Baby Gear Rentals: Everything You Need to Know

Does the thought of trudging through the airport hauling your baby plus a car seat, a travel crib, a portable high chair and the 75 other things you may need while you’re away send shivers down your spine?

Us too. Turns out, there’s an easier way.

Meet the baby gear rental company: 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. We’re walking you through how baby gear rental companies work, 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 Is a Baby Gear Rental Company?

A baby gear rental company is a company that offers short- or long-term rentals of all sorts of baby gear. Most baby gear rental companies stock a large inventory of either new or gently used gear including items like cribs and playards, high chairs and other feeding gear, top rated strollers and the best 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 your door whenever you need it and picked 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.

• 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.
• It’s one less thing to think about when you’re making your packing list—and what parent doesn’t enjoy that?

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.

Last (but definitely not least), it may make sense financially to rent baby gear instead of buying it new, depending on the type of gear you need and the duration of your trip. It also may be the better choice if you need certain gear on vacation that you don’t use in your everyday life—think gear for a beach vacation when you don’t live anywhere near a beach or live in a cold climate, or a hiking backpack for a camping trip if you’re not normally taking outdoor adventures in your day-to-day life.

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.

1. 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. (If you prefer self-pickup and self-return, 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.
2. Select your gear and delivery window. This is the fun part! Spend some time browsing the inventory the baby gear 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.
3. 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 of your company 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.
4. Finalize your gear rental. Once you’ve done all of the above, you’re all set. Finalize your booking and you’re good to go.

Baby Gear Rental Safety and Cleanliness

It’s important that the baby gear rental company you choose has strict safety and cleanliness standards in place. Here’s what to look for:

• Check the baby gear rental company’s website for its gear cleaning procedures. Most companies outline how they clean and sanitize their rental gear in between uses, but always reach out if you have any specific questions.
• Look for a baby gear rental company with excellent safety standards in place. This should include gear inspection before and after each use and tracking and removing any recalled baby items so unsafe gear isn’t available for rent.

Take extra safety measures around car seat rentals. Car seats expire, so be sure the company you’re using tracks these expiration dates and isn’t renting expired seats (even if they’re using the safest baby car seats, that expiration date matters). Also, note that you should always install the car seat yourself. Look for a gear rental company that provides customers with a car seat manual with installation instructions along with the rental.

Can You Rent Baby Gear Outside of the US?

Yes, there are many baby gear rental companies that operate outside of the United States. These companies may be a bit trickier to navigate, especially if there’s a language barrier (Google Translate FTW!), and may take a little extra research, but it’s doable. We recommend searching by the specific country you’re planning to visit and then reaching out with any questions before you book.

Here are a few to kick off your search:

• Heading to Canada? Wee Travel has you covered.
• Travel Baby covers parts of Italy.
• Island Baby operates in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• If you find yourself in Greece, you can rent baby gear from Santorini Travel Tots.
• Mami Poppins covers Germany, Austria and Parts of Spain .

Babylist’s Best Baby Gear Rental Picks

BabyQuip

What Our Experts Say

BabyQuip uses a team of Independent Quality Providers (QPs for short) located across the country to 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.

What’s Worth Considering

BabyQuip has a three-day rental minimum, although you can reach out to 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.

Baby’s Away

What Our Experts Say

You’ll be able to rent baby gear from Baby’s Away in 34 states in the US. The company has been in business for over 25 years 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 Juvenile Product Manufacturer’s Association.

What’s Worth Considering

Baby’s Away minimal rental period is one day. There’s a delivery fee, but it varies by location.

Rents4Baby

What Our Experts Say

Serving over 20 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 is over.

What’s Worth Considering

There’s a three-day minimum rental period if you rent with Rents4Baby. Rush delivery is an option, but it will cost you extra. There’s also a cleaning fee and a delivery fee.

Traveling Baby Company

What Our Experts Say

Traveling Baby Company operates baby gear rental locations mostly up and down the US coasts. 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 if you’re willing to pay.

What’s Worth Considering

There’s a minimum order of $35 as well as a delivery fee to consider.

Babies Getaway

What Our Experts Say

Traveling to any of the 48 contiguous U.S. states? 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.

What’s Worth Considering

There’s no option for self-pickup if you use Babies Getaway, but they do deliver to all locations including hotels and resorts, homes and airports. There’s a delivery fee and a three-day minimal rental.