phil&teds® traveller™ review

phil&teds® have over 18 years of experience in the nursery industry, and are the creators of multi-award winning products such as the original inline stroller and the ‘auto-stop brake’. We take a look at their traveller™ portable travel cot.

What’s in the box?

• Carry bag
• Travel cot
• Self-expanding mattress
• Oeko-tex sheet

Price

The RRP of the phil&teds®­­­ traveller™ is £160

Accessories

UV Mesh cover £18

Colours

Silver and Black

The phil&teds® traveller™ is a full-sized travel cot that folds down in to a compact size and is ideal to take with you on holiday or for overnight stays. Weighing only 3.2kgs and fitting in to a 68x25cm carry bag, it fits easily in to the car boot or an aeroplane over head locker. It doubles up its usage by having a zip-open side so that you can also use it as a playpen.

phil&teds®traveller™ material

The traveller™ has 4 mesh sides which allows for plenty of air circulation and gives you the opportunity to have a full view of your sleeping baby. The contrasting black mesh and aluminium frame help to keep the travel cot superlight whilst also looking sleek and modern.

As an added bonus, phil&teds® have included a mattress that self-expands, with its own cover sheet. The sheet is Oeko-tex certified so non-toxic on your little one’s skin. The sheet is a great fit to the mattress and really soft. It is made from a nylon/polyester mix, that will keep your baby cool. It also means that you won’t have to search to find a sheet that will fit.

Available to buy separately, phil&teds® have a toggle-on sun cover to protect your little one from UV rays – perfect if you are wanting to use outside as a travel cot or playpen.

phil&teds®traveller™ – The fit/usage

The first time you put the traveller™ together it can be tricky, but once you have your head around the instructions it is easy peasy. Once the side rails are slotted together and inserted into the material that runs along the top edge of the travel cot, the rest is child's play. All you need to do is connect together the rails with the black connecters, and add the silver legs with feet attached. With the cot flipped upside down, there are small toggles at each corner which slot into the feet, thus securing the sides. It sounds more complicated than it is!

With the mattress rolled up, it doesn’t look like it would offer much support or comfort, but when you lay it out and twist the air valve, it soon inflates. It’s easy to pop the mattress into the sheet and has four toggles that have their own hole cut out of the sheet. These are to attach the mattress securely to the base of the cot which stops it 'moving'.

Et voilà! The built travel cot tapers in at the top whilst still giving a very generous base size. This would possibly make it a little tricky to put a sleeping baby in the top to lay them down on the mattress, especially for a shorter parent. However, there are the zips at the side of the travel cot which could be used to lay baby in from the side. This is also very handy if you have a child like mine that likes you to lay next to them as they fall asleep. You could easily lay next to the cot with the side down and zip up when your little one is asleep. This would also make older toddlers feel like they were getting in to a big boy or girl bed!

As the bottom of the cot isn’t touching the floor like with most travel cots, it gives a hammock-style feeling to the mattress. I would imagine that this would be very cosy and comfy for any child and allows you to place the cot on any surface, without having to worry if your child will be uncomfortable.

Taking the travel cot down and packing it away is simple once you know how to put it together. It all fits back in to the bag and the mattress, once all of the air is removed, rolls up tightly.

phil&teds®traveller™ special features

Although the travel cot is slimmer in width than other options, it is still 115 cm long, which will allow you to use with baby for several years without them being uncomfortable. It also allows you to move it around the house easier when built, especially as it is so light to pick up.

It comes with its own carry bag that you can pack everything in to. With its over-the-shoulder strap, combined with the light 7lbs of weight - it's so easy to carry.

The dual use of the travel cot means that it isn’t only used when travelling, but can also be used daily as a playpen.

The feet of the cot all have small holes, so if you were to take it camping with you, you can insert a tent pent to secure it to the floor. This would also be handy if just using outside during a windy day or if you have older siblings around.

phil&teds®traveller™ conclusion

Though the traveller™ is a higher price than some other travel cots available, I think that this portacot is definitely worth the investment. With its large size and multi-use features, you would easily get at least 3 years use out of it, and more if you have additional children.

It is amazingly light and packs away compactly in to its own carry bag which has a handle to pop over your shoulder. Because of its small size, you wouldn’t mind taking it away with you every time - it's takes up less space in your boot and is light to carry upstairs to the guest room.

We give the phil&teds® traveller™ 4.5 out of 5 stars

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