play pen options? - Other than a pack n play

[JordanKX]

I thought I'd start here first for looking for advice on portable cribs. We have a pack n play, and for the life of me, I cannot get it disassembled. Each time, it takes multiple people to find the right 'moment' where the catches release (once you find them, you feel like an idiot... but!). It is heavy for camping, it is frustrating. I'm over it.

So I'm looking at other options.
I've found this Air Bed crib which seems interesting. DS is 10 months so I'm not looking for something to truly "hold him in", just somewhere I can put him down safely for a nap, instead of wearing him. For camping, for at the river - I'd love something I could just hose off - are the two places I've needed something so far.

Other ideas on a portable crib?

Thanks!

[sunnygir1]

My ds is 10 months and we just put him in the tent for naps.

[sjd_ca]

Long-time lurker, here...

Admittedly, it is insanely expensive, but if you can afford one, the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib is amazing. (We only got ours because a relative offered to pay for most of it....) It's really, really easy to set up, and easy to disassemble, too (it just takes a few tries to get the hang of where the legs go). What I really like about it is that it folds up a lot smaller than a pack-n-play and is way lighter. I can carry it and my daughter at the same time and not feel like I'm going to topple over.

[SunRise]

In the same link as your Airbed, scroll down a bit and check out the Kidco Peapod. I was looking at that the other day. It looks very mobile and easy to set up.

In a tent, I might also have my babe just sleep on the ground. But the peapod might be handy if you are going to the beach, for example, and you want the baby in a protected space, so when babe wakes up, she/he doesnt crawl off! As well, may be protected from other people running around, dogs sniffing her etc

Good luck

[Katie T]

I think the pea pod will last the longest, can be used for a indoor "tent" when they are toddlers for loads of fun and is cheaper than the rest. If it were me that is what I would get. I bet you could still hose it off as well.

[newmum35]

One of my greatest purchases was the Play Zone for our son, we got 2 of them so we could make a HUGE enclosure (basically our entire living room) and we still use parts of it (almost 3 yrs old now) as a "gate" - you mentioned being able to hose it off. This is all plastic so should be able to do that except maybe on the one part which has a battery compartment for music.

[syd'smom]

Yep - love our peapod!

[akat]

We have the Graco Pack n Play Sport which is very awesome...but apparently they don't make them anymore.

Ebay, though...

http://shop.ebay.com/sis.html?_nkw=G...port+Pack+Play

[Addie]

Originally Posted by sjd_ca

Long-time lurker, here...

Admittedly, it is insanely expensive, but if you can afford one, the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib is amazing. (We only got ours because a relative offered to pay for most of it....) It's really, really easy to set up, and easy to disassemble, too (it just takes a few tries to get the hang of where the legs go). What I really like about it is that it folds up a lot smaller than a pack-n-play and is way lighter. I can carry it and my daughter at the same time and not feel like I'm going to topple over.

We have this... it is amazingly easy to set up and take down, and it's so light and portable. But DS WILL NOT sleep in it. We tried to use it recently, and ended up using a friend's pack and play instead.

[JordanKX]

I realize I started this thread... but in case someone has more money than me, another one I've found is Phil & Teds. Again, pushing $200. Yikes! I just don't have the cash for such awesome tools... the peapod is calling to me.