We%26#39;re heading back to Maui for our 2nd trip there. Last year we went without our son. This year we%26#39;re taking him with us.
Wondering if we should chance it reserving the car seat with the rental car place, or if we should bring his seat from home.
Suggestions?
Car seat for Toddler
Aloha! Well here is my suggestion . . . Is your son sitting on your laps or sitting in his own (ticketed) seat? If so, I would have him in his car seat while flying - not only is it safer, he%26#39;ll think he is going on a car ride. I had one active toddler that being buckled in like a car ride was the best approach for air travel. If not, I have found it easier to take the car seat - you already have one, and then you won%26#39;t have to worry about the condition of the one in the rental. Can%26#39;t remember the company, but I found a car seat carrier -it was like luggage, but shaped just like a car seat, and had a straps that made it easy to carry. It made traveling much easier. Best of luck and have a great vacation! :)
Car seat for Toddler
Thanks!
We%26#39;re actually taking advantage of the fact that he hasn%26#39;t turned 2 yet, so he%26#39;ll be a ';lap baby.'; He%26#39;s been on flights before, and sometimes he%26#39;s fine and sometimes he%26#39;s what most parents worry about - a cranky kid. But even if we bought him a ticket, his car seat is fairly big and doesn%26#39;t quite fit in the seats anyway. I%26#39;m a bit concerned that if we bring his seat and check it in as luggage that it will get tossed about and possibly cracked. So I was thinking that we%26#39;d take it up to the gate and then check it like you would a stroller.
I think I know what you%26#39;re referring to in regards to those rolling carriers...but I%26#39;m wondering if I have time to find one...this is a last minute trip (we just decided and will be going in 3 wks)...hmm, decisions, decisions....
Hello again! Actually, the carrier I referred to was a soft fabric, carried more like a backpack. Before I had this, I would bring a large cardboard box, and put the car seat in that (at the airport), tape it up, and check it. That always worked fine - never had any problems/damage. Whatever you end up doing, hope you have a great flight and a happy time on Maui! :)
We also bought a fabric zip up carrier for our car seat. We had no problems with carelessness/abuse.
Another plus to these carriers is that they provide a huge pocket of extra space to pack stuff in on the way back.
Got ours at babies r us, I believe in the $20-$30 range.
I highly recommend bringing your own car seat. You can check the car seat at the baggage claim or when you board the plane. If you rent a car seat, last time I did it was an $8.00 charge per day.
I would bring your own car seat. I have an 18 month old and we always bring his car seat when we travel. It is not only something your son is use to but you at least know what condition it is in. You never know what you are going to get from the car companies and you don%26#39;t want to risk it. Plus why spend the $.
The other reason is that if there happens to be an empty seat on the plane the airlines will many times move you around in order to get your son a seat. If no seat is available just check the car seat and it will arrive with the rest of your luggage.
We took our 2 toddlers to Maui last summer. Instead of bringing the full size Britax car seats we purchased (2) Safety First Tote n%26#39; Go DX Portable Car seats ($29-$30 depending where you buy them - purchased mine online. They work with the seat belts of almost any car. If the child weighs at least 25 pounds these will work. Both of the portable seats fit in our duffel bag as a carry-on. We used them in the shuttle on the way to the airport, stowed them in the duffel during the flight and then put them in the rental car once we arrived. They were easy to use, and easy to carry around. We have already lent them out to several friends. They were the best purchase ever! Every time I saw a parent trying to lug those full size car seats on the plane and through the airport I was so happy that it wasn%26#39;t me! Google ';Safety First Tote N Go'; and you should be able to find a store that sells them and some pictures to check them out.
If you rent a seat, consider doing it for the first day only, and buying one a Walmart. for a two year old, they aren%26#39;t that expensive, maybe cheaper than renting for a week. You could donate it somewhere at the end of your visit. It may be a pain to arraneg it, but it%26#39;s a thought.
Wow - thanks for all the great suggestions!! Much appreciated!!
I have to agree with partyoffour...she actually recommended the Tote n Go and though we don%26#39;t leave for 7 more weeks, the seat has already come in handy when my sister-in-law asked to take my son for the day and she didn%26#39;t have a car seat. It%26#39;s only about 4 pounds and attaches pretty tightly with the cars seat belt. Definitely not bulky at all. My daughter will only be 1 and hasn%26#39;t reached the weight and height requirement for the Tote N Go, so unfortunately I%26#39;m still struggling on what we are going to do for her...I think we will be renting so hopefully the seat we get will be in decent condition. It%26#39;s only $40 for the week (cheaper than buying one) and I figure we won%26#39;t be in the car but only when we drive around to see the sights, so hopefully it won%26#39;t be too dirty or I will not accept it. HTH!
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