Help With Car Seats...

[ceilidh1]

I'm hoping some of you seasoned travellers can help me out here! We do not own a car and have never had need for a car seat - we take public transportation and the few times we needed a cab or travelled in a car, we borrowed a friend's seat. We are taking a cruise to the Mexican Riviera in Sept. combined with a few days in LA and Disney. Although we will not rent a car, we will be taking cabs while there are will be flying back from LA at the end. So, my question is, what car seat would you recommend getting for a 2 and a half year old, bearing in mind:

 

1. We will use the seat very little so do not want something that costs a fortune - basic but does the job would be good!

 

2. The seat would need to be approved for car and airplane travel in the US and Canada.

 

3. The seat would actually need to be either available for sale in Canada or can be shipped to Canada - I have seen some reasonable ones online at Walmart, Amazon, etc but they will not ship to Canada! By the way, I love the 5-in-1 travel stroller/seat - why isn't it approved for use in Canada?

 

4. It needs to be fairly lightweight and very easy to install, since we will mainly use it for travelling and getting in and out of cabs!

 

5. Finally, it needs to come with a guarantee that my toddler will sit in it without a fuss and instantly fall asleep until we reach our destination (ok, well maybe that's hoping for a little too much!):)

 

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Lady_Jag]

How much does your child weigh?

 

Before we cruised in May, I bought an $18 (USD) Graco (I think that's the brand) backless booster seat from KMart that was for 30-100 pounds. It was very lightweight, and in ports I was able to strap it to the stroller handle with bungee cords, no problem.

 

You can't see all of it in this picture, but it's the camoflauge butterfly material behind the stroller handle. The car seat is sitting with its arms pointed down.

 

 

We never used the car seat, though, because the land transportation we took in ports consisted of a tour bus and a water taxi, neither of which had seatbelts.

[ceilidh1]

Unfortunately, the boosters are not acceptable for flying, otherwise it would be a good choice. My DD is 27 pounds right now, but will probably be more by the time we go in September. We are going to need the seat more for LA than the Riviera - we plan on taking cabs rather than shuttles from the port to Santa Monica, then to Anaheim, then back to LAX. I know for sure that you can't take children in cabs in LA without a seat...thanks for the suggestion, though - maybe we'll forego having a car seat on the plane since it's such a short trip!

[sbhdmh]

This intrigued me so I had to check it out. The 5 way sit n stroll isn't approved for use in Canada but I did find sites that would ship it to you at your own risk. I found one available on Ebay for $125 but shipping to Canada is $145! Wow! It comes out to be about the same price as buying one directly but boy that shipping cost is high.

 

Anyway I also found this site that will rent you one for in LA for $50 per week. I don't know anything about them but here is their website:

 

http://www.travelbabees.com/Car-Seats-Carriers/Sit-N-Stroll-Travel-System?LocationId=3&LocationText=Los%20Angeles,%20CA

 

They also have top of the line Britax car seats or another convertable system to rent for $35/week. They may be worth looking at. Good luck.

[Princess Ariel]

You might look into the Cosco Scenera. Very inexpensive (got mine on sale for $45 usd) and FAA aproved. Good for up to 40lbs.

 

I also wanted to add that it comes in a nice carry case!

[RENMama]

as a pp said, the scenera may be a good choice. babies r us carries it and they have a canada division. :)

 

the radian 65, although much more pricey at $200 vs. around $50, may give you longer use out of it as it can be used as a 5pt harness until 65 lbs. its smaller and folds up which could make it good for travelling.

 

i have friends rave about their graco nautilus seats too.

 

i thought our 22 month old was going to be a holy terror on our 3hr flight. we paid for her own seat on the plane but decided to not bring the carseat (britax) on the plane. she shocked us by LOVING having her own seat with seatbelt and fell asleep huge portions of the flight.

[dougpeng]

I recommend you find a used car seat of Craig's list. I know many people don't like buying used, but for a one time use, it's not a bad idea.

[brenderlou]

Do your homework and then check out EBAY. You can probably get a very good deal on a toddler seat that will ship to Canada or has a Canadian seller...Good luck!!

[ceilidh1]

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I am still having problems! I have tried to find the Cosco Scenara as you all recommended, but it seems it's not approved for use in Canada - so nowehere will ship it here! Babies r us Canada does not stock it!

 

I did look on ebay, but shipping puts the cost way out of my budget on any of the seats! Craigslist I just don't trust with something like a car seat!

 

I did find a cosco high back booster that would fit my daughter, ships to Canada, and is within my budget (around $70 or so). Problem is, I can't find any info about whether it is FAA approved - how do you find that out?

[busymom29]

we dont' have the Scenara

but another similar cosco brand

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10759858

I bought it just for travel. (I attach the latch clips so I can put it on my back)

 

the side sticker says that it is approved for air travel if using the harness -

not as a booster (so - strap the car seat to the airplane - and then harness the child) - only up to 40 lbs

 

we have the graco nautilus for our everday use - and LOVE it -

 

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

[ceilidh1]

we dont' have the Scenara

but another similar cosco brand

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10759858

I bought it just for travel. (I attach the latch clips so I can put it on my back)

 

the side sticker says that it is approved for air travel if using the harness -

not as a booster (so - strap the car seat to the airplane - and then harness the child) - only up to 40 lbs

 

we have the graco nautilus for our everday use - and LOVE it -

 

http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

 

That particular Cosco one is the exact one I was looking at - how do you find it? Is it pretty light/easy to lug around? How about installing it in cabs, etc? Straightforward? Thanks...

[nothriver]

For all information regarding carseats, I use

 

http://www.car-seat.org

 

They have a message board for canadian questions, too.

 

I have a Cosco Scenera in my basement that my child has outgrown. I only used mine a few times as a "spare" seat but did not have any trouble installing it the few times I used it. I've heard that sometimes it can be a bit of trouble if you need to use a seatbelt install instead of the LATCH install.

 

Your best bet would be to get your hands on any car seat, and practice installing it in as many cars as you can find before your trip. That way you'll be familiar with the whole process and won't be stuck standing outside a cab somewhere not knowing how to get your seat installed.

 

I think it is great that you are going to such lengths to make sure your child is properly installed while you travel! Good luck, I hope it goes really well for you!

[busymom29]

That particular Cosco one is the exact one I was looking at - how do you find it? Is it pretty light/easy to lug around? How about installing it in cabs, etc? Straightforward? Thanks...

 

very light-weight - just throw it over your shoulder and easy to install

 

here is a video I found of someone installing a car seat

[sail731]

We recently purchased the Cosco High Back Booster for our 25 month old daughter to use for our upcoming cruise and vacation. We got it at BRU had it for around $50 US. Sounds like that one would also be just what you are looking for.

[seacrcsvz]

Ceilidh1, wow, you have a tall order. Let me start out by saying we are Canadian diplomats, living and working abroad. My husband is RCMP and I am a paramedic, so we have had lots of training/info in car seats and their proper usage. We do lots of travelling with our three kids - all still in car seats/booster seats.

First, you mention you need a seat approved for use in Canada - will you actually use it there, or just for the airport? Canadian law is much stricter than the rest of the world. Your little one still needs a full size, front facing, fully tethered car seat in Canada (up until 40 pounds), so this is not a quick installation - 10 minutes minimum if you do it right, and I have had tons of practice. For taxi cabs/buses in Canada you do not require a carseat - this is public transportation.

For the airplane, you can use your full size car seat, forward facing, but you must place it in the window seat. The seat itself must be attached to the airplane seat, and then use your five point harness to secure your child. Even if the seat allows it, you will not be allowed to use this as a booster seat on a plane (boosters are not allowed) at a later date.

My understanding is that all car seats sold in Canada (definately) and the USA (this is where I am not 100% sure) are airline approved - make sure you either highlite the sticker on the side of the seat that shows it is airline approved, or take the manual with you and highlite the page. Also, be sure that the car seat is not more than 7 years old - yes, car seats have a 7 year expiry date (gradual breakdown of the plastic, as well as wear and tear of the belts).

Finally, I know that it is tempting to buy a used car seat, especially if you really have such a limited need for one, but I highly recommend you don't do this. Ialso recommend you never check your car seat with the airline - the baggage handlers will bang it around and this lessens its effectiveness. You do not know the history of a used car seat, unless you personally know and trust the owner. Even the slightest car accident, whether a child is in the seat or not at the time, can be damaged and no longer save your childs life in the event of an accident. If you ever have a car accident and a seat is installed in your car, your insurance company MUST replace it for you as part of your insurance claim.

So, at the end of this long message, I guess my point is this; you obviously love your child enough to use a seat, so spend a few extra bucks and get one that is safe and approved. You can access the reviews of car seats on ConsumerReports.org but you need a membership (they used to allow access to reports on car seats for free as a service)- they rate the seats, give the MSRP, comment on their features/bonuses (lightweight for travel, easy installation), and even mention where you can buy the seats. Might be worth buying the membership, especially if you plan on making any other purchases in the next 12 months - cars, appliances, computers, cameras, that sort of thing. They are very reliable reports!

Good luck.

[ceilidh1]

Ceilidh1, wow, you have a tall order. Let me start out by saying we are Canadian diplomats, living and working abroad. My husband is RCMP and I am a paramedic, so we have had lots of training/info in car seats and their proper usage. We do lots of travelling with our three kids - all still in car seats/booster seats.

First, you mention you need a seat approved for use in Canada - will you actually use it there, or just for the airport? Canadian law is much stricter than the rest of the world. Your little one still needs a full size, front facing, fully tethered car seat in Canada (up until 40 pounds), so this is not a quick installation - 10 minutes minimum if you do it right, and I have had tons of practice. For taxi cabs/buses in Canada you do not require a carseat - this is public transportation.

For the airplane, you can use your full size car seat, forward facing, but you must place it in the window seat. The seat itself must be attached to the airplane seat, and then use your five point harness to secure your child. Even if the seat allows it, you will not be allowed to use this as a booster seat on a plane (boosters are not allowed) at a later date.

My understanding is that all car seats sold in Canada (definately) and the USA (this is where I am not 100% sure) are airline approved - make sure you either highlite the sticker on the side of the seat that shows it is airline approved, or take the manual with you and highlite the page. Also, be sure that the car seat is not more than 7 years old - yes, car seats have a 7 year expiry date (gradual breakdown of the plastic, as well as wear and tear of the belts).

Finally, I know that it is tempting to buy a used car seat, especially if you really have such a limited need for one, but I highly recommend you don't do this. Ialso recommend you never check your car seat with the airline - the baggage handlers will bang it around and this lessens its effectiveness. You do not know the history of a used car seat, unless you personally know and trust the owner. Even the slightest car accident, whether a child is in the seat or not at the time, can be damaged and no longer save your childs life in the event of an accident. If you ever have a car accident and a seat is installed in your car, your insurance company MUST replace it for you as part of your insurance claim.

So, at the end of this long message, I guess my point is this; you obviously love your child enough to use a seat, so spend a few extra bucks and get one that is safe and approved. You can access the reviews of car seats on ConsumerReports.org but you need a membership (they used to allow access to reports on car seats for free as a service)- they rate the seats, give the MSRP, comment on their features/bonuses (lightweight for travel, easy installation), and even mention where you can buy the seats. Might be worth buying the membership, especially if you plan on making any other purchases in the next 12 months - cars, appliances, computers, cameras, that sort of thing. They are very reliable reports!

Good luck.

 

 

Thanks so much for the info - I really appreciate it. We probably will not need the seat in Canada - it will primarily be for travelling on the plane and for using in cabs in the US when visiting there. However, seats that are not approved in Canada generally cannot be shipped here - which I am finding as I try to order ones that have been recommended by US friends! I have narrowed it down to the following seats:

 

http://www.babycarseats.com/Cosco-22209TSS-CJV1120.html

 

http://www.babycarseats.com/Cosco-22248DTD-CJV1116.html

 

They both seem to have received decent reviews, they ship to Canada, they are below $100 (I really don't want to spend any more than that on something I will use a handful of times), and they fit my toddler's height and weight. Any comments on either one and any idea which would be easier to install (we do not have a car to practice with) and carry around??

 

Thanks again....

 

They all seem to have received pretty good reviews

[ceilidh1]

Does anyone have any experience with this:

 

http://www.joey-safe.com/index.htm

 

My 2 year old has worn a harness/leash since she started walking so would have no problem with wearing it, but how safe is it? I can't seem to find any reviews on it, but the website says it conforms to all standards, It doesn't say if it can be used on an airplanne, but I could forego that...

[notentirelynormal]

Why not talk to one of the many mail box office businesses in Blaine, WA and see if they will do a one time delivery for you? That will solve all the shipping issues. I can't see why they won't.

[busymom29]

 

http://www.babycarseats.com/Cosco-22209TSS-CJV1120.html

 

http://www.babycarseats.com/Cosco-22248DTD-CJV1116.html

Thanks again....

 

They all seem to have received pretty good reviews

 

I didn't see a weight listed for the actual seat - they both look similar to the one I have - just in different colors. Mine doesn't have the arm rests.

 

I think for what you want either of those seats would be just fine. you are able to restrain your child in a seat making her safe.

 

good luck

[CgyTravelJunkies]

Does anyone have any experience with this:

 

http://www.joey-safe.com/index.htm

 

My 2 year old has worn a harness/leash since she started walking so would have no problem with wearing it, but how safe is it? I can't seem to find any reviews on it, but the website says it conforms to all standards, It doesn't say if it can be used on an airplanne, but I could forego that...

 

Conforms to all standards, and APPROVED are very different. Looks like this product has not been given approval for US or Canada, and is simply a gimmick that is out there.

 

You can buy an FAA approved system like this for airlines, and can even rent them in Canada, which may be an option for you... but as for in a taxi etc... a certified approved car seat is your only option. http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

 

Look at renting them, here: http://www.weetravel.ca/

[ceilidh1]

Thanks - I had already decided against the harness thing...didn't sound too safe! I have ordered a seat from the US - waiting on it being delivered. It's not approved for use in Canada, but that's ok since we would never use it here as we don't have or need a car! It will be for travel only, as we tend to go back to the US a lot to visit family and rent a car/take cabs when there. I'll be sure to check back and let you all know how it worked out!