which is better - traveler or regular PIS?

[littleme2]

Hi,

I definitely want to buy the Medela PIS - I've heard great things about it. I'm debating about which PIS. I know several people who have the regular one and they love it. I also like the way it looks with the bag. The traveler is in a backpack which I'm not too fond of. Is there a difference between the two PIS besides the bag?

Whoever has the traveler one - do you like it and have you had any problems with it?

Thanks

[C99]

I just got the traveler on Tuesday and have been using it since then. I don't know what the regular one looks like, but I do like the compactness of the Traveler -- I was schlepping around a Medela Lactina before and it was a PITA. Occasionally, it seems that the sucking power of the Traveler decreases while I am pumping, but I am not sure if that is unique to the Traveler.

[vpalmer]

I just ordered the traveler off www.kidalog.com. They have the best price by far at $184. The reason I decided on the traveler is that the pump and the storage pack for bottles are removable. You can purchase an extra bottle pack and send one to daycare. In addition, you can remove the pump from the backpack and leave it at work and simple transport the backpack with your expressed milk back and forth. It seemed worth the extra $10 for that convenience, although I have not actually used the product yet.

I hope this helps,

Veronica
Due with baby #1 6-16-03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

That is one reason that I decided on the Purely Yours instead of the Pump in Style. You have to have the backpack or tote in order for the Pump In Style to work. With the Purely Yours, I can just carry the pump itself back and forth in my regular backpack that I take to work everyday with my computer and purse, etc.

I have not used it yet. I got this info when I called customer service for both companies.

...Karen
Jake age 12
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[SASM]

Hi!

I have the Companion, which is similar to the Traveler, with the removable pump and cooler. I have not used the Original so I cannot compare the two. I will say that the reason why I purchased a PIS is because they are supposed to be one of the quietest on the market. I don't know if it is just because I have the removable pump but it is not as quiet as I thought it would be. When I watch the television while pumping, I have to turn the volume up and put the Closed Captioning on (it does help if I close the front panel but I am not sure how good that is for the tubing). However, yesterday I tried pumping one side while feeding Ian on the other and the pump didn't bother him ~ I am thinking it was the "white noise" effect. :-)

Personally, between the Companion and the Traveler, I would go with the TRaveler. The Companion seems quite heavy, plus the backpack is a nicer look and feel.

Good luck!! :-)

[bunnisa]

I am bumping this topic up to see if anyone has any more input on the subject... I could really use some insight!

Thanks!

Bethany
edd 6/15

[chrissyhowie]

I think the Medela PIS comes in three styles: the Original, the Companion, and the Traveller.

The Original has the motor and cooler compartments built into the bag, which can be inconvenient b/c it doesn't give you the option of leaving the pump at work and just bringing the bag home.

Both the Companion and the Traveller have removable motors and separate cooler bags, which personally I think was a much needed improvement from the old design! I believe the pumps are the same, so it really comes down to what bag type do you like better -- tote (Companion) or backpack (Traveller).

As for the Purely Yours Pump, I have both an old and new model. You can tell the difference by looking at them in that the old model is the ones with the "sleeves" coming up from the bottle holders. It also came in an awkward looking bag where the cooler pack was built in and not removable. The new one got rid of those (useless!) sleeves, making it very small and compact. It also now comes in a sleek tote bag (which is smaller than the Medela tote) with a separate cooler bag. The new model is a definite redesign and improvement over the old one, probably because they couldn't compete with Medela PIS before.

Personally I think the new Ameda Purely Yours is nicer than the Medela PIS in both the bag design and the pump itself. I also like the pumping action better on the Ameda as well, but that is definitely something which will vary from person to person. My sister has both a Medela PIS Traveller and the old Ameda Purely Yours. She prefered the Medela PIS only because she hated the old bag design of the Ameda (she thought both pumps worked equally well and were about the same in noise level). I think in the past most people preferred the Medela PIS over the Ameda Purely Yours, but with the new redesign I actually think the Ameda is a better pump having tried both.

My goodness -- sorry such a long post!

HTH,

[nofeea]

I've had the Traveler for about 5 months and have been very happy with it. I don't use it as much as I did in the beginning and I don't use it in an "every day at work" situation but I did pump several times a day for the first couple of months (DD was a preemie and I was making and freezing much more than she could drink) and I still use it if I go out or can't feed her for other reasons. I happen to love the fact that it's a backpack because whenever we go out I seem to be holding a million other bags and I love being able to just throw the pump on my back. I've found it very convenient pumping away from home- I've even been able to hang it on the hooks of bathroom doors to pump at catering halls and broadway theaters:)!
In terms of noise, if you zip up the compartment containing the pump/motor (leaving just the tubing hanging out), it really dampens the volume.
Good Luck!