Advice Needed on a Carseat for Plane and Car

[gigi]

The Maestro fits. I have taken mine on many many flights - including domestic and transatlantic.

 

[Phineasmama]

Sorry I meant the SureRide, not the SecureKid. The SureRide is very very light. I weighed it as 9 lbs, which is basically nothing. I can pick it up with my pinky finger. The top slots are much higher than the Maestro and probably taller than the SecureKid as well. And did I mention it's light?

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Thanks for the information,

So l guess it's between the maestro and the sureride now. There does not seem to be a lot of information about the sureride anywhere on the web.

I guess my main concern is how would a very light car seat weighing 9lbs actually perform if a crash were to happen?

I went back to the local babies r us tonight to check them both out, they both look pretty good and pretty light.

My wife prefers the sureride due to the extra side impact protection, l haven't looked at the measurements yet, but l'm wondering how the extra side padding would affect the amount of room it takes up on the plane seat? It seems like the maestro is crash tested at a higher rate (according to the babies r us information).

The sales rep did mention they seem to sell more of the maestro compared to the sureride.

There were no maestro's left in stock, they had around 20 or so sureride's in stock.

I'm still looking for a trolley to use with whichever seat l choose to, any recommendations apart from the walmart one l found?

I'm planning on purchasing the seat and a trolley in the next couple of days, just so we can get used to it, and so we can practice with it before we get on the plane.

 

[hehateme]

I went through a similar search for a 35 lbs, 42 inch tall son.
We were taking 18 hour long flight. I went to buy a Maestro but ended up buying Secure Kid 400. I know it is a bit heavier than Meastro but it felt more comfortable. I am going to carry the seat with a gogo kidz travel mate.
I hope that extra padding, wings will help him sleep in the seat.
I also plan to use the seat in our third car.
The base size of Maestro and Secure Kid is the same so it will fit in the planes.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Thanks for the advice, l'm leaning towards the sureride right now, l'll take a look at the trolley to

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

I purchased a sureride over the weekend, from the specs online for the width of their economy seats, this seat is not going to fit.

The plane is a Boeing 767-300.

From the site:

Class Pitch Width Seats Recline
Economy 32" 17.2" 195 18º
Business 57" 18.5" 30 60º

The sureride is 18.5" wide according to the evenflo website.

Would l be better taking this back for a maestro?

 

[Brianna]

You should be able to raise the armrests and have it fit without a problem.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Thanks, l think l'm going to go with a strap vs a cart.

Has anyone used the go-go babyz strap?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Go-Go-Babyz-Travelmate-Luggage-Orange/dp/B0068IGSHM/ref=sr_1_6?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1362428074&sr=1-6&keywords=car+seat+straps"]Amazon.com: Go-Go Babyz Travelmate Car Seat Luggage Strap, Orange, One Size: Baby[/ame]

Or are there any other recommendations with straps or carts vs straps.

Once we land at Heathrow, we will be using the underground for a while to catch a regular train.

 

[creideamh]

Yep, just raise the armrests, and yep, I've used the GoGoBabyz strap... it's held up through, I don't know, maybe 10 flights so far? I don't put DD in the car seat, though. She walks, and I just loop the strap through the FF belt path, ratchet it closed, and call it good. If you want to have the child ride in it, definitely attach the top tether as well.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

My wife has decided that she doesn't prefer the bungee method.

Has anyone used one of these? J.L. Childress Ultimate Car Seat Travel Bags

Do you recommend them?

 

[creideamh]

I've used one once with a Scenera (lol, I guess I travel more than I thought...) How much luggage are you bringing? Are you also bringing carry-ons? The bag itself is bulky and does NOT fold up small by any stretch of the imagination, so it'll be more of a PITA to tote the seat onto the plane, unzip it, pull it out, install it, and stash the bag somewhere than it would to just hook the seat onto a suitcase/stroller/luggage cart. The pluses of the bag are that it's heavy-duty and won't fall apart after one flight, unlike some of the other bag options on the market.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Still decided on the baggage amount, as it's currently me vs the wife on how many bags we need, l'm going for the smaller amount.

Most likely looking at 2 or 3 suitcases on wheels, 1 large then 1 strapped to it and then a small one probably for carry on, then my son will have his own carry on (small monkey backpack) and my wife will have her purse.

I haven't checked into it yet, but does a car seat class as a carry on item for your allowance?

 

[creideamh]

Nope, car seats do not count toward carry-on allowance. If you feel comfortable with the big car seat bag on your back, there's no real reason not to use it (it'll just be more of a challenge due to the bulk, especially if you're also using subways/trains.) I think it just comes down to what you're willing to carry!

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Decided to go with the bungee method, l'm going to attach it to a smaller luggage trolley, seems to work pretty good

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

Ok one last question l promise

I have booked our seats in the middle aisle, so my wife will be one one of the outer aisle seats, our son in the middle between us, and me on the other aisle seat next to him.

I just read that children in carseats should sit next to the window on the plane?

Is this true? I'm wondering if our Airlline AA will change our seats? Although l'm hoping we get the bulk head seats.

 

[trippsmom]

Ok one last question l promise

I have booked our seats in the middle aisle, so my wife will be one one of the outer aisle seats, our son in the middle between us, and me on the other aisle seat next to him.

I just read that children in carseats should sit next to the window on the plane?

Is this true? I'm wondering if our Airlline AA will change our seats? Although l'm hoping we get the bulk head seats.

Children in restraints cannot inhibit the safe exit of other passengers from the plane. They'll have to put you where he can he in a window seat.

 

[creideamh]

If you mean the very middle of the plane (so one section of 3 seats or however many, then another section of 3 seats where you're all sitting, then the last section of 3 seats), and he's in the center of the middle 3 seats, that should be fine. Like PP said, they just don't want anyone blocked in.

 

[CTPDMom]

I have booked our seats in the middle aisle, so my wife will be one one of the outer aisle seats, our son in the middle between us, and me on the other aisle seat next to him.

I just read that children in carseats should sit next to the window on the plane?

Is this true? I'm wondering if our Airlline AA will change our seats? Although l'm hoping we get the bulk head seats.

Children in restraints cannot inhibit the safe exit of other passengers from the plane. They'll have to put you where he can he in a window seat.

OP, you mean your airplane seats look like this?

[window]XXX[aisle]XXX[aisle]XXX[window]


And you're the 3 'pink' seats? If so, they will likely allow that because in that case you are NOT obstructing any other passengers.

If you were on the 3 seats to the left or right then they would likely want your child by the window.

 

[carsearorgnewbie]

The seating on the plane is

Window XX Aisle XXX Aisle XX Window

We are in the three XXX seats together which are in the middle of the plane.

They said we may be able to get Bulkhead seats but they can't allow us to have them until the day of the flight, and its first come first serve.

I know my wife would appreciate not having people recline against the 'bump'

That and it would save any issues with my son trying to kick the seat in front.

 

[CTPDMom]

The seating on the plane is

Window XX Aisle XXX Aisle XX Window

We are in the three XXX seats together which are in the middle of the plane.

They said we may be able to get Bulkhead seats but they can't allow us to have them until the day of the flight, and its first come first serve.

I know my wife would appreciate not having people recline against the 'bump'

That and it would save any issues with my son trying to kick the seat in front.

In that case, the middle section of seats isn't an issue.

Be aware, though, that bulkhead seats have the tray table in the armrest. This results in them being 'fixed' so you cannot move them up to gain more room for a car seat. Some don't fit well without moving the armrest up.