Beco Gemini – Left … Beco Butterfly – Center  … Beco Gemini – Right

Color is Paige – Grey and Black

Notice the differences – the Gemini has the black area at top where they have snapped it down to baby’s shoulder level. If it were left up, the carrier body would look much taller, even above the baby’s head. The Gemini carrier has snaps also where the carrier body meets the adult’s waist belt.  In the left photo those are not snapped down, they are showing the carrier at full width. A smaller baby would want those snapped down so the legs wouldn’t need to be opened as wide. Also, a baby in a front carry but facing outward will need those snapped down for the right size leg openings while they face out (shown in the photo on the right). The Beco Butterfly (right) does not snap down at the top, nor does it snap in for adjustable width at baby’s legs. Instead, the Butterfly carrier has an internal seat for baby and the use of the infant insert accomplishes this same goal. However, it will not do a forward-facing position where baby’s back is touching the adult’s chest. With the butterfly, baby is always tummy-to-tummy if on your front, or tummy-to-back when baby is riding on your back.  The actual colored fabric panel doesn’t run as wide on the Gemini. Also the straps have a thinner or sleeker look to them, partly because they don’t need the extra buckles like the Butterfly straps do.  It doesn’t show in this photo, but the Butterfly straps go “backpack style” that is, they connect to their own side rather than crossing the back as an X. There is a shoulder clip ( or chest strap if you prefer calling it that). The Gemini straps are more shaped to cross like an X over your back when baby is carried on your chest. Many people find this more supportive and distributes the weight better.

Beco Gemini – Left and the Beco Butterfly – Right

Color is Metro Black. Position is Backpack Carry.
This can be done about age 6 months, when baby sits up on their own and has full head control. As you can see in the photos, the Gemini base is fully extended for full support under baby’s bottom. the Gemini top is snapped down so baby’s head is uncovered. The Butterfly in this photo is showing an older child, but both carriers are suitable for about the same age range, 7-35 pounds on the gemini and 7-45 pounds on the butterfly. In fact, the Butterfly can do a back position sooner than the Gemini, because the Butterfly internal seat offers more support to the baby’s position, allowing a safe, secure, and confident back carry at 4 months old.  The Butterfly carrier has more buckles and adjustments than the Gemini, or compared to the Ergo for instance. But it is this extra harness that most people appreciate so much in daily use, especially with new babies, because the carrier offers so much “help” in getting baby safe and snug. Most people put the carrier on themselves first and then lift baby in to position. However, the Butterfly also offers another way – lay the baby in the carrier first, check their position and buckles and then lift the whole ensemble to your chest (or your back). Many nervous parents prefer to do it this way, and only the Butterfly carrier can do it.  However, this same infant insert and internal harness for older babies does prevent a hip carry position.  To see the side (hip) position, look at the gemini below, the photo at the bottom left. Side carry positioning tends to be “a love it or hate it” issue. It’s the sort of thing that most people never even try, while other folks use every day.  If you have been wishing your older Beco could do a hip carry, you’ll love it with the Gemini.  But that said, most Gemini users will stick to the more common front and back positions for carrying baby around town.  Both  Beco carriers accommodate newborn babies without buying an extra insert or other accessory purchases.

Our most popular question so far is “when is the beco gemini coming out” or “when is the gemini carrier available”.  Folks, it is here NOW! There is no more waiting!   After that, people often ask which carrier is right for them.  We hope this blog post helped you. If not, call us to chat about your individual situation – we love to help! (877) 333-0697

Also, you might want to look over the Gemini user manual. The PDF is here

Currently the Beco Gemini and Butterfly come in 6 prints and 2 solid colors.  Availability is not so good right now and these colors will certainly sell out before the Fall colors are released. Pricing is $129 for Gemini and $139 for Butterfly. Free shipping is automatic within the USA. All Becos can be purchased here

We are getting many questions about the Beco Carrier availability. Here is the latest information (September 29 2012 update):

The original Beco Butterfly is retired and was replaced with version “Beco Butterfly 2” with some noteworthy design changes! We have 8 organic colors in stock – solid black and brown and the latest prints :  Nova, Foxie, Robots, Nova, Niko, Sienna, Cars, and Owls. The spring/summer colors will sell out before long and no more will be made – there are only have a couple left in stock for each color and Becos move extra fast at sale prices, so we will run out before long!  The most recent change is that Beco will only move forward with making the solid colors and an embroidered design on solid colors, called “jake” and “ashley”, but no other prints will be made as of Fall 2012. Because the baby carriers are over $100, they all ship free the same day or next day after you order them.  When Gemini came out, the Butterfly carrier was not discontinued – the new Gemini is a quite different product and they have been selling side-by-side. Neither model is a replacement for the other kind.  The first collection of pictures here are all Butterfly models – there are many more colors available on the butterfly than the gemini. Scroll down past these pictures to hear more about the Gemini carriers.

In fall of 2011 Beco unveiled the Gemini carrier – Organic – colors are black, brown, Robots, Cars, Owls, Duke, Ever, Garden in Natural, Black and Aqua, Orion and Scooter. The embroidered Jake and Ashley are coming to the Gemini model as well.  Please note that some Beco Gemini carriers have the fabric print on the outside panel, much like the Butterfly does, while most newer Gemini carriers are “Gemini Insider” version, meaning that the print fabric is on the inside of the carrier body, on the fabric that is touching the baby, and so the print only shows when you have folded down the top of the carrier body or have folded in the leg opening area. The main carrier body looks like a solid color, with contrasting piping, even when you buy a print version.

Also, please note that our Lucas Geminis were sometimes produced paired with espresso brown straps but older ones are paired with khaki tan straps. Both combinations would be out of stock in all stores by this point.

The Geminis are listed in the same section of the website as the Butterfly, just scroll down to order the Gemini carriers. This is Beco’s new 4-position carrier, it does front, back, side, and forward-facing-outward. No infant insert, and price is $10 less than the Beco Butterfly. It is a quite different carrier, and the Butterfly is NOT discontinued. Call or email us if you want help figuring out which carrier would suit you best.  We have blogged specifically about Butterfly vs Gemini at this link.

The Beco Gemini colors are :

The automatic free shipping is FedEx ground. There is a new map on our policies page for delivery speed with Fedex ground service. You may find you live close enough to get overnight or 2nd day service at the Ground price.

Everybody is curious about how the Beco fabric prints look close up and in the sunlight, so we blog these whenever we can. Check the sidebar for the “butterfly photos” section. Our homemade close-up outdoor shots of Isabella and Olivia are here. Extra images of Abby Sara and Natalie are here. Our shots of the discontinued Scooters Becos are here. When we still had them on hand, we took photos of our custom-edition Aubrey, Ethan, and Emma – especially useful because you can clearly see the words in the popular Emma print.  The currently available Paige color has extra photos here.  The Butterfly 2.0 blog thread on colors and stocking is here.

Many people ask about the sold out colors – We have been with Beco since 2006, well before there was such a thing as “A Beco Butterfly” and we do still get phone calls asking for colors that came and went long ago. I can confirm that the following colors are discontinued and not beingmade any more: Duo organic owls in sand, sky blue, or rust orange.  Abby, Aiden, Andrew, Anaya, Alison, Aubrey, Audrey, Avery, Argyle Deer, Carnival, Denim, Emma, Ethan, Grace, Ginger, Hannah, Isabella, Jacob, Joey,  Lauren, Lenka, Lucas, Melody,  Nova, Olivia, Panthers, Ponies, Pony Express, Lenka, River, Ryan, Sara, Sienna, Sierra, Trinity, Zoye.  That lovely photo at the top of this page with the lady holding a coffee mug is wearing the Joshua print from an especially small production run from 2008.  Also sold out long ago are the Tender Cargo Exclusive fabrics : custom-made Abby, Mia, Audrey, Olivia and Emma.