I had no idea what a baby bunting was until I had a baby. That’s true for a lot of baby things (like how did it take so long for me to discover a booger sucker). But I quickly discovered I absolutely love buntings. I have a summer baby, but by the time he was really ready to see the world, I knew the temperatures would drop and I’d be constantly worried about keeping him warm. Thoughts of missing gloves, boots, socks and hats really trampled through my head. Really, if you’re a true gear head … err GearDad … you think about these things. Shoot, most of my gear is “in case something random happens.”
Anyways, back to the buntings. I love that for a young baby, they wipe away all the baby winter accessories that you think you may need. No jacket. No boots or gloves with the fold-over feet and hand features that lot of baby buntings have. A hat? Psh, there’s a hood channeling up and holding the body warmth from the little heater that is your baby. And some have super cute ear features, that are just adorable.
Buntings are great for adventuring! They’re easy to wear, keep baby warm, are only one piece of clothing to clean after a messy adventure, and look really fun. They can make a critical difference in extending an outing or being forced to cut one short.
One of the biggest selling points with buntings is how quickly they go on. With an infant, you only have so many minutes before they’re back asleep and fighting with them to put on mittens they’re just going to tear off once you’re done isn’t a good way to spend those precious minutes. With the bunting, you just gently plop the baby down and move as quickly as possible to slide them in there before they twist away.
These days my little one smiles when he sees me reach for one of his many buntings. He knows he’s going outside and he knows he’s going to be comfy. He was so comfy, in fact, little one would nap for longer periods in his bunting than not. If you’ve had a 20-minute napper, you know how amazing I felt when the clock was an hour later and he was still snoozing. Your only regret was not sleeping as well.
I want to highlight three buntings I’ve personally used. What I look for in a baby bunting is the inclusion of those fold-over hand and feet ( I can’t say how critical this is for at least the feet), appropriate level of warmth, zipper quality (fighting with a zipper is asking for a fight with a baby that will end up with a half-zipped up baby and GearMom shaking her head at you), how the bunting will handle the elements, can the baby move in it, and style. Here are the three I’ve owned and really liked:
Best baby Buntings for winter and cool seasons
- Columbia Baby Boys’ Tiny Bear II Bunting
- Simple Joys by Carter’s Unisex Babies’ Fleece Footed Jumpsuit Pram
- L.L. Bean Infants’ Ultralight 650 Down Bunting
There are a lot of buntings out there of all different price ranges and uses. I live in Northern California where temperatures are mostly mild in the winter, though the mountains and snow are a relatively short drive away. So while warmth is on my mind, I’m not dealing with sub-freezing temperatures. Usually the baby is just in a regular clothes and bunting, without the need for much other layering. Also it’s not super wet. So water isn’t a huge concern either. If you’re looking for a baby or toddler rain suit, I’ve had this one recommended to me and the reviews look good. But let’s get to the reviews!
Columbia Baby Boys’ Tiny Bear II Bunting
This was the first bunting I bought, when little one was just a few months old. I knew he didn’t need anything super heavy given we were heading into fall and he would likely size out of this infant bunting before the cold weather came along. I’ve always been a fan of Columbia gear and was glad to see that they have ample baby gear to go along with the adult gear that I’ve used for years. They have several other options of fleece buntings as well, and a couple insulated versions. I was so happy with the Tiny Bear Bunting, I ordered another when he outgrew the first.
What I love about this Columbia baby bunting
This is a bunting that checked all the boxes for me. It is warm. It is well constructed. It has the fold-over features. It is easy to slid the baby into. It is fleece so it doesn’t soak up water right away, giving you time to wipe it away. I bought the first color in the “spruce” color, which is similar a forest green. That was my favorite color and I somewhat regret not getting that color for his second one. There are 20 colors to choose from, so you can find one that’ll work for you. I really enjoy the fleece buntings because the baby can move easily in it, and that was true with this baby Columbia bunting. Also, I love the bear ears.
Any drawbacks?
The sizing is a bit weird for us. It always worked and the baby was always warm, but he never grew into the arms. The hood was also a bit big for little one and sometimes dropped down over his eyes or he could turn into it.
Is the Columbia Baby Boys’ Tiny Bear II Bunting worth it?
You can find these for around $30, which is less than what you’d pay for all the accessories this helps replace. But I mean I’m a GearDad so you know I bought those accessories too. Nonetheless, for three Alexander Hamiltons (he’s on the $10 bill), you have the peace of mind of having a warm and comfy baby who is ready for all adventures. Baby could absolutely wear this bunting in the winter and be warm. If there was an adult bunting out there, this is the one I’d get for myself.
Simple Joys by Carter’s Unisex Babies’ Fleece Footed Jumpsuit Pram
This was a gift from a friend who’s daughter had outgrown it. True to its name the bunting was unisex with white on the outside and polar bear accents. While the Columbia bunting jumped from 3-6 months to 6-12 months, this Carter’s bunting has a 6-9 month size that really helped us bridge the two Columbia infant buntings.
What I love about this Carter’s baby bunting
It’s warmer than the Columbia Bear Bunting. That timing actually worked out well, as he outgrew the Columbia one as temperatures began to drop and sported this one as cold weather moved in. I also liked that it felt like there were multiple pieces of fabric to it, where the Columbia bunting is just one piece of fabric. I’m not sure what sort of impact that has, but it felt comfy in my hands. I thought white would be a tough color for a baby to where for more than a few minutes, but it was fine. The hood also fit snuggly on his head, leaving little room for too much play. I love the ears on the hoods and the bears on the feet of the white one. The other styles look great as well.
Any drawbacks?
I was bummed to see they stop at 6-9 months. I may have seriously considered it over the Columbia bunting if there were larger sizes.
Is the Carter’s Bunting is worth it?
There’s about 8,000 reviews on Amazon that average out to five stars. For $20, it’s absolutely worth it.
L.L. Bean Infants’ Ultralight 650 Down Bunting
As a self-admitted GearDad, I always knew I was going to splurge on a bunting. I can’t help it. Literally, I would sit in bed way past the time I should be up and surf the web jumping between this L.L. Bean bunting, Patagonia bunting and Columbia bunting. I wanted something that would be water resistant, was down or similar and still light enough so the baby could move in it. So I went with the L.L. Bean Infants UItralight 650 Down Bunting for a trip to the snow.
Why did I settle on the L.L. Bean? It came down to a couple things. I liked that it had a lot of fill, but still looked like the baby could move it in. I really liked the single zipper that ran down half of one leg. Two zippers on the Patagonia bunting didn’t really appeal to me, and I may be wrong, but it seemed like it would be more of a challenge to slide both of baby’s feet into that bunting at one time versus placing him on top and just sliding the limbs in individually. Maybe not much more, but I’ll take anything to make life a little easier. I also just liked the look of the L.L. Bean one much better, as the fill pockets looked a little slimmer. I do like the sherpa lining in the hood of the Patagonia bunting though. Lastly, I liked the price of the L.L. Bean bunting. It was $50 cheaper, so I got a baby moisture-wicking base layer from L.L. Bean as well, and still paid less than Patagonia. I also have my eye on an L.L. Bean Rain Bunting. But let me say this, you will enjoy whichever bunting you splurge on, I am sure. The point is get outside once you get one.
What I love about this L.L. Bean baby bunting
It is so light. It weighs less than the fleece buntings listed above. The baby can move in it. It’s also super warm. The hood fits great on baby’s head, and it fits true to size. This is the perfect winter bunting when you have low temperatures or will spend some time in the snow. Your little one will also look adorable in it. Guaranteed.
Any drawbacks?
It’s $100 for a bunting you’ll use for half a season.
Is the L.L. Bean Bunting is worth it?
I pulled the trigger because we were going to the snow. To maximize that experience I felt like it was worth it to get a bunting that was up to the task, and this one absolutely is. It’s warm, lightweight and stylish. This bunting will hold up its end of the bargain and help extend those family adventures.
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