This Suitcase That Turns Into a Baby Buggy Is a Travel Must

Airports are stressful enough, especially with our kids in tow. Two parents who are both frequent flyers — a pilot and a flight attendant — have invented a way to keep children close while we scurry through the terminal to our destination.

The Mountain Buggy BagRider is a rolling suitcase that becomes a baby buggy with the turn of a knob. It becomes a secure travel seat for small children — ages 6 months to 4 years — to ride on. Older children may get away with it, as long as they don’t weigh over 33 pounds.

The invention was born in 2013 when Tom and Tamar Clarke had their first daughter and recognized the need for stress-free travel. They designed a crowdfunding campaign through Angels Den, and eight funders came together to raise $60,000.

“As parents of two young children, we understand that flying away on holiday isn’t the stress-free experience we’d all like it to be,” Tom and Tamar Clarke write on their website. “Unfortunately the airport process isn’t easy when traveling. Your buggy could be taken off you at check-in, or if you’re allowed through the terminal you’ll experience delays at an ever-more stringent security check; unpacking, folding, scanning, and reassembling the buggy to the great delight of all those queuing passengers behind you! The biggest problem is that the buggy will be taken from you at the aircraft door and put in the hold.

“More often than not, the next time you see it will be at the oversized baggage reclaim at destination. This means carrying tired children and all their necessities on often long walks through the terminal. As air crew, we realized we were not alone in experiencing this problem. We see it every time we go to work, so we designed a cabin bag that easily converts into a traveling seat for infants.”

The cushioned traveling seat straps your little one in with an adjustable five-point safety harness, making the BagRider’s stability comparable to a four-wheel buggy. An additional mesh pocket at the rear of the seat liner holds your travel documents and tickets.

As for suitcase storage, it’s 35L — in addition to your baby — which is what you can squeeze into a backpack. A zippable dividing panel organizes, while elastic internal packing straps hold everything in place.

All of this, and your piece of mind, goes for under $100 ($99.99 to be exact). What a great way to roll away traveling stress!