I am not a mom. I got this because i have a lot of friends who have young children and I to have something we could use when they come and visit. I'm not sure how easy the rest of these pack'n'plays are, but this one was super easy to set up. It acts like a folding chair and has two locks (have to push hard to engage them) to keep it from folding back up. It also has a nice canopy to provide shade. This just snaps on the joints and also takes a little finagling until you get the hang of it. ONce you're done, it pops off, folds up and fits into its carrier bag and you're on your way. very convenient and not too heavy at all. I do think I would put a blanket down beneath it as well, as the bottom is a pretty thin and won't provide any padding, but thats probably why its so lightweight to begin with. Overall, seems like a good product so far. Hope the kids like it as much as I do!