Which car seat is easiest to travel with?
Whether it’s bus, train, or air travel, lugging a large and heavy car seat around during your trip can be very cumbersome.
While there are many great convertible seats out there for long-term installation in your car, choosing a seat that travels well is a bit more of a challenge.
First off, the weight of the seat is one of the biggest considerations. It doesn’t take long to realize how tiring it can be to lug a heavy seat through an airport or in the aisle of a bus or plane. All seats available on the market have undergone extensive safety testing, so choosing a lighter car seat doesn’t mean compromising safety.
The overall size of the car seat can also be an issue. Will your child be using a car seat on a plane? Will you be renting or riding along in a compact car? If so, a travel-friendly seat may be necessary.
If you need a travel seat for an older child, Diono’s Radian line is the best bet. Due to the full steel frame, these aren’t very lightweight seats. However, these seats make up for their weight by being collapsible to a smaller size and by including straps to let you carry them like a backpack. They’re also less wide than many seats out there, which helps when installing them in narrow airplane, bus, or car seats. The Radian R100 fits up to 65 pounds and 57” while the Radian RXT fits up to 80 pounds and 57”.