Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to commentor #55: Staceyk!

As a flight attendant, one of the most common questions I receive from traveling families besides “Do you have extra diapers on board?” is “Have you ever heard of the CARES Restraint System? Is it really that easy?”

Well, thanks to Kids Fly Safe, not only can I say I have heard about it but I’ve also had the opportunity to actually see one for myself.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

CARES, the Child Aviation Restraint System, is the only harness type child aviation safety restraint ever certified for airplane travel by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is designed for children who are able to sit upright in their own airplane seat and weigh between 22 and 44 pounds – usually 1-4 years old.

OUR REVIEW

First of all, let me tell you that anything that will decrease the amount of things I need to lug to the plane is always a blessing in my book. I like to travel as light as possible and check in everything I can. It just makes traveling with kids so much easier. So when I first heard about CARES, I had to find out more. To my surprise, it only weighs 1 pound is about 6″ long. You can throw it in your carry-on and it won’t weigh you down like a car seat.

Secondly, it’s really easy to install. The only downside is that you’ll need to temporarily put down the tray table of the person behind you and they may not always be the most cooperative people on board. However, once they realize that it will not interfere with their “personal space” in any way, they’re usually pretty understanding.

Third, kids seem to really like using it because it allows them to sit on the plane’s seat just like a big kid.

“The FAA spent nearly four years evaluating CARES, which was a significant departure from heavy, bulky car seats, which had been the only type of safety restraint previously permitted on airplanes. The FAA determined, after rigorous testing, that CARES provided an equivalent level of safety (ELOS) to a car seat when used in airplanes.
The FAA certification reflects that CARES is a true technology breakthrough in the area of passenger safety … and the certification applies to all US registered airlines, private planes, and corporate jets — even helicopters.

International travelers will be happy to learn that CARES is now approved by Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and for use on Air Baltic, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Czech Airlines, El Al, EVA, KLM, Korean Airlines, Olympic Airlines, and Swiss International Airlines, to name a few.”

Overall, we loved using the CARES Restraint System and would highly recommend it to anyone traveling with young children. However, just be prepared to explain to the flight attendant what it is. Even though we (flight attendants) have all been informed that the CARES System is FAA approved, many may not have seen it in person yet.

The Mom’s Choice Awards just named the Child Aviation Restraint (CARES) among the best in family-friendly products for 2009. CARES won the highest honor from Mom’s Choice, a Gold Award, in the Gear & Accessories- Safety Category.  The CARES Restraint System sells for $74.95.

WIN IT!

I have a CARES to give away to one lucky person! To enter:

• Just stop by Kids Fly Safe before midnight, Feb 7th and check out how to install the system.
• Then come back and mention in comments one of the steps. That’s it!
• A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter.
• The winner will then have 2 days to claim their prize.

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This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

This post was written for Kids Fly Safe who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product. By entering this giveaway, you are acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree to our disclosure policy