Tips on keeping car seats cool

coleslawcat

New member
I live in Arizona and our summers are brutal. The van gets so hot, especially if I have to park in the sun. I feel guilty strapping my kids into their seats. Even if I am careful to keep the hot metal pieces away from them, they still complain that the cover is very hot. They are so sweaty almost instantly. I have the rear A/C vents pointing directly to their seats so I think part of it is they just start sweating from the heat of their seats. Does anyone know of any good products or have any good tips for keeping the seats cool that won't end up with the seats being drenched from ice melting?
 
ADS

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
We use white towels over the seats, and reflective sun shades on the front and back windows. We also open all the doors while loading diaper bag, etc. in the trunk, to give the "hot air blast" time to leave the car (sometimes we turn the A/C on to cool off at that point too, since the first few seconds it blasts hot air.) It works pretty well.
 

coleslawcat

New member
Last summer we tried towels and we have a sunshade. The windows are tinted. I was mostly wondering if anyone has tried the various products designed to keep seats cool. I've seen several different ones in other people's cars and stores and was wondering if anyone has tried them. I've done the ice packs in the seats and they just melt and make for very wet seats. In Arizona they don't keep the seats cool because they melt so quickly if you are out for long the water is hot. Maybe the seat coolers aren't as common in other parts of the country.
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Seat-Car-Cover/dp/B000GM2ULY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1274339513&sr=1-1"]Cold Seat[/ame] is made by a mom from the Phoenix area who got tired of hot seats. We always go back to Tempe during the summer to visit my mom (I don't know why, crazy, I guess) and it always surprises me just how hot it feels. Maybe it's because I have to park on the street at her house and not in the garage like at my house, but it's just insanely hot, not the 5*-8* hotter like the weatherman says it is from where I live.

The best I can suggest is dark, almost limo tinting.
 
If we're going out on a hot day, I bring the blue ice packs that I keep in the freezer - I put them in an insulated bag in the trunk ([ame="http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Blue-Brand-Weekender-Pack/dp/B000VPBIZA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1274370400&sr=8-3"]this size[/ame] is great for car seats IMO). When we park, I put one ice pack in each DD's car seat and cover with a light towel (their old hooded towels are the perfect size IMO). We use several 'spring shades' to cover whichever windows are getting the most sun and if we'll be out for an hour or more, I'll cover the car with the tyvek car cover in the trunk

I also put a water-filled spray bottle in the cooler bag and DD's can "mist" themselves before they get back into the car.

Bonus: having the cooler bag and blue ice in the trunk mean perishable groceries can stay cool on the way home:D
 

coleslawcat

New member
Thanks for the ideas ladies. I'll try the insulated bag with ice packs and towels. I am kicking myself, I had the opportunity to by the ColdSeat Murphydog posted for $25 and I didn't. I didn't realize the regular price was so much more.
 

msg221

Well-known member
If we're going out on a hot day, I bring the blue ice packs that I keep in the freezer - I put them in an insulated bag in the trunk (this size is great for car seats IMO). When we park, I put one ice pack in each DD's car seat and cover with a light towel (their old hooded towels are the perfect size IMO). We use several 'spring shades' to cover whichever windows are getting the most sun and if we'll be out for an hour or more, I'll cover the car with the tyvek car cover in the trunk

I also put a water-filled spray bottle in the cooler bag and DD's can "mist" themselves before they get back into the car.

Bonus: having the cooler bag and blue ice in the trunk mean perishable groceries can stay cool on the way home:D

This is pretty much everything I do as well! I live in the Phoenix area and yes, the summer heat is brutal. I have tinted windows on my car and I also use the frozen blue ice packs that I put inside a Ziploc bag and then when we go inside to a store, I put the ice packs on the seat, especially on the metal buckles. I also have a reflective metal car seat cover that I use to cover the seats. When getting back in the car, I will run the AC for a few minutes to cool the car down before putting the babies in. I also have a large, insulated bag that I keep in my car for when we go shopping and I have refrigerated/frozen food to bring home as well as a small ice chest with ice and bottled water that I keep for when we are out.
 

skitle1802

New member
I put a crib sheet over the seats if we're going to be out for a long period of time.

:yeahthat: also prevents sun fading on your seat covers if your windows very-light to no tint. Cheap ones at Target are great, usually the elastic is too tight for a crib but perfect for staying on a car seat.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
A pack-n-play sheet works pretty well at preventing the buckles from getting too hot, and the elastic helps keep it on.
 

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