Travel Seats

[AlishaNC82]

I need to replace our travel car seats since we were rear ended on our way home. I called the insurance and they said no problem. Car seats are a safety issue so just send them the receipts.

I had a Scenera and a Radian XTSL. My DD is 3 1/2 and on the top slots of the XTSL with about an inch to grow and is too tall for the Scenera. My DS is almost 2 and is small. I believe he is on the second set with the XTSL and has plenty of room in the Scenera.

I am trying to decide what to purchase. I want the car seats to be easily portable with a decent install in most cars. We travel on planes at least a few times a year and the seats must fit easily in the airplane seats. I don't rearface on the plane unless we are able to get the middle bulkhead and rearfacing space in the car is ample.

I like the fact that the Scenera weighs next to nothing, but I find that I cannot get a good install rearfacing in quite a few cars and FF often results in a tilt. I don't like the latch hooks either.

On the Radian I like the install I get with latch in cars, but the weight is prohibitive sometime when I travel alone with two kids.

I am wondering if there are any other car seats that you would recommend considering. These would primarily be used for travel and cost is not really a factor since the insurance will be reimbursing us.

 

[wendytthomas]

How heavy are they? I might look at a Coccoro for the nearly two year old and a Ride Safer Travel Vest for the 3.5 year old. The Coccoro rear faces so easily on the plane, it weighs next to nothing, it's cute. The RSTV is completely portable, isn't used on the plane, and has no expiration, so you can use it with both kids eventually.

I actually just traveled with this combo. Piper sat on the plane's seat (or in Laine's seat rear facing, actually, though not buckled in) and Laine has her Coccoro on the plane. In my mom's car (a 2005 Civic) they're riding next to one another in the backseat. The person in front of Laine was able to recline their seat a bit too. And Piper had her vest in her suitcase.

Wendy

 

[TheQueenMother]

For such a tall little girl, I might go with a graco nauti just to give her growing room. While the seat is not light, it really installs easily in most cars and I find the install to be quick, a fact which I like when traveling with littles.
For the little guy, a 40 lb seat would be fine. I would avoid anything that needs a pool noodle, which could factor out the scenera and the avenue. I might consider a Titan or even one of the 50 lb AOEs. I never struggled to install mine rfing.

 

[AlishaNC82]

Thanks for the quick replies! I like the idea of a Coccoro for my DS. A friend of mine has one so I will try it out.

Do either of you know if the Nautilus fits well in plane seats?

 

[wendytthomas]

They do fit well.

Wendy

 

[InternationalMama]

I promise I'm not going OT, OP, this is relevant.

Wendy, I've been curious: What made you decide to get a Coccoro for your youngest instead of using the Avenue you had previously used as a travel seat?

I bought an Avenue on your recommendation and have been wanting to replace it with a Coccoro but was feeling like my DS who is approaching 2 was too old for the Coccoro because it's seems like it's often outgrown RF around that age, but now I see you recommending it for the OP's 2 year old so that makes me even more curious to hear more of your thoughts on how the seats compare.

OP, just FYI, there is *supposed* to be a new version of the Coccoro coming out soon, hopefully August, so if you can wait to buy one until then I would. The improvements are supposed to be nice.

 

[wendytthomas]

She said her two year old was very tiny, so I thought he might get good use out of it.

The Avenue was very upright rear facing on the plane, and for my then three month old, it made it hard for her to sleep. It probably wouldn't be at all an issue now.

I traded the Avenue for the Coccoro because I could do it without spending any money (sold it and my Radian). Not for any need, just because I really wanted a Coccoro. I really liked the Avenue, and would recommend it often for a travel and spare seat. I was highly impressed with it. And some things about it I miss (I love a continuous harness, and miss it now).

That's all. If the opportunity hadn't come up I never would have gotten a Coccoro.

Wendy

 

[InternationalMama]

Thanks for the info! You might have found you had a problem with the recline even now. I haven't used the Avenue yet for plane travel, but have been using the CS which (obviously) has a shorter shell and I've found that it can be very upright RF and sometimes doesn't even fit, depending on the seat spacing. The Coccoro is so tempting for that reason because I think this would a problem with almost any other convertible.