Car Seat Rentals While Traveling--safe?

I have always traveled our car seat. I have never felt comfortable with the idea of a rental one. I was picky choosing the one we use, so why would I put my child in one that I wasn't so sure about..

We've always taken ours with us. We only flew one time where we held our oldest in our laps -from then on I decided he could have his own seat because I cannot stand having a squirmy baby in my lap for hours! It also helped him tremendously with the flight itself -he was comfy, used to the seat, and slept the whole flight on 4 different occasions. Best of all -we had his own car seat when we got to our destination to use in the rental car. We haven't flown with our newest yet, but we'll probably do the same thing with him. The oldest can sit in the seat by himself now, so the newest could sit in the carseat and we could check the oldest's seat.

If you're flying with a baby in your lap, you can still check your own seat or gate check it. One Step Ahead and Babies R Us also have some pretty cool seat covers/carriers with wheels that you can wear like a backpack or pull on wheels through the airport (one even allows for the child to sit in it while you wheel it). It IS a pain to haul the seat through the airport if you don't have some type of cart or carrier situation for it.

I also felt like it was safer in the airplane to have the carseat strapped in to the airline seat, so my child was buckled in -in case of turbulance or a rough landing, I felt he would be much more secure that way.

when i traveled to Arizona last year i rented a car seat for my son. i have to admit i was hesitant about it, but it turned out to be the best thing i did. you already have to travel with so much and that is one less thing to worry about, and with airlines charging for checked luggage these day i would rent. the only thing that i remember about it is that they did not know how to install the seat, so we had to do that ourselves. like the others said you can gate check the stroller and car seat if you like before boarding the plane. But in the end it is up to you and your family.

I'd hesitate renting a car seat unless I absolutely had to for a couple of reason. 1) you don't know who has used it , if it's been in a wreck ect, and 2) You know exactly how to use your car seat safely, unless it's the same seat there could be something about operating the seat that you don't know. and 3) baby would prob be more comfortable in his/her own car seat. I would use my own car seat that I was familiar with and my baby is comfortable with.

Yes, we have. Here are the pros and cons

Pro:
- You don't have to lug one through the airport
- They are usually Cosco brand carseats - something you could buy at a discount store like Walmart

Con:
- They are not top of the line
- They are usually filthy and worn
- Car rental companies are now charging to use them - Alamo is $20 per day
- As a previous person stated - you don't know the crash history or expiration date
- You have to install them yourself - the car rental company does not have it installed waiting for you - true nightmare trying to figure out a new installation after being on a plane and a shuttle!

We have done both, but I have decided due to the daily rental rate, I just check it in at the gate (no connection) or check it in at baggage and tell the customer service agent that "this HAS to get there....." and cross my fingers it doesn't get lost (and it never has). Also most airlines have a free carseat check - so you don't have to pay like some airlines are doing these days.

Hope this helps!

I used the hertz carseat. It was kinda of yucky. And very cheap. I think it was a 4 point harness system. It was a far cry from the Britax Marathon that we were used to. But even still I used it and I would use it again. My child was 5 months at the time. I believe that in the case of an accident she wouldve been protected, but not as well.(there was little or no padding in the carseat, mostly just plastic.)