Should You Rent Baby Gear When You Travel? Our Honest Experience
One of the biggest challenges of traveling with a baby is deciding what to pack and what to leave at home.
Many baby items are bulky, difficult to transport, or only needed occasionally during a trip. That's where baby equipment rental services can be incredibly helpful. Instead of paying airline baggage fees or trying to fit everything into your luggage, many companies will deliver equipment directly to your hotel, villa, Airbnb, or resort before you arrive.
For our family, having equipment delivered directly to our accommodation would have removed a lot of the stress associated with traveling with bulky baby gear. Whether you're planning a short vacation or an extended parental leave trip, renting can help you travel lighter while still having the items you need once you arrive.
Full-Size Crib or Travel Cot
If there's one item we'd seriously consider renting, it's a crib.
Travel cribs and playpens take up a significant amount of luggage space, can be awkward to carry through airports, and often push you into paying for additional checked baggage.
Having a full-size crib or travel cot delivered directly to your accommodation means one less large item to transport and gives your baby a familiar, safe place to sleep. This can be especially valuable during longer trips where sleep quality becomes increasingly important for both parents and children.
Many hotels provide cribs, but availability isn't always guaranteed, and quality can vary considerably. Renting your own gives you more certainty before arrival.
High Chair
This is primarily a recommendation for families staying in villas, condos, Airbnbs, or accommodations where they'll be preparing meals themselves.
If you're staying at a full-service resort, most restaurants will provide high chairs. However, if you're planning to cook breakfasts, prepare snacks, or spend significant time in your accommodation, having a dedicated high chair can make feeding much easier.
Rather than balancing your baby on your lap or improvising with dining chairs, a proper high chair allows them to eat comfortably and safely while giving parents a much-needed break during mealtimes.
Car Seat
A car seat is one of the most personal rental decisions families will make.
Many parents choose to bring their own because they know its history and safety standards. However, car seats are also one of the bulkiest and most inconvenient items to travel with.
If you're planning to use airport transfers, private drivers, or taxis throughout your trip, renting a car seat from a reputable provider can eliminate the hassle of carrying one through airports while still providing an added level of safety and familiarity compared to traveling without one.
Beach Gear
Beach vacations often require a surprising amount of equipment.
Items such as beach tents, shade shelters, umbrellas, beach toys, and infant sun protection gear can take up valuable luggage space, especially if you only plan to spend a few days at the beach.
Many rental companies offer these items as short-term rentals, making them a great option for families taking a day trip or spending only part of their vacation near the water. Renting allows you to enjoy the beach comfortably without dedicating half your suitcase to equipment you'll only use a handful of times.
The Benefits of Renting Baby Equipment
After traveling with a baby, we've realized that every item you don't bring is one less thing to carry through airports.
Renting baby equipment can help you:
Avoid extra checked baggage fees
Reduce the amount of gear you need to transport
Travel more comfortably through airports
Free up luggage space for essentials
Access larger or higher-quality baby equipment than you could reasonably pack
Most importantly, it allows you to focus more on enjoying your trip and less on managing your gear.
Is Renting Baby Equipment Worth It?
For us, yes.
The longer the trip and the more gear you would otherwise need to bring, the more sense renting makes.
Instead of arriving exhausted from managing multiple suitcases and baby gear, you can have many of the essentials waiting for you when you arrive.
Traveling with a baby will never be completely effortless, but renting equipment is one of the easiest ways we've found to simplify the experience.
Final Thoughts
You don't have to bring your entire nursery on vacation.
With baby equipment rental services becoming more common in popular destinations, it's easier than ever to travel lighter while still having the essentials waiting for you.
If you're planning an upcoming family trip, consider what items you truly need to pack, and what might be easier to rent once you arrive.
Your back (and your luggage allowance) may thank you.
Our Recommended Baby Equipment Rental Service
One of the easiest ways we've found to simplify family travel is having baby gear waiting for us when we arrive.
Instead of dragging bulky equipment through airports, taxis, and hotel lobbies, we can travel lighter and spend more time enjoying our trip.
We recently partnered with BabyQuip, a service that rents baby equipment directly to families traveling with little ones.
Through their service, you can rent items like:
Full-size cribs
Pack & plays
High chairs
Strollers
Baby monitors
Beach gear
Toys and activity equipment
Everything is delivered directly to your accommodation, so you can arrive knowing the essentials are already taken care of.
Why We Like It
✔️ Less luggage to carry
✔️ More room in your suitcases
✔️ No oversized baggage fees for bulky gear
✔️ Access to quality baby equipment at your destination
✔️ Less stress on travel days
Save on Your Next Trip
If you're planning a family vacation and want to travel lighter, you can check out BabyQuip here.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we genuinely believe provide value to traveling families.
What We Would Rent for Our Next Trip
If we were heading on another beach vacation tomorrow, here's exactly what we'd rent:
✅ Full-size crib
✅ High chair
✅ Car seat
✅ Beach toys
That's fiour bulky items we'd leave at home—and one less reason to stress before a trip.
