Seat for travel-- 3.75 y.o.

[sassafrassdc]

Ok, a more concise version of an earlier post.

DS will be 3.75 y.o., ~39-40lbs and ~39-40 inches when we travel this summer. We will be in and out of various (non-American) cars including cabs, on and off a number of planes and schlepping out stuff a lot.

When he is strapped into the carseat, it is likely that I will be sitting next to him in the back of the car. DH and MIL are both pretty scary drivers so I don't want to skimp here on safety.

The MA we have is really a PITA to schlep.

What about the Safeguard Go? (Jools and others, if we don't have LATCH in all the vehicles is this still a safe option?)

Or the Graco Nautilus (but I would need to take the whole 26 lbs of it? Then not better than the MA?)

The Eddie Bauer Portable Car Seat (Frankly looks scary)

Other booster or convertible?

I'm SO confused. I would like something that can be his travel seat for the forseeable future, though DS2 will also eventually use whatever I buy, so it doesn't have to be useful for DS1 forever.

Thanks in advance!

Jess

[californiagirl]

Safeguard Go requires top tether to be a 5-point harness, so that's not a good option for you.

We use a RideSafer travel vest. It's easy to carry, and with less effort than installing a car seat (more than a booster), you get a rock-solid install. No view, and you get some weird looks if you don't bother to take it off immediately (particularly with the head rest).
http://www.elitecarseats.com/Safe-Tr...ravel-Vest.pro

[Joolsplus2]

<nod>. That's our favorite travel gadget..it only requires a lap/shoulderbelt (also has a top tether that can be used with a lap-only belt...but other countries don't have top tethers usually....). The crotch strap is optional, the headrest thingie is optional, so it's really easy to just put it on him as you're hailing a cab, then get him buckled up (the belts have to go into some hooks on lap and shoulder) practically as you drive off into the sunset...
Oh, they don't have an expiration date, so don't worry if you get an oldish one.
And I do like the EB Portable if you might be getting lap-only belts, but it's only good to 40 pounds.

The RSTV isn't ok on a plane, but it's so small you should pack it in carryon so you always have it with you.

[sassafrassdc]

Yay! Ride Safer Travel Vest it is!

And perhaps a CARES harness for the plane.

Now to decide about DS#1 (will be 14 mos, ~20 lbs)

Schlep the RA or use the Sit n' Stroll even though I hate it RF (so hard to get a good fit!) ... or buy a Graco SafeSeat or Scenera.

Thanks!!!

Jess

[californiagirl]

At your older DS' size, I'd only bother with the CARES harness if a) you think it will help him sit in his seat and b) you know you'll use it for your other DS. The FAA says kids are fine in a normal seatbelt at 40 lbs, and the CARES only goes up to 44 lbs (I have a large child, so DD's been over that since, oh, a bit before your older son's age).

Or borrow one from somebody, which is what we did. (It works out; they borrow our RideSafer.)

[kbud]

Or borrow one from somebody, which is what we did. (It works out; they borrow our RideSafer.)[/QUOTE]

What an awesome idea! I wish I had someone to do that with!

Kim

[californiagirl]

The RideSafer we actually use fairly often as a spare carseat. It's awesome to be able to put our kid in somebody else's car or somebody else's kid in ours without having to reinstall carseats. But the CARES is only useful on an airplane.

If we didn't already have a bunch of friends with kids and travel plans, I think I would have asked around at daycare to see if anybody there wanted to share one.

[sassafrassdc]

I have a friend I'm thinking to share a CARES with.