One of the best travel cribs on the market place, the BabyBjörn Travel Crib(also called the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light—they're the aforementioned matter) has set the gold standard every bit the travel crib to bring wherever you wander. But if yous're in the market place for a travel crib and are looking for options, information technology's helpful to know how the BabyBjörn stacks up against some of the other most popular travel cribs.

Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light; Courtesy Amazon

BabyBjörn Travel Crib Specs

  • Price: $279.99 – $299.99
  • Weight: 13 pounds, including carrying bag
  • Assembled Dimensions: 32 x 44 x 24 inches
  • Dimensions in Carry Bag: 19 x 23.5 x 5.5 inches
  • Tin You Conduct Information technology Aboard a Plane: No, information technology's as well large.
  • Ages Recommended: Up to historic period 3, approximately
  • Mattress Included: Yes
  • Bag Included/Type: Mitt-deport tote

Pros for BabyBjörn Travel Crib

  • Lightweight
  • Lays apartment in a automobile trunk to take up minimal space
  • Slanted poles make information technology hard to climb out of

Cons for BabyBjörn Travel Crib

  • Cannot be carried on a plane

BabyBjörn Travel Crib User Reviews

A commenter from St. Louis in a popular Facebook travel group says the BabyBjörn has extra room within, as well, and she'southward been impressed with its durability. "There's room within the packet for a coating and small pillow for when you start using them. We've had (the BabyBjörn travel crib) through four kids for eight years and it has held up really well."

BabyBjörn Travel Crib vs. Guava Lotus

Weighing exactly the same (just 13 pounds), the real difference between these ii pop travel cribs comes when y'all see them assembled and also in how you carry them. While the rectangular-shaped BabyBjörn Travel Crib is carried briefcase-way in your manus (and must be checked in the plane'southward belly due to its larger unassembled footprint), the Guava Lotus is worn backpack-style, and is small plenty to be carried on a plane, saving you on those actress luggage fees. Recall—automobile seats can exist checked for costless, but travel cribs volition run you the same as an extra suitcase.

Both of these come with thick-enough mattresses that fold up for transport. And while narrower than the BabyBjörn one time assembled, the Lotus is essentially longer—something to consider if your kids are on the taller side of the percentiles. Both of these cribs are easy to assemble and require picayune more than taking them out of their bags, unfolding them and laying the mattress downward inside. They're slightly trickier to fold back down, although having an extra hand (someone to hold the pocketbook open while you slide the packet within) makes things easiest.

The Guava Lotus has one feature that sets information technology apart—an easy admission zipper door on the side that lets you lay down alongside a trying-to-sleep baby to hold them and too lets the babe crawl in and out when open.

Guava Lotus Travel Crib; Courtesy Amazon

Guava Lotus Travel Crib Specs

  • Price: $199.95 – $219
  • Weight: 13 pounds, including carrying bag
  • Assembled Dimensions: 46 ten 31 x 25.five inches
  • Dimensions in Carry Bag: 24 10 eight ten 12 inches
  • Can Yous Carry It Aboard a Plane: Yes
  • Ages Recommended: Upwards to age iii, approximately
  • Mattress Included: Yes
  • Bag Included/Type: Yes, haversack-mode

Pros for Guava Lotus Travel Crib

  • Tin can be carried on a aeroplane equally a backpack
  • Lightweight and low-contour design
  • Side-zip access

Cons for Guava Lotus Travel Crib

  • Takes some exercise to primary packing into the backpack

Guava Lotus Travel Crib User Reviews

One Tampa Facebook user says she peculiarly likes being able to take the Lotus inside the airplane with her on travels with her toddler. "You can fit information technology in the overhead bin and non worry nigh lost luggage and having no place for the kiddo to sleep. Nosotros usually pack diapers, a alter of apparel and the babe monitor in the backpack with it since there'due south enough room."

BabyBjörn Travel Crib vs. Pack 'n Play Portable Playard

You're looking at ii quite unlike beasts when it comes to comparison these two pop cribs—with a substantial price departure (we're talking hundreds of dollars), too, between the BabyBjörn Travel Crib and the Pack 'n Play Portable Playard.

For starters, the Pack 'n Play is far heavier due to its wheels, as well as a thicker mattress that'south raised off the floor. Information technology'southward a far more substantial sleeping infinite for parents who require that, and feels sturdier as a effect, simply it'southward also much heavier to lug around. That said, it can work well for a road trip if all you take to do is pop it in and out of your rental car's torso in one case or twice.

Some parents are whizzes at setting upwardly a Pack 'north Play while others find information technology frustrating. "I feel like you need two physics degrees to properly open that thing," a friend, who watched me struggle to get my Pack 'northward Play'south sides to stay locked, in one case told me. Once y'all learn to gear up up the Pack 'n Play, however, information technology'due south easy—nevertheless never quite every bit effortless equally but popping open the legs of the e'er-ready-to-go BabyBjörn.

If you're deciding between these two for frequent travels, we'll opt for the BabyBjörn every time. Just when y'all're looking for a more permanent set-upward someplace you render to often, the Pack 'north Play is a nifty option to travel with one time (say, to a grandparents' house) and leave it at that place waiting for your hereafter visits.

Graco Pack 'n Play Portable Playard; Courtesy Target

Pack 'n Play Portable Playard Specs

  • Toll: $49.99 – $59.99
  • Weight: twenty pounds, including bag
  • Assembled Dimensions: 39.5 ten 28.5 10 22.75 inches
  • Dimensions in Carry Bag: Aforementioned
  • Can You Deport It Aboard a Plane: No
  • Ages Recommended: Upwardly to age iii, or until the kid tin can climb out
  • Mattress Included: Yes
  • Pocketbook Included/Type: Hand-deport tote

Pros for Pack 'due north Play Portable Playard

  • Elevated crib bottom raises baby off the basis
  • Super sturdy blueprint

Cons for Pack 'n Play Portable Playard

  • Heaviest of the bunch by far
  • Beefy to travel with
  • Can be catchy to assemble

Pack 'north Play Portable Playard User Reviews

An Amazon user says that once y'all learn the nuts of setting up and breaking downwards the Playard, it's quite easy to tote along near anywhere. "(The crib) slides right into the 'hole' of the secured mattress (when cleaved down) and so you simply put information technology in the carrying bag. It's not light, but not likewise heavy, either."

BabyBjörn Travel Crib vs. KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed

Both of these cribs appeal to parents who want to bring their travel cribs with them without dealing with a lot of extra bulk. But there's no comparing them, size wise. In one case you effigy out how to contort it back into its bag, the KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed packs down to a disk shape that can even fit within your deport-on suitcase (the Björn is a much larger rectangular shape that must exist stowed with your checked luggage).

The biggest deviation between the two is that the PeaPod is more like a mini tent with a sleeping pad within, while the BabyBjörn is more traditionally crib-like, with slanting side poles, an open pinnacle, a cushioned mattress and an overall sturdier experience.

That said, the PeaPod tin can be anchored to the ground (tent manner) or hooked to a piece of piece of furniture, like the legs of a hotel room bed. Information technology should always remain on the ground and never be elevated or placed on a soft surface, like on top of a bed. And thank you to its tent-similar nature, information technology also functions as a built-in barrier in example y'all're traveling to places where insects are an consequence and air-conditioning isn't always an option.

KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed; Courtesy Amazon

KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed Specs

  • Toll: $69.95
  • Weight: two.45 pounds
  • Assembled Dimensions: 46 x 18 ten 28 inches
  • Dimensions in Carry Bag: sixteen.v x 16.5 x iii inches
  • Tin Y'all Deport It Aboard a Plane: Yes
  • Ages Recommended: 1 to 3
  • Mattress Included: Yes
  • Handbag Included/Type: Hand-carry tote with straps to use backpack-style, too

Pros for KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed

  • Pocket-sized and meaty when packed up
  • Can be carried on a plane
  • Some kids volition love tent-style enclosure

Cons for KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed

  • Some kids volition hate tent-fashion enclosure
  • Sleeping pad simply

KidCo PeaPod Travel Bed User Reviews

Kevin Wagar, of Wandering Wagars travel blog, a male parent to two boys, says that he purchased the PeaPod as a compact alternative to a travel crib or Pack 'Northward Play when his kids were younger, and that they continue to make use of it today (even if not to sleep). "Information technology does have a bit of practice to break downwards the crib,"  he warns. "The twist and roll packing style of the PeaPod can exist tough to retrieve how to do and I was constantly having to refer to YouTube videos while folding information technology back up. But as a whole, the tent worked quite well. My kids are older now and withal apply it every bit a base for forts."

Longtime travel author and adventurer Terry Ward lives in Florida with her husband and young son and daughter. She'southward constantly on the scout for the next Scandinavia Airlines Kids Fly Gratuitous deal to salvage coin on flights to Norway, her favorite place to visit both in the winter (Northern Lights!) and summertime (Midnight Sun!). A travel writer since 2001 (read: long earlier the kids came along), she'due south written for such publications equally Endless Holiday Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler and Scuba Diving Magazine, among many others. Find Terry on her website, Terry-Ward.com.

What to Pack for Your Next Trip

For info on these editor-selected items, click to visit the seller'southward site. Things you purchase may earn usa a commission.

Baby Boy's Water Park Outfit

Baby Girl'south H2o Park Outfit

Infant Male child'due south Disney Outfit

Baby Girl'southward Disney Outfit

Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.