I used this on my 3 1/2 yr old daughter. She is a good traveler and experienced with flying. I had used her car seat previously, but due to a medical issue I couldn't carry her car seat on and deal with hooking it up. This CARES system was a wonderful addition.
Like the other reviews, I did have problems with her sliding down in the seat. I didn't have an issue with the chest piece getting close to her neck, but I also had it adjusted pretty low on her chest. She found it comfortable, it was easy to put on and take off.
For the flight home, I added a strap (webbing similar to what the CARES system used - 1 1/2 in wide and 3 ft long). I got simple sliding buckles at the same hardware store as the webbing, so no sewing was needed. I made a loop around the strap that goes around the seat back, right between the shoulder straps (held together with one sliding buckle). My added strap then went down behind my daughter and up between her legs. I made another loop in the strap (held with the other sliding buckle) that the seat belt slid through. So I had the seat belt passing through one CARES shoulder strap, my added strap between her legs, and then the second CARES shoulder strap - then buckled. This made a HUGE difference and she didn't slide down as badly. This would work well for a wiggly child too. All in all, it was about .50 in added parts, all from the local hardware store.
I will happily use the CARES seat belt until my daughter is too old/big for it. I felt much more comfortable with her belted in securely.
Highlight Feature
- Safety harness designed specifically for aviation travel
- Compact - fits into 6" stuff sack - weighs just 1 pound
- Easy to install takes less than 1 minute
- Adjusts to fit almost every size airplane seat
- Designed for children 1 year and older weighing 22-44 pounds and up to 40" tall
Editorial Review
CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint is designed specifically for aviation use for children age 1 and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. These youngsters are old enough to be in their own seats, but are too small for the seat belt alone to protect them. Their bodies cannot withstand the jolts that are common in routine transportation, much less emergency situations, and they flail forward or slide beneath the seat belt if they are not held securely in place.Each year more and more young children fly. But until CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint came along, what was missing was a convenient, hassle-free way to keep young flyers safe. Here's what makes CARES such an invaluable travel solution:CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint is the first and only aviation Child Safety Device to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an alternative to a car seat. CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint is an elegantly designed belt-and-buckle device that works in conjunction with the regular airplane seat belt and provides young travelers the same level of safety as a car seat. CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint weighs just one pound and fits into a 6" stuff sack! It is easily portable, simple to install, adjustable to nearly every size airplane seat, and usable on any seat in the airplane, except in the emergency exit rows. Need your car seat on the other end of the trip? Just check it through as luggage and carry CARES Kids Fly Safe aviation restraint on board in your pocket! CARES is manufactured exclusively by AmSafe Aviation, the foremost manufacturer of aviation seatbelts and pilot restraints in the world. (Turn over your airplane seat belt buckle. Chances are it says AmSafe.) CARES is made of the same industrial-strength webbing as your own seat belt and is engineered to the highest aviation-safety standards.INCLUDES: Restraint, instruction card, instruction video on DVD, and travel bag.
