Portable car seats also known as travel car seats are a convenient and economical way for parent to be able to travel with young children. No more lugging around and checking-in bulky boosters or car seats or no more renting car seats while away on vacation.

Because car seats are such a significant and necessary safety device for all young children, it is now compulsory in many countries for children to be in an appropriate car seat for the age and size – the fines for not doing so can be quite hefty as it is considered that you are endangering their lives.

If you like to travel with your young children and the thought of toting around a heavy car seat or renting a soiled car seat at a premium price doesn’t appeal to you, then why not consider the option of buying your own portable car seat. It won’t take too many trips before you have recouped the cost of a new car seat compared to renting.

However, always keep in mind that a portable car seat is really just an alternative when a full-sized car seat is not an option. They can be especially useful if you have to use a lot of taxis at your travel destination

Some of the features you should consider when selecting a travel car seat:

• Is the car seat front facing or rear facing – rear facing being a much safer alignment for smaller children or babies. Some models can be used facing in both directions.
• Side protection with wings to provide lateral protection, as found in mainstream child car seats is definite desirable
• Make sure the weight and size are small enough to easily fit into hand carry or a tote bag.
• Check to see if the model can be adjusted for sizing, especially for the headrest, as you don’t want your child outgrowing the seat within six months.
• Comfort – an important aspect if you want your child to actually sit in it for any length of time, ie. longer than taxi rides to and from the airport.
• Be wary of any sizes based on age, as heights and weights of children can vary dramatically, instead look at models with sizes based on height/weight.
• Make sure the model is quick and easy to install – you don’t want to spend 10 minutes with the meter running on a taxi just trying to install or install the car seat.
• Compatibility with strollers – it’s one thing to get your child to their destination safely, but then you may need to settle them into a stroller, so some compatibility with a travel stroller could be a definite advantage
• There are now some travel seats available that have been approved by the FAA for use on aircraft, which might be quite handy depending upon your travel arrangements.

There is a lot to consider when selecting a portable car seat, but you definitely want to have the best possible protection available for your child.

About the Author:

John has been writing articles on health, fitness and parenting for over 3 years now. After travelling frequently with his young son over the last two years he has set up http://portablecarseats.org/ to provide tips and information on portable car seats

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Potable Car Seats – Tips for Making an Informed Choice

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