Safety 1st Tote n Go...any good?

[bangzoom6877]

I'm going on the Norwegian Spirit on July 22, 2006, so we are really looking into my son's safety at this point. I figure if I need to order anything online and test it out, this is the time. My son will be 18 and a half months old when we sail. We are going to three ports...St. Thomas, Tortola and Bermuda (King's Wharf). Now I know that there is a ferry by King's Wharf that will take us to Hamilton, so I feel okay taking my son Philip on that. But I am of course concerned with buses and taxis/minivans. This will be the first cruise with Philip.

 

I have seen the Sit 'n' Stroll, a carseat/stroller combo, but it looks like it takes up a ton of space in the cabin, and we are in an inside cabin for three. So not a whole lot of room for storing something like that. I was thinking about the Safety First Tote 'n' Go, the 5-point harness vest, as long as the taxi has seatbelts we could use it. I remember in St. Thomas they had seatbelts. I am not sure about Tortola, I have never been there. Has anyone ever used this product? If we take a minivan and put Philip in between us in the backseat, do you this this is safe and feasible? Or should we just suck it up and get the Sit 'n' Stroll? I saw a review of the Tote 'n' Go online, and the person demonstarted with photos of a child who was nearly 2 years old, while using the harness in a regular sedan as well as in a minivan. In the minivan it seemed to work well as a restraint. It worked fairly well in the sedan but better in the minivan. The biggest concern I have seen in reviews is that there is no headrest for a child to take a nap. But if we just take a ride to Maegan's Bay Beach, I don't think we will have to worry about being in a car for a long time.

 

Does anyone have any advice for us? Are there ferries to the beaches in St. Thomas and Tortola that are within walking distance of the ship? Does the ferry to Hamilton, Bermuda take you close enough to Horseshoe Bay Beach to talk there from the pier? Any info on all of this would be much appreciated. We are very concerned with Philip's safety, especially given the recent tragedy on Celebrity cruiselines when 12 people died while on a tour with a different company (not the cruiseline). I have been to St. Thomas and have seen Maegan's Bay Beach many times so if my husband wants to go without me but with the rest of our group, it's fine with me. He has never been to any of these islands. I personally wouldn't mind staying on the ship if I have to, if it means the safest route to go for Philip.

 

Thanks,

Bonnie

[greenjello]

I was thinking of buying this for my 3 year old too.(I've seen them on ebay). We also have a 10month old and are going to Disney for a few days before the cruise, I was thinking this would mean bringing one less car seat (if it works). It got mixed reviews on eopinions.com.................Any experience anyone???????????

Thanks

[babytraveler]

I don't know, and I'm no expert, and I've been tempted many times by the Tote n Go. But when you compare it against a Marathon, it sure just doesn't look as safe... I'm bringing my Marathon... Heavy, but safe...

[mrleo33]

If your child falls within the height and weight requirements, it seems like a great solution. I own a sit n' stroll and the reason I like it is because it is an FAA approved flight seat as well as a car seat and I didn't have to take an additional stroller. I think you'll be happy either way.

[loveysbydesign]

I just posted this same ? on 2 other boards and am waiting for responses...when I get them I'll let you know!!1

[bangzoom6877]

Thank you everyone for your responses! My son Philip weighed 23 pounds 4 ounces at his 12-month checkup in the beginning of January. We take him for his 15-month checkup on monday the 10th, and I am sure he will be the 25 pounds that a child has to be (minimum) in order to use the Tote n Go. He already fulfills the height requirement.

 

The reason I don't want to get a Sit n Stroll is because we don't travel by plane so it wouldn't be of any use to us for that. If we did travel by plane, that would be what I would buy since it makes it much easier getting around in the airport and putting the child in a safe seat on an airplane. But for the cruise, we plan to wheel Philip right onto the ship in his stroller, which can be easily stored under the bed (it's a Chicco and folds down very small). We will most likely buy the Tote n Go and bring that too. It weighs under 4 pounds which makes things very easy when going to the beach and other places. I was thinking about it...if we were to bring his carseat, what would we do with it at the beach and other places? That's why so many people buy the Sit 'n' Stroll though. But for us, I think this works better. We booked our cruise last summer, but we wanted to wait until around this time (3 and a half months to go) to buy something, just in case something new came out and we preferred it. But I think this is the way to go for us. It's light, it's a 5-point harness which is better than just a regular seatbelt, and it's easy to store. Thanks again everyone! I will also check out eopinions to read some more reviews.

[Falling Rock]

Hi,

Let me give you rationale first-hand advice. At 18+ months the 5-pt harness is probably the best to use for traveling. Those bulky large heavy hard plastic carseats are BURDENSOME and are not going to protect your child anymore than the 5-pt.

Why, you ask?

Because most injuries to children in car crashes are from UNRESTRAINED children or improperly restrained children (like rearward facing infants in front seat with airbags, or carseats which were misfastened to car). How do I know? Because I have over 25 years in the EMS first responder business in a urban area.

Hope this gives you peace of mind in selecting any restraint system.

[bangzoom6877]

Falling Rock, thank you so much for putting my mind at ease even more! What you are saying makes sense...that children injured in car crashes are not properly restrained or in the wrong part of the car. It is of course, always important to follow all instructions. We are always so careful with our son in his carseat. We make sure to adjust anything that needs adjusting, such as the straps when he is wearing a different jacket (lighter or heavier). Even that makes a difference, I think. I will order the Safety 1st Tote 'n' Go, probably this weekend. I checked some of the reviews and the worst thing I have read is that it takes a few minutes to install and can be a little difficult to do it. But we will practice installing it quite a few times before our cruise, and there are 2 of us which will make it easier. I am sure my husband can install it while I stay with Philip. Thanks again!

[wa.mama]

Believe it or not, my mother in law designed/made this item. My kids have tested out various models of it over the last 10 years - MIL did end up selling the design to the company who currently makes it, so I'm not sure what the most current model is like. I heard in depth about the intensive crash testing, etc, that she had to go through to get it FAA certified (took years, more intensive than for most car seats). It is a great travel restraint for when you don't want to pack the car seat. The only drawback years ago was that the kids didn't like sitting at seat level because they couldn't see anything, but I believe a booster is now included. My MIL is, well, one of the most overprotective grandmas ever, and though I may not trust her cooking I do trust her car seat.