Go-Go Babyz Kidz Travelmate
by Go-Go Babyz
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List Price: Our Price: $79.95 You Save: $9.05 (10%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Go-Go Babyz Kidz Travelmate
Customer Review: My observations/tips for using the Travelmate
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are planning on your child having their own seat and if you have a stroller at your final destination, the Travelmate is invaluable.
A couple of observations and tips I have after using the Travelmate with our 17 month old:
Make sure you practice taking the Travelmate on and off beforehand, preferably not the day you leave for the airport! It's pretty easy with the quick release strap, but the mechanism can be a bit tricky.
I may be criticized for this, but we removed the wheels and axle and kept the Travelmate attached to our Britax Boulevard CS for the drive to the airport. Currently, we use our car seat rear facing and the Travelmate did not appear to interfere with proper installation of the car seat in the car. In hindsight, the Travelmate is so easy to attach (once you are comfortable doing so), I probably wouldn't bother leaving it attached in the future. It was more difficult to take the wheels off than to take the whole Travelmate off.
The Travelmate + carseat fit through the airport scanner @ MSP with no problem. In SFO, it would not fit, but they were able to run it through a different machine.
The following comments apply to our make/model of car seat, but may be helpful to others as well: When getting on the plane (Delta), we were able to roll the Travelmate/seat + toddler down the aisle. If you do this, push in front of you so you can navigate your child safely. Ask for a seat belt extender so the release latch doesn't end up getting stuck behind the seat once tightened onto the airplane seat. We placed the car seat forward facing for the flight, and learned that removing the Travelmate and the angle of the car seat was helpful to avoid the toddler kicking the seat in front of him.
Customer Review: Buyer's Remorse
Summary: 2 Stars
When I first purchased this product I was very excited about using it and imagined traveling with ease through the airport. After about six trips using GoGo Kidz with my Britax Decathlon it has turned more into anxiety than pleasure getting to my destination.
I attach it to my carseat to get through check-in and over to security which seems pretty durable holding a 30 lb toddler. The handle feels a bit flimsy at times but it always holds up. It is not very difficult to put together but in a panic I have almost lost a screw once or twice. This would hardly be an issue if once it was attached to the carseat it could stay that way from point A to B but I have to assemble it about three times by the time we've landed.
I have found that it does not fit through any aiport x-ray where I've traveled and security has never allowed a wand search. This leaves me trying to disassemble it with a toddler in one arm and angry passengers in line behind me.
Once through security it needs to be assembled again which is then useful to wheel over to the gate. It does not fit down the aisle of the plane on my Britax so I need to lift it over the rows which is not easy at 5'2". I find that if I don't want to take the wheels off AGAIN then the Decathlon requires a seat belt extension to be secured. After landing I usually end carrying the seat with a sleeping toddler over the rows again to exit which is not an easy task for me. After wheeling our way out of the aiport I take off GoGo Kidz to put the carseat in a car and we've made it.
Good concept but if only it was designed to fit through x-ray it might make it that much more useful but next trip I think I'll use a stroller and check the carseat.
Customer Review: great travel gadget--one less thing to bring!
Summary: 4 Stars
I just purchased this from BRU for a trip we were taking and I was very skeptical. I have purchased many "convenience" items for myself in the hopes of making things easy and usually I kick myself for it because it was a waste. I have a 19 month old and a 3.5 year old. The 3.5 year old is old enough to walk with us and to sit in the airplane seat without a car seat but not the 19 month old. Taking our stroller AND the car seat AND the carry ons has proven to be a pain in the past. When I saw this in the store I decided to try it out since we decided that ultimately we didn't need our stroller where we were going. It was a GODSEND!! my daughter loved sitting in it while we checked in and moved about the airport and got angry every time my older daughter tried to get in it since it was HER seat. It was so easy to maneuver around--much better than the stroller and it turned on a dime. My husband attached the seat to the device and this is why it doesn't get 5 stars. as great of a product I think this is, I think there should be an easier way to attach the thing to the seat like a snap on device or something. right now there is a bar that goes on the seat and then screws on to the platform. It's not complicated just takes a few minutes and that can be an issue when you're catching a flight. you just have to plan for it. I suppose this makes it super secure which is more important when lugging your child around but I still wish it were easier and faster.
In spite of this, I would highly recommend this to anyone who needs to take their car seat on the plane for their child especially if you don't really need your stroller at your destination because if you get stuck, ultimately you could use it as a stroller too.
Customer Review: Worth every penny!
Summary: 5 Stars
There are some negative reviews complaining about x-ray machines, the mounting system, etc. They must pertain to a much older version of the product, because the one I got in September 2010 was probably one of the best purchases I made this year. On a recent trip, my 2.5yo fell asleep on the way to the airport. This was on the other end of five days of a messed up sleep schedule and shifted time-zone, so every minute of sleep was as precious as gold. I checked in the rental (toddler still asleep), unloaded my bags, and carefully and quietly removed him and his seat from the car without waking him up. We were able to wheel into the airport, get the boarding pass and check the luggage while he was still asleep! Retiring to a quiet corner of the airport outside security he was able to get in another full hour before going through security - that extra nap made all the different in the world on our return flight. This would NOT have been possible without the Go-Go Kidz Travelmate, which is why I said it was worth every penny.
Regarding the x-ray machine: on the way out, I didn't expect it to fit through the xray machine with the wheels on, and it did not fit. We got a "hand scan", but that was kind of a pain and took us an extra ten minutes while they analyzed the scent-wipes for bomb-making residue... On the way back I took the wheels off (squeeze the little catch and the pop right off easily!) and the seat with travelmate attached fit through the machine no problems at all.
We flew coach on Delta and the car seat (Britax Roundabout) fit easily, with travelmate attached, wheels still on.
If you need to travel with a toddler seat, this is the ONLY way to do it!
Customer Review: Ugh - never again!
Summary: 1 Stars
My mother-in-law bought this for me in hopes of making my two-week, six airplane trip a little easier for myself and my 13-month old. Seeing as how my husband wasn't going on the trip with us, I was responsible for putting together and taking apart this contraption each and every time.
First, we have the Evenflo Triumph Deluxe carseat and even though it says it is compatible with this carseat, they had the wrong directions in the package! So there I was, thinking that I must be an idiot because I couldn't figure out how to attach it to the carseat when in fact, the directions were completely wrong! And trust me - it makes a difference!
Second, while I was fortunate enough that my airport was able to wand search the carseat with this attached, it was THE BIGGEST headache to put on and take off. It definitely takes two hands to do - and so traveling alone with a toddler makes this quite a task. You definitely cannot use this stroller attachment if you are traveling by yourself.
Third, like others have posted, most carseats don't fit down the aisle of an airplane, so I was left trying to juggle a toddler, a carseat, this contraption, and my carry-on. Thank goodness the airplane staff were kind enough to tote my carseat to my row for me and travelers behind us weren't annoyed!
So, all in all, if you're traveling with someone else who can watch your child while you take the necessary 10 minutes to put this on and take it off, it won't be that bad. If you're doing it alone - do NOT use this product! Also, it's a bit flimsy - my daughter's carseat (with her in it!) fell over three times with this attached. Blech!