RideSafer Travel Vest

Seat is Good for You If:

You frequently use Lyft/Uber/Taxis

This seat only weighs 1.5 lbs and comes with a backpack to carry it in. This makes it the lightest option available for booster age kids. It works well in most vehicles and is easy to use after some practice.

You travel often.

This seat is much smaller than a traditional car seat or booster. You can easily pack it into your carry-on luggage so that you can have it ready upon arrival in your destination. It’s also easy to carry around if you’ll be mostly using public transportation instead of renting a vehicle.

You need to fit 3 across.

You can’t get anything smaller than this vest. If you have a tight 3 across situation, it may work well to have your oldest child in the center seat with this vest. In most vehicles, this would allow you to have 2 narrow car seats in the outboard seating positions. For other 3 across car seat options, check out our post here.

You have a higher percentile child who has reached 65 pounds before they are mature enough for a booster.

Occasionally we see kids reaching 65 pounds before they are old enough or mature enough for a high back booster. In these circumstances, we find that the Ride Safer Travel Vest is a good option since there are no longer any conventional car seats that harness a child above 65 pounds. The vest has an optional top tether that can be used to keep the child sitting upright. You are also allowed to lock the seat belt if needed.

You have an older vehicle with lap-only seat belts.

If you have an older vehicle with lap-only seat belts and your child is not able to sit rear-facing any longer, the Ride Safer Travel Vest is your best option. In this scenario, you will need to use the top tether. If your vehicle does not have a top tether anchorage, you will need an additional accessory called the RideSafer Energy Absorbing Tether Anchor Loop. This allows you to create a top tether anchorage that can be used with the vest. The vest and top tether together help distribute the forces of a crash so that they are not all concentrated in the lap belt area on the child’s body.

Use Caution if:

Your child is below 5 years of age.

We don’t recommend using it below 5 years of age in most circumstances, but there are some exceptions. If your child has reached 65 pounds and they are below 5 years of age, this vest is a better choice than a booster, since it has the top tether anchor to help keep them in place. If you are using Uber/Lyft and will sit by the child at all times, the Ride Safer Travel Vest may work for a child younger than 5 as well. It would depend on the child and whether they are able to sit properly with constant reminders or not. Wayb Pico may be a better option for younger children; you can see our review of that seat here.

You want something easy to use.

The Ride Safer Travel Vest is not as easy to use as a traditional harness car seat or booster. With some practice, an older child should be able to get themselves in and out of the vest. However, grandparents and other caregivers may find this vest challenging to use in comparison to other options. 

Quirks to be Aware of:

Not as easy to use as a conventional car seat

This seat has many advantages over conventional seats like its ability to work in most 3 across situations, its lightweight design and its higher weight limit. However, placing a child in it can be a bit challenging initially than a harness seat is. Though with practice, it becomes more manageable over time.