I can't think of anything funny to say about a car seat that folds in half. I'm too busy wondering why all the other car seat companies haven't been taking the ordeal of airplane travel and the schlepping around of car seats into account, and offering folding car seats all these years.
Why do we have to wait so long for a small independent manufacturer of slightly random baby accessories to come up with one? Well, the question may be moot now, because the Sunshine Kids Profile folding car seat made its debut last spring at the JPMA expo, and it's supposed to hit the market any day now.
In addition to folding to an easier-to-carry 6.5 inches, the Profile has a steel inner frame and steel-reinforced seatbelt brackets. Retail price is a reported $199, but no amount of money'll get you a black one, at least not yet.
Check out the Sunshine Kids Profile Folding Car Seat [sunshinekidsjp.com via babybargains, thanks dt reader Mimi]
Brilliant. The best ideas always seem in retrospect like they should have been obvious to everyone.
In addition to cooler fabric, it needs a detachable shoulder strap. Integrating a thin diaper bag into the back would be handy as well.
[They show it in its own shoulder bag, as if the only thing you'd be carrying at that moment is a car seat... -ed.]
Brilliant, but how much does it weigh? Could it realistically be schlepped around routinely, or is it still only for special occasions? The brochures don't say.
[yeah, 'lighter than other car seats' is a pretty low bar. -ed]
This would be great for us... we got rid of our car just before the baby was born and joined the car sharing co-op here. It's worked out great (where else can you get a minivan for $2/hour?) but as the kid is rapidly approaching the maximum size for her Peg Perego car seat, I'm wondering what we're going to have to go through when we move to a seat that doesn't snap into the stroller. Even now, just carrying the base is a pain...
I think this is definitely the kind of product they should've come out with a LONG time ago, however... is anyone else concerned about the fact that this company doesn't seem to have made anything comparable to a car seat before? The dingle-dangle toys are cute but definitely not in the same league. I wouldn't buy THIS carseat until Consumer Reports crash-tested the crap out of them and rated them as at least "Good". I wouldn't want it to fold with my kid in it; is that super paranoid of me? :-P
There's also the airline compatible car sear that turns into a stroller that's been out a while. I don't know how great it funtions as a stroller as it's certainly no Bugaboo, but it is prbably Ok for short trips.
Hope they've safety-tested this one, so it doesn't occasionally fold the baby along with it, like in car crashes. Because that's what car seats are made for usually - protecting the baby that is - not necessarily beeing portable.
really interested in purchasing one of them. I live in England - where can i get it from as i have search the net but could get any information about buying it. Nish