Our GLTC Bed In A Bag Review

I thought I’d post a GLTC Bed in a Bag review; our findings might help another family.

Travel Cot Alternatives

I hate how big and clumsy traditional travel cots are. So much so, when the twins were very little, I decided to look for an alternative.

After a lot of research, we bought a couple of Koodi pop up travel tent cots. As a result, we never had proper travel cots.

The Koodi pop-up travel tents were amazing. Lliterally one (or in our case two) of the BEST things we ever bought for our babies. They lasted really well and — as we would regularly stay away from home with the boys — they had such a lot of use.

They are recommended for children up to approximately 18 months of age. But the twins slept in them until they were almost 3. By which time, there didn’t seem much point in buying a traditional travel cot.

So, with that in mind, the Great Little Trading Company’s Bed In A Bag seemed like the perfect successor.

So What is the GLTC Bed in a Bag?

The GLTC Bed in a Bag is a cushioned mattress in a bag. Super soft and comfy and essentially formed from five pillows. It doesn’t need to be inflated and rolls up into its own matching bag, for easy storage.

Initially, I was nervous that the boys wouldn’t like sleeping in a bed with no sides (especially for the first time) but, actually, a bed in a bag was a fantastic introduction to this new experience for them. And as they lie on the floor, there is no worry of the child falling out.

Our GLTC Bed in a Bag Review

The GLTC Bed in a Bag are pretty big. This could be seen as a negative, depending on the size of the car you drive. On journeys when we had a car full of luggage — and the double buggy — we would put the Bed in a Bags in the foot-wells. Not ideal, but it worked for us.

We could just about cope with the size of them, along with everything else we needed to transport.

A huge bonus is that the GLTC Bed in a Bag doesn’t need to be inflated — so once you get to your destination, you can literally roll them out and they’re good to go. No worrying that you’ve left the footpump at home or — if you may be staying somewhere that doesn’t have electricity — you can’t plug it into the mains to inflate the kids’ beds.

I love the fact that they stash away in their own bag.

Thoughts On The Bed in a Bag

I think that the bags could be smaller. We can roll the mattress up fairly thinly, but as soon as we put it into the bag, the whole thing expands to fit the space. The Bed in a Bag, as a whole, could definitely be rolled up and contained a little smaller than the current bag design allows. Maybe velcro tabs to keep the rolled mattress in place.

The other thing that could be improved is the fastening on the bag.

The cord to fasten the bag can be pulled tight and knotted. But there isn’t a toggle — or fastening — to secure it. It could really do with a little cord lock. (I’ve actually spotted some of these online and plan to upgrade ours myself).

Trying to hold the cord tight — and tie a knot — is tricky.

As it stands, constantly knotting and unknotting the cord to open and close the bag, means the cord has begun to fray on one of the bags. I think a little cord toggle would make life much easier.

Spare Beds for Kids

Once unrolled, each bed in a bag is fairly large. They’re also lovely and squashy — and pretty deep — which means they’re comfy to lie on (even for me).

We can roll them out them anywhere that there is space, which means they’re perfect for allowing us to stay in places that don’t have dedicated beds for the boys.

When the twins were babies, we took their pop-up-tents everywhere. Sleeping arrangements were never a problem when we were away from home.

If there wasn’t a spare room to put them in, we all stayed together in one room and — as long as there’s enough available floor space — the GLTC Bed in a Bags allow us to do the same thing now.

Both sets of grandparents don’t currently have twin beds for Bertie and Cosmo, so the new travel-beds means that we’re able to continue to  stay overnight, with no worries about where we’re all going to sleep. The GLTC bed in a bag makes a brilliant spare bed for kids.

Another thing that I love is that they’re still useful when we’re not travelling!

They can be stashed away in a cupboard and when we have friends to stay. We don’t have to worry about lack of beds; for small (or even large) people; the Bed in a Bags can be unrolled to create makeshift sleeping accommodation.

They are the perfect solution if you have lots of guests staying but not enough beds.

Is The GLTC Bed in a Bag Worth The Money?

So do I think the GLTC bed in a bag is worth the money?

The full price of the GLTC Bed in a Bag is now £120. An increase of £10, since I first wrote this article in 2016, so you could say that it is expensive. But personally, I think that they’re worth every penny.

I’ve seen cheaper alternatives, but they’re not as deep or comfy to lie on.

Equivalent versions, specifically aimed at little children, are available. They’re much, much shorter though. I’m five foot four and can lie comfortably on the GLTC Bed in a Bag.

And, to be honest, what self-respecting child (or adult) wants a Peppa Pig or Thomas The Tank Engine themed bed, past the age of about 4?

This mattress in a bag continues to be useful.

My boys have sleepovers with their friends (both away and at home) and the Bed in a Bags are been used time and time again.

They have been taken to festivals, on camping trips and weekends away.

And, more recently, I take them when I go to a sound bath.

So, if you consider how many times they’ll be used, over their lifetime, the cost — per use — is just pennies. What initially seems like an expensive purchase suddenly feels like a very worthwhile investment.

So — to round up my review — do I think these are worth the money?

YES!

Would I recommend them?

Absolutely.

They have been a godsend.

The Bed in a Bags have meant that our family of four can stay away from home — in all sorts of places — without the need for separate beds for the children.

They are, quite simply, brilliant.

Other GLTC Things We Love

Other GLTC products I love are the fabulous star book ledges. They are a firm favourite, as it means they have somewhere to store their sippy cups and books at bedtime.

And even more of a favourite with their daddy and me, as it means the floor by the side of the cots is free from books. I can tell you from bitter experience — books are very slippy and treacherous to walk on (particularly in socks and at night, when checking on your children).

I also have one of their fantastic peg-boards. Although ‘peg-board’ doesn’t really do it justice.

This nifty bit of kit is a pen-holder, chalkboard, keeper of notes and life in general.

I turned mine into a little dressing table assistant.

The perfect place for all my jewellery and things that normally clutter up the top of my chest of drawers, this little beauty is so versatile you could use it for anything at all!

NB: Editor’s Note.

This blog post was originally published 23 June 2016, then updated on 17th November 2025.