Rental Car Seats (And: Seattle (or Bellingham) Techs Please Read!)

brainycrunchy

New member
Hi all! I am wanting to go on a little plane-then-road-trip with my 3.8 year-old in a few weeks (to Washington State) and I'm freaking out about the carseat part!! I'm a single mama with crazy-bad spatial-relationship skills and terrible manual dexterity. I have been lucky enough to have Ketchup Queen here to do my carseat installs, and we have only travelled by plane one time, when our friends picked us up with a carseat installed that they had borrowed! I know it's ridiculous and I know if we were in an accident, etc., I would have to install a carseat possibly on the fly, but I think if that were to happen, I would likely find someone to help me or call someone to pick us up in a carseat. Installing a carseat into a rental car is the single thing that has kept me from flying places with my child (well that and she is pretty darn spirited and independent, so until recently I don't think I could have handled a trip with just her anyway) :). I have also heard that rental car carseats can be terrible, so that's another issue. In the future, we will transition to the Britax Frontier 90 and I'm thinking even I can probably (possibly?) learn this one, for other trips. For now, though, I'm trying to figure out what to do about this trip, and I'm literally paralyzed to buy tickets until I figure out the carseat thing! I had this crazy idea that perhaps a Seattle tech could meet us at the airport for the install (and maybe rent a carseat to us if s/he has an extra one), or maybe we'd take public transit in and meet the tech at an in-town car rental place. And, we could also fly into Bellingham. I wrote to one Seattle tech last week, but did not yet hear back -- maybe on vacation. I don't really have any other ideas. I would love any thoughts you might have. (And please don't tell me your seven-year-old can install a carseat. You're seven year old is awesome! I am a non-dexterous, visual-spatial-deficited adult, and I only wish I had the skills of your seven-year-old!) TIA, wonderful forum friends!
 
ADS

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Honestly? I'd just buy the Frontier 90 now and travel with it.

But it can't be used on the plane, right? So that means checking it. I don't know that that's the best plan.

OP, what car seat is your child using now? And how much does she weigh?
 

morninglori

New member
But it can't be used on the plane, right? So that means checking it. I don't know that that's the best plan.

Right, the Frontier90 is not FAA approved - because of the clicktight technology.

What about the SecureKid 400/DLX with the SureLATCH Connector?
 

jordansmom

New member
Honestly? I'd just buy the Frontier 90 now and travel with it.

The Frontier 90 is not FAA approved :(.

Sorry OP, no truly helpful advice other than I wouldn't be comfortable renting a carseat unless it was from someone I personally knew and trusted my child's life with.

Would you feel comfortable installing a seat on a plane that has the simple lap belt only? Could you either bring your daughters current seat or buy an extra carseat for travel purposes? Then maybe have someone meet you on the other end to help install in a vehicle?

What aspect of installing in a car are you uncomfortable with? Depending on this answer, maybe "we" can suggest a seat that would be the "easiest" for you.

Good luck!
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
What about a GoHybrid?

Sorry, I didn't realize that about the Frontier 90.

The Go is a great option, and is generally very easy to install as long as there's LATCH (which there will be in any reputable rental car). Maybe KQ could walk you through it a few times.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
The GoHybrid isn't FAA approved to install on the plane, either, because it requires a top tether anchor in harnessed mode and in belt positioning backless booster mode it requires a lap-shoulder belt, while commercial airplane seats lack top tether anchors and are equipped with lap-only belts. :eek: It's a very portable seat to take along for travel as a carry-on (rather than checking it and risking it not arriving at your destination or it being damaged in the baggage handling/mishandling process) if you don't intend to use a carseat on the plane and intend to use it in the vehicle only with a LATCH install, while the seatbelt install in harnessed mode is trickier and also typically robs you of some shoulder harness height compared to a LATCH install.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Oh, yeah, sorry, I should have specified that. At nearly 4 (I believe that's how old the child is?) I'd be fine with not using a seat on the plane and just using the Go a the destination. I'd MUCH rather take that than a Frontier, and the Go can easily be carried on the plane (just not used).
 

bubbaray

New member
I would not (& do not with my own kids) use a seat in the plane. I can't comment on the Go but what about a Maestro?

ETA and there is zero chance I would ever travel with a Frontier. No thanks.
 

creideamh

Well-known member
I concur, I'd forgo a seat on the plane and use the Go. As a single mom, I can tell you it's SO MUCH EASIER to take the Go in its bag than deal with rigging a car seat to a stroller/luggage cart, undo it for security, redo it to get to the gate, undo it to get on the plane, etc.

If you're renting a car, it'll be new enough to have LATCH, and the Go is very easy to install with LATCH (just pull it out and get familiar with it before you go, or have KQ help. ;) )
 

brainycrunchy

New member
My daughter is 42", 37 pounds and currently RF in a Radian. And my issues are just that I don't see mechanical things well ... it's akin to a developmental disability. I am like a baby trying over and over to put a round peg in a square hold and just not "getting it" that the problem is that I have to try the next hole over, not make the square one work. Although I certainly can and do learn, it's a slow process for me, I experience crazy amounts of deep frustration, and, if something isn't quite working the way I learned how to do it, I won't likely be able to "see" what the little problem is, and fix it. I know it sounds so ridiculous, but it's really true! And thanks so, so much everyone for weighing in so quickly and trying to help ... what a wonderful community!
 

morninglori

New member
The GO is only a forward facing seat, but it might actually work well for you. If someone helps to adjust the harnesses before you travel, that would make it even easier.

Any car you rent will have latch adn top tether in the back outboard.

The GO has 3 attachments. two lower latch and the top tether. connection has it's own tightening strap, so you can attach and snug each one up and you are good to go. It really is that easy. You still have to make sure there is less than 1" of movement, but it is not like the RF or FF carseats that we are used to.

Here is a video of the GO - the lady is super talky, but if you see what she does to install, I'm sure you could get this installed on your own.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gvLybJ8D2A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gvLybJ8D2A[/ame]
 

aeormsby

New member
How much driving will you be doing and does your DD sleep in the car? If it's a lot of driving and she may fall asleep the Go might not be a great option. We have one and it's great for travel and easy to install but not the most comfortable for the kids, especially if it's a sedan with integrated tilting headrests. Both of my kids have had rediculous head slump anytime they've fallen asleep in it.

I'd check out the Sureride with the crazy self tightening latch.
 

brainycrunchy

New member
What a great point! She does actually nap often in the car these days and given that we'll be traveling, that might be necessary. Hmmm...*how* easy is the Sureride install? :eek: My palms are already sweating! :eek:
 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
My daughter is 42", 37 pounds and currently RF in a Radian. And my issues are just that I don't see mechanical things well ... it's akin to a developmental disability. I am like a baby trying over and over to put a round peg in a square hold and just not "getting it" that the problem is that I have to try the next hole over, not make the square one work. Although I certainly can and do learn, it's a slow process for me, I experience crazy amounts of deep frustration, and, if something isn't quite working the way I learned how to do it, I won't likely be able to "see" what the little problem is, and fix it. I know it sounds so ridiculous, but it's really true! And thanks so, so much everyone for weighing in so quickly and trying to help ... what a wonderful community!

That must be very frustrating!

The problem here is that no matter what you choose, if you plan to travel alone with your child you will NEED to be competent to install the car seat.

For one thing, checking a seat means it could be damaged or lost. Damaged means might not be safe for your child. Lost means you will have to get whatever you can, and not know how to install it. If you will use the seat on the plane, which makes the most sense, you will need to be able to install it.

Further, when arriving at your destination via plane you might encounter delays or diversions. Unless you plan to pay a techs princely sum to 'stand by' all day for your arrival, check with the airline to confirm your flight times, etc, you are not necessarily going to find someone to agree to do that. And if you did? What if they got sick?

There are jut too many variable to make someone ELSE installing your seat reasonable.

So that leaves you with 2 options:

1) you decide on a seat that works for your situation and you learn to install correctly and practice, practice, practice. Take video of it being installed, pictures, take notes, make index cards or a binder...whatever accommodations you need to be competent in this.

2) you decide to stay home

It sounds to me like 1 is possible. You already own a great travel seat, the Radian. Your child fits in it, no need to purchase a new one. If you have KQ in your area, that is a wonderful resource. I have no doubt she will do what she can to help you become a competent installer of your seat.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
FYI, she totally just installed it all by herself in the center of her Corolla! We went over contingencies and I left her with a manual full of sticky notes with tips for plane, lap-shoulder, and LATCH install, some troubleshooting tips, and my number to text me if needed. She ROCKED it! And will practice as needed between now and then. :)
 

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