The New Tula Snaps – Everything You Need to Know

What kind of snaps does the Tula FTG use?

Where do I get those new Tula snaps?

The Short Answer.  Right Here!

• Socket and Cap Sets – For Reach Straps
• Studs & Caps – For Embellishing the Reach Straps OR Attaching the Hood
• Full Sets (Caps, Studs, & Sockets)

How do I set them?

Short Answer: Babyville Snaps pliers. Available at Amazon & Joann Fabric
Long Answer: Keep reading. You have some other options too.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to buy from the link. This doesn’t cost you any extra money, and it helps me to be able to keep writing for you. 

Some Background Info

Tula Baby is making some changes. First they came out with a brand new carrier, the Tula Free-To-Grow. This is a great carrier that doesn’t require and infant insert and grows with your kid in width and height. Make sure to watch some videos or read the manual. There is a lot going on.

Well on the Free-to-Grow (FTG) carrier, Tula made some other changes too. The Sleeping Hood. Yup, this is all about a few small changes to the sleeping hood and how it is attached.

1. The Hood has attached reach straps with snaps on them
2. The reach straps snap to the shoulders instead of clip, using the elastic cord in the hood and a cord keeper on the strap.
3. The hood is wider and attaches with snapping tabs that go around loops on the carrier.

All of these things use the same type of snap. When you are making a new hood for your carrier you need to keep this in mind. You will either need to buy snaps, buy preset straps, or WORK AROUND THE PROBLEM.

Working around it – On the FTG Tula Only

1. You don’t need these special snaps for the tabs, because they snap to themselves.
2. Add Cord Keepers to the straps and use an elastic loop in the sides of your hood. Or Make/Buy Snap-on reach straps
3. Make a hood with tie straps – Pattern coming soon.
4. This all works great for the FTG, but the redesigned Tula is different.

The New Tula Re-design

The hood on the “new” Tula snaps on just like the “old”, but the snaps have changed to the same new snap. Gone are the metal YKK snaps; In with new resin snaps.

1. The Hood has attached reach straps with snaps on them
2. The reach straps snap to the shoulders instead of clip, using the elastic cord in the hood and a cord keeper on the strap.
3. The hood is very about the same width attaches with resin snaps that match the straps

All of these things use the same type of snap. When you are making a new hood for your carrier you need to keep this in mind. You will either need to buy snaps, buy preset straps, a preset base or WORK AROUND THE PROBLEM.

Working Around It – Redesigned Tula

1. You can’t solve the base snap issue completely, so I suggest buying a pre-made hood base. (contact me theninja@fabricninja.com) You can also attach a hood to a slipcover, topper, or to the straps with loops.
2. Add Cord Keepers to the straps and use an elastic loop in the sides of your hood. Or Make/Buy Snap-on reach straps with Tula Snaps
3. Make a hood with tie straps – Pattern Here

Tell me more about these new snaps!

The new snaps are made of a plastic of resin type material, not metal like the “old” hood snaps. They are not your standard size 20 KamSnaps  (used by Kinderpack and MJ) or even Babyville snaps, which look very similar. They are totally different.

These snaps are about the diameter of a size 24 plastic snap, but the socket (female) and stud (male) sides look different. Because they are so similar in size, some size 24 KamSnap presses will set them, but not all. The best answer is to use a Babyville snap press. I’ll tell you more about that in the next section, there are lots of options.

When Tula came out with the Free-To-Grow, I searched high and low for a supplier, and I found one.  I know you want to know who my supplier is. I’m not going to share the name, but I will say that I have to import them in very large quantities, so even if you knew the supplier, it would not be very helpful.

I just learned about the redesigned Tula, so I don’t have a “package” ready for a hood kit, but I’ll be getting that together soon. For now, here are the links to all the parts.  You can buy just what you need for 1 hood, or for many.

• Socket and Cap Sets – For Reach Straps
• Studs & Caps – For Embellishing the Reach Straps OR Attaching the Hood
• Full Sets (Caps, Studs, & Sockets)

But How Do I Set Them?

As I mentioned above, the cap of these Tula snaps is nearly the same size as a size 24 KamSnap. So KamSnap snap presses work for SOME people, but not all. Some people have been having issues setting the FTG Tula Snaps. Here is what we know so far. Sum up: Babyville pliers work great. Keep reading  to learn more.

Table Top Press:

DK98 (old Style) – KamSnap Press (this style uses a wrench to put in dies)

The Plastic Snap Size 24 Die Works great to set FTG Tula snaps (but you set up socket with the studs size and visa versa)