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We spent the last weekend in Las Vegas celebrating Chris’s birthday. We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed all the kid-friendly activities Sin City had to offer. We planned to use the resort shuttle to get around, but it ended up being too convenient to hop into a Lyft whenever we wanted. We probably hailed 12 Lyft cars over the weekend and every single driver was excited about our travel carseats. Many of them mentioned that they frequently have to turn down riders who are trying to bring children without carseats. Insurance and safety concerns make picking up a family a stressful proposition.
As a parent, I totally get it. Traveling with a carseat is no joke. They are heavy and bulky and you have to be careful not to let them get banged up.
Hope is not lost though! It is 2018 and you can absolutely find the travel carseat that is perfect for your family. There are several toddler travel seats on the market and car seats and booster seats continue to get smaller and lighter. Even if you need something that will fit in your purse, there is a toddler travel seat for you.
Bonus, if you are an Uber or Lyft driver, tossing a couple of these bad boys in your trunk is a great way to avoid an awkward conversation with that family who wants to carry their toddler on their lap.
Best Travel Carseats
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Best Toddler Travel Seats
Top 3 Toddler Travel Seats for Size and Convenience.
Weight range: 40 – 100 pounds (18 – 45 kg)
Weight: 750 g (1.6 pounds)
Child height limit: 40 – 57 inches (100 – 145 cm)
Age: 4-12
Expiration: 7 years
Weight range: 15 kg + (33 pounds)
Weight: 500 g (1.1 pounds)
Child height limit: Up to 150cm (or 4′ 9″)
Age: 4-11
Expiration: 4 years
Weight range: Small: 30 – 60 pounds. Large: 50 – 80 pounds.
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Age: Small: 3 – 6. Large: 5 +
Expiration: 7 – 10 years, depending on model
Someone once told me that Americans are super anal about their carseat usage, except in New York City taxicabs when anything goes. At the time it sounded right on, but I suspect when my children are parents, that will sound as retro and horrifying as my Mom’s stories of 4 kids rolling around unbuckled in the back of a sedan.
Best Travel Carseats for Baby
Best Options by Size, Bulk, and Convenience.
If your baby is still a baby, you really can’t avoid bringing the infant bucket style carseat. I recommend renting a car during this stage. Car rentals have gotten really cheap and then you don’t have to worry about all the swap-a-roo.
Just because you need to bring an infant carseat, doesn’t mean you need to bring your main one that weighs a million pounds. Many parents find that it makes sense to invest in the cheap, lightweight Cosco Scenera.
If you really don’t want to, or can’t, rent a car, try bringing the smallest snap-and-go stroller you can find that will fit with your car seat. This way you don’t have to carry the carseat, but can push it through town or the airport. Just make sure that it will fold small enough to go in the back of an Uber you may want to hop into.
In some locations, you can avoid bringing the carseats by just never riding in a car. We were able to do this in New York City by riding the subway and walking everywhere. If you’re going to go this route, do not forget the baby carrier!
I hope this post helps you find the right travel carseat for you and your family! Please let me know if you find anything new and revolutionary, I’m always on the lookout!
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