These Travel Car Seat Trolleys Appear to Be Awesome
The funny thing about having a 10 year old baby is that apparently 10 years old is all it takes for those in power to fantasize about a better way to transfer the baby than we had access to when it was born. I hail from the dark ages of Sippy cups that spilled , non-slip bassinets and audio-only baby monitors (yes, there were video monitors, but that shit seemed a little over-the-top).
So when a parent came to our Offspring Facebook group with a travel question … We’ll be taking our [baby] on the plane with us soon and wondering if any of the travel carts have used car seats? – my initial answer was “car seat … now what?”
A road cart with a car seat (turns out) is basically what it looks like. You put your child in their regular car seat. You put the car seat on a foldable cart with wheels, buckle up the seat and roll them around the airport. When you’re ready to board, the car seat is removed from the trolley and the trolley folds up and down in the cargo area. This is great if you want to travel with a car seat and don’t need a stroller upon arrival (or plan to rent one).
The parents in the group who used the carts were overwhelmingly in favor of them. And, as band member Michael points out, “One bonus is that it’s not that often, so you get a lot of surprised looks.”
The carts themselves can be a little pricey with new ones for between $ 60 and $ 90. However, before buying yours, check to see if your friends or family have one that you can borrow; one member of the group says she plans to hang her own when her kids outgrow her so friends can borrow it as needed.
Finally, as a cheaper option, some parents also recommended that you simply purchase a luggage strap that allows you to tie the car seat to a rolling carry-on suitcase or a stroller with an umbrella. If you go this route, make sure you read the instructions for using the product first; some of these straps are only designed to secure an empty car seat, especially when tied to luggage.
Here’s a guide to comparing travel car seat trolley and luggage strap to get you started.