Thoughts on this car seat travel bag?

Alison's Mom · Jan 31, 2011

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Childress-Ultimate-Seat-Travel-Black/dp/B0009RNXNA/ref=pd_sbs_ba_1"]Amazon.com: JL Childress Ultimate Car Seat Travel Bag, Black: Baby[/ame]

DH absolutely refuses to bring the carseats onto the plane, or do the gate check option (there are no carts past check in, and he is stubborn and doesn't want to consider alternative carts/devices). My only alternative is to pack them securely in large duffle bags surrounded by blankets, foam, life jackets, etc.

I have a healing broken arm, so he was helping me do this yesterday and commented someone should invent a padded carseat bag. So, i found the above link.

Anyone used one or have any reviews for its protective qualities? None of the other bags have padding.

Jan06twinmom · Jan 31, 2011

I don't know about that car seat bag. Are you traveling with the Radians or other car seats?

If you absolutely have to take the car seats as checked luggage, then I think the safest solution is to put the car seats in the original box.

It looks like your oldest is 6/7 years old and youngest is 4/5 years old. Would you consider putting them in boosters for this trip? I would definitely do it for a 6/7 year old, but I'm not as sure for the younger child. If you want to consider a booster for your older child, put the high back booster part packed in your luggage with clothing to protect it. Then carry on the nbb on the plane and store it in the overhead compartment of the plane.

Melanie

Alison's Mom · Jan 31, 2011

Thanks. Yes, we are bringing the Radians; we have installed two other seats into our car for the ride to and from the airport.

Yes, my kids are 6 and 4, but tiny and don't fit in boosters yet. Here in Canada, you have to be at least 40# to be in a booster and although I would trust her to sit properly, (unlike my 4 yo) my 6yo is only about 35#.

I only have one original box, and there is no styrofoam . . unsure if we threw it out or if it came like that, so I think our bag with padding is better the box without?

There are good reviews on the amazon site, but thought I'd check here for more 'safety conscious' reviews.

ketchupqueen · Jan 31, 2011

I think that a sturdy box is a better investment than a bag. Here's why: the bag has padding but the forces that are put on a checked car seat can be transferred right through soft padding. A box has crush zones. It's designed to crush, to protect the contents, and absorb and dissipate the forces. I'd find a sturdy box that fit the Radians, and get some bubble wrap, wrap them, box them, seal it well, and pray that it made it to the intended destination with you (I checked a stroller on my last flight and it ended up on the flight AFTER me instead of mine, somehow.)

Alison's Mom · Jan 31, 2011

Hmmm, interesting about crush zones. Thanks.

What I didn't mention is that I have started a few threads on the topic of safely checking a carseat onto a plane. Bringing onto the plane, gate checking and cardboard box are out of the question for DH. I did try the cardbard box suggestion again yesterday. For him, it's too hard to carry and too ghetto looking (yes, I did suggest tying ropes around it to carry it with).

He already thinks I'm overly paranoid, because everyone else either: rents a carseat t their destination, or packs their carseat in a plastic bag provided by the airline to be checked.

The padded bag is the best I can get him to agree to, and getting a special padded carseat bag would make it easier.

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

He may live to regret his stubbon attitude. It doesn't sound like he's being at all reasonable but I guess you have to work with what you've got, huh?

Can you get him to read this?

Danger for Rent

I just don't get that he's wiling to risk his child's safety and life so he can avoid a little hassle or looking "too ghetto"? This is one of those times that *I* would personally fight for what I wanted but obviously this is not my marriage. I'm sorry that he's making the safety of your child such an issue for you :thumbsdown:

TerisBoys · Feb 1, 2011

Doesn't Sunshine Kids make a travel bag especially for the Radian? Just thinking with it's odd size folded, that may be better than the bag you've found.

Still isn't the best case scenario, but others have already addressed that.

ETA - found it - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-Radian-Travel-Black/dp/B002DGSWKE/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1296574314&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Sunshine Kids Radian Travel Bag, Black: Baby[/ame]

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

Honestly, it's really easy to travel with Radians BTW. I don't even bother folding them except if I need to in order to get them through the x-ray machine. 3-4 bungees and a collapsible trolley ($25 at Costco) makes it EASY. Besides, the kids can use them on the plane and their tray tables are 100% accessible with Radians. I might have a picture of how it all works... If I can do it with 2 kids (4 years old and 18 months old), a carry-on bag and 2 car seats ON MY OWN, I'm sure your hubby can tolerate the same.

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

TerisBoys said:
Doesn't Sunshine Kids make a travel bag especially for the Radian? Just thinking with it's odd size folded, that may be better than the bag you've found.

Still isn't the best case scenario, but others have already addressed that.

They do but it's more for carrying ease and not for checking it in. There is no padding that I'm aware of and it's designed to keep it clean, not from getting beat up.

Alison's Mom · Feb 1, 2011

Thx for the replies. Yes, he's stubborn, and it's because the first time we flew, I insisted on bringing the RN onboard but didn't realize there were no carts available, so he had to carry it through the airport with no handle or strap. Then DD freaked out on the plane and wouldn't even sit in it.

He thinks I'm overly cautious and 'why can't we just be like a normal family?'

So even though there may be a perfectly acceptable solution using a collapsible cart, he's not willing to entertain it. So yes, the duffle bag or some padded car seat bag is my only option. While we were stuffing pillows etc into the bag with some difficulty (that the RN barely into, otherwise it would be oversize) he acted like he was totally humouring me even for that, as in 'other people just throw it into a plastic bag at the airport' and rolls his eyes when I explain about invisible damage from being thrown around.

He's not a bad person, but just very laid back, and opposite of cautious when it comes to safety, like didn't used to lock his doors. He has too much faith in laws keeping us safe, like he would never not put the kids in the car without proper carseats because the gov't has determined that's not safe and therefore there's a law around that, but there's no law around kids on airplanes or how their carseats get transported. We are using CARES harnesses on the plane, BTW, which is a solution he likes.

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

And I understand that frustration 1st hand. I got so ticked off at the Radian being supposedly "travel friendly" because I had to lug it for over 20 mins through Montreal Trudeau with a toddler on my hip and a diaper bag in hand too. Not one single person stopped to offer me help either. I was in tears by the time I arrived (too late for my flight) at the gate. It was a hellish journey! This was before they came out with carry straps and such for it and they still continue to call that little red strap a "carry position" - Let me tell you, a carry handle it is NOT!

IF it's an outright refusal, there's not much you can do but work within your limitations. Padd the hell out of whatever bag or container you place it in and hope for the best. Check for obvious visible damage and hope there is nothing that got damaged internally or that is not visible.

FWIW, my DH is in the airline industry and sees firsthand how checked baggage is handled. The baggage handlers are know in the industry as "bag smashers" for a reason.

Is there any possibility of having seats on the other end for you to use instead? Where are you headed? Will family or friends be meeting you at the airport? What are the stats of your kiddos (age, weight, torso height)?

Alison's Mom · Feb 1, 2011

We're going to Honolulu and renting a car, nobody meeting us at the airport. The back up plan in case the car seats don't show up or are damaged, is for him to head to the nearest Costco while I wait at the airport with the kids, and buy two convertible carseats. The Scenara would work if we had to go that route. 6 yo, 35#, 40inches, 4yo, 28#, 37inches. Not sure of torso height.

Alison's Mom · Feb 1, 2011

Wow, there's a target near the airport and the scenera is $50! So much cheaper than Cdn prices!

cat mommy · Feb 1, 2011

Honestly, I would not check my good car seats. I would be more inclined to buy the Sceneras, check those and pray that they are not damaged, use them for the trip and then toss them. But that is not a solution I like either. Personally, I would out my foot down and refuse to check the seats--why should his "refusal" overrule yours?

Our local Target is hit and miss and whether Sceneras are in stock, so I wouldn't count on that unless the store is going to hold them for you or something.

Alison's Mom · Feb 1, 2011

He's stubborn, and like I mentioned in another thread aboyt this topic(but not about this carseat bag), he's had to concede to me on the circumcision, cloth diaper, cosleeping, extended BFing and ERF (we had to compromise on that one) issues. Plus, I had decided in our previous two trips that my duffle bag for the RNs was a good option

I just bought a TF as a spare seat to put into our yet to be purchased new car, so have now installed it and an Eddie Bauer 3in 1 into our car for the trip to the airport. Sceneras here cost $100 reg price, and plus, they don't fold so wouldn't fit in the duffle bags we have, so they would have to be checked in a plastic bag, which I think is worse than my current solution. The padded bag is $59.99 in Canada.

Nope, the duffle bag is the best I can do. I only started the thread to find out about the padded car seat bag, which I was considering ordering and delivering to the place we're staying in Hawaii if people thought it was good.

Man, oh man, and we are thinking of going to Australia next year. . . .

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

The Scenera is cheaper at Walmart ($39) and is 15 mins from the airport.

http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...scenera&ic=48_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=0

You can do a site to store shipping for free too to ensure they will be there for you ahead of time. Just another idea to consider

LittlePeanut · Feb 1, 2011

Definitely check the torso height if you plan to go this route (of buying upon arrival). The youmger one may fit but the plder one is unlikely to fit. The THS is only 14.5". Rememebr, the US seats cannot be legally used in Canada when you return either. I believe their rules for boostering are less as well, 30 lbs I think. So you can legally booster your 6 y/o while you're in HI.

Alison's Mom · Feb 1, 2011

Thx for the info. I'll check torso height, but the purchase-on-arrival plan is only in case our RNs don't show up.

Yes, I'd thought about the booster option for DD only in Hawaii, but she's never tried one and just sending DH to buy one while we wait at the airport, I couldn't be sure it would fit her properly. . .

scootiemom · Feb 10, 2011

If you're willing to buy new seats just for the trip, why not get a Travel Vest or two? We bought some for a trip last year and they were wonderfully simple to travel with and the kids thought it was fun not riding in a traditional seat. DH was amazed by them and loved not carting seats through the airport (which he knows was always non negotiable and a part of traveling with the kids.)

soygurl · Feb 10, 2011

scootiemom said:
If you're willing to buy new seats just for the trip, why not get a Travel Vest or two? We bought some for a trip last year and they were wonderfully simple to travel with and the kids thought it was fun not riding in a traditional seat. DH was amazed by them and loved not carting seats through the airport (which he knows was always non negotiable and a part of traveling with the kids.)

I think this is an excellent option! The only stumbling block I can think of is that you live in Canada, and I don't *think* the Ride Safer Travel Vest is approved for use in Canada, but again this trip is in the U.S. where this vest IS legal to use. Personally, I just don't think checking car seats is EVER a really good idea. True, there are cases where it is truly unavoidable, but how much easier would it be, in this case, to simply pack a couple travel vests in your carry-on, and be done with it? :twocents:

Thoughts on this car seat travel bag?

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