Renting Baby Gear

Renting baby/toddler gear is a great way to reduce stress when travelling with children!  How often have you been packing for a family trip and wished you didn't have to haul so much gear around?  Children's gear can be cumbersome and takes up a tremendous amount of valuable space.  Add to that the hassle of reassembling it all when you reach your destination and you have a stressful start to your get-away - not exactly the relaxing escape we all dream of; but gear is a way of life for the safety-conscious parent.  Renting offers the perfect compromise; safety with the convenience of delivery and assembly!     

One of our favorite gear-rental companies is Little Out of Towners, located in the Charlotte, NC; they serve the greater Charlotte area as well as the York, Chester, and Lancaster counties of South Carolina!  They feature an expansive line of JPMA-certified rental items at reasonable prices and take great pride in providing rental items of the highest standard with respect to safety, cleanliness, and condition!  Travelling outside the Carolinas?  No problem - they have compiled an extensive list of independently owned and operated rental companies spanning the world over, complete with contact information and websites!  The Little Out of Towners is truly dedicated not only to keeping your kids safe when you travel, but also to making travel less stressful and more enjoyable for families!

Below are a few guidelines for renting gear:

• Get all pricing information up front, including rental fees, delivery charges, fuel surcharges, set-up fees, late fees, and cancellation fees and policies.
• Be certain to clarify what type of equipment you will be getting. Different companies may define "toddler bed" or "portable crib" differently - don't be afraid to ask questions to ensure you will be getting the gear you need!
• The renter should be able to provide you with the manufacturer's recommendations regarding age, height and weight for whatever product(s) you may require.
• Be certain to verify that the company checks for equipment recalls. Even if they do, it never hurts to double-check, so always get the make and model of the equipment so that you may check for yourself at http://www.recalls.org/.
• Also, verify that their products are JPMA Certified. JPMA is the leader in product safety and usage; certification information is available at http://www.jpma.org/.
• Ask about the company's cleaning and safety-assurance procedures.

Bottom line: renting can save you time, hassle, and may even be cheaper than bringing your own items from home (once you factor in excess baggage fees, etc.) - so check out rentals for your next family adventure!  Happy travels!

-Destination Mom