Question About Portable Carseats

[piglet33]

Has anyone ever heard about or used the Tote n Go car seat from Cosco? It's supposed to way only 4 pounds and can be folded up to fit in a diaper bag. The weight limits are 25 - 40 pounds. I was thinking of getting one of these for our trip in October so I won't have to lug around our full size carseat, but I wanted to check here first since I have always gotten so much useful info here. My daughter's safety comes first so I don't want to get something that isn't safe.

Thanks so much for all replies.

Renee

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Well, you peaked my curiosity since I had never heard of such a thing- so I had to go google it. LOL
This is what I found:
http://www.carseatdata.org/TNG.html

The same thing that bothered this person that wrote that- bothers me.... the way it pulls away from the seat like that. In an accident- they'd basically fly forward bending at the waist- much like you do with a lap seat belt only. Granted it wouldn't only be a lap seat belt so it's not like it would injure the tummy the same (because it's a 5pt harness and would "spread out" the impact all over like those do)- but they might get whiplash going forward with sudden stops like in an accident I would think???

I don't think there is any way they can fix that either. I mean the only reason other carseats don't do that is because it has a hard frame that also goes under the hiney-not just on the back. So it keeps it from coming forward like that on the top/back. I mean they CAN'T bend forward like that- they'd have to bend the entire carseat to do that. But with this- it's basically just a back piece attaching to the seat belt with the front being a 5pt harness. I don't see a way they could possibly have that type of a carseat NOT have the child bend forward like that- unless they added a bottom part with something stiff keeping it from bending like that- then the back would be held back and unable to bend them at the waist like that.

Not sure I'd use it. The concept is very cool and man, that would sure be easier to use on the plane and lugging it around would be a BREEZE compared to a regular carseat (although I'm not sure you could use that on a plane- not sure if it's approved) -but the falling forward and able to pull it away from the seat would worry me. Just my opinion.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

More:
http://www.coscojuvenile.com/news-1.asp?newsID=13

Cannot be used on aircraft it says. (in case you were hoping to use it on the plane)

Here's some other's comments on this carseat:
http://store.babycenter.com/comment...ddler/4305;jsessionid=R5JHNDRUV25PKCUAQMMSHPQ

In case no one else here has used it to reply to your thread. Hope this helps!

 

[piglet33]

Thank you so much for the replies. I thought it sounded too good to be true. Guess I'll be lugging the big carseat with us. I'll be going to The Right Start and buying one of those carry bags. Hopefully that will make it easier.

Thanks so much again!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

You're very welcome.
And LOL- me too about lugging the carseat! That's why I jumped on checking about this seat- I was thinking I might get one! But after I'd read about it- guess not.

 

[tjmw2727]

I bought this seat, tried it an promptly returned it. My problem was the way you strap the seat in by using the car's seat belt. Hard to explain but my then 2 1/2 yo could slide it down so she was almost laying flat on the seat. She could also slide it sideways at will and that was just while parked!

Perhaps other models of cars would work? We have a mazda mpv and at the time a diamante station wagon and it did the same thing in both cars.

Once we stopped using the seat with the 5 point harness in the aircraft (for us about 3 yo) then we just checked the seat through as luggage. This way you have a seat that everyone is comfortable and happy with.

TJ

 

[TiggerPU88]

Hi!

We tried using the Right Start Bag for the car seat, but unless you are planning to check the car seat, it is more trouble than it is worth. It was still very awkward and then we had to get it OUT of the bag to install it on the plane!