Diono vs Safe Traffic System Ride Safer 2 Travel Vest

SuprMe

New member
My daughter is 3 years old, 35lbs and 36.5 inches in height.
In terms of car seats we first used a Maxi Cosi Carbio Fix and moved to a Diono Radian rxt when my daughter out grew her infant bucket seat.

We do not have a car and only occasionally use taxis. We live in a city with exceptional public transport which is very helpful but we also travel a fair amount to areas without great public transit. The Diono, while having great safety ratings, is almost 30lbs itself. I find it very hard to deal with a active preschooler, her gear, and the car seat when I travel alone with her.

I discovered Safe Traffic System Ride Safer 2 Travel Vest last year and have been very anxiously awaiting my daughters 3rd birthday. Now that my daughter is 3 I would like to move to a Safe Traffic System Ride Safer 2 Travel Vest (Small). My daughter fits the criteria for required height, weight, and age but my husband has decided that because it lacks side impact protections found in standard car seats he does not want our daughter to use the Safe Traffic Travel Vest.

All of the research I can find has told me that side impact testing is not government regulated and thus car seat companies who advertise a side impact safety rating do so without ant sort of a standard meaning they can pick and choose which crash tests best exemplify their product.

I want my daughter to be safe but I think that there are some advantages to the Travel Vest, such as keeping the child lower in the seat thus allowing for a lower center of gravity which could lower the risk of injury.

I'm curious if any other parents could point me toward and an un-basis review or comparison of a car seat vs Safe Traffic's Travel Vest or a similar product.
 
ADS

Dillipop

Well-known member
While a traditional hard shelled harnessed seat will likely provide more side impact protection, you should be able to risky use this vest in the center of the backseat, which by all variables is the safest spot in a car and away from all impacts.
 

Cnidaria

New member
Although the company says the minimum age is 3, I think a lot of child passenger safety techs feel that the RSTV is more of a wearable booster seat than a wearable carseat. And most kids are ready for a booster in the 5.5-6 year old range. :(
 

gigi

New member
If all you are doing is quick taxi rides and you will be sitting next to your daughter to keep her from squirming or slouching, I would use the rstv. I used it for my 3 year old son when we lived in the city for quick taxi rides only.

In general I find the RSTV pretty useless but in this one particular situation it is a lifesaver.


Most kids can sit safely in a booster for a few minutes when mom is right next to them long before 5.5-6.
 

1mommy

New member
Not a tech- but I've heard it said on here that side impact protection is often useless in real life crashes because the forward momentum throws the child out of the protective shell. AdventureDad who is from Sweden often mentions this and might have some studies to back it up? But I'm on my phone so I can't search and link for you to previous threads on this.

Also not sure how I feel about using a booster/ vest for a 3 year old- after seeing Belles Gift on YouTube it kinda scares me, but as long as the belt fit is good and you make sure she sits still, i think it's kinda like ff a 1 year old, not the safest option, but better then nothing and sometimes real life gets in the way of best practice and you have to do the best you can with the circumstances.
 

SuprMe

New member
Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I guess I'm stuck lugging the Diono for another year or so. I'll definitely PM AdventureDad and see if I can get some more information on Side-impact crash tests.

Again, Thanks :)
 

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