Sleepypod Air in-Cabin Pet Carrier, Strawberry Red

I can't say enough good things about this carrier. I just returned from a 17 hour airline adventure with my 5 month old kitten, and all I can say is this was so worth the price splurge! The carrier may look sleek but the pockets held 2 ziploc pint bags of litter, one large adult incontinence pad liner, 1 pint bag of kitten food, 2 packets of Fortiflora, a mini bag of dehydrated chicken and a cat toy. The inside tether allowed me to open the carrier to comfort my kitten on our long flight as she wore a harness. It was long enough to let her turn around and come partially out when allowed. Most importantly, this carrier easily fit under the seat in front of me, thanks to the ease of the foldable sides. Yes, you must first flex them a few times at home to break the initial stiffness. Very easy! Cats prefer to stretch out versus sit up, so the lower height room was fine because the extra length option was more important for us. You need to know your pet. If your pet needs more height and less length, the Sturdi Bag works for us too. However, the features are not as outstanding. The Sleepypod gave me two different options to attach it to another bag. This feature proved to be so fabulous when I had to lug my luggage through international checkpoints with the carrier. The adjustable carry strap wass also comfortable to use on my 5'1 frame. A plush, removable pad is included. I removed this for our lengthy travel day and used two Stay-Dri pads to line the base instead. Note: I went with the discreet black color as most people had no idea it was a cat carrier until she mewed. This was useful at the airport and at the gate.

Much higher quality than ever expected. Very pleased with so much attention to detail. It is so well built and sturdy that it ends up slightly heavier than expected but not near enough to be a burden. Compact on the outside yet very comfortable for who’s inside. Very well ventilated and again, impressively strong and sturdy. I could not recommend this product more… as long as you can afford it, it’s worth every penny. This product is proof that “sometimes you get what you pay for”.

Fit under the seat in a 737-700/800/MAX8 plane (see photos). Our female Italian Greyhound puppy is 4 months old and 70% of her full size (6.5lbs now) and she had no problem in this carrier, happily stretched out to snooze on her side. I bought this bag for its top quality construction ... (think TUMI brand luggage!) and didn’t think about this extra benefit until I travelled with it: I booked our hotel forgetting to check their pet policy. Thankfully our girl was always quiet and the black mesh kept anyone from knowing we had a dog. Worked nice in the truck too because the supportive floor bottom was nicer for her to rest on than our laps and shaded her from harsh sunlight coming through the windows. Even the airline gate agent didn’t know we had a puppy inside (man we could have saved the $95 each way on Southwest! - LOL - don’t try it because Honesty is the best (God’s Policy) and Murphy’s law will wreck your trip). Side zip pocket is just right to store a leash and puppy pad. The other side dual zip section let’s you put the bag on top of luggage having a pull handle. My pup wanted to destroy the plush floor liner thinking it another plushy toy so I threw in a blanket instead - simple. The bag feels like it is made of water resistant, woven ballistic nylon. Truly a worthy investment and will last a long time. Update Jan2919 my girl is just shy of 10 pounds and still fit into & traveled in it just fine. She cried a bit and I thought it was a kindness to gently slip my fingers inside to reassure her. Well after about 4 times decided to change that around and not reward the behavior. A small, gentle kick to the side of her carrier quickly nipped that behavior in the bud after about 4 times. And yes I love her so very much. Cheers

This is the best pet carrier available, and reflects the kind of quality that I've come to expect of all Sleepypod products. My dog is very small (about 8 lbs), and always nervous. I travel a lot, so I wanted to get him a comfortable carrier in order for him to be as relaxed as possible. Because of the price, I was hesitant to buy this at first, but I'm so glad I did; my little guy is happy and comfortable, and is now a seasoned traveler in his Sleepypod Air. The base is really sturdy and doesn't bend or flop around under his weight, and the plush is nice and soft so he stays cozy. The mesh makes for good air flow, and so he can still see a little, but also makes it a little difficult for to see inside, so people aren't always coming up and trying to pet him. I also really like the multifunctional features of this carrier; it easily attaches to a rolling suitcase, buckles into the car, and opens up to serve as a travel bed. The materials are high quality, and it's very well made-- I've had mine for about a year and it still feels brand new. I only take off one star because it's a little awkward and bulky to carry. That being said, it's still the best pet carrier on the market.

I have a Jack Russell Terrier mix who weighs 14 lbs, is 20" long and 15" tall when standing straight up. I frequently travel with my pup by commuter train and airplane. Previously I had a Sherpa bag which literally fell to pieces. Now mind you, it was well used over a couple of years, so I have no complaints about the craftsmanship. However, it was uncomfortable to carry and airlines often questioned whether my dog would be able to comfortably fly in it. Using it became a nuisance. I purchased the Sleepypod hoping it would resolve some of these issues. Yes, it is an expensive purchase. However, it is really well made and very roomy for my pup. As Sleepypod's website instructed, I bent the ends several times prior to use. They are definitely stiff initially, but with each bend, they become easier to fold in. (Based on other reviews of the product, I would suggest Sleepypod provide such instruction on the insert that comes with the product, not just on their website.) Our first flight was very successful. My pup felt very safe and secure inside her bag. She was able to stretch out comfortably and the airline did not question whether she would fly comfortably in it. I also found it really easy to get her in and out of it, however my dog is well trained to use such a bag so she goes in and out on her own accord. I loved having the ability to slide the carrier over my roller luggage handle. I use to fake such functionality with the Sherpa, but it was always clumsy and I was worried my pup would slide off. It's very easy to carry over your shoulder, although the shoulder pad needs to be worn in so that it will sit more nicely. However, I love the handle on top which lets me carry her in front of me in tight situations, such as when boarding the plane. Once I got her on the plane, I only had to fold in one side as there was room for the other side to stay open. It folded easy enough, but I found it too difficult to move her around once we got in the air, so I left her be. It was a short flight. The zipper pouch is spacious enough for her leash and collapsible water bowl. There seemed to be space left over for more items, if needed. The padded bed is soft to the touch and easy to remove for cleaning. I love that it folds up compactly when not in use. It's super easy to store and get out of the way. I purchased it in Orange Dream - the color is really fun and the canvas material seems easy to clean. The only question I have about the product is that it came with a flat piece of black plastic - I have no idea where this goes or what I'm suppose to do with it. If you frequently travel with your dog as I do, I highly recommend this product. If you travel only once in a while, I would save your money and get a Sherpa bag.

I absolutely love this carrier! Sure, it doesn't fold out into a giant cat tent, but it's very comfortable for my kitten, incredibly easy to clean, extremely sturdy, and most importantly, it's safe. This is 1 of only 2 soft-sided cat carriers to be approved for car crash safety, as well as being able to go on airplanes. It has a whole suite of other perks, like looking like a simple duffle bag from the outside, multiple pockets, and a luggage handle strap, among other things. And most importantly for me, the quality of materials is absolutely top notch! My kitten much prefers to lay on top of the carrier rather than in it, but the top is only held up by the zippers, and they easily support his abuse. When he does lay in it at night, he seems quite comfortable on the enclosed padded, plush bottom. And the first few times that he was in the carrier, before he had gotten used to being in one, my kitten desperately tried to dig his way through the bottom of it, repeatedly, and didn't even make a scratch in the material. He would have torn any other carrier apart, but this one continues to hold strong. I have seen reviews that say that it's too warm inside of the carrier, but I have seen no evidence of this so far. Even when enclosed in the carrier for 4+ hours in my room, which is naturally quite warm, my kitten didn't seem to have any problems. I would imagine that if you have this problem, it's probably caused by having the privacy shield in, which would block off about half of the ventilation. All in all, I have nothing but good things to say about this carier, and I'm glad that I spent the extra money to get it. :)

I love this carrier more than any I have ever had. I know it’s approved for air travel- which is great, however, I have a 17 year old cat. We have no intentions of traveling with her. She has more medical issues at this point in her life so it will come in handy for her frequent vet visits. In the past I have used hard plastic pet carriers which provide zero comfort. I typically would throw a beach towel in the bottom, but still, I’m sure it wasn’t too pleasant for her arthritic bones. I love how soft and plush it is inside the Sleepypod. It’s dark and cozy and not overstimulating like other carriers. I also really appreciate the handle on the top. It feels very secure and I prefer to carry it that way so my arms can absorb all the shock from walking with her in it. The long strap is good for wearing cross-body which also lends itself to a smoother ride. I also really like that the pad in the bottom is removable and can be laundered if there should be an accident inside. Overall I am thrilled with my new purchase and would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice carrier for their fur baby.

Our tiny 9 lb. pup is not very strong or nervous, but this bag was a total bust for him. Mesh: He could not see out at all (and we could not see him--which was a problem when he broke out and was overheating) and on his very first flight in it, the zipper unlatched and opened up from the middle. I just happened to check on him right as he was escaping to go for a joy run around the plane. The mesh adds to the stress in my opinion, he can't see us, we can't see him, plus as others mentioned, he kept overheating in it throughout out trip. It was as though in summer temperatures, the AC could never make it through fully enough. Zipper: The zipper seemed like good enough quality, but it our tiny guy who is not even strong enough to leave a scratch on anything got the zipper to unengaged. He didn't catch the top of the zipper and move it or anything, it was midway down where he got the two sides to unlatch. He was half way out the bag when I realized what he'd accomplished in just 20 minutes. Smell: People are right, the smell is a lot to take, and I say that as a human, not a super sensitive dog. I tried airing it out for days, I even tried setting newspaper in it to absorb the odor. It did fade, and had we loved the bag, we could have lived with it. Customer Service: I sent the bag back using the address and label provided by Amazon (but paying the necessary UPS fees) and have tracking information to prove its arrival. But even two weeks later, the company is still asking where I sent it, and saying they cannot locate it so have NOT issued a refund. As you know most Amazon refunds get processed really quickly and make it a rather painless process. Even after paying to ship it back and providing tracking info. I'm still fighting to get my money back. I really don't like to leave negative reviews. I tried my best to work with their customer service to resolve this. But since nothing has been accomplished to date, I thought others should know the honest truth of our experience with the bag and company.