The History of Hipseat Baby Carriers

And Why We’re So Proud to Be Australia’s First

Thanks so much for dropping by.

If you’re here, you’re probably hipseat-curious. We get so many questions about hipseats. What’s different about them, how they compare, and whether they’re actually a new thing.

They’re not new.

They actually started in the UK, evolved through Europe and Asia, popped up in America, and now Hackerlily is proudly the first Australian-owned hipseat brand.

And I’m genuinely so proud of that.

I’m Laura, the founder of Hackerlily. I live with spondylo-arthritis, and when I was deep in the newborn and toddler trenches, carrying hurt. My wrists hurt. My back hurt. My hips hurt. I also wanted my husband to share the carrying without it feeling like we were strapping into a hiking pack every time.

So I took an existing concept and rebuilt it.

Over 1.5 years, I refined 8 prototypes. Every tweak mattered. Every seam. Every bit of padding. Every zip placement.

And since launching, we’ve improved it on every single batch. With customer feedback guiding us, we’ve now gone through around 12 rounds of improvement post-launch.

No other brand has this level of focus and love poured into a single product.

This is our only hero product. Not one of many. Not sitting in a giant catalogue.

It gets 100 percent of our attention.

Read below for a brief history of hipseat carriers, then keep going to see what sets the HipSurfer apart.

And if you have questions? Please ask. We’ll keep updating this blog to answer them.

A Brief History of the Hipseat Carrier

1999 – The UK Starts It

The first modern structured hipseat is widely credited to Hippychick in the UK (1999).

It was simple:

• A padded foam seat

• A sturdy waistband

• No storage

• No customisation

Basic. Functional. Back-saving.

It did one job well: take the weight of a child off your arms and reduce that constant hip-pop strain.

2014 – Europe Evolves the Design

In 2014, Switzerland introduced MiaMily and helped evolve the concept into a more engineered, multi-position design.

The foam base remained the hero feature, but with more structure and versatility layered in.

Asia and Global Brands Add Their Versions

As hipseats gained popularity, brands across Asia and global baby gear companies released their own versions.

Most were practical and supportive. But often:

• Larger and heavier

• More gear-like than lifestyle-friendly

• Not particularly fashion-forward

America Brings Its Own Twist

In 2017, American brand Tushbaby launched and brought its own take on the hipseat.

And that’s the thing with baby gear.

Each country and brand adds its own twist.

2023 – Australia’s First Aussie-Owned Hipseat: The HipSurfer

And then came the HipSurfer.

Designed in Australia. Built for Aussie parents.

Created for travel, heat, quick ups and downs, and real-life movement.

Where some brands went bulkier, we went lighter.

The HipSurfer has a lighter frame, but we’ve loaded it up with around three times the padding of competitors.

So you’ll feel the difference. Immediately.

“I didn’t want to create just another hipseat. I wanted to create the most comfortable one on the market.”

That padding changes everything:

• Less digging into your hips

• Better weight distribution

• More comfort during long days

Customers tell us all the time they didn’t realise how uncomfortable their previous carrier was until they tried the HipSurfer.

We currently hold a 4.9 star rating.

We’ve been honoured with:

• Bounty Parents Editor’s Choice Award

• Award for Best Baby Carrier

• Most Innovative Carrier

• Design Awards

This product has been tested, tweaked and obsessed over.

The Most Customizable Hipseat Carrier on the Market

This is where we truly changed the category.

The HipSurfer is the most customisable hipseat carrier brand on the market.

We created the world’s first removable, washable covers for a structured hipseat.

Not just for style.

Baby gear deserves to last.

With 15 washable cover options, you can:

• Protect your HipSurfer while travelling

• Keep the base cleaner and extend its lifespan

• Help preserve resale value

• Switch up your look without buying a second carrier

One base. Swap the cover. Everyone wins.

That level of customisation simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the hipseat category.

Built With Real Expert Input

I didn’t want this to just feel good. I wanted it to be credible.

Because if we’re going to talk about ergonomic support, we need to mean it.

Why This One Feels Different

Being laser-focused on one product makes a difference.

It’s 1.5 years of pre-launch prototyping.
It’s 12 rounds of improvement post-launch.
It’s triple padding.
It’s world-first customisation.
It’s awards and 4.9 star reviews.
It’s a founder who physically needed it to work.

This isn’t just another product in a lineup.

This is our baby.

And we are so proud of it.