# Safe Rider Travel Vest



## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

I did a search on this thread and don't see a recent discussion about the Ride Safer Travel Vest.

I have two older boys, ages 4.5 (40lbs) and 6 (48lbs).

Any thoughts about the safety of these vests? They look like they aren't as safe as I'd like, but we're travelling to visit my Dad in a couple of weeks and we have three car seats to fit somewhere, and we're looking at either needing to take two cars everywhere or renting a minivan, which is hugely expensive.

Also, I'm planning to bring the baby's Graco SnugRide _without_ the base. Any thoughts about this? I've done it before, but not in years, and I'm looking for tips to make it as safe as possible, or if someone had a good reason why I should, I can bring the base (and check it on the plane?).

Thanks.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

RSTV are safe if they fit correctly and are used correctly.

They are a pain b/c you have to put them and AND 'install' them each time the kids get in the car.

What seats do you have now? On car-seat.org there are 'successful 3 across' threads, maybe you can find a combo that will work in that car (or one you can rent that is cheaper than a van!)

The snugride is fine without the base, again if you install it correctly each time you use it (remember you will have to take the baby out to get it in, a friend of mine just straps it over the sleeping baby and calls it good, but its not near tight enough!)

I would NOT check in the base or any carseat, I travel a ton and see how they handle baggage - it is scary! Last trip we were on they messed up my bag so bad that they gave me a brand new one. I dont think they have carseats to hand out if they mess up your seat (and there could easily be non visible damage)


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

The RSTV might be an option, but you probably wouldn't need it. It's usually not a problem to get 3-across most cars. What is the 4 yo in at home?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leighi123* 
remember you will have to take the baby out to get it in

Not necessarily. I have never removed my son from his SafeSeat to install it. I do always un-install to get the baby in, though. It would be hard to finagle the kid under the belt.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

There was a mom on car-seat.org who got in an accident. The only child without any injury was the child in the RSTV.

I use one for my oldest when we travel and LOVE it! So much easier than lugging an extra seat through the airport. And we just leave it in the car with the belt threaded through the shoulder and one part of the lap. Then my son climbs in, puts it on, buckles the waste, and gets the belt in the lap guides and buckles. He can do it himself! We plan to get a 2nd one for ds2.


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## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

I've pretty well established that there's no way our three car seats will fit in the back of Dad's car (any of his cars). The biggest car is a Land Rover something. We have a Graco Nautilus, a Recaro Como and the baby in his SnugRide. Even without the base, it's something like 8 inches more in carseats than in space in his car!

Also pretty well established that I'm not going to buy two new carseats for a three week vacation! We're planning to move to France in a year or so, so I will have to buy new carseats then. One option has been to buy carseats there, but it's been difficult to find the safety information I need using my Dad as an interpretor/going-to-check-out-carseats guy.

If we just bring our existing carseats, I plan to make them covers from old comforters to check them. I'm flying one way by myself with two plane changes and I have a baby, carry-ons and two older boys to manage. I just cannot struggle around four airports with the big boys' carseats in tow. So they are being checked through. Baby's will fit in the stroller with baby inside.

I'm not really worried about installing/uninstalling the baby's carseat. No biggie, really, and we almost never use it to carry the baby...he's nearly walking.

I wonder why no one suggested the vest when I posted here looking for options for our trip. It does seem like a wonderful and inexpensive(ish) solution. But I still keep my 6-year-old in a 5-pt harness. This seems like a pretty big come-down in safety. Would cheap boosters bought there be any better? They're cheaper and Dad can get them tomorrow. Do the vests position the child any better than a belt-positioning booster if they fall asleep in the car?

Ugh. Planning this trip is a HUGE operation! But I can't wait until we're there!


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## NaturallyKait (Sep 22, 2006)

The vests test like a five point harness, not a booster. They are very safe for kids, and I would rather see a kid who is not booster trained in a vest than a booster any day. They are very safe


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I'd probably take the vest or a backless booster for the 6yo (assuming he's neurotypical) and a Scenera for the 2yo. Much smaller, lighter and easy to carry, and easy to install on the plane, plus it is much smaller than the Como and should fit better in dad's car.


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## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanks for that feedback, ladies. I think we have our solution. Now to order them before we leave!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
I'd probably take the vest or a backless booster for the 6yo (assuming he's neurotypical) and a Scenera for the 2yo. Much smaller, lighter and easy to carry, and easy to install on the plane, plus it is much smaller than the Como and should fit better in dad's car.

My middle child is actually 4 and a half, weighing 40lbs. Think he'd be OK in the vest, too?

Yes, my kids are neuro-typical. 4yo is a bit wild, but carseat safety is a hard and fast rule in our house....they will follow directions in this arena. Are they safe to fall asleep in the vest? DS4yo still sometimes falls asleep and I forsee some long-ish day trips. Maybe I ought to get travel pillows...could be useful on the plane, too.

So, to recap:
6yo 48lb in Vest
4yo 40lb in Vest
9mo 16lb in SnugRide w/o base

WOW..We'll have so much space back there!!!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Yes, your 4yo would be just fine in the vest.


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## justKate (Jun 10, 2008)

Wow, I really like this. I had no idea such a thing existed!

I don't want to hijack your thread, but does anyone know if this vest is approved for use on airplanes? Just thinking (for the future) it would be nice to be able to buy just this (instead of a CARES harness too).


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## NaturallyKait (Sep 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *justKate* 
Wow, I really like this. I had no idea such a thing existed!

I don't want to hijack your thread, but does anyone know if this vest is approved for use on airplanes? Just thinking (for the future) it would be nice to be able to buy just this (instead of a CARES harness too).

Not approved for airplanes, because it requires either a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt and top tether.


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## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *justKate* 

I don't want to hijack your thread, but does anyone know if this vest is approved for use on airplanes? Just thinking (for the future) it would be nice to be able to buy just this (instead of a CARES harness too).

I was kind of hoping that they had been somehow adapted to fit on airplanes, too, but no dice. Maybe we ought to all email the manufacturer and let them know that would be a selling point. I know we can't afford both, for sure (and we're not totally sure how to afford just the vest!).


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## grumpybear (Oct 5, 2006)

Hi MammaG,
I'm in the same predicament (son is 4.5 y.o., 37lb) and after much thought and of course consulting with the very helpful people of car-seat.org, I have decided to buy the vest for my DS (it actually just came in yesterday!). We'll be doing a few test runs before we go on our trip./
As far as CARES on the plane, it is highly likely that your DS won't be within the manufacturer guidelines for the CARES anyway. My son is too tall and long torsoed so he has outgrown the CARES. It'll have to be airplane seatbelt for him on the plane.


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## MammaG (Apr 9, 2009)

We're going to order our two this weekend...once I hear from my Dad that at least one of his cars has a top-tether.

Grumpybear, could you post about your trial-run when you do it? Love to hear how easy it is to out on and install, tricks and tips, your sense of how safe it seems.

Thanks! Have a super trip!


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Sorry, don't know where I got 2 from







Yes the vest sounds like a good option for the 4yo!


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Ride Safer Travel Vest is DDs only carseat. She's 6.5, she's been in it for years (can't recall exactly how many, 2? 18mo?). It is definitely safer than a random booster. When we got ours, there was a thing that velcros onto the back and lets them rest their head to sleep. It works for us! I find it much easier to put in and out of vehicles than any of the carseats we have. Of course, it's a bit more challenging than a carseat that only needs to be installed once, but since we don't own a car and are ALWAYS in a rental or a relative's car or a taxi, it's perfect!


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

I had totally forgotten about these vests! I only occasionally have a second child in my car, but when I do, I often don't have my second seat with me. This would be so easy to keep in the car, and adjust to the child that needs it, rather than toting a full size seat around all the time. All of my son's friends are 3 and over now and all are over 30 pounds, so this would be absolutely perfect!


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