Kids Fly Safe - CARES Harness

[TravelBugg]

I've been reading the post about car seats but want to know more about this CARES harness. We are flying Allegiant and don't have any othe ruse for a car seat so I hate to take one just for the flight if there is another option that is safe. Who all has this and/or has any experience with this? Would you recommend it?

Thanks!

 

[amomma23]

I've been reading the post about car seats but want to know more about this CARES harness. We are flying Allegiant and don't have any othe ruse for a car seat so I hate to take one just for the flight if there is another option that is safe. Who all has this and/or has any experience with this? Would you recommend it?

Thanks!

I have used it many times for my little ones. If you are only going to need it a few times, the best deal is to rent one from eBay. Just do a search and you'll find a few people. (If you want a recommendation, I can look up my account and see who I used.
I have only had one problem with it. We fly SW and the seats are leather. The first time I used it, my little ones were sliding down in their seat, causing the harness to ride up their chest. To fix it, I just brought a square of rubber-ish shelf liner for them to sit on. No more sliding.
I absolutely loved using it. We took them to Disney for a few years, and with Magical Express and busses, it seemed like too much hassle bring car seats. Highly recommend.

 

[Mom323]

We have one and have used it for our grandson. It is great. We bought ours on eBay.

 

[Freesia123]

You can get one for about $50 and then resell it for about the same price. I highly recommend it!

 

[peachygreen]

Love using our CARES system when flying. So easy to install and carry and very light weight etc.

 

[jeepwreck]

never heard of this before but glad I found it now it looks good.

something i may have to look into more since we are planning our Son's first trip to Disney and he will be just under 2yrs when we go

 

[mab2012]

I know I'm in the minority, but I didn't love CARES:

• 
  When my daughter was small she was never very comfortable sitting on a plane seat. There was no way she could brace her feet, so she would slide, or slouch, leather seats or otherwise.

• 
  On some planes with contoured seats, I couldn't get a good fit with CARES. The top strap that is supposed to lie behind the child's neck/head cannot lie flush against the back of the seat, and therefore the child cannot sit properly against the back of the seat.

• 
  I didn't even try with my son. He needed to be in a car seat, not so much for safety, but because it kept him still. CARES will not keep a child restrained unless they want to be. Whether this is a problem depends on the kid.

All that said, it is unquestionably more convenient than dragging around a car seat. In the right situation I would use it again; I just don't love it as much as most people seem to.

 

[DahliaRW]

I don't like how the CARES harness causes the seat belt on the plane to ride up on the child's abdomen (there is nothing between their legs to hold it down). In the case of a crash, the seat belt will push into your child's vital organs since it is not across their hips, causing internal injuries. I personally won't use one for that reason.

 

[jlwhitney]

I don't like how the CARES harness causes the seat belt on the plane to ride up on the child's abdomen (there is nothing between their legs to hold it down). In the case of a crash, the seat belt will push into your child's vital organs since it is not across their hips, causing internal injuries. I personally won't use one for that reason.

Given out unlikely there will be a crash I am sure they are great for some kids to keep them in thier seat.

Mine would squirm out of it , she will only be 20 months, so not on option I want to spend money on.

 

[disneywonderfun]

We found CARES system to be a little overkill. Just watch their video with turbulence. It is so unlikely to happen that the risk of being restrained with that system might even be worse.

DWF

 

[jenifferf00]

We used one when our daughter was 2 and 3 on the plane and I really liked it. More just to keep her in place, I had nightmares of being the mom kicked off a plane because her 2 year old wouldn't sit. Since it mimicked the feel of her car seat she wasn't phased by it and didn't try to escape it. I used rubber shelf paper under her butt to keep her from sliding since there's no between the leg strap.

I bought a used one on Ebay for around $50 and sold it after we were done for about the same. It was worth it for my piece of mind.

 

[KLK622]

I've been reading the post about car seats but want to know more about this CARES harness. We are flying Allegiant and don't have any othe ruse for a car seat so I hate to take one just for the flight if there is another option that is safe. Who all has this and/or has any experience with this? Would you recommend it?

Thanks!

We love ours and have loaned it to others who have loved it also. We have a very, very active 2 year old and it has worked wonders to keep him seats most of the flight. It beats brining the car seat with if the plane is the only time you need it. Just make sure your child falls within the hight and weight limits (both upper and lower).

 

[Castillo Mom]

We used it for my niece when she was three. We rented it from someone on Ebay. Very convenient process and easy to use.