When I was trying to find a carrier for my cat that could fit on canadian airlines, I was having a hard time finding one that would fit on the plane because most carriers have a height of 11″, but Air Canada has a height restriction of 10.5″, and Westjet has a height restriction of 8.5″. I came across the Sleepypod Air carrier, which has a maximum height of 10″, and can be further reduced to 8″ according to the website. I decided to go for this carrier, and I found one used on facebook marketplace for a decent price, so I ended up picking it up.
Disclaimer: this carrier was purchased and this review is not in any way affiliated with the Sleepypod company.
Where to buy
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This will not affect the price of your purchases.
- Sleepypod Air is available on Amazon.com
Features
Carrier Size
The carrier size listed on the website is: Length 16″-22″ / Width 10.5″ / Height 8″-10″
Carrier Design
The carrier has one continuous zipper, which opens both ends of the carrier, as well as down the length. This means that you can completely open up the carrier and fold the walls down. It has two pockets on each side to store small items. There are straps to secure the carrier to a seatbelt. Inside the carrier, there is a machine washable plush lined crate pad.
Safety – Crash Tested
All of Sleepypod Carriers have successfully passed the Center for Pet Safety Certification Testing. This carrier has been tested for pets up to 18lbs, making it one of the safest carriers for your pet for car travel.
Review
What I liked
- Flexible Carrier Size
As I mentioned, one of the most important factors for a carrier is the size. I primarily use carriers on plane travel and vet visits, and therefore it is important for a carrier to fit within airlines size restrictions. This carrier is able to fold in on both ends, to reduce the overall length. It can also be pushed so that the side walls are slanted, to fit into smaller spaces. I found the size reducing features to be very useful during flights. - Quality
This carrier has a premium price and is reflected in the materials. It feels very durable, and sturdy, and the zippers are smooth. The material is a rip stop fabric which is nice for travel days. - Safety
This is one of the few crash tested cat carriers on the market. Safety is also important to me as we travel by car quite often, and having a crash tested carrier gives my cat the best chance of survival in case of an accident. - This design works very well during vet visits.
Your cat can essentially stay inside the carrier and have the walls removed, instead of having to pull them out of the carrier. After the procedures, you can simply zip the walls back up around the cat. By reducing moving your cat around, it also reduces stress during the vet visitI used this carrier during vet visits and can confirm that the design works well. - Comfortable for the cat
This carrier has a comfortable fuzzy lining and holds its shape instead of collapsing in on the cat. It seems to be really comfortable and my cat actually loves this carrier.
What I did not like
- Dark mesh panels
The mesh material used is a double layer black mesh, which means it is very difficult to see into the carrier. Sometimes I want to see what my cat is doing, without opening the carrier, and this is almost impossible to do with this carrier. - The carrier unzips from the bottom
My cat likes to stick his head out slightly so he can look around. With other carriers I can unzip a small part and allow only his head to stick out but not allow him to come out entirely, however, with the Sleepypod, it unzips from the bottom, so when I open it, my cat will barge his head out and end opening it more than I wanted. - The mesh doors don’t stay open
The mesh ends have a small velcro piece to allow it to stay up and open, however in my carrier, the mesh tabs were not very sticky, and I ended up having to use a binder clip to keep it open. I have heard that others did not have the same problem, so it may be just the one that I have. - Zip design
Despite the zip design being useful in vet visits, I actually dislike it in general. I like to have separate access from the sides and top, and not have the carrier fall apart when I unzip it.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a top of the line carrier, crash tested, and flexible in size for air travel, this is the carrier for you! If you can get used to the slightly awkward zipper design, this is a great carrier that will keep your cat comfortable and safe. It does cost more than an average carrier which is not crash tested, but you’ll find that within crash tested carriers, the Sleepypod Air is priced very similar to the competition.
Theoretically Teddy 