CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Experts say that children 40 lbs and under should be in child safety seats on airplanes.
That is perfectly understandable, but have you ever tried to carry a big, bulky car seat through the narrow aisle of an airplane? With two kids and a carry on bag in tow? It's not pretty. This is why when I heard about a new child aviation restraint being developed - CARES - I was one of the first to order!
CARES stands for Child Aviation Restraint System. We've had ours since the week it launched back in 2006. Designed for children who are at least 1 year old and weigh between 22-44 lbs, it's the only harness-style child safety device approved for aircraft use by the FAA. It takes the place of a car seat when traveling by air with your children, providing an equivalent level of safety during all phases of a flight - taxiing, take off, turbulence and landing. Weighing about a pound, CARES comes in a small sack that can be carried around your wrist or tossed in your diaper bag.
We fly often, so the convenience factor alone made CARES a great purchase. More importantly, it gives me peace of mind knowing that my daughter is safely secured in her seat. I find that it makes the whole flying process a much smoother one, and keeps me from holding up the line of passengers waiting to board. I'm actually surprised that airlines haven't adopted this harness as an option. Like headphones, for instance. Those families that don't fly often may not want to invest in one, but I'd certainly pay a few dollars to borrow it on the airplane.
Installation CARES can be used in any type of seat, so there's no need to always choose a window seat for your child. You do need a little extra time to install it, but it's nothing compared to installing a car seat; it only takes a minute and augments the regular lap belt. An instructional DVD comes with the restraint, but I only had to watch it once, as it's very simple to figure out. First, you have to decide which seat your child is going to sit in for the duration of the flight. Then you need to lower the tray table behind the seat. Slide the red loop over the back of the seat, adjust and tighten it, and close the tray table. Then place the black straps over your child's shoulders, threading the airplane seatbelt through the bottom loops. Buckle the airplane seatbelt snugly, and then buckle the chest clip. Easy peasy! When it's time to get off the plane, you just unbuckle your child, remove the harness from the seat, and fold it back into its sack.
Where to buy CARES The CARES harness costs $74.95 and can be purchased online at www.kidsflysafe.com. If you have multiples, you can even get a discount! Prefer to step into a store? There are retailers across the nation that carry it. Buy Buy Baby, one of my fave baby stores, is one of them. CARES has won a number of awards, including a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, the Good Housekeeping Magazine 2008 Good Buy Award, iParenting Media Award for Excellent Products, and more. It's also been certified by Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, and certification for many other countries is in process.
Win it!
Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win a CARES Child Aviation Restraint System. US entries only, please. Contest ends in two weeks, and the winner will be selected at random and notified by email.
Mariana Perez blogs about life as a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful little girls over at Riding With No Hands. Follow her daily adventures on Twitter @ohMariana.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This product is AMAZING! Would love to have this.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would be great for a friend that flies frequently!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I would love to win this for my sister who has two little ones - I agree, it is much better than lugging a carseat if you only need it for the plane!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
What a great idea! I have a friend who flies very often, and would love to share this with her and her 22 month old son!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Great giveaway! Hope you have a great time on your trip. I subscribe by rss.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This is such a great idea.We fly with our grandson and I'd feel so much better using this!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Wonderful idea - so much better than lugging a huge carseat!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
this is such a great idea. Something that fills a real need.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
What a neat product! Thanks fro the great review.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
My sister has 2 little ones and they are traveling a lot because the work in the mission field. I would love to win this.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
this would be great for my nephew he is having a baby
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We travel a few times a year with my 2 year old son. This would make my life so much easier! I hate lugging our big car seat on and off the plane.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We haven't flown with our 2 yr old daughter yet, but this would be great to have when we do!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would be great in that we would not have to carry car seats onto the plane.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I like that a restraint like this exists, making it safe for our children to travel on airplanes.
And I agree... parents of young children should be provided with a safety restraint system by airlines for a few extra dollars or better yet, for free.
Thanks for your review.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We are thinking of taking a trip to Walt Disney World next year and we could use this system. Thanks for the chance.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would make airplane travel much easier and safer.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We are going to Disneyland soon and I would LOVE this.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I will be doing some traveling with my grandson ,so this would be really nice to have on hand
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We're going for a trip this August and don't have an FAA-approved car seat for air travel, so this would be soooo helpful! I seriously truly deeply want this. Thank you!
Lauren
www.HoboMama.com
mail {at} HoboMama.com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would be amazing! It would be so much easier than lugging around my daughter's huge carseat.
mainlandmama at gmail dot com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Wow, great giveaway! We travel a lot and I HATE lugging the carseat on and off the plane. It would be awesome to just check it through to our final destination and use this while traveling!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would make traveling with a little one much safer. Thanks for sharing about it.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
My grandbaby will be born in Turkey in December, and will be living abroad for his/her first eight years (USAF). Baby will be making trips with Mom and Dad to visit Grandmom (me!) over those years and I'd feel a lot better if I know s/he was safe on the plane. Thanks for the chance to win the system!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
After being fed up with lugging 2 car seats through the airport, we rented 2 CARES harnesses the last time we flew with the little ones to Orlando. I cannot begin to say how great these harnesses are! They are easy to install and stores in a small pouch. We'll never fly without it again!
kjmaje at gmail dot com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We're always going back and forth between Chicago and South Carolina. This would be great to have!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
i have always wanted to fly with a cares instead of our huge carseat!!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would be great for friend that travels a lot.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
What a fabulous idea! My family lives on the other side of the country, so this would be wonderful.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would make flights up north to visit the grandparents SO much easier!!!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I love my CARES harness, but just wanted to let you know that Jet Blue does not yet allow them. Last month, I was required to remove mine on a flight from Boston to Baltimore.
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This would be the best gift for my best friend and her new baby!!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I would love to win this!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This product is AMAZING! Would love to have this before we fly next month :)
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I really need this for my autistic daughter. I have enough to handle without worrying about a carseat!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We are going to be braveing the world of flying with kids soon so this would be so amazing to have for our trip!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I would love to be able to get this! We are planning a trip right now and my daughter weights only 20 pounds at 2 yrs old. She could really use a great product like this!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Would love to win this, we're flying with baby this year to visit family in TX and PA. This would be a BIG help! Thanks for the chance! :)
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I would love to win!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
this would be amazing! we fly often with our little one!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We travel often so this would be useful!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
would love it for mylittle girl
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
Havent flown with kiddo but would love to start!! :)
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
This is the first time I have heard about this incredible product and I would love one. Anything to keep my precious little ones safer!!
jenbutterfly12 at yahoo dot com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I would love this. I am taking 3 little ones on an airplane by myself in November this would be great
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
I've heard great things about these harnesses. Maybe give us an excuse to fly somewhere!
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
would love to have this for our next flight
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
My cousin could use this! Thanks for the chance!
baller19822002 at yahoo dot com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
We fly across the country every couple of months to visit family and I hate lugging the carseat down the aisle of the plane! This would be an awesome addition to our travel toolbelt.
kendylann3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
re: CARES Child Aviation Restraint System - Review and Giveaway
What a great win this would be, we are planning a trip to Florida this fall and this would definitely come in handy.