully asleep in the Harmony his head is quite heavy and puts a lot of pressure on the neck support which pulls away from my body. To help correct this issue, make sure your neck support straps are pulled tight to give your baby’s head the proper support it needs.
Waist Belt
The ergonomic and pressure-relieving waist belt of the Harmony is thicker and more padded than the One Air. It’s actually a really big upgrade. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the BabyBjorn Harmony waistband is the most comfortable I’ve ever used.
- Harmony has thicker waistband
- Harmony waistband is more padded
- Harmony waistband has padded lumbar support
You can really see the difference between the two waist belts in my photo comparison above. The thicker padding on the waist belt really gives optimal comfort and a luxurious feel. It helps make sure my hips don’t hurt due to having my baby’s entire body weight distributed through the shoulder straps and belt.
The padded lumbar support offers great lower back relief for longer sessions of baby wearing, especially with older babies as they get increasingly heavier.
Shoulder Straps
I don’t mind the shoulder straps on the One Air, they are nice and wide and lightly padded. However the BabyBjorn Harmony has thicker padding which is more comfortable in my opinion.
When you’re looking at someone wearing the carrier it doesn’t look too much different. But the shoulder straps on the Harmony definitely feel better to me.
Buckles
Buckles on the main body of the Harmony carrier are smaller than the ones on the Air One. You can see in my photo comparison that the buckles on the Harmony have also been placed more to the side of your baby’s body and less on the front of the carrier. This hides them from view a bit more when you’re looking head on at the carrier and gives it a more sleek look and stylish design.
- Safety buckles on both carriers
- Harmony buckles are slightly smaller and better hidden
- Buckles are easy for adults to open and basically impossible for toddler hands to open
- Buckles slide into place (more pinch proof than regular buckle)
BabyBjorn’s safety buckles open pretty quietly, so you don’t wake up baby when taking them out of carrier if they’re sleeping.
Type of Fabric
The fabric type on these carriers is slightly different. You might have noticed the BabyBjorn One came out with a mesh option and a fabric option whereas the BabyBjorn Harmony only came out in a mesh version. The Harmony is interesting because it has more breathable mesh than the One Air but it also has soft jersey details that cover the areas you would most expect your baby’s face to rub up against.
- BabyBjorn One available in Mesh or Fabric
- BabyBjorn Harmony only available in Mesh (with fabric neck support)
- One Air is 100% polyester mesh
- Harmony is polyester mesh and jersey fabric (80% polyester, 16% cotton, 4% elastane)
- Caution: velcro will ruin Harmony jersey fabric, read more below!
My baby took plenty of naps in the One Air while I was wearing him facing in towards me and also had some long hikes face out in the One Air and I never had a problem with him getting red marks on his face. The One Air has luxurious mesh that is so soft. Instead of mesh, BabyBjorn decided to put soft fabric on the neck support area of this newer carrier.
My only word of caution with the Harmony fabric is to make sure you do not expose it to Velcro. Velcro will absolutely ruin the jersey fabric that surrounds the neck support area of your Harmony carrier. It seems like common sense, but you may not have thought of it if your baby is wearing a hat in your carrier that might have Velcro on it. Or a bib with Velcro. Do yourself a favour and use a snapback hat or a bib with snaps instead of Velcro. That’s the trade off for getting soft fabric next to your baby’s skin. Yes it is super soft, but that makes it more delicate.
The BabyBjorn One Air has a main body that is made of 3D mesh which is 100% polyester and the leg zipper cover is 100% cotton. 3D mesh is flexible and sturdy. The One Air is the softest mesh baby carrier I have ever used.
The BabyBjorn Harmony 3D mesh is 100% polyester and also has jersey fabric covering the neck support area. The jersey fabric is 80% polyester, 16% cotton and 4% elastane that has three layers for added breathability. The leg zipper covers are 100% cotton.
Because both baby carriers meet the OEKO-TEX standard, BabyBjorn advertises that you do not need to wash either carrier before using it for the first time. All of the fabrics on both carriers are OEKO-TEX tested which means they’re gentle and safe for your baby and guaranteed to be free from hazardous substances.
Washing Instructions
The washing instructions for both the BabyBjorn One Air and Harmony are the same. They are both machine washable separately in warm water, small amount of mild detergent, gentle cycle and line dry (do not tumble dry). Do not use chlorine bleach or fabric softener. NEVER IRON! Recommended to put this product in a wash bag if using in the washing machine.
Final Take-Aways
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the older BabyBjorn One Air; I’ve enjoyed using it a lot. However, I do think the newer BabyBjorn Harmony is an upgrade with it’s superior comfort. The amount of airflow the Harmony allows just can’t be beat. The infant neck support adjustment snaps work much better on the Harmony than the sliders do on the One Air. The padded lumbar support on the Harmony is more comfortable, and the new buckle placement looks nicer and hides them more from view. It’s the perfect choice for a good ergonomic baby carrier that will keep you and your baby cool. At the end of the day, if you’re looking to buy a mesh BabyBjörn carrier, I recommend the Harmony over the One Air.
This Site cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. The use or reliance of any information contained on this site is solely at your own risk.
If you’re wondering how the BabyBjorn One Air compares to the Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh Carrier, take a look at my comparison!
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