Carseat vs. CARES

[Coconuts]

We will be travelling for the first time with our 17mos old DD and we have never flown with a child that young before. Our DD(5) flew for the first time when she was just under 3, so we didn't need a carseat for her.

Do I bring her carseat, which weighs a ton, and buy the gogokids travelmate to wheel through the airport or do I buy a CARES system? They both cost around $80. Has anyone used either? It looks like my very active/squirmy DD would wiggle out of CARES. Do you think a carseat is safer? Or do I just not buy anything and lug her carseat through the airport?

I just know that we will each have backpacks with toys, snacks, diapers, and a stroller so our hands will be full, which is why CARES sounds appealing because of it's lack of bulk--I don't look forward to security check. Oh and did I mention that my DD(1) likes to run everywhere and you can't take your eyes or hands off of her?

 

[stephie1012]

i would get a cosco scenera and attach it with a bungie to your luggage to get thru the airport, its light weight and only around $45 ....are you renting a car? If so the CARES harness is out. We are bringing a seat for DS, bc he too is a wiggly child and will run off the 2nd we look away.

 

[Coconuts]

i would get a cosco scenera and attach it with a bungie to your luggage to get thru the airport, its light weight and only around $45 ....are you renting a car? If so the CARES harness is out. We are bringing a seat for DS, bc he too is a wiggly child and will run off the 2nd we look away.

No we aren't renting a car, which is also another reason why I didn't want to bring the carseat.

 

[bumbershoot]

Since she likes to run everywhere...wouldn't it be best if she was all clipped into a nice comfy carseat?

FYI, at under 2 she doesn't *have to* have anything. But it's safest if she does.

I personally would go with the carseat, but that's b/c we alreayd have that, and we didn't have the harness. With DS at 17 months (the age he was when we first went to disneyland) I carried him at the airport in a mei tai, probably on my back, and in that way he was contained (except for the moments through the metal detector of course). Because if I put him down, whoosh, off he went.

 

[Coconuts]

Since she likes to run everywhere...wouldn't it be best if she was all clipped into a nice comfy carseat?

FYI, at under 2 she doesn't *have to* have anything. But it's safest if she does.

I personally would go with the carseat, but that's b/c we alreayd have that, and we didn't have the harness. With DS at 17 months (the age he was when we first went to disneyland) I carried him at the airport in a mei tai, probably on my back, and in that way he was contained (except for the moments through the metal detector of course). Because if I put him down, whoosh, off he went.

That sounds like a great option but unfortunately my DD doesn't even want to be held, much less contained in a carrier. She just wants to explore. We even tried one of those cute leashes disguised as a backpack but she wasn't fooled. The split second she saw the leash, she kept pulling on it. Even if I tried her in this, I know that if she didn't want to go where she was being pulled, she would just drop down and have a tantrum and not move. I know I am making her sound like a monster but she just knows what she wants and is stubborn about it.

Anyway, any more input on my original question?

 

[trai]

I had the exact same question for my 25 month son. I did see on another thread that you can rent CARES through sellers on ebay. I'm not sure how this works, but it was a lot less expensive.

 

[Mayhem1976]

Well this probably won't help much since I'm on the fence about this too!! My DS will be 2 years 9 months when we go.

When he was 27 months we went away but would need the car seat so it wasn't a question about bringing it. It was great on the plane, he sat in it watched out the window and fell asleep for awhile. We took him out and let him sit on our laps for a little bit too. First we just attached the seat to our rolling carry-on luggage whiched worked great. When we landed he was asleep. My DH waited for everyone else to get off and then just carried the seat off the plane with DS in it. We then found that the seat fit into our umbrella stroller!! he stayed in there while we got our luggage/car stuff!

For this trip since we don't need the seat I had been looking into the CARES, but still can't decide what I am going to do!! I know that he'll be fine in his seat but I don't feel like dealing with it....

 

[Coconuts]

...First we just attached the seat to our rolling carry-on luggage whiched worked great. When we landed he was asleep. My DH waited for everyone else to get off and then just carried the seat off the plane with DS in it. We then found that the seat fit into our umbrella stroller!! he stayed in there while we got our luggage/car stuff!
....

What carseat do you have that can fit into an umbrella stroller?! And for that matter, how big is your umbrella stroller?

 

[Tara]

What carseat do you have that can fit into an umbrella stroller?! And for that matter, how big is your umbrella stroller?

I'm picturing the golf umbrella equivalent of an umbrella stroller...

 

[Coconuts]

I'm picturing the golf umbrella equivalent of an umbrella stroller...

I swear I was going to say that in my post!

 

[DT83097]

Personally, I would go with the CARES harness. It sounds as if you don't need one more thing to lug through the airport (i.e. carseat) and since you are not renting a car you won't need it or be able to use it (on ME bus, or Disney busses) so I would leave it at home. The CARES will tuck into your carry on or purse really easily after the flight. We did this when my DD was 21mo. old and it worked great. My vote is for CARES! Good Luck.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just adding - it would probably be difficult for your daughter to squirm out of the CARES.

 

[Mayhem1976]

What carseat do you have that can fit into an umbrella stroller?! And for that matter, how big is your umbrella stroller?

It's not that big LOL!! I tried to tell this to a friend and she looked at me like I was crazy!!
It's a Maclaren stroller and Britax Marathon Car Seat...because the stroller doesn't have rigid sides it works!! We just held on the top a little but with him in it, it stayed!

 

[laughinplace199]

Does your DD weigh enough to use the Cares harness? I looked into it when DS was 18 mos, but he did not weigh enough at that point. We ended up buying a Cosco Scenera for travel. It's a pretty decent seat and we usually rent a car, so we need a car seat anyway.

 

[Coconuts]

Does your DD weigh enough to use the Cares harness? I looked into it when DS was 18 mos, but he did not weigh enough at that point....

Yes, she weighs 26+ lbs by now.

Just adding - it would probably be difficult for your daughter to squirm out of the CARES.

I just watched the installation video on the CARES website and it has no strap between the legs. It seems like my DD would slide right through the bottom. When she is in her carseat, she tries to slide out the bottom to escape.

I guess I have answered my own question and I should bring the carseat.

BTW, talked to DH about it last night and he doesn't want to spend the $80 for something we will most likely use once. He also said he was willing to lug the carseat through the airport.

 

[Mayhem1976]

[
BTW, talked to DH about it last night and he doesn't want to spend the $80 for something we will most likely use once. He also said he was willing to lug the carseat through the airport.[/QUOTE]

It's really not that bad, just play around with strollers/luggage to see if you can attach it to one of them. The worse part is going through security...our car seat just fit through the scanner, we needed to recline it!

 

[jlx2]

We have twins and used their car seats twice for trips and then got the CARES restraint and I can't say enough wonderful things about it! It honestly is a pain with the car seats. What we do is if we are renting a car just check the car seats as luggage, use the CARES on the plane and it's so much easier. I've never had a problem using them, and they come in their own little bags that go right into my carry on. We travel quite a bit and have got a lot of use out of them. I have a friend that said she got one and was going to use it and then sell it on e-bay when she was done after seeing ours and how it works. Good luck!

 

[Tara]

[
BTW, talked to DH about it last night and he doesn't want to spend the $80 for something we will most likely use once. He also said he was willing to lug the carseat through the airport.

It's really not that bad, just play around with strollers/luggage to see if you can attach it to one of them. The worse part is going through security...our car seat just fit through the scanner, we needed to recline it![/QUOTE]

I agree - carrying the seat is worth saving $80 to me for a one-time deal. It sounds like the car seat will work out better with your daughter anyway - have a great trip!

 

[DizzyV6P]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Sit n Stroll, combo stroller. We bought this 5 years ago when our DD5 was an infant and intend to use it again for our #2 when we go back next April.

http://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Gold-Stroll-Combination-Stroller/dp/B0006UF43M

It's paid back its price in convenience many times over!

 

[Tara]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Sit n Stroll, combo stroller. We bought this 5 years ago when our DD5 was an infant and intend to use it again for our #2 when we go back next April.

http://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Gold-Stroll-Combination-Stroller/dp/B0006UF43M

It's paid back its price in convenience many times over!

Sorry to say, but...

I traveled with a friend who bought one of these and there's really nothing I could recommend about it. I think it's a love it or hate it sort of item. As a stroller, it's not really suitable IMO for outdoor use (no shade, what happens if it rains?) and the wheels are small and hard, making the ride very bumpy on all but the smoothest of floors. If I were going to do without a real stroller, I'd MUCH prefer to get the Gogo Kidz wheeled carrier for a regular car seat - that way I'd have the convenience of wheeling a seat through the airport with the reliability of my regular car seat that is far easier to get a tight installation, all at a price good deal less. Obviously your experience is different, and I'm sure it works for some people or else it wouldn't have been sold for this many years, but it's one of those good ideas that didn't really play out well IME.