Baby Gear Rentals Are the Ultimate Parent Travel Hack

Does the thought of trudging through the airport hauling your baby plus a car seat, a travel crib, a portable high chair and the other things you may need while you’re away send shivers down your spine? Us too, but it turns out, there’s an easier way.

Baby gear rental companies are your answer to simplifying your family’s packing list and bringing the comforts of home along with you when you’re traveling with your baby. Plus, by choosing to rent single-use gear items that you’d otherwise have to buy and store (and maybe never touch again), you can save money, time and space at home by choosing to rent. If you’re planning on staying in a hotel or resort, here’s a tip: call them ahead and ask if they provide any baby items that you can use during your stay. Basic items like cribs, playards and even strollers may be available (for a fee or complimentary). 

We’re walking you through how baby gear rental companies work, all of the benefits of renting gear over bringing it along, what safety standards to look for and more—plus our picks for the best baby gear rental companies.

What Do Baby Gear Rental Companies Do?

Baby gear rental companies offer short- or long-term rentals of all sorts of baby gear. Most stock a large inventory of either new or gently used gear, including items like cribs and playards, high chairs and other feeding gear, strollers and the infant car seats, bath gear, furniture, toys and more. Some even offer curated packages that include everything you need for a specific type of destination, like the beach or a camping trip.

Baby gear rental companies operate in hundreds of cities and suburbs across the United States and availability generally depends on your location. You can have the gear delivered to an airport or right to wherever you’re staying,  whenever you need it and the companies pick them up once you’re done. Some baby gear rental companies also offer self-pickup and self-return.

Why Rent Baby Gear?

Convenience, comfort and potential cost savings while you’re away from home are the main reasons you may consider renting baby gear on your next trip or vacation.

Depending on your destination, your mode of transportation (plane, car, etc.) and what type of gear you need, renting baby gear is often a lot more convenient than schlepping all your gear from home on your next trip.

• The greatest benefit of baby gear rentals is that everything you need will be available at your destination, saving you the hassle of hauling it from home. 

• Renting baby gear can save you space. If you’re traveling by plane and don’t own a travel crib, for example, or don’t want to pay to check yours, renting a crib at your destination is a much more convenient option. The same goes for if you’re traveling by car and are out of room in your trunk, or if you’re taking a train and can’t carry along everything you need.

• Even if you want to bring your own gear on your next vacation, it sometimes isn’t an option. Lots of baby gear is big and bulky, and some items (nursery furniture, large toys, stroller wagons, etc.) just can’t come along for the ride.

• While gear rentals do cost money, you can save yourself a few bucks in the long run by renting an item instead of purchasing extra baby gear brand new, especially items that you’ll use infrequently (like a portable high chair). 

• Using a baby gear rental company is also a great way to bring the comforts of home—both for you and for your baby—with you while you’re away. Do you rock your little one to sleep each night? A rented glider is a nice option to add to wherever you’re staying to help you and your baby feel more at home. Feeding a new eater and prefer the support of a full-size high chair over a travel option? Renting a high chair can make meal time a little less stressful.

• You can rent one-off items that aren’t useful enough for you to purchase and keep at home, like gear for a beach vacation or a camping trip.

Best Baby Gear Rental Companies

To help you find a baby gear rental company that'll fit your needs, we round up tried and tested options that are available across the United States. And here's a tip: if you know your destination, check for a local baby gear rental company. There are some companies that only service a particular state.

BabyQuip

Pros

• Rents all types of baby gear

• Self-pickup or delivery to airports

Cons

• Three-day rental minimum

BabyQuip uses a team of Independent Quality Providers (QPs for short), which are independent contractors located across the country that manage rentals and deliveries of all types of baby gear. QPs must pass background checks, complete safety training and learn how to properly clean baby gear. BabyQuip rents all types of baby gear, including full-size cribs, strollers, car seats, toys and games, wagons, outdoor items like beach gear and hiking carriers, bouncers, swings and lots more. They offer self-pickup or delivery to airports, resorts, family homes and rental houses, and some QPs also offer personal shopping services for things like diapers and wipes. All the equipment on their site is monitored for recalls and expirations.

BabyQuip has a minimum three-day rental, although you can contact a QP to inquire about a shorter rental period on a case-by-case basis. There’s also a delivery fee and a service fee. Because of the company’s business model, there may be multiple QPs operating in your destination, so you’ll be able to compare prices before you rent.

If you're using Vrbo to find the perfect vacation rental, they are now partnered with BabyQuip—which means you can have your baby gear dropped off and picked up right from the front the doorstep of your vacation rental. And, when you use Baby Quip through Vrbo, you'll get a 10 percent discount. Convenience and some savings; a win-win.

Baby's Away

Pros

• Available in 37 states

• Large inventory

• Short minimum rental period

• Can book with vacation rental

Cons

• Delivery fee

Baby’s Away has been in business for over 30 years, operates in many states, and delivers to homes, resorts and airports. They stock a large inventory of products, including cribs, car seats, feeding gear, beach packages and more. All their gear is safety checked and thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between uses, and all baby equipment is certified by the Baby Safety Alliance.

Baby’s Away has a short minimum rental period of just one day so if you’re planning a quick weekend-long getaway, they can accommodate your rental. The delivery fee varies by location, so it can be a bit trickier to estimate the total cost of the rentals, depending on where you’re going.

Rents4Baby

Pros

• High-end products available

• Option to purchase  

• Cons

• Cleaning delivery fees

Serving over 30 states across the country, Rents4Baby uses independent local partners to deliver, set up and pick up all sorts of baby gear for both short- and long-term rentals. The website makes it easy to choose your delivery date and location (home, airport, resort or car rental location, as well as self-pickup), select your gear and secure your rental. There’s a huge selection of items for rent, including the usuals like cribs, strollers and car seats and some more unique and higher-end offerings like full vacation baby bundles, SNOO and Doona rentals, blackout blinds and beach bundles. There’s also an option to ship a Slumberpod anywhere in the US. Love the item you’ve rented? You’ll have the chance to purchase it outright once your rental period ends. If you rent with Rents4Baby, there’s a three-day minimum rental period. Rush and after-hours delivery and transferring gear from one location to another are options, but they incur extra costs. There’s also a cleaning fee and a delivery fee.

Traveling Baby Company

Pros

• Large selection of gear

Cons

• Limited rental locations

Traveling Baby Company operates baby gear rental locations in cities that are mostly up and down the US coasts, so your options may be limited. Similar to the other baby gear rental companies on our list, they offer delivery to homes, resorts and airports as well as pickup options, depending on the area. The company guarantees that all the products they offer meet all federal safety standards and are consistently checked for damage. They offer a large selection of gear, including lots of different types and brands of strollers, full-size cribs, car seats, feeding gear, beach packages and more. There’s also a rush delivery option for an added fee. There’s a minimum order of $35 as well as a delivery fee to consider.

Babies Getaway

Pros

• Destination package options

• Option to add insurance

• Services the entire continental US

Cons

• No self-pickup option

If you’re traveling through the US or parts of France, Mexico and Canada, Babies Getaway has you covered. They have a huge selection of all types of baby gear and locations across the entire continental US. They offer price matching (a nice perk), any type of gear you can want or imagine (they even have outdoor toys like scooters) and great package deals for various types of destinations like the beach or the mountains. There’s also an option to add insurance protection that covers up to $50 worth of stains and damages to any rented items.

If you use Babies Getaway, you can’t self-pick up, but they do deliver to all locations, including hotels and resorts, homes and airports. However, there’s a delivery fee and a three-day minimum rental.

How Does Renting Baby Gear Work?

Each baby gear rental company works a little bit differently, but in general, it’s really easy to find and rent the baby products you need when you’re away from home.

Select your destination

Most baby gear rental companies have locations in and around most metro areas across the United States as well as in resort areas. Some companies even deliver directly to airports. (Again, if you prefer to pick it up and return it yourself, some companies offer that option, too.) If you’re interested in renting baby gear for your next trip, your first step is to check if there’s a baby gear rental company nearby where you’re going to be staying and make sure there’s availability during your travel dates.

Select your gear and delivery window

This is the fun part! Spend some time browsing the inventory that the rental company you’ve chosen offers and selecting what you need. Most companies organize the gear by category (cribs and sleeping items, car seats, playtime, beach packages, etc.) and offer information on specifics like how old a certain item is, what it comes with (sheets for a crib or playard, for example) and other quality and safety-related details. Don’t forget to select a delivery window that works based on when you’ll be arriving at your destination.

Check the price

In addition to daily gear rental fees, some baby gear rental companies also have a minimum rental period and charge a delivery fee and/or a service fee. Check the specifics before you book so you know what to expect. Also, check the company’s cancellation fees and refund policies so you know what to expect in case your trip gets canceled. Finalize your booking and you’re good to go.