My Two Cents
When packed up in the travel bag, this new crib is a lot longer and thinner than the t2 crib was. Nice shoulder strap, easier to carry. I set this up for the first time with a sleeping baby on my back, so somewhat of a handicap, but not an unusual one, given the target market for this product. ;-)
I opened the manual and the instructions were TINY little black and white photos with no text. Couldn't make heads or tails of what I was supposed to do, couldn't see what pieces they are showing. I started fitting pieces together until I came to a stopping point, then consulted the manual, still not sure what to do. Oh, text instructions a few pages later. Hmmm, better but still confusing. I wanted BIG photos.
Despite tiny photos with text on a totally different page, sleeping baby on my back, etc...I figured it out and got the crib set up within 15 minutes. It will probably take me under 10 minutes next time, but it's for sure not as easy as the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib. However, it also costs $100 less.
The Traveller looks snazzy and modern with its aluminum metal legs and clean lines. It feels very solid and stable, much more so than the t2. The feet sit firmly on the floor and won't scratch wood or laminate floors. Side zips mean that kids can get in and out by themselves if you want them to. It looks like the Traveller is roomier inside than the t2. It seems to use space more efficiently.
I open the valve on the mattress and puff into it. It doesn't need much air, but it does need some, despite a claim of being self-inflating. The mattress slides into a special zippered nylon sleeve in the bottom of the crib. I'm sure there must be a good reason for this (or possibly it's just another example of decreased product functionality due to runaway liability fears), but what it means is that you can no longer put a crib sheet on the mattress if you follow the rules, rather, your child will now be laying directly on the crib's nylon fabric. Bummer. Seems very uncomfortable.
If you don't mind breaking the rules and can accept full responsibility for your actions (don't try to blame it on me if something happens, you're a grown-up...you make your own decisions and take your own risks), just take the mattress out of the sleeve, put a crib sheet on it, and place it firmly inside the crib, pressing it down snugly into the bottom on all sides. That's how the previous version worked. But it's up to you.
Apart from the tiny instructional photos and having to break the rules to use a crib sheet, this is a nice design update to a very popular, high-quality travel crib.
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