A light car seat for an airplane/car rides while on vacation

[tori]

My son is 2 and we have traveled on an airplane with a Britax Marathon. These seats are so bulky and heavy to lug through the airport.I am expecting a second child in a few months and we really want to try to lighten our load. I am wondering if anyone could recommend a lighter less bulky seat for the airplane and for car rides while we are on vacation. Thanks for your help I really appreciate it!

Victoria

[bensmom]

How much does your son weigh?

I use a Cosco Regal Ride (same as the Touriva, being replaced by the Scenera) for travel and like it. My DS is 20 months and weighs about 28 pounds. It's a convertible seat and is pretty light. I can wear the backpack diaper bag, carry DS in one arm and carry the seat in the other arm when needed - especially for on and off the plane. It's also generally $50 or less.

Not as padded as the Marathon, but that seems to bother me more than DS.

In another year or so, once DS weighs enough (and will sit on the airplane without his seat), I'm leaning towards getting the Ridesafer travel vest for him. Here's a link that Julie (Joolsplus2) recently gave me on that:
http://uccomama-ivil.tripod.com/id11.html

I figure at that point, child #2 (due in March) can use the Regal Ride and DS can use the vest.

HTH!
Ilana

CPS Tech and mom

[tori]

Ilana,

Thanks for the information. I am going to go and take a look at the Cosco Scenera.

Victoria

[tjham]

Ilana, how would you tether the vest on a plane?

[Joolsplus2]

That vest is for car use only... you would just use the plane seatbelt for the kid at that point (they fit relatively well in plane seats at age 2 or 3...), and then the RideSafer is just *really* easy to pack compared to a car seat or boosters.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[momtoB]

We have traveled quite a bit and used the Cosco Touriva (precurser to the Scenera) and liked it. DS has almost outgrown it in height (his shoulders are only about an inch from the top slot) so I am now looking at other seats to replace this one. There is one coming out sometime this month that looks really intriguing to me. It's from Sunshine Kids, called "Radian" and will be quite a bit more than the Scenera would cost but is a convertible car seat that harnesses up to 65 lbs so should last longer too. The reason it intrigues me though is that it folds up to about 6.5" wide (for travel or storage). Here's a link to their site: http://www.skjp.com/Pages/radian1.html

I just thought I would mention it. I would love to hear reviews if anyone has seen one IRL yet.

Cheryl
ds-4/21/03
(37" tall, 26lbs)