i believe some of the mei tai style slings tie similarly to HAB (but have more structure) - but some of them i was looking at on Mel's site had clips for doing up and you just adjust the straps to make them firm enough kwim? if i see mel online later i'll get her to pop in if you don't already have an answer
A hug-a-bub is basically a stretch wrap with a pocket. You can make one yourself very cheaply and easily with some good quality cotton jersey. Stretch wraps are more commonly used with newborns and small babies, but become less supportive as babies get older. This is where woven wraps become useful. They can be used from birth through to toddlerhood, generally giving them a greater longevity than a stretch wrap. Woven wrap brands to look for are Storchenweige, Vatanai, Didymos, Girasol. These can be hard to find in Australia. If you google 'baby carriers downunder', there is a good explanation of types of carriers and where to find them. Ellaroo (which also makes mei-tais and ring slings) also make wraps.
In terms of tying a wrap, they are the most complex of all carriers to learn to tie, but are the most versatile and adjustable. There are many carries a wrap can be used in (HAB have some very cute names for what are basic wrap carries - these carries can be used with any wrap).
Some two shouldered wrap carries are (I haven't included hip carries here, which can also be done with a wrap):
Cross Cradle Carry (horizontal for newborns, small babies, and feeding)
Front Cross Carry (vertical front carry, good for feeding)
Front Wrap Cross Carry
Ruck (back carry)
Secure High Back Carry
... and many more
Google 'thebabywearer' which has links to video tutorials on different wrap carries.
A mei tai is a (more or less) rectangular body, with two shoulder straps coming out of the top corners of the body, and a waist band, which is either a single piece (usually padded) attached to the bottom of the body, or two separate straps attached to the bottom corners of the body. Depending on the manufacturer, variations can be found in body length, width & shape; strap width, length, thickness & angle; padding; inclusion of a sleep hood or head-rest.
It can be used in either front, hip or back carries, and although the principle is still the same, it ties somewhat differently to a wrap. It is not as versatile for a start. Some people find that buckle carriers based on a mei-tai design (soft structured carriers) are more convenient, whereas others find that conventional mei tai straps are more comfortable and allow a better fit.
Babyhawk, CatBirdBaby, Kozy and Ellaroo are some brands to look for in mei-tais, CatBirdBaby also make the Pikkolo, which is a buckle mei-tai.
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