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04-26-2012, 01:34 PM
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#1 |
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Mouseketeer
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 311
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WWYD - Infant Carseat Base or No Base???
We will be flying and renting a car for our upcoming trip. My son uses a rear-facing Graco infant seat (SafeSeat). Should I lug the base with us thru the airport or just leave it home? My biggest worry is that I won't get a "tight" install without the base in the rental car. The carseat is designed that it can be used without a base.
What would you do... or have you done?? Did it work??? Or wish you did the opposite?
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04-26-2012, 01:52 PM
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#2 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,420
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Leave the base at home. I usually installed my infant seat without a base since it made it easier for it to fit. Just make sure you know how to install it without the base.
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04-26-2012, 02:13 PM
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#3 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,431
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Practice installing it at home without a base, and leave the base at home. You can't use it on the airplane and don't need it in the car. My understanding is that the base makes the install easier, but it doesn't inherently make the seat safer.
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04-26-2012, 02:17 PM
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#4 | |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,173
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Quote:
Be absolutely certain you can get a good tight install without it. We attempted to use our seat without the base once and it simply didn't work at a level I considered safe. I know they say you can do it, but be sure ahead of time!
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04-26-2012, 02:41 PM
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#5 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 14,708
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The carseat I used for my first 2 kids didn't even have a base, and it took me seconds to install. I got a new one with #3, with a base, but it really wasn't a time saver for me.
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04-26-2012, 02:48 PM
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#6 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,420
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I actually found that our infant seats were easier to install without the base than with the base. That was true for two different seats.
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04-26-2012, 03:24 PM
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#7 |
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Actually Blessedby4 now, but cant change my username :)
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Blue Ridge, Virginia
Posts: 7,305
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Leave the base! You have enough to keep up with...and it is designed to be used with or without the base
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04-27-2012, 07:41 PM
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#8 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 5,082
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We've been taking the Graco 35 to visit family without the base. There are You Tube videos showing how to use it properly without the base.
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04-27-2012, 08:04 PM
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#9 |
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Coming out of hiding
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 663
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We traveled quite a bit with DD's carseat and installed without the base with the help of this:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-...5574907&sr=1-1 Basically we would install and get it as tight as we could and then would use the mighty tite to make it super tight. It is very easy and the carseat would be extremely snug. I did not pay this much for mine. I think I paid around $20 at babies r us and that was before coupon.
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04-27-2012, 08:10 PM
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#10 |
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Coming out of hiding
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 663
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So now I'm looking at the reviews of the product I posted and feel the need to put a disclaimer. As with any product, it may not be for everyone. For us, it was never used long term and I still feel that we would have used it. The small chance of needing the belt to be cut outweighed a snug carseat for something that is not every day travel.
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DH (31) DD (3) Offsite 1985- First Extended Family Trip All-Star Movies 2000- Mother/Daughter Trip Disney Cruise 7 Day Magic 2000- Extended Family Trip POR 2005 Disney Honeymoon POR 2008 Anniversary Trip POR 2011 DD's 1st Trip Pop 2012 Few days with Mickey on our way to a week on the beach |
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04-27-2012, 08:28 PM
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#11 |
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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,201
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When DD was little I would travel without her base. I was always able to get a tight install I was comfortable with and I was able to not lug the base. Best part was since I used the snap and go stroller the carseat could be gate checked which was so nice!
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04-27-2012, 10:44 PM
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#12 |
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Mouseketeer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Vernon, CT
Posts: 149
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We we traveled with the infant seat, we brought the base with us. We packed it in a checked bag with lots of padding around it and it was fine. I found that it was nice to have the base with us since we were there for ten days. We just installed it in the rental car before we left the airport.
If you have the room to bring it, I would. It will probably make life a little easier, and you only have to make sure you have a tight install once (for the base).
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04-28-2012, 07:14 AM
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#13 |
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Is it Disney time yet?
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Davenport FL
Posts: 2,184
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I say leave the base but DH would say if you have the room take the base.
I have traveled twice without the base and was able to get it nice and tight. DH just didn't like having to install it each time we got in and out of the car. He likes just putting it into the base. I didn't mind it.
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04-28-2012, 08:11 AM
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#14 |
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AKA Shrimpo or Flamingo Legs
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Boston, OKW, & AKV
Posts: 4,974
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We brought the base and put it in the overhead compartment on the plane because we wanted to use it in the rental car. I was never good at installing the seat without the base and didn't want to have to do it every time we got into the car, so we used the base.
Maybe if I had practiced more, I would have been more comfortable not using the base.
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08-03-2012, 04:25 PM
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#15 |
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Earning My Ears
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 72
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We plan on hooking our grace infant seat on it's base and checking it. I hate having to install the carseat each time and if DD is sleeping, we like to carry her in it to restaurants and shopping.
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