Pack ’n Play vs. Travel Cots
The most common question from parents planning their first camping trip with a baby: can we just bring the Pack ’n Play? The honest answer is yes — and for many families it is the right answer. But it is not the only answer, and for frequent campers or small tents, a dedicated travel crib earns its keep. This guide compares the two approaches honestly: what each does well, where each falls short, and which of the four main options fits your family.
The underlying principle: a baby sleeps best at camp in a contained, familiar-feeling sleep space — not in a car seat, not loose on bedding. Car seats position babies semi-upright and are not recommended for extended sleep; the tent floor has straps, stakes, and hard edges. A portable crib or travel cot is the standard solution, and whichever you choose, rehearse with it at home first. The first night a baby spends in a new sleep space should not be in a strange tent.
The honest comparison
| Pack ’n Play (playard) | Dedicated travel crib | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | First trips; families who already own one; babies who nap in it at home | Frequent campers; small tents; parents who value fast setup |
| Weight & pack size | Heavy and bulky — typically 15–25 lbs in a long duffel | Light — typically 6–13 lbs in a compact bag |
| Setup time | Several minutes, occasionally fiddly | Under two minutes, usually intuitive |
| Sleep surface | Thin, firm pad; fine for sleep, less cushy | Varies — some thin by design, some plusher |
| Tent footprint | Large — roughly 40×28 inches, needs a big tent | Smaller — easier to fit alongside adult pads |
| Daytime use | Excellent contained play space | Sleep only — not a play yard |
| Cost if you own one | Free — it is already in your house | A new purchase |
The short version: bring the Pack ’n Play you already own for your first trip. The familiarity advantage — your baby already sleeps in it — outweighs every spec-sheet disadvantage. Consider a dedicated travel crib when you camp often enough that the weight, setup time, and tent footprint start costing you real sleep and real space.
The four options
Graco Pack ’n Play On the Go Playard
The incumbent. If this is already in your living room, it is your camp crib: the bassinet-level insert works for young infants, the folded package fits in any car, and the baby recognizes it as a sleep space. Downsides are real but manageable at a drive-in site — it is heavy, the fold can fight you, and it eats a 40×28-inch rectangle of tent floor (check our tent guide for which tents swallow it comfortably). For a first trip, though, "free and familiar" beats "light and optimized" every time. Follow the manufacturer's age, weight, and assembly guidance.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link) Price checked September 2026 — accurate as of the date/time indicated; subject to change.BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light
The frequent-camper upgrade. Roughly half the weight of a playard, sets up in about a minute, and the all-mesh sides mean airflow on warm nights and visibility both ways — you can see the baby, the baby can see the tent, and nobody feels sealed in a box. The mattress is intentionally thin and firm, which is correct for infant sleep but surprises parents expecting plush. This is the pick when setup speed and pack size matter: small tents, one-adult setups, or trips where the crib moves between tent and shade structure daily. Confirm your baby is within the stated age and weight limits.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link) Price checked September 2026 — accurate as of the date/time indicated; subject to change.Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib
The side-zip specialist. The Lotus's standout feature is a side zipper door — you can lie next to the crib for bedtime soothing and zip it closed after, or let a toddler climb in themselves as part of the routine. It converts to a playard-adjacent mode and packs into a backpack-style bag. Slightly heavier and pricier than the ultralight options, but the zipper door solves the specific bedtime problem (a baby who needs a parent nearby to fall asleep) that ruins more camp nights than any gear spec. Check age and weight guidance before use.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link) Price checked September 2026 — accurate as of the date/time indicated; subject to change.phil&teds Traveller Portacot
The minimalists' travel cot. Genuinely tiny when packed and very light, designed for travel first and everything else second. The tradeoff is a smaller sleep surface and a more basic feel than the options above — fine for younger babies, tighter for a big 18-month-old. Best for: families who fly to camp or hike into sites where every pound is counted, and for smaller babies. As always, verify fit and the manufacturer's guidance for your child's size.
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link) Price checked September 2026 — accurate as of the date/time indicated; subject to change.What goes inside: warmth and bedding
The crib is only the container — the sleep system inside it is what keeps the baby warm. For infants, that means a sleep sack or baby sleeping bag rather than blankets, sized to the baby and rated for the night's low. Our sleeping bags by age guide covers the 0–18-month options, and keeping warm in a tent explains the layering approach (written for toddlers, but the principles transfer with baby-sized gear).
Two practical notes. First, insulate underneath. A folded blanket or foam pad under the crib's mattress blocks cold rising from the tent floor — this matters more than most parents expect, because the thin crib mattress does almost nothing against ground chill. Second, bring the fitted sheet from home. The smell of home laundry on the sleep surface is a legitimate sleep aid for babies in a strange place.
Placement in the tent
Put the crib where it is darkest, flattest, and farthest from the door — babies wake at drafts and door-zipper noise. In a rectangular tent, the back wall opposite the door is usually the spot. Keep it clear of the tent walls themselves: condensation forms on the fly overnight, and anything touching the wall wicks moisture straight into the bedding. And leave yourself a path — you will be reaching that crib in the dark, possibly twice a night, and tripping over the cooler at 2 a.m. is a rite of passage you can skip with thirty seconds of planning.
For the broader sleep picture — how the crib, the tent, and the warmth system work together — see camping with a baby and our toddler checklist. Get the sleep container right, and the rest of the trip gets dramatically easier.
The one-night rule
If you take nothing else from this comparison, take this: whichever option you choose, do one full overnight in it at home first. Set it up in the living room, run the actual bedtime routine, and see what happens. A Pack 'n Play the baby has never slept in is a gamble; a travel cot assembled for the first time in the dark is a project. One rehearsal night converts both into known quantities — and known quantities are what let everyone sleep at camp.