Coats?

R

Roberta

Guest
Coats?

So I have learned that coats and carseats are incompatible. Every discussion I have found about the safety and/or alternatives to kid's coats seems to come from from folks living in winter temperatures that never go below freezing or are only temporarily travelling to colder climates. Meanwhile, I have never noticed anyone here in New England, even among my safety-conscious friends, worrying about putting their coat-wearing kids in the car. To think that I am going to carry my coatless prescooler to the car in a blanket is laughable, while asking him to stop outside the car to take his coat off after I have just chased him across the house, wrestled him to the ground, and used all my sagest powers of persuasion to get it on him is utter insanity. Getting multiple layers in the kid is no piece of cake either. So, what is a practical solution? What are people in northern climes doing for winter gear in the car?
 
ADS
M

murphydog77

Guest
Re: Coats?

Hi. What I've heard from child passenger safety techs and advocates in very cold climates (Minnesota and upstate NY) is that the Lands End squall is very warm and thin enough for under a harness. It's pricey though.

What you should look for in a coat is a relatively thin one, not down or something really fluffy. The less compression in a coat, the better.

Heather
 
U

UlrikeDG

Guest
Also, Old Navy makes a Lands End Squall "rip off".

that costs a lot less. I don't know if it's truly as warm as the Squall, but definitely worth looking at if budget is an issue.

I know for my son, the Squall is enough all the time. For my daughter, she needs something warmer if she's going to be outside for a long period of time. She has a fleece lined down coat for playing outside and a thinner coat for riding in the car. She's just not as "warm blooded" as my son.
 
C

CPSDarren

Guest
Re: Also, Old Navy makes a Lands End Squall "rip off&qu

Chicago gets a bit cold. For infants, one of the "Cozy" covers that zip around the carrier is great.

I leave my kids in their winter coats, but I do NOT adjust the harness to be any looser than normal. That makes for a tight fit, of course, but it won't result in an effectively loose harness.
 
M

MyLittleTyke

Guest
My reply may not find favor with you

but let me tell you what I do. I live in a cold climate and have a bulky winter coat for my son. I put his coat on in the house, take him out to the van, take off his coat, strap him into his car seat, and then cover him up with 2 warm blankets. A bit of a hassle, yes. However, IMO, the extra hassle is worth the safety and piece of mind.

I do have to admit that my 19 month old son still willing extends his arms for his coat. Best wishes and I hope you find a solution to fit your needs.

Sara
 
J

jerzmom

Guest
Passanger cars are more of a problem

Those of us with passanger vehicles find this more difficult because essentially we need to have our little angels standing out in the freezing cold while we get them in and out of the vehicle. If I had a van, I would probably have my child take his coat off. For now, I make sure that I compensate for the bulkiness of the coat and make sure he is in real snug with a 5-point harness. I have my procedure check by a local certified tech and he agreed that I had my son in securely even with his bulky coat.
 
B

boppaid2002

Guest
Re: Coats?

Unless you have a van, I don't see how it's feasible to have a child sit in the carseat without a coat in cold weather. First of all, you would have to have the car warmed up first, and that would either mean leaving my car running with me in the house (not acceptable) or leaving my child unattended (obviously not acceptable). lol So then what? I have tried non-bulky coats, but they just don't keep him as warm...especially when he's outside for a while.

Actually, I've never thought about it before. I just loosen the straps to fit snugly when he's wearing a winter coat, and tighten them to fit snugly when he's not wearing one. Doesn't this work too?
 
C

CPSDarren

Guest
The problem with coats and thick materials-

If you loosen the straps to accomodate a thick, fluffy coat, then the straps are not tight on the child's body. The fluffy fill will compress easily in a crash, and provides no safety benefit, effectively the same as leaving the harness loose when the child isn't wearing a coat.

Ideally, you want the child coupled as tightly as possible to the harness system and carseat, and the carseat coupled as tightly as possible to the vehicle with the seatbelt or LATCH system. When you do this, the child gains all the benefit of "ride down time" provided by the crushing frame of the vehicle in a crash. With a loose installation of any kind, the child gets less ride down time and suffers a more severe crash into the harness system.

The analogy is that a tight installation is like catching an egg when you "give" backward with your hand to prevent it from breaking. A loose installation will be more like holding your arm and hand rigid when you catch the egg.

That is why we generally don't like to see any fluffy or compressible material inside the harness system, unless it came with the carseat. In reality, relatively thin coats aren't going to cause a significant difference. On the other hand, if you combine a fluffy winter coat with a slightly loose harness and slightly loose seatbelt holding the carseat, the risks of injury are much more serious.

This is another situation where a parent must decide between safety and comfort/convenience.

Darren
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top