Here’s the story of the Calyx strap length: We wanted to make sure that in as many people as possible, the baby’s leg was protected by the strap, not rubbing on webbing. So we created this long padded section with a tongue on the end. We figured that the smallest wearers could fold the tongue back to adjust as much as possible. It turned out to work really well, except for the exceptionally petite who needed the curve in the strap to be higher up on their chest, a problem that could only be solved with a petite sized carrier.
Between the initial testing and the current version, we ran into some problems. First, the way the webbing came out of the waistband was preventing the baby’s bottom from sinking down enough, and was pulling the belt away from the wearer’s body. Second, the actual assembly of the carrier was too difficult to do consistently and quickly. So, we changed the pattern. It was my poor judgement to decide that we didn’t need to shorten the strap padding, that it would still fit all but the most petite, for whom we would make a custom size.
So, we’ve changed the standard sizing. All new Calyx carriers will have a shorter standard strap. In addition, there will be a Petite option and a Large option. The Petite will be very small, the Large will be Larger than what is out now, and in a different way.
Here’s the breakdown:
Petite- from the current version, we will shorten the distance between the body panel and the sternum loops, bringing the lowest loop closer to where the top loop is now. We will also shorten the distance between the loops and the clips. This size will be available by special order. It is recommended for mamas under 5′3″, especially those who are particularly slender.
Large- from the current version, we are increasing the distance between the body panel and the sternum loops, so that there will be some choice about which setting to use. We are also increasing the waistband padding from side to side, so there isn’t so much webbing to rub.
The New Standard Size will be a couple of inches shorter than what is out now, just enough to cinch it down a bit more. It will make up for what we had to do to the waistband attachment. It should now fit those of you who have been not necessarily Petite, but smaller and having fit issues.
Which brings us to the sale! I am marking down all of the Original Size Calyx carriers that I currently have in stock right now. They will stay marked down until they are gone. I want to stress that there is nothing wrong with this size. In fact, mamas around 5′6″ and up, who are chewy but not necessarily fluffy, or who are carrying toddlers and need to wear the Calyx a little lower will probably prefer this strap length because the padded portion of the strap is long enough to ensure that the little one’s leg is covered. This is the size I would want, at 5′6″, about 150 lbs, with a tall skinny 3 yo.
