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phil&ted's traveller
Tired of lugging around those heavy play yards? Frankly, so are we! You want to bring your own bed for your baby when you travel, but the standard play yards can be bulky and heavy weighing it at almost 22 lbs. The phil&teds traveller might be the solution! The traveller is the one and only full size crib (cot) that is actually lighter than your baby!
Weighing it at an impressive 5 1/2 lbs, the traveller is fabulously compact when packed away. We would compare it to the size of a small pup tent when in the travel bag. Compare that to a standard play yard that is the size of a heavy golf bag! Unpack it, set it up and it is a roomy, full size bed for your baby that measures 51x25x31. What do those dimensions mean? Our three year old, 38 inch tester fit comfortably with room to spare!
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 The traveller looks similar to a rectangular play yard (a really cool play yard!) but is made out of lightweight aluminum and nylon, waterproof fabric. Setting up the traveller is very similar to setting up a small tent. You start with aluminum poles that you put together to make the top frame of the cot. Then slide them in the pockets of the nylon fabric and attach to the leg poles that are permanently attached to the sides of the cot. Then, you blow up the mattress that comes with it (takes exactly 7 deep breaths) and slide it in the bottom pocket of the cot. Finally, you make a couple adjustments (a couple zippers and tightening cords under the feet) and you are basically done. Sounds easy, right? And it is - but there is a learning curve. The instructions aren't the clearest instructions ever but it's not rocket science. Plus, there are videos that demonstrate product features and assembly including the Baby Gizmo video review and phil&teds video on philandteds.com. It takes longer the first few times to get the hang of it. Once you are used to how it sets up and takes down, you can do it in mere minutes. The take down process of the traveller is easy but it can be a bit tricky to fit all the pieces back in the bag. Again, once you get the hang of how it should be packed up, it's no problem! We'd like to note that it's not quite as quick as a play yard set-up and take-down but it is worth it for how compact and light it is.
The entire cot fits into a nylon bag that is complete with a shoulder strap for carrying. Plus, the traveller lives up to its name for the fact that it is so easy to travel with. It easily fits in the overhead compartment of airplanes and we were even able to pack it in our large suitcase - it's that compact!
We found the traveller to be very roomy once assembled. Since it is recommended for newborns to 3 year old, we thought we would test it out with the top age range. Yep, we put our larger 3 year old (just turned 3 a couple weeks ago) in the cot. He fit perfectly with a bit of room to spare. Our suggestion would be that with a rambunctious older toddler in such a lightweight cot that you keep an eye on the little guy so they don't try to tip it over. We did find the traveller to be very sturdy with our younger children though!
Unlike a regular play yard, this travel cot can completely enclose the child making it a great option for at the beach, the park or just outside. It even comes with stakes to secure the four feet of the cot down to the ground to use outside in case it is super windy. There are four large mesh windows along the sides of the cot and one large mesh window on the top. The top mesh window can be opened or completely removed with the zipper. This top mesh window is not UV-protective but there is an accessory that is called the 'slim shadee' which is a zip-on protective mesh cover that prevents "sunny daze, bugs & rays", filtering 81% of UV rays. There is also side zipper access that can give you easier access to your baby, allow your older toddlers to climb in on their own, or allow more air to circulate through the Traveller.
Since the cot is more enclosed than a play yard, it provides a darker surrounding that is perfect for nap and bedtime. We tested the traveller in the color black and it is much darker inside the cot which may cause your baby to sleep longer in the morning. Not a bad thing! The dark interior may be a little scary for toddlers at the beginning if they are not used to dark, enclosed surroundings. Opening the top mesh window and strategically placing a nightlight to shine in the side mesh windows will do the trick of making the toddler feel more comfortable. Note: Most of our toddler testers were happy as clams to climb in the traveller and slept like babies!
The mattress of the traveller is easy to inflate, gives your baby a comfy (but firm) base to sleep on, is thermally insulating (it's even alpine tested!), and is designed to be slid into a nylon sleeve under the bottom fabric of the cot and zippered in for the safety of your baby. At first, we were concerned that with the mattress in the sleeve there is no way to use a sheet with the cot because there is nothing to attach the sheet to. It is designed so that your baby sleeps directly on the nylon fabric. This does make for easy clean up but many moms feel their babies are more comfortable on a crib/play yard sheet. Our concern was short-lived because we found out that the mattress can also be placed inside the traveller so that parents can use a sheet. We want to note that since the traveller is longer and narrower than a standard play yard, one of those play yard sheets isn't going to work. Maybe phil&teds will design and offer a sheet specifically for the traveller one day?
The phil&teds traveller is available in two colors: red and black and retails for $199. We love that the traveller can be used anywhere - outside, grandma's house, hotel rooms, friend's houses, beach and many more places! It is so easy to travel with that you will always have a bed for baby no matter where you go. Overall, it is a great sturdy yet lightweight option that we recommend for all traveling parents!
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