The Essentials
The difference between travel that works and travel that feels difficult often comes down to a handful of gear and accessories. Families consistently overpack, due largely to industries that exist to monetize first-time parental anxiety. The problem is rarely volume and almost always specificity: the carrier that distributes weight well enough to last a full day of exploring, the stroller that folds with one hand, fits easily on a narrow sidewalk, and goes in an overhead bin, the car seat that installs without a base across taxis in three countries.
Chouette is developing its own line of travel gear, with a debut product launching before the end of the year. What follows is what we recommend in the meantime: a working list of what has proven itself across cities, climates, and the particular demands of international travel with small children. It is not exhaustive, and it will change as we test.
For a broader list covering the early months beyond travel, see the New Baby Checklist.
Transit
The objects in this section have to earn their weight twice: once in the bag, once in use. These are the ones that have.
Bugaboo Butterfly Stroller
One-second fold, fits in an overhead bin, and narrow enough for a medina or a crowded metro car. The trade-off is a smaller seat and less storage than a full-size stroller but for travel, it’s perfect.
Artipoppe Zeitgeist Carrier
Structured enough to distribute weight across a full day of walking, minimal enough to easily store when not in use. The design holds up in contexts where most carriers read as gear.
Clek Liingo Infant Seat
Baseless installation via seatbelt makes it useful across taxis, rentals, and ride-shares. It also attaches directly to the Bugaboo Butterfly via an adaptor, linked below, converting the two into a travel system at the airport.
Bugaboo Stroller Organizer
Attaches to the Butterfly handlebar and adds the storage the stroller trades away for its compact fold.
Beis Ultimate Diaper Backpack
Organized, structured, and neutral enough to pass as a regular bag through an airport or a restaurant.
Osprey Poco Portable Changing Pad
Folds flat, wipes clean, and takes up almost no space.
Aerotrunk Compression Packing Cubes
Compress clothing down enough to make a meaningful difference in a carry-on. More useful than standard packing cubes for families managing luggage across multiple people.
YOREPEK Padded Car Seat Travel Bag
Padded enough to protect a car seat through checked baggage and large enough to pack soft items as padding. Does not come with a warranty; if that matters, look for the bag sold by your car seat brand.
Butterfly/ Clek Liingo Car Seat Adapter
Clips the Clek Liingo or compatible infant seats onto the Butterfly frame, turning two separate items into a travel system. Most useful when you need the car seat at your destination but do not want to carry it separately around the city.
Sleeping
Sleep is usually the biggest variable. These two items are as close to a portable version of home as exists.
Guava Family Travel Crib
Packs into a backpack, sets up in under a minute, and meets JPMA safety standards. Lighter and more compact than most travel cribs.
Hatch Go Portable Sound Machine
Small enough to clip onto a bag or sit on a nightstand, with enough battery life for a full night.
Feeding
Feeding routines are among the first things to shift when you travel. These are the items that make the adjustment manageable without adding significant bulk.
Momcozy Bottle Brush Kit
A compact, travel-specific brush kit that collapses flat and includes everything needed to clean bottles and pump parts on the road.
Dapple Breast Pump Wipes
Designed specifically for cleaning pump parts without water, which can be helpful in transit, during layovers, or anywhere a sink is not immediately available.
Accmor Formula Dispenser
Pre-portions formula into individual compartments so you are not measuring on a plane or in a taxi.
Leakproof straw cup that works from around nine months through toddler years, packs without a separate case, and is widely available internationally if lost or forgotten.
Table Tyke Silicone Placemat
Rolls up small enough to live permanently in a diaper bag. Most restaurants use breakable plates; this ensures your baby has a safe surface to eat from without adding meaningful weight or bulk to what you're carrying.
Portable seating (in development)
Most portable seating options make the wrong trade-offs. Chouette is developing its own, designed for the environments families actually navigate. Launching before the end of the year.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Chouette earns a small commission on purchases at no cost to you. These commissions support the work while we build our own.
For questions, additions, or gear we should know about: hello@bychouette.com.
