Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compact bed great for traveling!, October 6, 2006
This review is from: KidCo Peapod Portable Travel Bed (Baby Product)
I purchased my Peapod at the beginning of August to use while I was visiting two family members in the Northeast who both have very small apartments. I was traveling with my own two children ages 7 years and 15 months so the ability to transport myself, my children and luggage was important (I could not have managed a pack-and-play!). Traveling with the Peapod was great! It was small enough that I was not overwhelmed with another huge bag. My 15 month old daughter is very busy so having a bed that contains her during nap and bed time was essential. The first time that she used the peapod was on the trip, and she liked it just fine. I was initially very concerned with her size (as she is tall - 80 percentile for height) being compatible with the bed, but it has not been a problem. I figure I will be able to use this bed on trips until she is about 2 years old.
I noticed comments about heat being an issue. I have not had that problem. One of the places I stayed had no A/C and it did get warm at night, but my daughter didn't seem uncomfortable. To solve the pad that slips around I just put the inflatable mattress fuzzy side up inside the peapod (and not in it's little zipper pocket) and then I put a pack-and-play sheet on it. Works great! The sheet doesn't slip, and I can use the "pad" as a blanket (if necessary).
As for folding it up, I haven't had a problem. I folded it the first time out of the box without a hitch. Look at the Kidco internet site for instructions that work. You shouldn't have to use brute strength or force it. I am small and consider myself weaker than many, and I have not had any problems folding it. You might practice folding it a few times before you travel with it if you are concerned.
We have used the Peapod several times since I bought it (August and early September was vacation time for us). My daughter loves it now, and when we are traveling and she is tired, she will go lie down in it by herself (which is saying a lot!)
I would highly recommend this product to anyone with a baby or young toddler. I look forward to using it with my next child on day trips, weekend trips, and extended vacations. This travel bed is much easier to transport than a pack-and-play!
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm really happy with this little travel bed, May 30, 2007
This review is from: KidCo Peapod Portable Travel Bed (Baby Product)
I bought this item as a replacement for my (big and heavy) pack & play for when we travel overseas. It looked pretty good online but some of the reviews gave me cause for concern i.e. difficulty in folding away and the mattress pad being loose and a possible hazard. Still, having thought about it I ordered it anyway thinking I could always return it if it really was that bad.
When it arrived the box was pretty battered but everything inside looked ok. On opening the bed it opened so fast I didn't see how it was folded and I thought "now, that's it, I'm never going to get this shut again". I read the folding instructions and started. 10 seconds later it was completely folded with it's holding band firmly secured. No problems there then!
Next I inflated the mattress in about 1 minute (by mouth as the hand pump really is worse than useless as reviewed previously - cuts down on travel weight) and slotted it inside the zippered section. So far so good!
With the 'loose' mattress pad in place I put my sleepy 5 month old inside...no complaints. 5 minutes later she was sleeping soundly (without the pad wrapped around her head I might add, the pad wasn't even ruffled. I may add a bit of Velcro to ensure the pad stays in place should my daughter have a particularly restless night at some point in the future.
So the moral of the story is, read the reviews but take them with a pinch of salt and try it out for yourself before you condemn a product.
I'm really happy with this little travel bed, it's small, light, easy to put up and down and my daughter fell asleep in it minutes after I'd set it up - a mother's dream!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great product for camping - even with a 1 year old, July 11, 2006
This review is from: KidCo Peapod Portable Travel Bed (Baby Product)
Update now that baby is 14 months: We still use the Peapod in the tent and outdoors when camping. It still works great - my baby will go inside, I zip it up and keep an eye on her so she doesn't "roll" the Peapod over, but she just hangs out inside and goes to sleep on her own. She seems to like watching everyone, and I like not worrying about her rollling off of a Thermarest and getting hypothermia at night. It's also nice to have a "bed" that we can bring along when hiking and use when hanging out for the afternoon. We just returned from a 10-day trip to Yellowstone, where it was in the 30s / low 40s every night, and she was toasty warm. I didn't think we'd use the Peapod this year, but it's working great!
Original review: I purchased the Peapod to take a 7-week old camping in a tent with 4 other people and a dog. I wanted something to keep her from harm's way and we didn't have room for the pack 'n play.
My daughter loves sleeping in the Peapod, and it was great to take with us to hang out at another campsite, and at the beach. It's very portable and easy to transport.
I didn't have any problems folding it. You do need to follow the instructions on the box, but after a few tries it's easy to do. I also recommend practicing folding it up at home to get the hang of it.
I have no complaints about this product other than that I wish it had a sheet rather than a sleeping pad, for safety's sake with a young infant. I plan to make a sheet or try a pillowcase over the pad when I have time.
I highly recommend this product when space and portability are essential. But it wouldn't constrain an active older baby if that's what you need. It works great as a hang out or a bed, and would probably fit a sleeping child up to about 2 years.
I wish they had this when my other 2 children (5 & 3) were babies.
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