Safe Rider Vest for excursions

We will be traveling in January with our 3 year old. Her most recent doctors appointment at 2 years 9 months is 38 inches and 35 lbs which is within the height and weight requirements for the safe rider vest. I'm looking for something small and lightweight to carry with us so that should a vehicle have a lap belt, lap/shoulder belt, or latch she can be retrained.

We live in the DC area and will be taking the Auto train with our own car and car seat to Sanford then driving to Tampa

Our ports and excursions/transportation

Roatan, Honduas (Maya Key, Water Taxi)

Belize City, Belize (Altun Ha Ruins, unknown)

Costa Maya, Mexico (Chaccoben Ruins, unknown)

Cozumel, Mexico (Xcaret Eco Park, unknown)

Has anyone used this as an option rather than taking the larger car seat?

I was looking at them last night!! Please let us know how it is!!

:)

We've not used these but have seen them. Be sure to check out reviews to be certain they work as they should.

My concern would be that some of the places you travel don't have seat belts anyway, so the vest would be useless. Maybe just stick to walking and bus excursions?

We've not used these but have seen them. Be sure to check out reviews to be certain they work as they should.

 

My concern would be that some of the places you travel don't have seat belts anyway, so the vest would be useless. Maybe just stick to walking and bus excursions?

I've read the reviews and found another mom with one and they love it! I'd rather find I can't use it in a given mode of transportation and need to stow a 1.2 lbs vest than be lugging her convertible car seat and needing to stow it. The vest can be easily stored plus since her size goes until 60 lbs she will have quite a bit of growing room in it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

I had one for my children. First of all, please note that it can only be use with a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt AND upper LATCH connector. It does not work with lower LATCH connectors or with a lap belt alone.

I found that it did its job, although DD was not a huge fan. You aren't boosted up, so she sat very low in the car and couldn't see out the window which she didn't like. I would also start talking to your child about sitting still and how to properly sit in a car. The vest keeps the belt in the right locations on the body- it does not offer ANY support. So if your child slouches forward or to the side, there is nothing to stop them (unless you are in a situation where you can use the upper LATCH tether.)

That being said, I do recommend it (and have used it) for situations like you describe- where the choice is nothing at all or the vest.

We have a Safe Rider vest that we use once every few weeks as a booster seat in my small car. (For a third child in the middle of two car seats.) We have also traveled with it. My son used it from 5 and is just outgrowing it at 8 and my daughter used it at 4.

The great thing about it is that it's super easy to travel with! You can easily throw it in a beach bag when you get to an excursion. As the pp said, my kids don't love that its lower, but they are fine with it. The one thing that we found when traveling was that not all taxis and vans have shoulder belts. I honestly didn't bring the latch attachment, but I don't know if they had those either. You just might have to seek out transport with shoulder belts.

All in all, I am so glad that we got the vest. It's been great to have.