Travelling to NY: has anyone used the Tote N Go DX Portable Car Seat from OSA?

[DAKnits]

Hi all,

I am going to NY (Long Beach, Long Island) in two months and will be bringing my Britax Marathon with the Gogo Kidz travel mate on the plane, and baggage checking my stroller, so I will have my regular carseat with me while I am in NY -- I am renting a car there.

I am staying longer than my husband, and plan to take my daughter to NYC a couple of times by train from Long Island to visit my friends. I wanted to know if anyone has used the One Step Ahead Tote n Go Portable Car Seat for use in Taxi's. My daughter is almost 30 lbs, 32 1/2 inches, at 20 months. Since we will be travelling in two months, obviously she will be taller and heavier, but the minimum weight is 25 lbs which she is already over.\

I would not bring my Britax with me into the City. I would take my Mac Vogue stroller and a backpack diaper bag (either the One Step Ahead Urban or the Land's End triple compartment backpack, I'm stll trying to decide which to buy), and I would stick the portable car seat in the backpack (if I get the Land's End one b/c the OSA won't fit it) or the basket of the stroller. It weighs four lbs, so it would add some weight to the load I would be carrying around with me.

Does anyone use this in NYC -- it just seems safer than using nothing and putting her on my lap....

Thanks for any advice!

[Splash]

It's a pain to install and it is impossible to get tight. Most people don't like it actually. But yes, it is better than nothing.
Do taxis have latch? I know that many of them are post latch induction, but I don't know if they are still required to have it. If they DO have it, how about an EZ-on vest (ezonpro.com) or even a safeguard go (pricier, but a great seat)?
Otherwise, if the tote n go is your only option, then it's your only option!

E

[DAKnits]

I just visited the websites for the EZ on Vest and safeguard go ... WOW! In particular, the Safeguard go is fabulous -- but my DD may not make the height requirement of 34 " in two months ... I would definitely want this in the future, but I don't think she can use it yet, am I right?

I *think* both versions of the adustable EZ on Vest require me to tether it to something (which model would you suggest, the 103Z or the 203?), and I can't imagine a NY City cab having something for me to tether it to ... but I haven't been to NY in a while. I would rather use the EZ On Vest than the Tote N Go, but it doesn't seem like I'll be able to in NY City cabs ... PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong!!

Regardless of whether I can use the EZ on Vest now, I am REALLY happy to read about the EZ on Vest for school buses b/c I think it's a CRIME that school buses don't have proper seat belts and this would give me an option to use when my daughter ends up going on school field trips! I know I am thinking really ahead here, but what a GREAT product!

So should I just resolve to using the Tote N Go if my DD isn't at the height requirement of the Safeguard go? Boy, if I know about the Safeguard go, I might not have bought the Gogo Baby Kidz travel mate! For toddlers, it seems so much easier to bring the Safeguard as a little carry on, and baggage check the stroller.

[Splash]

The Go requires a top tether as well. It is an awesome seat, but it requires the top tether.
The Radian folds for traveling, but it's heavy. That sucks.
If you made sure to get a newer cab, then it should have latch. IF cabs are not exempt (I don't know). I could not find anything online about them being exempt or not.
This site http://www.thecarseatlady.com/taxis.html has some info on child restraint in taxis. One thing that she recommends is the ride safer vest, but your daughter is too small. However, since I think that requires a top tether... then maybe cabs do have tethers.
I don't know.
But the toe n go really do kinda suck. a backless booster, though not ideal, would probably work better.

E

[Joolsplus2]

Just fyi, the RideSafer doesn't require a top tether (it CAN use one, and would need one with a lap-only belt, but it can also be used with lap/shoulder only...we love ours :) ).

Yeah, I hate my tote n go, but that's what I'd take to taxi land (I just was in a couple taxis, I'm gathering the odds of getting one with LATCH are slim to none... )
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[tribecamom]

although most cabs do have tethers it takes too long to hook up the rider safer /tote n go than a nyc cabbie will wait

Julie, when I called the RiderSafer people they said you must tether with little kids--only bigger kids can use just lap/ shoulder...however I don't know whether to trust CS or not, the instructions weren't clear so I asked

[Joolsplus2]

My manual says you must tether a kid under 60 pounds, IF you HAVE a top tether, if not, you can use the l/s belt...um, yeah, clear as mud, huh? I was going on the rep at Lifesavers saying it didn't need to be top tethered and the crotch strap is optional. Maybe the small vest has more of a 'you must top tether' warning? (I only have the large...)

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx