It is certainly true that having a free hand is very, very useful! Putting your arms around your basket does bring the weight in against your body, which is safer and easier. With my old basket the handles were uncomfortably high to hold. The new one is not rounded, it is rectangular and the handles aren't raised. It is much easier to carry with both hands. It would also be an easy carry with two people. In societies where women carry loads on their head, I wonder if those loads cause neck problems in later life, or if gradual training strengthens neck muscles enough to prevent spinal compression. Head based carrying certainly does leave one's hands free!