Ahh, a new competitor enters the frey.
There’s hundreds of different items out there listed as ‘travel cribs’ but truly only a handful worthy of your consideration.
“So, spill the beans, what are they?”
Well, we had narrowed it down to our top five, but now it appears there is a sixth competitor jumping into the mix.
To meet our criteria (as definitions vary), when we say travel cribs, we’re talking about playard travel cribs that are lightweight, floor-resting, portable, and built to withstand the inevitable years of abuse.
No travel bag? You’re out.
Metal bars running underneath? Not for us.
We disclose all the deets in our ‘Best of’ Travel Crib rundown (TLDR: it’s hard to top the Guava Lotus), but now it’s time for a late round buzzer beater.
A new travel crib in town, from a trusted brand, that has started to sneak up on the competition.
Maxi Cosi Caleo
Car seats, strollers, monitors and more – if you’ve got a baby, chances are you’ve got something in that mountain of baby gear from Maxi Cosi.
At the ABC Expo in Las Vegas we got an up close view of some of their new products (ooh la la Kindred Collection) – one such item, meet the Caleo Travel Play Yard.
So, what makes Caleo so great?
The Price
As always, we’re very interested in saving money – and for a travel crib that pretty much checks all the boxes, $280 is a price we like.
Bottom line, you’re not going to find a less expensive floor-resting travel crib that also includes the bassinet insert.
The Perks
Caleo doesn’t skimp on the perks.
Three unique colors (stick with the Classic Oat), the zipper entrance, the bassinet insert, and an actual travel backpack so you remain hands-free when transporting.
These are types of extras that actually make an impact.
Bassinet Insert
The bassinet insert allows parents to more easily transition newborns, while also providing the appropriate smaller space for them to sleep in.
It will save you backaches from bending over multiple times, scooping down and picking up baby during wake windows.
Hands Free, Look at Me
The Caleo travel case is actually a backpack – making it one of only two travel cribs to offer that option – the other being Guava Lotus.
When you’re in the heat of battle, or travel (or both), it can’t be overstated how nice having both hands available can be.
It might mean one less trip to the car to unload. It could allow you to wipe a toddler’s nose, carry more gear, check your cellphone with your free hands – the backpack is a great feature and top for us when it comes to Caleo.
Finding the Right Fit
With inflation, everything seems to be getting exponentially more costly. My diaper bag obsession (and expensive red wine habits) have officially been curbed as of late.
Some items for babies are worth splurging on – those certain things where you really want to have THE best (Veer has an incredible stroller wagon, it’s worth every penny).
But there are tons of baby items where hand-me-downs and cheaper options get the job done fine (do you really need the high-end Coterie baby wipes?).
When it comes to travel cribs the need to have the best is debatable – it may depend on how many kids you plan on using it with and how frequently you travel.
If you land on the frugal side, there is really one other travel crib option for those seeking thriftyness – which is why we thought it good to compare the two.
Caleo Travel Play Yard vs. Moov and Comfy from Babymoov
At an extremely similar price point, we believe the new Caleo from Maxi Cosi compares closest to the Babymoov Moov and Comfy.
If Guava is off your list, these two are going to be very competitive and comparable. They both offer our favorite two perks and buying them won’t break the bank.
Similarities
Both Caleo & Moov and Comfy are going to give you our top two qualities to look for in a travel crib: the bassinet insert, and the zipper entrance.
The bassinet is of course key when traveling with newborns, and this perk is zipped and clicked into place basically the same way on both travel cribs.
The large zipper entrance is another key extra. I love having it open and ready to go before naps and bedtime — so I can more easily transition a sleeping baby into the crib.
The big opening also allows the crib to be used as more of a playard during the day(come-and-go as you please) rather than giving off jail cell vibes.
Having very much the same perks at a similar price point, we find Caleo and Baby Moov super comparable.
There are however a few noticeable differences between the two.
Differences
1. Mattresses
The Moov and Comfy has a soft, fluffy, foam-forming mattress that also velcros into the bottom of the crib itself.
It’s a little above and beyond the standard padding you’re going to get with Caleo.
Babymoov also comes with two separate mattresses, one for the top newborn insert and a completely different mattress for the bottom play yard portion.
The Maxi Cosi Caleo, on the other hand, has a mattress that folds and unfolds, allowing it to be used in both sections of the travel crib. We will leave it to you to judge whether it’s comfortable or not. You can see in the photo, it’s a little hard to make the unfolding gap really smooth.
Bigger is better, and the Moov and Comfy mattress is almost twice the size of Caleo – meaning it may (will) last you longer as newborns grow to toddlers.
Mattress Verdict: slight edge to Babymoov.
2. Backpack
If you’re lugging this thing one time from the car inside to grandma’s house, the backpack is less of an issue, and the Moov and Comfy works well (like a big art easel case).
If however you plan on taking the travel crib through an airport or on multiple trips, it really is quite convenient to be able to pack it all up into a backpack.
A super large, heavy, oversized backpack — but still a backpack non-the-less.
Perhaps it might take a few extra minutes to figure out how to properly fold everything up and stuff it all into the Caleo backpack, but the time saved packing these two travel cribs is negligible.
If hands-free moves the needle for you, you’re only going to get the backpack feature with the Caleo.
Travel Case Verdict: Maxi Cosi for the win.
3. Toughness
Another feature worth mentioning, the legs of the Caleo don’t feel as secure as BabyMoov.
A bit more Mickey Mouse in the Caleo ‘fake wood’ legs than the sturdiness we find in the plastic legs on the Babymoov travel crib.
If you’ve got a rambunctious toddler – or, hate to say it, if you have a boy that is well on his way to becoming a rambunctious toddler, Moov and Comfy may be more advanced when it comes to containment.
The strength of the newborn insert is another factor where Babymoov outranks Caleo.
A firm piece of plastic (covered by the nice foam mattress we prefer) is more durable in nature than the metal tent-like attachments which keep this portion intact on Caleo.
Durability Winner: Babymoov Moov & Comfy
Roll the Credits
Wham, bam, thank you m’am.
There you have it. The Maxi Cosi Caleo.
Is it the greatest travel crib we’ve reviewed: No.
Are there other options at a similar price point we might recommend: Yes.
It is however a very solid travel crib from a solid baby brand, and it’s one of only 6 products we’d suggest.
If you’re in the market for a travel crib we hope we helped you dig into some of the specifics and come to a solid understanding of which travel crib is going to best suit your growing family.
