CARES harness

Hi all,

I'm flying by myself with DD, and don't need to take a car seat with me (DH is dropping me off, and my parents will pick me up -- they have another car seat with them). My question is, should I invest in the CARES harness for the airplane ride? DD will be 1 yr-old by then, and we fly often.

If so, does anyone have a coupon code for it? Or know how to get one?

Thanks!
Denisse

You really should be using a carseat on the plane, you'll need one on the ground when you get there. Even if you haven't purchased a seat you can take the carseat with you to the gate and ask if they have any empty seats and then install your car seat. I don't personally know much about the CARES harness and hopefully someone who does will pipe in but until then here's some information about carseats and planes:

1) SAFETY ON THE FLIGHT! Contrary to popular belief, most plane crashes are survivable. They usually happen on the runway during take off or landing. Proper restraint decreases the risk of injury. Even some more severe crashes (such as the one in Souix City http://youtube.com/watch?v=rC4Q3ofz7SI are quite survivable. And, of course, Turbulance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear-air_turbulence//url can be quite severe, so using a car seat can provide some added protect there as well.

2) Safety on the ground! Children need to use their safety seats on the trip to and from the airport. The best way to ensure that your child has a seat when you get off the plane is to use it on the plane. Airlines have been known to damage or lose seats that are sent down with the checked baggage. While some vehicle rental places do offer safety seats for rent, they do not guaranty that the seat you requested will be there for you or that it will be in usable condition (i.e., no missing parts, no recalls, etc).

3) Comfort and convenience! Small children sometimes don't fit in a plane seatbelt at all. Most children are also more comfortable in their own car seat than in the adult seat on a plane. They usually find it easier to sleep. Additionally, because children are used to remaining buckled in their seats in the car, it's usually much easier to convince them to stay buckled in their car seat on the plane. Even well meaning children can get distracted and play with the flippy part of a plane seat buckle.

I agree on the seat on the plane..

She does have a seat when she lands already in her parents car.. but I would want the baby in a car seat on the plane...

That is a tough decision. I always preferred to have a seat on the plane when my kids were that young. They sleep better being in a familiar careat vs a airline seat.

Since you will not need a seat at your destination, then the cares harness might be good (http://www.kidsflysafe.com/index.php for those who are not familiar with it). It is expensive though and if this was a one time trip where you might use it and all other trips you would need a seat at your destination, then it might not be worth it. This seat does require a child be 22 pounds. Make sure your child would weight at least that much at the time of use.

What seat do you have at your destination? If it is a forward facing only seat (your child should still be rearfacing when they are that young) or an older seat that might be expired or a seat that you will need to do a lot of adjustments on (those harness straps will need to be moved to fit your child), it might be easier just to bring your seat and install it at your destination since you know it is setup for your child.

I have used the CARES harness twice now with my dd ( 3 1/2) and have loved it. We use it when visiting my family since my sister has extra carseats she uses with her kids (which are the same age and very close in size to mine) I have not used it with my almost 2 year old yet and I haven't really thought about it yet. We just lug his carseat along with us, that way he can sleep more comfortably on the plane.

At one year I'd have a carseat on the plane and put it RFing. Even with CARES the plane's seat is SO big, and the buckle SO easy to unbuckle.

For a one year old and you travel often, I'd save money and get a Scenera. It's $40, 9 pounds, and is wonderful for travel. It has a 35 pound RFing limit. Just a 40 pound FFing limit with low top slots, but by then if you're still doing a lot of air travel a Radian makes a fabulous FFing travel seat. It doesn't fit on a plane RFing or I'd suggest that this instant.

Wendy

A few answers...

The plane ride is 1.5 hrs long. I doubt DD will want to sleep. She's is 22 lbs right now, and the trip is in November (so she should be heavier then).

We have a Marathon at home, and my parents have a brand new Scenera with them. So, it's either buying another Scenera, carrying it through the airport and installing it by myself... or getting the CARES harness. No, I'm not suggesting that I'll have her unrestrained on the airplane.

She has flown before in her infant seat (which she has outgrown).

Lastly, I will have to make this same trip about 3-4 times a year from now on, so I was thinking that the CARES harness would save me a lot of time & headaches during those trips.

I still wouldn't put a one year old in nothing but the plane's seat with a harness strapping them in. Especially since it's forward facing only. And most plane emergencies are runway emergencies so they happen in the first and last minute, not the time inbetween. They also mimic automobile collisions in terms of their forces. Also, 1.5 hours is certainly enough time for a baby to get fussy and want to walk around, ESPECIALLY at that age. In a carseat they know that they are to stay where they are, there's no option.

For me CARES has a VERY limited market. It's honestly good for people like my daughter who is five, 32 pounds, and if people on either end had a seat for her. I'd still prefer she was in a seat on the plane, the lap belt doesn't provide a terribly snug fit, there would still be a lot of lateral movement for her, she wouldn't be able to see out of the window, and she'd probably be able to get out of it easily. But at five years and 32 pounds if we had seats on either end I could actually see a use for it. Otherwise it only goes to 40 pounds, it starts at 22 (which is too small), it's only FFing, it doesn't provide any side protection (severe turbulence can be lateral, as can some landings, which I'm sure you know), it's expensive and can't be used in another situation, and IMO just simply not as safe. Safer than just the lap belt, yes, but nowhere near as safe as a carseat for a small child (either by size or age).

Wendy

mamita said:

A few answers...

The plane ride is 1.5 hrs long. I doubt DD will want to sleep. She's is 22 lbs right now, and the trip is in November (so she should be heavier then).

We have a Marathon at home, and my parents have a brand new Scenera with them. So, it's either buying another Scenera, carrying it through the airport and installing it by myself... or getting the CARES harness. No, I'm not suggesting that I'll have her unrestrained on the airplane.

She has flown before in her infant seat (which she has outgrown).

Lastly, I will have to make this same trip about 3-4 times a year from now on, so I was thinking that the CARES harness would save me a lot of time & headaches during those trips.

Click to expand...

Sounds like it might be a good investment for you since you will get a lot of use out of it. If it were a longer trip, I would still think a carseat would be preferred, but for a 1.5 hour trip where you have a seat at your destination already, the cares harness might be a good option.

Thanks all for your responses.

I just talked to DH, and he wants us to get another Scenera. He says he wants a second car seat anyway (for other trips, and unexpected situations). So, it looks like I will travel with the Scenera this time, and when DD gets bigger/older, I'll consider the CARES harness then.

I think that sounds like a good solution. The CARES harness would work well for an older child, but at 1 year, I'd really want them rear facing in a car seat if at all possible, both for comfort and for safety.

I have to agree about the Cares being more for older kids. BUT, if you wanted to try it, I have seen people who rent them out on eBay. Might be a way to check it out.

wendytthomas said:

For me CARES has a VERY limited market. It's honestly good for people like my daughter who is five, 32 pounds, and if people on either end had a seat for her. I'd still prefer she was in a seat on the plane, the lap belt doesn't provide a terribly snug fit, there would still be a lot of lateral movement for her, she wouldn't be able to see out of the window, and she'd probably be able to get out of it easily. But at five years and 32 pounds if we had seats on either end I could actually see a use for it. Otherwise it only goes to 40 pounds, it starts at 22 (which is too small)

Wendy

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NO KIDDING!
FAQ page
Q. What is the upper age limit for children to use CARES?
A. Children who are 4 years old, weigh at least 44 pounds and are more than 40 inches tall are considered old enough and strong enough to travel without an airplane child safety belt.

So what do you do if your child is OVER 40 inches, but under 44lbs????
I was thinking of this for my munchkin next spring + subsequent air trips we'll be on during the next 18 months, but she's over 42" and around 38lbs. So will it still work?

I"ll have to contact them and see. :shrug-shoulders:

Morganthe said:

NO KIDDING!
FAQ page
Q. What is the upper age limit for children to use CARES?
A. Children who are 4 years old, weigh at least 44 pounds and are more than 40 inches tall are considered old enough and strong enough to travel without an airplane child safety belt.

So what do you do if your child is OVER 40 inches, but under 44lbs????
I was thinking of this for my munchkin next spring + subsequent air trips we'll be on during the next 18 months, but she's over 42" and around 38lbs. So will it still work?

I"ll have to contact them and see. :shrug-shoulders:

Click to expand...

While thy may think they are old enough and strong enough, they are still all better off harnassed.

lovemyfamily said:

While thy may think they are old enough and strong enough, they are still all better off harnassed.

Click to expand...

I know what they think Silly idiots on there.. I don't like the metal armrests that any kid would bash sideways if they're not lifted out of the way prior to flight.

Basically, I want to know if the harness height would still fit for her or would the top area above her shoulders be too high on the seat to work properly.

I don't know if I should even be that concerned either. After all, at age 2 1/2 years old, we went from Ramstein ->Baltimore ->DFW > putt-putt prop plane : Then PPPP - DFW ->Seattle -> DFW- PPPP last year and had no problems with her using just the lap belt for the entire way. I didn't have a car seat that would have worked for the airplane.

The only issue that might have been worrisome was when she went to sleep and laid down sideways curled up with it on. But it would have worked fine if there was sudden turbulence + there's usually warning of any accident -- unlike vehicle accidents. She's so much more mature and larger 2 years later, that's for sure.

I'm taking the Radian, but I just don't know about hooking it up ff'd with the lapbelt buckle in the middle of her back.

appologies for hijacking the thread.. just blathering on as I type. sorry.

Morganthe said:

I know what they think Silly idiots on there.. I don't like the metal armrests that any kid would bash sideways if they're not lifted out of the way prior to flight.

Basically, I want to know if the harness height would still fit for her or would the top area above her shoulders be too high on the seat to work properly.

I don't know if I should even be that concerned either. After all, at age 2 1/2 years old, we went from Ramstein ->Baltimore ->DFW > put-put plane : Then PPP - DFW ->Seattle -> DFW- PPP last year and had no problems with her using just the lap belt for the entire way. I didn't have a car seat that would have worked for the airplane.

The only issue that might have been worrisome was when she went to sleep and laid down sideways curled up with it on. But it would have worked fine if there was sudden turbulence + there's usually warning of any accident -- unlike vehicle accidents. She's so much more mature and larger 2 years later, that's for sure.

I'm taking the Radian, but I just don't know about hooking it up ff'd with the lapbelt buckle in the middle of her back.

appologies for hijacking the thread.. just blathering on as I type. sorry.

Click to expand...

Two years def. adds some maturity. We are flying on Weds., and DH thinks we should let our 4yo sit in the plane seat. I just don't like the idea, so I am not convinced. He is an airline pilot, he knows the risks, but I think he is tired of carting around carseats in the airport hehe. I will DEF. gate check the MA if we do. For safety reasons, I want him harnassed, our 6yo does ride in the plane seat, and then there is the gross factor. I hate to even sit my butt in the plane seat. At least when he was in his MA, he was up off the smegma.

Unfortunately the dangerous parts of flight, landing/takeoff etc., there is not always warning of a problem, at least not to the passengers. Severe turbulence is typically preceeded by some mild turbulence though.

Just a tough call. I am thinking the CARES is a great idea, and would love to have one, as we travel so much. Still might invest in one.