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Ride Safer Travel Vest review (2024)

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This review of the Ride Safer travel vest is written by certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Melissa Conn and may contain affiliate links.

We’re all about experiences over things, but sometimes things come along that makes the experiences a thousand times more enjoyable. That’s my overall impression of the Ride Safer travel vest car seat – for our family it has become an indispensable piece of travel gear as we’ve gallivanted around the globe with two young children. In this Ride Safer travel vest review, you’ll get my complete, honest opinions as a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and a mom.

We have now used two different generations of the Ride Safer Travel Vest, the Ride Safer Delight travel vest and the current Ride Safer Travel Vest Gen 5 . Within the current generation we own three of the four sizes and in this review I’ll share photos on a variety of kids. We’ve spent many years with our vests, so I’ve had plenty of time to get acquainted with them!

You may have seen parents in Facebook groups refer to it by a range of almost-correct names: safe rider vest, rider safe vest, ride safe vest, rider safe travel vest, rider safety vest… I’ve seen pretty much every combination but the only correct one is Ride Safer Travel Vest.

Keep reading (and watching!) to learn how to use the Ride Safer travel vest, its pros and cons and how to decide if it’s right for your family. I’ll also share some information about the companion TravelSmarter booster seat.

DEAL ALERT! Save $11 off the Ride Safer Travel Vest with coupon ‘ VOYAGE ‘

Here’s a quick video review of the Ride Safer travel vest:

What is the Ride Safer travel vest?

The Ride Safer travel vest is a wearable booster seat alternative for young children up through tweens. It works by bringing the seatbelt down to your child’s level rather than boosting her up.

Your child puts the vest on (like a clothing vest) and then you secure it using the industrial-strength velcro panel and metal buckle on the front. Once you get in the car, you’d buckle the seatbelt as usual but then thread it through the seat belt guides that are included on the lap and shoulder portions of the vest. The Ride Safer Travel Vest has fairly rigid support through the body, unlike a traditional booster seat that has no body support.

It meets or exceeds all crash test requirements and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for harness restraints, meaning the Ride Safer travel vest is legal throughout the US. It is still considered a booster seat, allowing much more mobility than a harnessed seat. You’ll have to use your judgement regarding your young child’s maturity and ability to stay in the proper position for the whole car ride.

There’s also an optional top tether that should be used whenever possible to limit head movement in an accident. It also help to keep younger riders from reaching for a toy or slumping when asleep in this kids seat belt vest. Having forgotten the top tether piece on a recent trip, I can tell you that it’s an essential piece (even for kids who are old enough for a traditional booster seat).

Want to know all my best secrets? Click here to learn how to travel with your car seat like a pro!

Who should use the Ride Safer Travel Vest?

According to the manufacturer specifications, the Ride Safer Travel Vest Gen 5 will fit the following ages and sizes:

Ok, but what ages and sizes should use the Ride Safer Travel Vest?

As I mentioned in the introduction, we’re fortunate to have used two generations and several sizes of Ride Safer travel vest over the course of many years and many rides.

2023 update! In previous versions of this review I expressed frustration that the Gen 5 vest ran much larger than Gen 4 and didn’t fit kids as the size chart indicated. I’m thrilled to say that the manufacturer, Safe Traffic Systems, responded to sizing feedback and quietly change the design! The changes are significant enough that I wish they’d given it a new name or generation number. This is especially worth noting if you owned a previous vest or have been considering one for a while.

In the photo below, the original Gen 5 is on the left and the new Gen 5 vest is on the right. As you can see, the new version has a much wider range of length adjustability! The diamond-shaped panel can slide up and down along the harness and the velcro tab that determines the vest’s length can be affixed either to the diamond or basically anywhere along the back strap. On the old version we only had about 2″ of Velcro to work with, which translated to very little length difference.

Here’s a comparison of the XS vest at its largest setting along with the new Gen 5 and old Gen 5 smalls at their smallest settings – don’t worry, you’ll see them on real kids in a minute! The XS Ride Safer Travel Vest has some additional considerations so look for that in the next section. In the middle you can see that I’ve also crossed the buckle over to the far side of the vest, which is now permitted to get a better fit on slim kids.

Here’s the updated Gen 5 Ride Safer Travel Vest size small fit. My cute nephew is 5 years old and around 43″ with an average build, while my sweet niece is 7.5 years old, around 46″ and slim. With the improved adjustability, an average sized 4 year old should be able to use the size small. I tried the small on my 9 year old – around 48″ and 60lbs – but it was too small on her.

Not ready for the Ride Safer yet? Here are some great travel car seats for 3 year olds and 4 year olds to consider instead.

Many parents ask if they should buy the small or large Ride Safer Travel Vest for their child (there is no medium vest). Here are updated pictures of my own kiddos using the size large vest. At 48″/60lbs (left) and 53″/75lbs (right), the large fits great! My son still has plenty of growing room as well.

Ride Safer Travel Vest X-Small review

In this section, I’m going to address the Ride Safer XS vest that was released in 2022. It’s a bit of a different product and there are a host of considerations that aren’t as important for kids old enough to use the small through XL sizes. Remember, it’s still safer for kids this age to be rear facing in a convertible car seat .

If your kiddo is already 4, scroll down to the next section.

Ride Safer Travel Vest small vs x-small comparison

First, let’s look at a comparison between the Gen 5 Ride Safer Travel Vest XS (left) and the Small (right) and spot the differences:

The overall concept is the same, but there are some critical changes here! First, the XS is obviously smaller. This photo shows the XS on its largest setting and the small on its smallest setting, and there’s still a pretty big difference. There’s just isn’t a ton of room on the back of the XS for the velcro torso length adjustment, so it has a much narrower range than the small.

Second, the small has a metal buckle at the waist while the XS has a similar buckle attached at the chest pads and only velcro at the waist. If you’ve never had one of these vests in your hands, the velcro is incredibly strong so don’t be concerned that kids are going to mess with it, nor that it would open in a crash. But that metal buckle on the chest? Genius.

It remedies the biggest issue with size small for smaller kids, which is that the shoulder straps can easily slide off of slim shoulders. I’d love to see this change on the Ride Safer Gen 6 vests! Not only does that “chest clip” give a better fit but it also prevents kids from deliberately getting out. Could a determined child unfasten it? Surely. But it’s an important first line of defense!

Finally, you’ll see that the shoulder belt guides on the x-small travel vest are exposed while they’re covered with fabric on the small. While the velcro on those flaps is pretty flimsy, I miss them on the XS. In their absence, curious fingers may be more inclined to play with the shoulder belt and potentially remove it from the guide.

Ride Safer Travel Vest XS fit to child

I’m excited to have a tiny new model to show off the XS vest! This little lady is just over 2 and on the short side. You can see that the XS fits her nicely. If she had been more compliant I would have used the crotch strap as well (more on that later).

On the topic of curious fingers, let’s meet our second adorable XS vest model: my 3.5yo nephew – these photos were taken a few years ago, and you’ll see above that he’s now comfortably modeling the size small. At 3 he was 37.5″ and 33.5lbs – exactly average for height and just a little above average for weight. In these photos he was probably around 39″ and 35lbs – nearing the top end of the size range for XS.

He juuuuust fit into the XS (right) and the crotch strap was very helpful for keeping the vest low with the lap panel on the tops of his thighs. By contrast, the small was so baggy through the shoulders that when he was fed up with modeling he slid his tiny shoulders through and pulled the whole thing down.

Is the extra-small Ride Safer Travel Vest right for your child?

And therein lies rub… a child doesn’t need to be 100% booster-ready to use the vest, but he still needs to basically be a calm and compliant child even if a vest or other car seat makes him grumpy.

The XS Ride Safer Vest is marketed for 2 and 3 year olds, but that’s precisely the age at which kids beginning pushing boundaries and asserting their independence. Some kids, like my daughter photographed above at the same age, are total rule followers and will just sit where you place them and how you place them. Others – perhaps the majority – at 2 or even 3 will wiggle and squirm, sometimes for discomfort and sometimes to get a rise out of their safety-minded parents.

While my little niece looked like the perfect model above, before getting that picture she spent about 30 minutes sitting on the ground saying “I don’t like it!” when I showed her the vest. She wasn’t willing to put it on at all until after both of her older siblings had modeled for me. If you’re considering using the vest for a trip with a young or sensitive child, give yourself plenty of extra time to get them comfortable and situated.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the CPST community is split on whether or not the XS vest should exist. Yes, it passes Federal crash testing both with and without the top tether. However, crash test dummies don’t move . In deciding whether or not your child is ready for the vest, you have to be honest about her behavior and developmental level.

There aren’t many situations where I’m inclined to steer parents to the XS vest versus a traditional travel car seat or the WAYB Pico , but here they are:

• You have a calm, compliant, petite 3-4 year old and will be doing the sort of travel that just doesn’t work with a traditional car seat (like full-time travel )
• You’re taking a 2 year old on a car-free vacation that only requires a taxi / Uber from the airport and an adult or teen will be sitting next to the toddler in the car

While the crotch strap is optional for all ages, I strongly recommend its use with the XS vest. Kids this age are prone to wiggling and the strap ensures that the lap belt stays nice and low on the thighs. Between that and the “chest clip” it’ll also remind kids that they’re in a car seat and shouldn’t be frolicking around the car.

When possible, I also recommend using the top tether. With that piece the Ride Safer Travel Vest passes the same testing that’s required of a forward-facing harness. Furthermore, you’re really limiting how much your young child can squirm out of position. In some countries (generally in the developing world) there are no top tethers, so keep that in consideration as you decide whether or not to travel internationally with the XS RSTV.

Finally, if you have no alternative but to use the vest and you think your child will try to wiggle too much you do have the option of locking the seatbelt at the retractor like you would when installing a car seat. Many countries (like Mexico ) don’t have that “switchable” retractor as a standard unfortunately but it’s mandatory in the US and Canada.

XS Ride Safer Travel Vest in the car

So how does the vest do when you put an actual child in the car? It was actually pretty good for my little nephew at 3.5 and average height!

You can see that I managed to pull the vest down pretty far so that the lap panel is flat on his thighs. I’ve used the top tether and the crotch strap to limit the wiggles. If he had a little more room in the vest, sitting “criss-cross” would help the lap panel sit even flatter.

He’s right near the top of the size chart for the XS vest, and because he’s 3 he had no tolerance for trying the small in the car. It’s also worth nothing that in this vehicle he doesn’t have the appealing red button of the seatbelt buckle right next to him, but he would in a sedan or other bench seat. I’m confident that this little guy wouldn’t mess with it once told, but only you know how your child will handle that situation.

This is in a different vehicle, but you can see that the fit on his sister at age 2 is… less good. In theory this works: the lap belt is flat on her thighs and the shoulder belt crosses near her collar bone. But because she’s very small and the seatbelt is mounted high in this car, it hits her right in the face! There’s a good chance that she would (understandably) move the seatbelt out of position after a few minutes because that can’t be comfortable.

Safe Traffic Systems offers the Travel Smarter backless booster seat that can be used with any size vest to improve the seatbelt fit. As you can see here, it does exactly that! There’s no chance of the lap belt riding up onto her “soft belly” and the shoulder belt is more appropriately positioned. She’s also able to benefit from the car’s advanced safety features like side curtain airbags since she’s higher up.

You can read my Travel Smarter booster seat review for more info. It’s incredibly light and comes with its own backpack that also fits the vest inside.

If you feel that the XS Ride Safer vest is right for your family, you can buy it here and save $11 with coupon ‘VOYAGE’.

How to put on the Ridesafer vest for kids

When you open the Ridesafer travel vest backpack, you’ll see a few different parts and you’ll need to make some adjustments. The great news is that you can fit it to your child before you need to use it in the car.

The components included in the box are the vest, a sometimes-optional crotch strap, the optional-but-highly-recommended top tether, the truly optional neck pillow and a convenient carry backpack. We ditched the pillow after just one use and the crotch strap once our kids got a little bigger.

Putting the vest on is pretty intuitive: open the buckle and the very sturdy Velcro panel in the front, then have your child slip his arms in. Tug the vest down, fasten the Velcro so that it’s snug but not uncomfortable and then fasten the metal buckle, adjusting the strap length as necessary – there’s no way that vest is coming undone on its own! To get the length right, turn your child around and open the Velcro on the crossing straps on his back. Adjust the vest until the bottom flap on the front is resting on top of his thighs (since it will hold the lap portion of the seatbelt in the proper position), then refasten the Velcro straps on his back.

The final (optional) step is to the thread the Y-shaped crotch strap through the two slots on the back of the vest on the bottom (one on each side), then pull between the legs and fasten snugly through the slot at the bottom of the front. While the crotch strap is technically optional, it’s important for preventing younger riders from “submarining” (sliding down and out of the vest).

We stopped using the crotch strap around 4.5-5 years old. It’s not long enough to use all the way to the top of the size range, but it’s also not necessary at that point.

You can see a hands-on demo of putting on the Ride Safer vest below:

How to use the Ride Safer vest in the car

The Ride Safer travel vest is very easy to use once you get it on your child.

Here are the basic steps to use the Ridesafer vest:

• Put the vest on the child, making sure that the lower panel is over the tops of the thighs. It can help to “fan out” the two sides of the lap panel so that it sits flat.
• Have child sit in the car and fasten seatbelt as normal.
• Feed the lap belt through both metal guides in the lap panel of the vest, then pull snug across the lap. Don’t over-tighten the lap belt or it may start to bunch in the guide on the side away from the buckle.
• Open the Velcro shoulder pad on the side where the should belt crosses and feed the shoulder belt through that metal guide, then pull snug and close the shoulder pad.
• Attach the optional but highly recommended top tether to the shoulder straps using the two metal hooks (above the pads), then attach the other end to the car’s top tether point and pull the tail to remove slack .

If you’ll be using the Ride Safe travel vest in your own car or a rental car, you can leave it attached to the car when you get out! Just unbuckle the seatbelt and remove it from the lap belt guide on the buckle side before you unbuckle the waist strap. You can leave the tether attached at the shoulders and even leave the seatbelt threaded through the shoulder and the other side of the lap! As you become more experienced with the vest, it’s a real time saver.

Ride Safer travel vest FAQs

Yes, as long as it’s used in accordance with the directions the Ride Safer travel vest is legal in the United States. Please see more information on Europe , Australia and Costa Rica for additional guidance if you’re traveling to those places.

Yes, it passes FMVSS 213 testing just like all other car seats in the United States.

No. If your child is under 40lbs, the CARES harness ( full review here ) is an excellent complement that can be used on planes.

The RSTV is permitted in Canada as a medical device with prescription.

The Ride Safer Travel Vest has only been crash tested an approved with the Travel Smarter backless booster seat . Using it with any other booster seat (inflatable or otherwise) may be unsafe and in some cases illegal.

RideSafer Travel Vest Review Impressions

Bottom-line upfront: we liked it enough to take it with us for a full year of travel. Yes, its that much of a game-changer. Now having returned, I have no regrets about that choice.

Now for my full thoughts: The Ride Safer vest is an awesome product that really delivers on its promise to make traveling with preschoolers and older kids easier without compromising safety. We took it to Europe without ever testing it at home, which was a risk for sure, but I figured it out pretty quickly. Our son barely complained during any of our car rides, though he’s generally pretty easygoing about car seat safety and is accustomed to riding in a forward-facing harness most of the time at home.

When we used it during our gap year trip, it was perfect for taxi rides in the cities because I could just roll it up and put it in our day bag. We also used it for some very long road trip stretches, and found it to be solid overall. There were times when our daughter slumped more than we would have liked when sleeping, and early in the trip the shoulder straps seemed a hair too long for her; however, a little gap at the shoulders isn’t necessarily a concern. In our long-term testing, she never complained about comfort despite some drives of 6 hours in a single day.

Overall we’re very satisfied with our decision to bring the Ride Safer rather than our usual travel car seat. For kids who are mature enough and big enough to fit, we whole-heartedly recommend it in situations like ours where traveling light is the only practical solution .

It’s also a great alternative to a booster seat for taxi or Uber riders living in major cities or families on extended trips at age 4+, especially when many families would otherwise allow their children to ride unrestrained. Just throw it in the included backpack and let your kid carry it around! We’ve also found it indispensable for fitting 3-across in our small car when Grandma comes to visit.

If your child is younger or smaller, take a look at the WAYB Pico , which is an excellent folding car seat with a 5-point harness. If you travel infrequently and will just be taking a single flight and then renting a car, one of these travel car seats might be a good fit for your needs.

The RideSafer travel vest is also sometimes prescribed for children with special needs, especially now that there’s a size Extra Large available. It can be a great choice for older children and even teens who have outgrown the tallest harnessed car seat and still need more support than a traditional booster seat can offer.

What we like:

-Feels very well made

-Design has multiple fail-safe mechanisms

-Extremely compact (takes up less than half of a preschool-sized backpack)

-Easy to use, takes less than 3min to put on the vest and get the seatbelt in place (assuming your kid is a willing participant)

-More torso support than a backless booster, avoids booster rider slumping when asleep

-Adjustable sizing so it can last for several years

-Wide range of sizes now available, from XS to XL

What we don’t love:

-Can take some practice and tweaking to get the fit of the car seat vest  just right

-Crotch strap is almost too short for many kids, though its use is not required

-Getting the vest on the kid and then the kid in the car can get to be tiresome if you’re doing it several times per day, every day, for a whole year

-Lots of parts to keep track of (for a city family using the vest in a taxi, you can leave the headrest at home and save tons of space)

-The optional headrest is more trouble than it’s worth

-Not permitted to use on an airplane, so for a child under 40lbs you’d need to buy a CARES harness to make the airplane seatbelt safe

-Kids can’t see out the window (can be used with the Travel Smarter booster seat to give them a lift)

-The 2023 version now has a 5 year expiration, while earlier versions had a 10 year expiration

Final Thoughts on the Ride Safer car seat vest

As you can see from my impressions above, there is room for small changes or additional features; however, our impression is overwhelmingly positive. I was especially pleased that, when used with the top tether, the car seat travel vest prevented slumping out of position while sleeping. If we had just brought a booster seat, our daughter would have been in an unsafe position. Moving from two bulky car seats to none on our gap year was absolutely epic (we use this one for our son since he was 6 years old by then – full review here ). I honestly don’t know how we could have managed without the Ride Safer travel vest .

While the Ride Safer vest is a little pricey for an item most families will use only occasionally, if your family travels often with older preschoolers or young school age children I can’t recommend it enough. It would be a fantastic choice for car-free families with kids ages 4 and up as well, as you can easily shove it in your purse or backpack for unexpected taxi rides.

We feel confident that the Ride Safer offers a safe alternative to either lugging a huge car seat around a city or relying on an unfamiliar car/driver to maybe offer car seats. Ready to buy your own Ride Safer vest? Get it directly from Safe Ride 4 Kids for amazing customer service and fast, free shipping! Use coupon ‘VOYAGE’ to save $11 on your order.

Key stats: -Weight 2lbs -Size small: minimum age 3, fits best for 30+ lbs and 35-47″ -Size large: minimum age 4, fits best for 50+ lbs and 45-57″

Pros: ✔ Rolls up to the size of a 2L soda bottle ✔ Perfect for taxi rides ✔ Lowers seat belt to provide an appropriate fit for young children ✔ Keeps kids properly seated better than a traditional booster seat – even when sleeping ✔ Easy to fit 3-across since it’s only as wide as the child ✔ 5 year expiration

Cons: ✘ No side impact protection like a highback booster seat ✘ Takes practice to get belt fit right ✘ NOT permitted for use on planes

Still not sure? Pin this for later to come back to it!

Not sure what car seat to bring for travel? Find the best travel car seats by age

Our friends at Safe Traffic Systems and Safe Ride 4 Kids sent me several Ride Safer travel vest for kids to review; all opinions are my own. 

24 thoughts on “Ride Safer Travel Vest review (2024)”

Hello! What are your thoughts on this for a tall 7 year old who is complaining that cat seats are getting uncomfortable, but has ADHD and needs something to help him stay in his belt? He also falls asleep in the car and tips over so I am not anywhere close to a booster for him. Thanks.

The Ride Safer is a wonderful solution in that situation as long as he won’t unbuckle the seatbelt. Just be sure to use the top tether for extra support. I suggest size large given his age and height (the length and width are adjustable). Right now you can grab the vest for 20% off with coupon HOLIDAYTRIP20 .

Best, Melissa

You mention the RideSafer Delight when discussing the size of the vest as an option for smaller children. As I search for the Ride Safer Delight, I find options that say things like RideSafer Delight (Gen 5) and they look exactly like the Gen 5. Do you have any advice for finding the Delight or know what the distinguishing features are? I can’t find the Delight on the Ride Safer website.

Thanks for stopping by! The Ride Safer Delight was the official name for the Gen 4 vest – I don’t know why they moved away from the numbers for that one and then moved right back! Unfortunately the Delight is discontinued now and not available to purchase. Only the Gen 5 is available. Since most reviews on the internet still reflect the Delight, I wanted to make sure everyone understands the sizing difference. The easiest ways to tell the difference are: -Gen 5 has fabric covered loops on the tops of the shoulders rather than metal on the Delight -Gen 5 has a buckle that slides closed from the top rather than hooking across on the Delight

I hope this helps!

What are your thoughts, in terms of convenience and comfort, of using this INSTEAD of a booster?

My oldest (7) will outgrow his 5pt harness car seat soon and so I’ve started researching boosters etc when I stumbled on your review. I LOVE the idea of no more bulky boosters etc to deal with…just wondering if this is easy for kids to get in and out of on their own and if they’re more comfortable or as comfortable as boosters?

*not asking about safety differences! Just ease of use and comfort for every day use*

Thanks for stopping by! It’s an important question. While I love having the Ride Safer in my toolkit when I need it (travel, tight 3-across etc), it’s not something I’d choose for every day use if I could realistically use a different option. Getting a perfect fit can be tricky and requires fine-tuning.

I’m not sure if you know this, but there’s no evidence that a highback booster is safer than a backless booster. There are some crashes in which one is (theoretically) better and other crashes in which the other option may perform better. If your child is at least 50 pound (and can sit properly for the duration of the ride), the Graco RightGuide is the most minimalist option out there. I’m actually about to buy one myself to review, but I’ve heard excellent feedback from my colleagues. One downside is that shorter kids may not be able to see out the window in some cars. My son has also liked the Chicco GoFit , Graco Turbo GO and Bubblebum over the years.

Super helpful! Thank you so much for your reply.

Your review is so very helpful. I have a situation where on 2 days of the week I have 2 different nannies doing pick ups and drop offs making the car seat situation difficult. Would you recommend the safe rider travel vest for these 3 times per week 20 min rides? I have a 3.5 and 5 yr old (40 and 44 lbs respectively). I am just so worried about the lack of side impact protection, though I have read that many cars have high standards for side impact protect in the car itself. Would love to know your thoughts on this.

Thanks, Brandy

That’s a great question. The Ride Safer can be a little finicky to fit properly on the lap – it needs to be lower than most people think, with the lower flap sitting flat on the thighs. It would really depend on how confident you are in the nannies’ abilities to get the fit right and their attention to detail. When we had a nanny for our kids back in the day, I made sure to get the absolute simplest seats I possibly could for the kids to reduce the chance of installation or usage mistakes – remember, most parents don’t even get everything right with their car seats!

Can you tell me the kids’ heights? And do you feel like your 5yo is mature enough to ride in a booster seat on those trips? I’m happy to try to come up with some additional ideas if you don’t feel that the nannies could properly use the vest.

Safe travels, Melissa

Thank you for this great review! We are Americans living in the EU, car-free so we only need car seat for taxis and rental cars. My large 3-year-old (37 lbs, 39”) is THIS close to outgrowing her Cosco Scenera NEXT so we are trying to find our next seat. Hoping this will work. We looked at Wayb Pico but I don’t think it’s technically approved in the EU like Ride Safer is, and we have never gotten good at the locking clip (we try to use LATCH/Isofix now). Do you think this will work? Am I overthinking given she hasn’t been in a car in months? 😂

Thanks for stopping by! Unfortunately the current version of the Ride Safer isn’t approved for Europe either 🙁 That said, in your situation I might still opt for it. We know that it is a *safe* choice. Since you’re rarely in cars it does seem like the best option. I suspect that many European parents in your situation might choose to use nothing other than the adult seatbelt, which of course is not a safe choice, or a booster seat (also not a safe choice). Some of the details will also depend on which country you live in, whether you’re there on US government orders, etc.

Safe travels,

Hello, Thanks for this review. Is it mendatory to use the “TravelSmarter Delight Booster Seat” or can we use in any booster such as “bubble bum”? Thanks again.

Thanks for stopping by! Using the TravelSmarter Delight booster seat (thanks for pointing out the name change) isn’t required, but the Ride Safer travel vest HAS NOT been crash tested with the Bubblebum. They are not approved for use together.

Good morning

I have an 8yr old who had down syndrome. He is around 3ft 54ish pounds I ordered the small. Is that the correct size? I was also curious as to how you would use it in the winter time with the heavy jacket. I will be sending him to and from school with this Amy suggestions on how to make sure the teacher is comfortable putting him in the vest for the ride home from school. I do pick up and drop off only 5mins down the road.

Thanks for stopping by! If he’s truly 3′, it’s possible that you may not get a great fit even with the size small vest. It’s a little more “fiddly” to get right than a traditional harnessed car seat so anyone who is going to put him in needs specific training on how to get the lap panel FLAT on the tops of his thighs.

Is there a reason you opted for the vest rather than a traditional harnessed car seat? What sort of vehicle will he be riding in? It will probably be easier for a teacher to buckle him properly in a combination car seat.

As to the jacket, it’s very important that he (and you!) choose outerwear that’s not overly bulky for use in the car. In very cold climates I recommend having kiddo wear a fleece and then another jacket, and take the outer shell off in the car. Alternatively you can look at various “car seat safe” winter jackets. Here are tips for riding safely in the winter .

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Drive safely, Melissa

Thanks so much for this thorough review! I have a 4.5 yo who is quite tall (46″), would be an average 5.5-6 yo. any thoughts on whether he needs to be in small or large? we would be using it for Uber/Lyft in the town we live. thanks!

The large is quite large. I recently evaluated it on a skinny 49″ 6yo and it was like a circus tent. Can you have him sit straight against a wall with his legs in front and measure from the top of his thigh to his shoulder? That’ll be the best way to determine the correct size.

Hi, My child is 5 years old but only 30 pounds, 40 inches which fall within the size recommendations for the XS and S. Which one would you recommend? Seems the chest strap and crotch strap on the XS are great, but since she’s 5, maybe there is not much room to grow, or it may be too cumbersome.

Thanks for stopping by! I would go with the S, as I fear the XS would already be outgrown by height. However, I’m not confident that your child will get a great fit with being so slender. I would strongly recommend using the top tether, which should help keep the vest up on her shoulders. Just be sure not to over-tighten!

Hi, I’m looking at this as the next step after a Clek Foonf in forward-facing mode/other forward-facing car seats for every day use instead of a traditional booster seat. I’m thinking a couple years ahead here. LO is currently 3yo (38mo), 38.75 inches tall and 36.8 pounds (82nd percentile for height). Extrapolating, LO should be about 41 inches by age 4 and 45 inches by age 5.

I’m thinking of this for when LO is 5yo or when they grow out of any of the three (yes three!!) car seats we are forced to own. (We have two nannies who each need a car seat their car, plus the Clek Foonf in our family car.) I’d like to quit having a herd of car seats, its associated costs, the necessity of knowing how to install three different car seats, and the need to remember three different heights for when LO will outgrow each car seat. I’d also like to not have to buy yet a fourth car seat for LO to ride in Grandma’s car.

The Ride Safer vest appears to be the only option available.

What are you thoughts here? I see you mentioned maturity of rider as a factor, but didn’t go into great detail about it. What age/maturity level is necessary for this? How do I know if my kid meets those standards? I also see you mentioned in a comment above that you wouldn’t choose this for every day use. What is the reasoning there? If this is really not indicated for daily use in regular, non-travelling life, what other options are there for having one restraint for multiple cars?

(I feel like I’ve asked you to write another blog post here! Apologies. I feel like there is a huge gap in information available about restraint options beyond forward-facing 5 point harness type seats.)

Hi Adrienne,

Thanks for stopping by! These are great questions. I’ll start from the bottom, as in some ways that’ll be easier.

We used it daily for over a year. It’s a fine and safe choice BUT you really have to make sure that the fit is correct each and every time – in particular that the lap belt is sitting basically flat on the tops of the thighs. As a mom and CPST, it’s no problem. But it’s not an option that I would casually send with other caregivers who may struggle or be in a hurry.

As for maturity, it’s really about sitting basically still (not like a statue, but always in position) despite the additional “freedom” the vest offers. A basic pre-condition for using the vest is that your kiddo would never ever ever consider touching the tempting red button that unfastens the seatbelt!

We had a nanny when our kids were little, so we had three seats for each of them (plus travel seats!). I get it. The good news is that booster seats are generally inexpensive and very easy to use correctly. They don’t even *have* to be installed, though attaching with lower anchors prevents them from becoming projectiles when empty so it’s recommended. We’ll have to see what options are available and what your family’s situation is when your child reaches booster age, but you should be able to grab $16 backless boosters for nanny cars (or travel) and they’ll just require a few minutes of instruction for safe use. Then you can pick up one nicer booster seat for your family car and call it a day!

Hi Melissa,

Yes, this helps immensely. Thank you for the thoughtful response. My main concern now is LO growing out of the car seats we have before being developmentally ready to sit without the five point harness. Tall child problems.

Many thanks!

We have a laid-back, patient 2 year old who is 38.5″ and 31 lbs. We’re planning a family reunion for August, when she will be 2.5 and SizeCast predicts she will be 40.5″ and 33 lbs. She’s almost outgrown her Cosco Scenera NEXT, and we are older and have health issues making it hard for us to move heavier car seats. She’s already gone through a “no to everything” phase and that seems over now (though could always return). She’s always been very good about obeying safety warnings so far.

We’re taking the train to our destination, and we’ll need to take a taxi or Uber to the airport to pick up a rental car. (BTW we’ve never used Uber, so we’d have to hope the app even installs on our ancient phones, figure out how to use it etc…or we could just use a taxi.) We can rent a car seat with the rental car (I think–need to confirm that), but we’re unsure what to do about the ride to the airport. We could

* hope the Scenera still fits by then (it “officially should,” but it really doesn’t seem like it will) * try to drag along the new car seat we got before this trip was planned, even though it weighs almost as much as she does * try a Ride Safer vest

Might a Ride Safer vest work for this? If so, what size? (I know at her age it should be XS, but I saw in the comments that the XS might be too small for 40.5″?) (The Wayb Pico seems cool, but we can’t afford it, especially not for just one trip. The Safety 1st Go Hybrid seems like it would’ve been what we need, but it’s long gone…)

What are your thoughts here? Thanks!

I’m really glad you stopped by! While the vest is technically approved, it’s not ideal at this age. I recommend that you take a look at the Evenflo Chase . It’s not a seat I typically recommend since it only harnesses to 40lbs and the booster mode isn’t great, but it does have a 50″ standing limit with high top harness slots. It’s also very budget-friendly and lightweight! You should get several years of use out of it given her build.

Let me know what you think or if you need another recommendation 🙂

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Product Key Features

• Gender Unisex
• Material Nylon
• Type Toddler Safety Harness Vest
• Fastening Buckle
• Length 0" - 14"

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Our Adventure Journal

Our Review of the RideSafer Travel Vest

Last Updated on April 12, 2024 by Kelly

We’ve been on several trips with young children, and we were curious how we could conveniently travel with a car seat. We weren’t sure if we should bring our own car seat or rent one abroad. We were recently gifted the RideSafer Travel Vest to use for our trip to Europe, and it was an absolute game-changer .

The RideSafer Travel Vest was portable, lightweight, and easy-to-use. Instead of lugging around a clunky car seat, we were able to easily pack the RideSafer Travel Vest in our carry-on luggage. We primary used public transportation in Europe, but we used the RideSafer Travel Vest for a few short taxi rides. It was really easy to use on-the-go. In this post, we’re sharing our full review of the RideSafer Travel Vest .

Disclosure: I was gifted the RideSafer Travel Vest in exchange for an honest review. I am not a certified child passenger safety technician and I cannot make claims about the safety of this product. This post is for informational purposes only and reflects our personal experience using the product. This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

About the RideSafer Travel Vest

The RideSafer Travel Vest is a crash-tested and safety-certified travel car seat . It meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for harness restraints (FMVSS213). The travel vest works by bringing the seatbelt down around the child, instead of boosting a child up as you’d see in a traditional car seat. 

The RideSafer Travel Vest is available in a variety of sizes . You’ll want to pay careful attention to the product specifications to choose the right vest for your child. Based on our daughter’s age, weight, and height, we used the size Small vest . 

The size Small vest weighs just 2 pounds, 12 ounces . The large vest weighs 2 pounds, 15 ounces.

The RideSafer Travel Vest is legal in the United States. Be sure to check your state requirements. Prior to travel, you should make sure that it meets legal specifications in other countries.

We personally used the RideSafer Travel Vest in Europe, although it has not been certified in Europe. We found this review helpful when we were deciding if we should take it to Europe. Please be sure to use your own discretion. 

You can purchase the RideSafer Travel Vest on their RideSafer website .

You can also purchase the RideSafer Travel Vest on Amazon . 

We took the RideSafer Travel Vest with us for our trip to Europe. We traveled to France and Spain, and the travel vest was extremely easy to use.

Before we left on our trip, we first practiced using the travel seat at home. One thing I really liked about the RideSafer Travel Vest was the fact that we could email the company and receive feedback on the correct use of the travel car seat. I sent the company some photos of our daughter buckled in our car with the RideSafer Travel Vest, and they were very kind in giving me feedback about how to make sure she was properly restrained. This gave us confidence before our trip, because we knew how to correctly position the RideSafer Travel Vest. I really appreciated the company going the extra mile to make sure that we were correctly using the vest!

Once we were in Europe, we were able to use taxis with the knowledge that our daughter was properly restrained. The RideSafer Travel Vest was very easy to use on the go. While we were waiting in the taxi line, we would place our daughter in the RideSafer Travel Vest. Once the taxi arrived, all we had to do was properly buckle her in the car. It took us just a few minutes to get her in the car, which was great!

(These are our personal opinions.)

• One of the major benefits of using the RideSafer Travel Vest is that it is lightweight and easy to pack . We were able to easily place the travel car seat in our backpack. Instead of lugging around a heavy car seat, we were able to easily roam across Europe without it taking up too much space in our very limited carry-on allowance. We also packed it on our day backpack. If our legs were feeling tired and we wanted to take a taxi back to the hotel, we had the RideSafer Travel Vest conveniently with us.
• I also really liked that we could put on the RideSafer Travel Vest while waiting for a taxi . Instead of spending a lot of time installing a car seat every time we took a taxi, we could do half the work while waiting in line. Each time we needed a taxi, we would put the vest on our daughter. Once the taxi arrived, it didn’t take too long to safely secure the vest. Using the RideSafer Travel Vest was super time-efficient!
• Finally, the RideSafer Travel Vest was fairly easy to use . We watched videos on how to use it correctly, and once we had it down, it was very straight-forward.

• Purchasing the RideSafer Travel Vest is an additional expense . At the time of this writing, the RideSafer Travel Vest costs $169 (not including shipping). You probably already have a regular car seat for your child, so you’re really paying for the convenience of having a smaller car seat. In my opinion, I think it’s worth the cost if you plan to use it multiple times.
• We had to learn how to properly use it . We found it pretty straight-forward to use, but we had to take the time to learn how to properly use it.
• Even though it meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for harness restraints, it may take some time to get adjusted to the idea of a vest.
• The RideSafer Travel Vest has minimal head support, so we didn’t think it was a great option for kids that like to take naps in the car. 

Our Verdict

Here’s our personal thoughts about the RideSafer Travel Vest:

The RideSafer Travel Vest is a travel “car seat” that is legal to use in the United States. At under 3 pounds, the RideSafer Travel Vest is lightweight and easy to pack for travel. The RideSafer Travel Vest can be easily stowed in carry-on luggage, and the RideSafer Travel Vest is easy to use. 

We are so glad that the RideSafer Travel Vest exists! It made traveling to Europe with a 3-year-old so much easier. Safety is definitely a priority when we travel, so we were happy to know that we always had a harness restraint with us should we need one. (We never had to depend on renting a car seat or ordering a taxi ahead of time that had one installed, only to find out that there were none available.)

We would definitely recommend the RideSafer Travel Vest to others based on our experience!

If you’re traveling with young kids, be sure to check out our complete list of our favorite products for traveling with babies and young children . We’ve personally tested all of the products on this list!

Disclaimer :  We always strive for content accuracy.   Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.

Hi, I’m Kelly!

After studying abroad in Spain, I became passionate about international travel. Since then, I’ve traveled to 6 continents and 36 states within the United States. When I’m not travel blogging, you can find me hiking, reading books in Spanish, or playing cribbage. I hope my blog inspires you to see the world!

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RideSafer Vest | Travel Car Seat (Generation 5)

• Lightweight, portable and convenient when traveling with kids. It can fit in your child's backpack).
• Crash Tested and Safety Certified. RideSafer meets or exceeds Federal standards in FMVSS 21.
• Vest comes with tether strap, crotch strap and carry bag.

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Open Box items are discounted as they are products which were returned unused but perhaps missing some packaging materials. All Open Box items are hand inspected in our office to make sure they have all necessary parts.  No Returns on discounted Open Box items.

RideSafer Crash Test Videos

For comparison: Booster seat crash test

Side view of the RideSafer crash test

Top view of the RideSafer crash test

Additional RideSafer Travel Vest Information

• Easy to put on and use correctly every time

• Lightweight to carry when traveling with children

• Safety and convenience in taxis or ride shares

• A convenient option to switching car seats for carpools or multiple cars; only need 1 vest per child NOT 1 car seat per vehicle per child.

• Increased safety and comfort by allowing the child sit further back and lower on the more comfortable vehicle seat.

• A unique, 3-clip design positions the car’s seat belt comfortably and correctly with shoulder tether for consistent sitting position and increased security (tether is recommended for kids at least up to 5 years old; tether is required if using vest with lap-only belt).

• Adjustable straps allow for growth (up to the next size).

• Padding absorbs and dissipates crash energy from seat belt.

• Neck pillow sold separately. No longer included with vest.

RideSafer is the innovative, wearable child restraint that is easy-to-use, easy-to-carry & legal!

Extra Small size RideSafer Travel Vest : For this age of child, rear-facing is the safest option. We would only recommend using an XS RideSafer vest for special situations such as for travel or taxis/ride shares. Ideally an adult will sit next to the child to help keep the child in proper position. (The XS is designed for use by very slim 2-year-olds or very slim 3- to, maybe, 4-year-old children. Most 3- and 4-year-olds will fit best in a small size vest.)

Fit 3 in a Row!

Best of all, RideSafer allows parents to easily fit three children in the back seat, side by side, with no crowding — and no complaining! No need to buy an expensive new car just to accommodate your car seats; RideSafer’s slim profile keeps kids safe and comfortable.

Better than a Booster

RideSafer is the safe alternative to a traditional  booster car seat!  The RideSafer vest can be tethered to your car for optimum upper body restraint and our unique, 3-clip design positions and secures the seat belt exactly where it needs to be for each specific child—across the lap, not the waist, protecting vital internal organs, and across the shoulders, not the neck, eliminating uncomfortable rubbing and dangerous ‘sneaky slipping’ of the shoulder harness behind the child.

The RideSafer padded vest also disperses crash energy across a larger area of the child’s chest than the standard 2” seatbelt and keeps the child’s center of mass lower and further back in the seat than a traditional  toddler car seat,  which has proven safer in the event of an accident.

And, while car seats are installed incorrectly 3 out of every 4 times, RideSafer’s easy, intuitive installation eliminates the risk of incorrect usage when moving from car to car, making RideSafer the safer choice.

Portable and Packable

No more juggling heavy, cumbersome car seats and boosters—or worse, going without a car seat when traveling! RideSafer is your safe, portable travel car seat solution. Small enough to fit in a backpack or suitcase, RideSafer is a great on-the-go solution for kids in boosters and forward-facing 5-point harness seats.

A RideSafer vest makes it easier to justify bringing along a child restraint for the few taxi rides a family needs to take to their destination. Even at a resort destination like Disney World or a cruise, you need a proper child restraint for the ride between the resort and the airport to keep your child safe.

Since the RideSafer Travel Vest is easy to install in all cars, it takes away the worry of not being able to correctly install an unknown car seat in an unknown car; a challenge when renting a car seat on your family vacation. Not to mention, you know where it’s been. Parents often report about the dirty car seat rental car companies offer.

Safety Tested, Certified and Legal!

The RideSafer travel vest is designed for children ages 2 and up and meets or exceeds all crash test requirements and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for harness restraints (FMVSS213). In fact, the RideSafer consistently tests well below—sometimes by half or more!— the standard safety allowances.

FMVSS 213 is the federal standard which sets the performance criteria for child restraints. It requires that manufacturers measure crash energy at several different locations on an instrumented crash test dummy.

The RideSafer is tested as a harness as prescribed by FMVSS 213.

View RideSafer Crash Test Videos

What Car Seat Challenges Does the RideSafer Solve?

•  travel with kids

• riding in taxis and ride share services like Uber or Lyft

• fitting 3 across a narrow car • carpools

• multiple caregivers doing drop-off/pick-up • children with special needs

• Have a Question? Read the FAQs  
• Want Proof? Read the Reviews  
• Press and Media Mentions  

Beware of counterfeit products

The manufacturer, Safe Traffic System Inc., is aware that harnesses that look similar to the RideSafer Travel Vest are available and can be purchased in many countries worldwide. We cannot attest to the safety of any product that is not labeled as "RideSafer" brand and manufactured by Safe Traffic System, Inc., Franklin Park, IL. If you come across what looks like a RideSafer and wonder if it is real or fake, please feel free to  email  STS pictures and information. They can confirm if it is the original RideSafer.

Open Box items are discounted as they are products which were returned unused — or lightly used for trying — but perhaps missing some packaging materials. All Open Box items are hand inspected in our office to make sure they have all necessary parts.  No Returns on discounted Open Box items.

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RideSafer Travel Vest

The Ride Safer Travel Vest is a wearable booster seat alternative for children. It works by bringing the seatbelt down to your child’s level rather than boosting them up. While we suggest its use for children aged 5 and above, the manufacturer approves it for those as young as 2. Offered in four sizes, the vest accommodates a variety of age groups/child sizes. It’s a great option for tight 3 across configurations since it only takes up as much space as the child does. But it’s not as easy to use as a traditional car seat.

You frequently use Lyft/Uber/Taxis.

You travel often., you need to fit 3 across, your child is below 5 years of age., you want something easy to use., 4 different sizes, lightweight and comes with a backpack, our review of the .

Manufacturer’s minimum age is 2, our minimum age recommendation is 5+, can be used until child fits the seat belt properly (10-12)

A wearable booster alternative

Ideally from 5+, but can be used with younger children when needed

Stand Out Features of this Car Seat

The RideSafer Travel Vest comes with an optional top tether. There are a few circumstances in which you may wish to utilize it. If you have a tight 3 across situation, having the top tether attached means you can leave the vest hanging in the vehicle and the child can get in and out of the vehicle a little more easily. If you are using the vest because your child is above 65 pounds, but too young/too immature for a booster, the top tether will help keep them sitting up. If you have a vehicle with a lap-only seat belt, the top tether must be used.

The vest comes in 4 different sizes. There is some overlap between the heights and weights of the size options. You can find a detailed size chart  here . The Extra Large Size can even work for teenagers/small adults if they are unable to sit properly in the seat belt alone due to medical conditions/disabilities.

As we’ve mentioned in this post already, this vest is only 1.5 pounds! It comes with a cute mesh backpack to carry it around in. It can be a great option for carpooling as it’s easier for your child to carry to school than a backless booster would be.

Seat is good for you if 

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.

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 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.

Use caution if

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 does have the top tether anchor to help keep them in place. If you are using Ubers/Lyfts 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 if 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 .

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. BuHowever,randparents 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.

Harnessing Information

Installation information, airplane use.

The RideSafer Travel Vest cannot be used on an airplane. It does not have FAA-approval. It is still a great option for traveling though, because you can easily fit it into your carry-on luggage or backpack so that it’s ready for the child to use on arrival at your destination.

SITS Bottom Line

The RideSafer Travel Vest is optimal for those who frequently use ridesharing services or taxis, as it is lightweight at 1.5 pounds and comes with a carrying backpack. It’s also an ideal choice for travelers because of its compact size, which fits easily into carry-on luggage, and its adaptability for public transportation use. For tight vehicle seating arrangements, this vest is perfect due to its compact nature, allowing for a snug 3-across seating configuration. Additionally, it’s a beneficial option for heavier children who surpass the 65 pound weight limit of conventional car seats before they’re mature enough for a booster. The vest is equipped with a top tether, making it a suitable option for older vehicles with lap-only seat belts. Overall, it’s an option that will work well in situations when a conventional car seat will not be a good choice. However, the vest may not be recommended for children under 5 years of age unless specific circumstances apply.

Similar Car Seats

Notable differences:

Specifications, safe traffic system, product information.

Weight: 1.5lbs

Width: as wide as the child who is using it

Rear Facing Limits

Forward-facing limits.

Height: 35-48"

Weight: 30-60lbs

Head Height Rules: child must have vehicle head support to at least the top of their ears

No Back Booster Limits

Highest belt guide settings, high back booster limits, other important details, expiration limits, crash replacement policy.

replace after a moderate or severe crash

• Products , Safety , Transportation

RideSafer Travel Vest Review: Is It a Practical Solution for Families?

• January 19, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, our family can receive a little extra spending cash for our next adventure, at no cost to you. Read my privacy policy and disclosure here.

The RideSafer Travel Vest promises to make travel with young children significantly easier, while also keeping them safe. It is an alternative to a travel car seat for vacations or taxi trips around town.

I couldn’t wait for my children to get big enough to safely start using this travel vest car seat! I expected it to revolutionize our maneuverability during travel. However, it is not quite as simple as it seems, and there is a learning curve to truly take advantage of its practicality.

So does the Ride Safer Travel Vest live up to all of its promises as a car seat alternative?

I say yes – but with a few things to know.

What is the RideSafer Vest?

Most people think of the RideSafer as a wearable car seat, as though it adds a secure 5-point harness, but this isn’t exactly true. It would be more accurate to call it a wearable booster seat.

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The vest functions by essentially bringing the car’s seat belt down to the right place for a young child to use.

Seat belts work by locking up in a crash, holding your body in place. They contact the strongest points of your body (your hips and shoulder) to safely distribute the force of the crash on you.

The RideSafer threads the seat belt through the vest so that it is contacting your child’s shoulder and hips, just like seat belts are designed to do. With extra padding and structure, it will distribute the force in the safest possible way. Whereas a booster brings your child up to the seat belt, a kids seat belt vest brings the seat belt down to your child, and with added protection

And to clear up a little confusion, it is called the RideSafer, not the Safe Rider Vest, the Ride Safe Travel Vest, or the Rider Safe Vest. And the company that produces the RideSafer harness is called Safe Ride 4 Kids.

Who can use a travel car seat vest, and why would you?

The RideSafer can be used by children at least 3 years old and 30 lbs. (There are actually 3 sizes, covering kids up to 110 lbs and 14 years old.)

The primary advantage of using this vest is the portability. This thing is under 3 lbs. and about the size of a folded sweatshirt – it can go places that a car seat cannot… like your backpack.

This makes it ideal for travel, because it is a huge pain to bring a car seat along on a trip (for a child who is old enough not to use it on the plane). But I personally do not want to compromise on safety just because we are traveling. We use a lot of taxis – from the airport, around the city, out sightseeing – and this vest makes it possible to do all those things safely, without having to bring a car seat everywhere we go.

This vest is also a great solution for car-free families who live in the city. Rather than bringing a car seat for the taxi every time you need one, you can bring this vest and keep it in a backpack.

Is the RideSafer Travel Vest legal?

The RideSafer Vest is a FMVSS 213 certified child restraint system. This means it is a legal restraint within the US, although some states are a little finicky with their definitions. You can look up how the manufacturer responds to your specific state laws and regulations here .

Keep in mind that all countries have their own certification processes, and child safety equipment – car seats included – are often only certified in one place. It’s not that the safety standards are necessarily higher and they wouldn’t pass them, but the certification process is such that most companies are either certified in the US or the EU (or another country, for that matter), but not for both.

RideSafer does have an EU-certified version for sale to customers in Europe. Canadian customers can get a US version, but technically should have a doctor’s note as it is regulated as a child car harness for special needs ( see more info here ).

Generally, when you travel, you can legally use your child restraint from home so long as it is certified within your home country (as the RideSafer is in the US).

There are a few countries that require visitors to use restraints that are certified in their country, but enforcement of this is pretty unrealistic. For these countries (Australia is the biggie), it wouldn’t matter if you had a travel vest or a car seat; if it is a US product, it technically isn’t approved.

Is it as safe as a car seat?

Nothing is as safe as a rear-facing car seat, and ideally any child under 5 should be in a full 5-point harness car seat.

That being said, the mechanics of the RideSafer and a forward-facing car seat are very similar. The body is held securely in place, but the head is not.

The vest comes with a tether which is is recommended for younger or smaller children when using the RideSafer. The tether holds the whole upper body in place, making it act more like a 5-point harness. This also prevents slumping to keep the child in a safe position.

A 3-year-old still has a head that is proportionally too large for their body, meaning there is greater risk of injury or death than if that child were rear-facing. But the RideSafer with the top tether is a very safe choice, similar to using a forward facing car seat.

Why not just get a booster seat?

Boosters are not inherently travel-friendly. They can be just as bulky as a regular car seat. However, these days there are some extremely portable booster seats on the market. Two traveler favorites are the Mifold (which literally folds up to the shape and size of a clutch handbag) and the BubbleBum or Hiccapop inflatable backless boosters. And these are fabulous options for older kids. We have a BubbleBum that we love for our now-5-year-old.

All boosters are rated for kids 4 years old and at least 40 lbs. When we decided on the RideSafer, it was for our 3-year-old.

But beyond the manufacturer’s rating, car seat technicians generally recommend that you wait until at least 5 years old to use any kind of backless booster – travel or otherwise.

Why? Boosters require your child to sit correctly of her own volition. Booster seats allow your child to lean forward, squirm down, lay sideways… basically, your child needs to be mature enough to sit correctly at all times for the seat belt to work. Most parents find that realistically only happens after 5 (and much later for some kids).

The RideSafer Vest holds your child more securely in place. It is not as immovable as a 5-point harness – a really squirmy child could still get themselves into an unsafe position. But, especially with the tether, it offers a lot more structure to keep most kids sitting safely for the entire ride.

What is it really like to use?

It turns out the experience of using the RideSafer Vest is a little bit more complex than it sounds on the surface.

For one thing, getting the vest on is more complicated than I expected. We got the hang of it pretty quickly once we had it all adjusted for my 3-year-old, but it is not something she could put on and buckle by herself.

The trickier part is actually getting the seat belt positioned correctly. This is something you will want to practice at home in your own car before trying it out in a taxi! It’s not that it’s particularly complicated, but it took some getting used to before I felt confident that we were actually doing it right.

Coming from my experience of using car seats, I expected it to fit snug in order to be safe. This isn’t necessarily the case. According to the manual, it is okay if there is a gap in the waist, if the harness straps are loose, if the shoulders don’t touch the top of the vest, and if there is some bunching around the lap belt. All of this felt really nerve-wracking for me, but when you think about the mechanics of how the harness works, these things will not impact it.

What does matter is that the belt is threaded properly so that it contacts the shoulder and the tops of the thighs, and that it does not ride up while you’re traveling (there is a crotch strap to help with this, although my daughter found it very uncomfortable and was fine without it once we got good at positioning her right).

This was the biggest problem that I had with the vest, actually. I just didn’t feel completely confident that I was doing it right, which is kind of ironic since about 90% of car seats are used incorrectly, and this is significantly more straightforward to learn than proper car seat installation.

Here is the process we used while out and about:

• Put the vest on my daughter and buckle it while waiting for the taxi to pull up
• Have her climb in and sit in one of the seats with a shoulder belt (if there are lap belts only, you must use the tether)
• Remind her to sit up straight and put her back flat against the seat
• Pull out the belt far enough to have extra slack and buckle it
• Feed the lap belt into the two clips on the thigh pads
• Pull it tight, and then feed the shoulder belt into the top clip
• That’s it! She’s ready to go!

We would always have the tether with us, and check to see if there was an accessible spot to tether. It was a bit more work, but it added an extra level of safety. Not all cars – particularly older ones – have a spot for a tether.

Because the RideSafer is best with a shoulder belt, and we had a car seat for my younger daughter, I spent most of our first trip with the vest squished in the center seat between my two children.

While the RideSafer is much lighter, smaller, and more portable than a car seat, you still need to account for the space it takes. I did not have room for it in our day bag/diaper bag, so my daughter carried it. We got her a little toddler backpack, which would hold the vest, her water bottle, and a snack.

Bottom line: Is the RideSafer Travel Vest worthwhile?

Yes. I absolutely recommend this vest for families who travel with preschool-age children (from around 3 to 6).

I wouldn’t want to replace my everyday car seat with it, for a few reasons. It is more work to put on and deal with than keeping a car seat installed. It keeps my child low in the seat, and she gets bored quickly when she can’t see out the windows. It does not offer the same level of protection as a full-structured car seat with a 5-point harness.

But I love to have it available as a backup, to lend to grandparents or other caregivers who don’t have a car seat, to use in situations where we need to get three kids in a single row (this can fit easily along with 2 car seats), and especially for travel.

I will continue to use the RideSafer Travel Vest until my daughter is old enough to switch to safely using a travel booster, at least age 5. To me, two years of convenience during our travels is well worth the price tag.

to pin for later:

Originally published August, 2020. Updated January, 2022.

EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON TRAVEL WITH BABIES AND TODDLERS.

I’m Dani.

I want to help you prepare to have the best trip ever, because of – not in spite of – bringing the baby. read more

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2 thoughts on “ridesafer travel vest review: is it a practical solution for families”.

Great post. Would your out your kid in a mifold? I’m reading mixed reviews on the safety of the mifold.

Great question, Mike. Honestly, probably not. I’ve researched the mifold a lot, and have found the same mixed reviews – and critically, car seat experts tend to be the ones that don’t like it or trust it. I would consider it for an older kid (like 6+), but at that point I would more likely get a bubblebum. Until they turn at least 5, I’m planning to stick with the RideSafer (unless something better comes out in the meantime).

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RideSafer Delight Travel Vest Gen5 Review

RideSafer Travel Vest GEN 5

The RideSafer Delight Travel Vest is an updated version of the Ride Safer Travel Vest, which came in two versions: the RideSafer Travel Vest 2, and the RideSafer Travel Vest 3, or RSTV 2 and 3.  While both versions were quite similar, there were some notable differences between them .  Today’s version of the vest is lighter and has a lot to offer.

The RideSafer Gen5 combines some of the best features from the previous versions in an updated form that’s even smaller and lighter than its predecessors.

CSFTL Quick Stats

Size: Small

• Ages: 3-6 years. This is the manufacturer’s minimum age.  CSFTL doesn’t typically recommend this vest for children quite that young – we’d suggest it for Littles who are closer to their 5th birthdays and older.
• Weight range: 30-60 pounds
• Height range: 35-50 inches tall

Size: Large

• Ages: 5-10 years
• Weight range: 50-80 pounds
• Height range: 45-57 inches tall

Size: X-Large

• Ages: 8-10 years old
• Weight: 80-110 pounds
• Height: 47-62 inches tall

The vest is also available in size XS.

We have some concerns about the XS (that’s why we’re mentioning it after introducing the larger sizes), it’s not our first choice for restraints for a child who is that small but we do understand that families who ride in taxis a lot or travel internationally are using them so we want to acknowledge that this niche product does exist and share the age, weight, and height guidelines for its use.

Size: X-Small

• Ages: 2+ CSFTL doesn’t typically recommend this vest for children quite that young – we’d suggest it for Littles who are closer to their 5th birthdays and older.
• Weight range: 22-44 pounds
• Height: 30-45 inches tall

Measurements

• Weight: about 1.5 pounds

Carpooling Essentials

RideSafer Gen5

The latest version of the RideSafer is Gen5.  Like previous versions, the latest version can be used with or without the top tether, though we’ll always advocate that the top tether be used.

RideSafer Gen5 backpack

The RideSafer Gen5 has a very sporty, easy-to-use backpack that makes carpooling a breeze.  Our model was quite ready to head out for an adventure!

RideSafer Gen5 and accessories

Our Gen5 included many of the optional accessories, including the top tether and the optional neck pillow.

RideSafer Gen5 buckle

The RideSafer Gen5 includes the latest and greatest version of the buckle.  Previous versions of the vest had buckles that left many a caregiver a bit puzzled at first but this version is the best one yet!

Leave it in the Vehicle

RideSafer Gen5 set up in the vehicle

If you’re using the top tether (and we’d always advocate that you do!), once the vest is adjusted to fit the child, it’s fine to leave it attached to the vehicle between uses (as long as the same kiddo is returning to the same seating position later!).

Fit to Child

4 years old.

RideSafer Gen5 4 years old

This kiddo is closing in her 5th birthday (she’s still 4, though!),  weighs 35 pounds, and is 39 inches tall.  She’s wearing a size small in the Gen 5.  The vest fits her well but she definitely needed help in getting set up for this picture.  We understand that some families may use the RideSafer Gen 5 for their kiddos who are this young so we wanted to show how well it can fit.  We continue to recommend that children be closer to their 5th birthdays before they start to ride in the vest.

5 Years Old

RideSafer Gen5 5 years old

This kiddo weighs 38 pounds and is 42.5 inches tall.  He’s new to using the vest so it took some help from a caregiver to get him set up.  The vest fits him well and we have no doubt that as he gets more experience using the vest, he’ll be more independent when it comes to using the vest properly.

RideSafer Delight Travel Vest: 5 1/2 years old, 54 pounds and 46 inches tall.

This model is 5.5 years old.  She weighs 54 pounds and is 46 inches tall.  She’s sitting on the passenger side of a 2009 Toyota Highlander in the middle row.

The vest fit her well and I was able to get a snug fit around her waist even though she’s toward the lower end of the size range.  The crotch buckle helped to keep the lap portion of the vest nice and low.

Our “sleeping” 5 1/2 year old model shows how the RSDTV tether helps to prevent the body from slouching out of position.

The shoulder portion of the vest had some empty space above her shoulders, which wasn’t an issue, as her seat belt continued to fit well on her shoulder. For a child this age, the tether can provide extra assurance that she’ll remain properly positioned even if she falls asleep.

RideSafer Delight Travel Vest in the center seat of a 2009 Toyota Highlander between a Chicco Keyfit and Graco Headwise.

This child usually rides in the third row because her car seat doesn’t fit between her two younger brothers’ car seats.  The RSDTV allowed her to fit on the very narrow second row seat between their Chicco Keyfit 30 and Graco Headwise.

6 Years Old

RideSafer Gen5 6 years old

Our 6 year old model weighs 73 pounds, and is 47 inches tall.  He’s wearing a size large in the vest.  Like our 4 year old model, he needed some help with getting set up but was able to sit properly once he was buckled in.

Measuring the seated height is done differently for the RSDTV than it is for most safety seats.

Deciding Between Sizes

Torso height is a big factor when it comes to figuring out which size vest works for older or bigger kids.  Measuring a child’s torso height for an RSDTV is quite different than measuring a child’s torso for a traditional car seat .

Instead of measuring from the child’s bum to the top of the shoulders, measure from the top of the child’s thighs to the top of the shoulders.

The optional tether is secured to a clip on each shoulder strap on the RideSafer Delight Travel Vest.

While the tether is optional (and an additional purchase), it may be beneficial.  We know that tethers play a critical role in preventing injuries to children in forward facing harnessed car seats .  Crash dynamics are quite different in a traditional harnessed seat compared to a RSDTV, but it’s likely that the use of a tether will help to manage crash forces.   The tether can also help children who still tend to be a little on the wiggly side or who still struggle to remain properly positioned when asleep remain sitting upright, even if they’re fast asleep.

Neck Pillow

The velcro tabs seem to be placed in such a way where it prevents the RideSafer Delight Travel Vest’s neck rest securing to them.

The optional pillow is designed to increase comfort for a child who may want additional support behind their neck.

Ride Safer Delight pillow

The pillow attaches via velcro strips on the back of the vest. To use the pillow, pull the tabs to expose the rough side of the velcro and attach the base of the pillow.

Inflatable Seat Belts

We were thrilled to see that the RideSafer Delight Travel Vest is approved for use with inflatable vehicle seat belts!  The Delight’s shoulder belt clips were designed to accommodate both traditional and inflatable seat belts, so thicker inflatable belts should fit nicely.  It can also be used in vehicles with a lap only belt if the tether is used and secured to a designated tether anchor.

Delight Booster Seat

Over the years Safe Traffic System received feedback that some kids were frustrated by their inability to see out the window when traveling in their vest.  The Delighter booster seat solves this problem!

The RideSafer Gen 5 is a belt positioning product, which eliminates the need for a booster altogether.

The tether holds the RideSafer Delight Travel Vest in place; the seat belt secures the Delighter until the next time they’re needed.

The use of booster seats with the vests was strictly prohibited… until the Delighter came to market! While the Delighter may be used as a booster on its own, it is the only booster approved for use with the RSTV/RSDTV.

Since the Delighter allows a child’s legs to curve over the edge of the booster seat, it helps many kids feel more comfortable and eliminates the desire to slouch to the vehicle seat edge.

• Lightweight
• Extremely portable
• Easy to use with lap/shoulder belt
• Doesn’t take up any more space in a vehicle than the child’s body does
• Easily adjustable to fit various kids and vehicles
• Can be tricky to thread the seat belt through

Important Information: Where to Find

The convenient storage slot for the manual is right inside the front of the RideSafer Delight Travel Vest.

Manual storage: The manual is a little hard to find at first — it arrives tucked away in its own handy little pocket on the inside of the vest.

Date of Manufacture label:  This label is next to the manual storage pocket on the inside of the vest.

FAA Approval: At this time, the Delight is not FAA approved for use on aircraft.  We very much hope to see that change in the future given how travel-friendly this product is.

Overall Thoughts

The RideSafer Gen5 is an innovative and unique product.  It can function either as a wearable booster or, if the tether is attached, as a kind of hybrid between a harnessed car seat and a booster seat. This makes it a remarkably versatile product for school-aged children.  It’s a dream to travel with, thanks to its small size — simply toss it in your bag and you’re ready to go!  The sizes available fit a broad range of children and the adjustable belt guides achieve a consistent belt fit in the vast majority of vehicles and seating locations.

This review was originally written by Abbie Patterson, former CSFTL contributor. Edits and updates are maintained by the CSFTL Editorial Team.

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Travel light, safe and smart

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The lightest RideSafer Travel Vest

RideSafer® Gen 4

RideSafer® Travel Vest is tested and certified to the dynamic test requirements specified in FMVSS 213. RideSafer® Travel Vest is also designed to and complies with all of the other applicable requirements of FMVSS 213 for a harness including product labeling, webbing requirements and instruction manual.

RideSafer® Travel Vest has two different models;

RideSafer® TIP comes with Tether. This model can be used either with a vehicle lap and shoulder belt or  with a lap belt and top tether, RideSafer® NTP (JD15XXX-NTP) doesn’t include Tether. This model can only be  used with a vehicle lap and shoulder belt .

RideSafer® Travel Vest provided in a small and large size for children 30 to 60 lbs. and 50 to 80 lbs. respectively. The harness use mode, used with the vehicle lap only belt and top tether, for both size vests is limited to use with children weighing 60 lbs. or less.

Range of Dimensions

How to use the vest

How to adjust lock.

RideSafer Travel Vest Review

One of the top questions on every parent of a young child’s mind prior to travel is always: what should we do about carseats? Having traveled around the world with my two kids (ages 4 and 9), I can say without a doubt that one item we have loved having in our bag of travel tricks is the RideSafer Travel Vest .

Review of RideSafer Travel Vest

Crash tested down to 3 years old and 30+ pounds, the RideSafer Travel Vest does not take the place of a convertible car seat for kids who have outgrown their infant bucket seats, but who haven’t met the age and weight threshold for the RideSafer Travel Vest. However, once your child reaches the 3 and 30+ pounds threshold, definitely consider adding the RideSafer Travel Vest to your travel arsenal.

On a recent trip to/from the airport, I decided to strap my nearly four year old into the RideSafer Travel Vest for the ride from our home to the airport. Unlike most car seats which are designed to lift the child up so that the straps fall across their body at the appropriate spots (hence the term “booster”), the RideSafer Travel Vest brings the strap down to the child and secures it in the appropriate spots. Although the number of straps and clips may appear daunting at first, it is a very quick and easy process, having done it many times before.

One of my favorite things about the RideSafer Travel Vest is that it travels in its own little carry on pack and fits easily in your luggage or swung across your shoulder.

Our family ended up loving the RideSafer Travel Vest so much that we have it in both small (pictured above) and large , which is typically for children over 5 and 50+ pounds. Indeed, when my oldest son was in first grade but my youngest was still in a convertible, I used the RideSafer Travel Vest for when we needed to carpool and bring another child along with us. Three kids can easily fit in the backseat if using the RideSafer Travel Vest, even if one of those car seats is a convertible and the other is a high back booster!  We have also used the RideSafer for any number of taxi rides in large cities where we otherwise would not need a car seat and it’s a convenient item to just keep in my trunk, in the event we want to safely transport another child.

For more car seat reviews, check out our full write up on car seats: Travel Tips: Traveling with Kids and Car Seats

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In the past the RideSafer manufacturer (Safe Traffic System) had two different versions on the vest.

Previously the RideSafer 2 was the tetherable vest and the RideSafer 3 was the vest with some adjustability for height. The manufacturer finally figured out a way to have both features in one vest, the Delight.

So with the newest version there is only one vest, the RideSafer Delight. When ordering though you have the choice between receiving the vest with or without a tether strap.

If you looked on Amazon and are wondering what the difference is between the Type 2 and Type 3 vests. The RideSafer Delight Type 2 and RideSafer Delight Type 3 are the exact same vest, just that the “Type 2” comes with a tether strap and “Type 3″ does not come with a tether strap. We don’t use Type 2 and Type 3 as it just confuses people so we just have the one vest with choice to purchase with tether or no tether.

(Since currently Amazon is also a reseller — therefore a competitor to our small family business — they won’t allow us to change the listing and make it less confusing.)

Here are what all RideSafer vests, past and present, offer when used with a lap/shoulder belt:

• Keep the lap portion of the seat belt low and properly positioned on the lap/thigh and the shoulder safely positioned mid-shoulder.
• Move with your child, keeping the seat belt in the best pre-crash position (unlike a booster seat).
• Offer innovative energy-absorbing components, which distribute the crash forces over a wider area of the body compared to a just a vehicle seat belt crossing the body as in a booster seat.
• Reduce head excursion and decrease possible head injury by allowing your child to sit directly on vehicle seat, which is more comfortable, too, than a hard plastic shell with a thin cushion.
• Are lightweight and easy to pack for trips or vacations.
• Are easy and convenient to transfer car to car.

• Travel Vests >>

Ride Safer Travel Vest Review

Kid Sitting Safe is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

There are many different types of car seats, and although everyone with a child needs them, it doesn’t mean they are affordable or last a long time. The truth is that children have to go through a few car seats in the course of growing, so that they can stay safe in the car. There are rear-facing seats, front-facing seats, and booster seats.

However, recently there have been new developments in car seat safety, and the Ride Safer Travel Vest is now an acceptable choice. There are many reasons why this type of vest is great for the car and your family.

The most important reasons are that the vest is easy to travel with and can be taken virtually anywhere. It’s simpler to use when you have a child that needs to be using a booster seat, due to the fact that it doesn’t take up as much room and you can fit 3 of them in your car’s back seat. It is nearly impossible to put three car seats or booster seats in your car, as they are too bulky. The vest can also be utilized on children with special needs and is designed to get kids to sit properly in standard seat belts.

The RideSafer Travel Vest is suitable for kids 30lbs and up and meets or exceeds all US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards. There are different versions of the vests in various colours and they are available in two sizes, small (30-60lbs) and large (50-80lbs). More on this below in our Ride Safer Travel Vest Reviews.

How a Travel Vest Works

A Ride Safer Travel Vest is a restraint system that reduces the forces from a collision so that they do not cause harm to your child. They are designed with a rigid back that attach to the seat and seat belt holders that attach to the vehicle belt so that it is correctly placed across your child’s body.

This correct belt placement together with the in-built five point harness distributes impact forces across your child’s chest, not just specific points. The five point harness is similar to those found on a child car seat. The Ride Safer Travel Vest works much like a roller coaster harness that goes over your shoulders to secure your whole upper body to the seat.

So in summary, as well as the additional conveniences the vests provide compared to a child car seat the Ride Safer Travel Vests provide the following safety features:

• Lowering the vehicle seat belt to the correct position. This provides the same result as a belt positioning booster seat that raises the child to the correct seat belt position.
• Lowering the impact force and distributing it across the body to reduce isolated pressures. This is achieved by the energy absorbing foam within the vest.
• Lowering the child’s center of gravity provides safer distribution of forces.  Since the child is sat directly on the vehicle’s seat instead of being elevated as with a booster seat they have a lower center of mass. This helps protect the child as a lower center of mass can decrease lower extremity injury risk while also allowing the impact force to distribute across stronger areas less likely to break.

The video below courtesy of SafeRide4Kids provides an excellent review of the Ride Safer Travel Vest. The demonstration takes you through the safety features of the vest outlined above as well as the different vest types that are outlined in our Ride Safer Travel Vest Reviews below.

https://youtu.be/PHyge9fbKdg

Ride Safer Travel Vest Reviews

There are two main types of Ride Safer Travel Vest in this review: Type 2 and Type 3. Each type has slightly different features, which are summarised in the table below:

The vests are reviewed in further detail below, with 3 options for the Type 2 vest and 2 styles of the Type 3.

To assist you in choosing between the two different options we have taken advice from the manufacturer: The Ride Safer 2 is the most popular and recommended for younger children because it is a certified child restraint system and comes with the tether. The tether can always be used for additional upper body protection in addition to your vehicle’s lap and shoulder seat belt. The Ride Safer 3 is more suited to older children that would normally be in a booster seat. The adjustable straps on the back of the Ride Safer 3 would be more useful to you in this instance.

RideSafer Type 2 GEN3 Travel Vest – Black/Grey – Small

This cool contraption is designed to work with the regular seat belts found in the car’s back seat. The item comes in many different colors, which are perfect for a little boy or budding fashionista. The product is also lightweight and easy to transport from place to place.

• Lightweight
• Certified Child Restraint System to Federal Standards
• Absorbs shock
• Can use with entire seat belt and ensures proper positioning
• Good for short trips
• Fastens securely and includes tether strap
• Comes in different colors
• No head support
• Not good for driving long distances
• Can only be used if child is above a certain weight

Although this item is great to run errands around the city, you’ll still need a sturdier seat when you’re going on a long trip. This is because there are no safety features for when the child is sleeping or not sitting in the proper position.

Safe Traffic System Travel Vest Type 2

This vest looks quite official, but it is really easy to use. There is head rest, to keep a child comfortable when they are sitting back and relaxing, and the vest has a tether support that can be used with shoulder or lap belts, whichever you have access to and will help the child sit securely.

• Helps kid sit up safely
• Comes in different sizes and colors
• Has a shoulder tether for more support
• May be hard to get off of child
• Child may not like it

This is an item that is easy to carry around to utilize at all times. However, some kids just don’t like it. This may be because they aren’t big enough to fit into it comfortably, or they may not like the headrest or something else. However, with practice and use, your child may get used to it and like it more, so hang in there.

Ride Safer 2 Travel Vest

This vest comes in especially handy if you have a child with special needs. It fits in all automobiles due to the narrow design, and it meets all safety requirements to be able to be utilized in motor vehicles.

• Can be used with any type of seatbelt
• Narrow to take up less space
• Additional head rest
• Places child in a safe position at all times
• Kid may grow out of it fast
• Belt may move around when child moves

Some report that this belt is too flexible. This can be easily remedied because it can be fitted on the middle and shoulders to get a good fit. Remember, this vest should take the place of a booster seat in a pinch, so it has to be able to ensure that a child is sitting up in a way that the seat belt can protect them. This product can do just that and more.

Safe Traffic System Travel Vest Type 3 Booster Seat, Pink, Large

This Ride Safer 3 comes in 5 different colours: pink, black, yellow, grey or blue. The main difference with these vests compared to the Ride Safer 2 versions is that they do not include the tether strap. However they do include adjustability on the back of the vest, which allows you to adjust the shoulder fit of the vest to suit your child.

• Great for use with older children instead of a booster seat
• Ensures correct positioning of vehicle seat belt on your child’s body
• No neck support – for longer journeys a booster may be more comfortable

Safe Traffic System Ride Safer Travel Vest Type 3

This version of the Type 3 Safety Travel Vest comes in 3 different colour options: choose either black, grey or yellow. The Ride Safer 3 vest also comes in two sizes, either large or small.

• Convenient and ultra portable
• Allows 3 kids to fit comfortably on the back seat whilst wearing the vests. Many cars are too small to fit 3 booster seats next to each other.
• Adjustable shoulder strap to provide a perfect fit.
• No tether strap included – choose the Type 2 Ride Safer Travel Vest for your younger ones.

Ride Safer vests are crucial to those that need to be able to have a seat for their kids that is easy to travel with. These vests are lightweight, can transfer shock impact so children don’t get hurt in the event of a crash, and you can pack them in bags when you are on the go. They are highly rated by many, and are among the top car seats used in some places. For more details on other topics that can affect your child, take a look at some of our recent articles on  Kid Sitting Safe .

The vests mentioned above are all great, and come in handy, depending on what your needs are. The RideSafer Type 2 GEN3 Travel Vest is great to use with all types of seatbelts and comes in colors that can please anyone’s tastes. They are tested, durable, and easy to put on children.

The Safe Traffic System Travel Vest Type 2 is best used with a lap belt type seat belt only, but has an attachment that takes care of the shoulder part. Besides that, it is also tested for safety and can keep your child safe in a car, airplane, or even in a taxi. Finally, the Ride Safer 2 Travel Vest is almost exactly like the Type 2 vest, only made for narrower bodies and areas. It can also be used with lap belts only and is great for children that have autism or other special needs when they are going from place to place, or even need some help riding the school bus. The only thing to be mindful of is if your child is the correct size and weight to use one of these vests.

For your older children there is the Ride Safer 3 Travel Vest, which provides the added functionality of the adjustable shoulder strap. Once the kids are old enough for a booster seat the tether strap that comes with the Ride Safer 2 may not be necessary for you and so this version would be more suitable.

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Robert is a father of a young daughter and has developed an expertise in child car seat safety. He is a keen supporter of the use of child safety systems having seen his daughter come away from a side impact collision unscathed due to the use of a child car seat. When he's not spending time reviewing child safety systems he works as a Technical Manager on major construction projects.

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Ride Safer Travel Vest Review: it will change the way you travel with kids

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This review of the Ride Safer travel vest is written by certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Melissa Conn and may contain affiliate links.

We’re all about experiences over things, but sometimes things come along that makes the experiences a thousand times more enjoyable. That’s my overall impression of the Ride Safer travel vest car seat – for our family it has become an indispensable piece of travel gear as we’ve gallivanted around the globe with two young children. In this Ride Safer travel vest review, you’ll get my complete, honest opinions as a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and a mom.

We have now used two different generations of the Ride Safer Travel Vest, the Ride Safer Delight travel vest and the current Ride Safer Travel Vest Gen 5 . Within the current generation we own three of the four sizes and in this review I’ll share photos on a variety of kids. We’ve spent many years with our vests, so I’ve had plenty of time to get acquainted with them!

You may have seen parents in Facebook groups refer to it by a range of almost-correct names: safe rider vest, rider safe vest, ride safe vest, rider safe travel vest, rider safety vest… I’ve seen pretty much every combination but the only correct one is Ride Safer Travel Vest.

Keep reading (and watching!) to learn how to use the Ride Safer travel vest, its pros and cons and how to decide if it’s right for your family. I’ll also share some information about the companion TravelSmarter booster seat.

DEAL ALERT! Save $11 off the Ride Safer Travel Vest with coupon ‘ VOYAGE ‘

Here’s a quick video review of the Ride Safer travel vest:

What is the Ride Safer travel vest?

The Ride Safer travel vest is a wearable booster seat alternative for young children up through tweens. It works by bringing the seatbelt down to your child’s level rather than boosting her up.

Your child puts the vest on (like a clothing vest) and then you secure it using the industrial-strength velcro panel and metal buckle on the front. Once you get in the car, you’d buckle the seatbelt as usual but then thread it through the seat belt guides that are included on the lap and shoulder portions of the vest. The Ride Safer Travel Vest has fairly rigid support through the body, unlike a traditional booster seat that has no body support.

It meets or exceeds all crash test requirements and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for harness restraints, meaning the Ride Safer travel vest is legal throughout the US. It is still considered a booster seat, allowing much more mobility than a harnessed seat. You’ll have to use your judgement regarding your young child’s maturity and ability to stay in the proper position for the whole car ride.

There’s also an optional top tether that should be used whenever possible to limit head movement in an accident. It also help to keep younger riders from reaching for a toy or slumping when asleep in this kids seat belt vest. Having forgotten the top tether piece on a recent trip, I can tell you that it’s an essential piece (even for kids who are old enough for a traditional booster seat).

Who should use the Ride Safer Travel Vest?

According to the manufacturer specifications, the Ride Safer Travel Vest Gen 5 will fit the following ages and sizes:

Ok, but what ages and sizes should use the Ride Safer Travel Vest?

As I mentioned in the introduction, we’re fortunate to have used two generations and several sizes of Ride Safer travel vest over the course of many years and many rides.

2023 update! In previous versions of this review I expressed frustration that the Gen 5 vest ran much larger than Gen 4 and didn’t fit kids as the size chart indicated. I’m thrilled to say that the manufacturer, Safe Traffic Systems, responded to sizing feedback and quietly change the design! The changes are significant enough that I wish they’d given it a new name or generation number. This is especially worth noting if you owned a previous vest or have been considering one for a while.

In the photo below, the original Gen 5 is on the left and the new Gen 5 vest is on the right. As you can see, the new version has a much wider range of length adjustability! The diamond-shaped panel can slide up and down along the harness and the velcro tab that determines the vest’s length can be affixed either to the diamond or basically anywhere along the back strap. On the old version we only had about 2″ of Velcro to work with, which translated to very little length difference.

Here’s a comparison of the XS vest at its largest setting along with the new Gen 5 and old Gen 5 smalls at their smallest settings – don’t worry, you’ll see them on real kids in a minute! The XS Ride Safer Travel Vest has some additional considerations so look for that in the next section. In the middle you can see that I’ve also crossed the buckle over to the far side of the vest, which is now permitted to get a better fit on slim kids.

Here’s the updated Gen 5 Ride Safer Travel Vest size small fit. My cute nephew is 5 years old and around 43″ with an average build, while my sweet niece is 7.5 years old, around 46″ and slim. With the improved adjustability, an average sized 4 year old should be able to use the size small. I tried the small on my 9 year old – around 48″ and 60lbs – but it was too small on her.

Not ready for the Ride Safer yet? Here are some great travel car seats for 3 year olds and 4 year olds to consider instead.

Many parents ask if they should buy the small or large Ride Safer Travel Vest for their child (there is no medium vest). Here are updated pictures of my own kiddos using the size large vest. At 48″/60lbs (left) and 53″/75lbs (right), the large fits great! My son still has plenty of growing room as well.

Ride Safer Travel Vest X-Small review

In this section, I’m going to address the Ride Safer XS vest that was released in 2022. It’s a bit of a different product and there are a host of considerations that aren’t as important for kids old enough to use the small through XL sizes. Remember, it’s still safer for kids this age to be rear facing in a convertible car seat .

If your kiddo is already 4, scroll down to the next section.

Ride Safer Travel Vest small vs x-small comparison

First, let’s look at a comparison between the Gen 5 Ride Safer Travel Vest XS (left) and the Small (right) and spot the differences:

The overall concept is the same, but there are some critical changes here! First, the XS is obviously smaller. This photo shows the XS on its largest setting and the small on its smallest setting, and there’s still a pretty big difference. There’s just isn’t a ton of room on the back of the XS for the velcro torso length adjustment, so it has a much narrower range than the small.

Second, the small has a metal buckle at the waist while the XS has a similar buckle attached at the chest pads and only velcro at the waist. If you’ve never had one of these vests in your hands, the velcro is incredibly strong so don’t be concerned that kids are going to mess with it, nor that it would open in a crash. But that metal buckle on the chest? Genius.

It remedies the biggest issue with size small for smaller kids, which is that the shoulder straps can easily slide off of slim shoulders. I’d love to see this change on the Ride Safer Gen 6 vests! Not only does that “chest clip” give a better fit but it also prevents kids from deliberately getting out. Could a determined child unfasten it? Surely. But it’s an important first line of defense!

Finally, you’ll see that the shoulder belt guides on the x-small travel vest are exposed while they’re covered with fabric on the small. While the velcro on those flaps is pretty flimsy, I miss them on the XS. In their absence, curious fingers may be more inclined to play with the shoulder belt and potentially remove it from the guide.

Ride Safer Travel Vest XS fit to child

I’m excited to have a tiny new model to show off the XS vest! This little lady is just over 2 and on the short side. You can see that the XS fits her nicely. If she had been more compliant I would have used the crotch strap as well (more on that later).

On the topic of curious fingers, let’s meet our second adorable XS vest model: my 3.5yo nephew – these photos were taken a few years ago, and you’ll see above that he’s now comfortably modeling the size small. At 3 he was 37.5″ and 33.5lbs – exactly average for height and just a little above average for weight. In these photos he was probably around 39″ and 35lbs – nearing the top end of the size range for XS.

He juuuuust fit into the XS (right) and the crotch strap was very helpful for keeping the vest low with the lap panel on the tops of his thighs. By contrast, the small was so baggy through the shoulders that when he was fed up with modeling he slid his tiny shoulders through and pulled the whole thing down.

Is the extra-small Ride Safer Travel Vest right for your child?

And therein lies rub… a child doesn’t need to be 100% booster-ready to use the vest, but he still needs to basically be a calm and compliant child even if a vest or other car seat makes him grumpy.

The XS Ride Safer Vest is marketed for 2 and 3 year olds, but that’s precisely the age at which kids beginning pushing boundaries and asserting their independence. Some kids, like my daughter photographed above at the same age, are total rule followers and will just sit where you place them and how you place them. Others – perhaps the majority – at 2 or even 3 will wiggle and squirm, sometimes for discomfort and sometimes to get a rise out of their safety-minded parents.

While my little niece looked like the perfect model above, before getting that picture she spent about 30 minutes sitting on the ground saying “I don’t like it!” when I showed her the vest. She wasn’t willing to put it on at all until after both of her older siblings had modeled for me. If you’re considering using the vest for a trip with a young or sensitive child, give yourself plenty of extra time to get them comfortable and situated.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the CPST community is split on whether or not the XS vest should exist. Yes, it passes Federal crash testing both with and without the top tether. However, crash test dummies don’t move . In deciding whether or not your child is ready for the vest, you have to be honest about her behavior and developmental level.

There aren’t many situations where I’m inclined to steer parents to the XS vest versus a traditional travel car seat or the WAYB Pico , but here they are:

• You have a calm, compliant, petite 3-4 year old and will be doing the sort of travel that just doesn’t work with a traditional car seat (like full-time travel )
• You’re taking a 2 year old on a car-free vacation that only requires a taxi / Uber from the airport and an adult or teen will be sitting next to the toddler in the car

While the crotch strap is optional for all ages, I strongly recommend its use with the XS vest. Kids this age are prone to wiggling and the strap ensures that the lap belt stays nice and low on the thighs. Between that and the “chest clip” it’ll also remind kids that they’re in a car seat and shouldn’t be frolicking around the car.

When possible, I also recommend using the top tether. With that piece the Ride Safer Travel Vest passes the same testing that’s required of a forward-facing harness. Furthermore, you’re really limiting how much your young child can squirm out of position. In some countries (generally in the developing world) there are no top tethers, so keep that in consideration as you decide whether or not to travel internationally with the XS RSTV.

Finally, if you have no alternative but to use the vest and you think your child will try to wiggle too much you do have the option of locking the seatbelt at the retractor like you would when installing a car seat. Many countries (like Mexico ) don’t have that “switchable” retractor as a standard unfortunately but it’s mandatory in the US and Canada.

XS Ride Safer Travel Vest in the car

So how does the vest do when you put an actual child in the car? It was actually pretty good for my little nephew at 3.5 and average height!

You can see that I managed to pull the vest down pretty far so that the lap panel is flat on his thighs. I’ve used the top tether and the crotch strap to limit the wiggles. If he had a little more room in the vest, sitting “criss-cross” would help the lap panel sit even flatter.

He’s right near the top of the size chart for the XS vest, and because he’s 3 he had no tolerance for trying the small in the car. It’s also worth nothing that in this vehicle he doesn’t have the appealing red button of the seatbelt buckle right next to him, but he would in a sedan or other bench seat. I’m confident that this little guy wouldn’t mess with it once told, but only you know how your child will handle that situation.

This is in a different vehicle, but you can see that the fit on his sister at age 2 is… less good. In theory this works: the lap belt is flat on her thighs and the shoulder belt crosses near her collar bone. But because she’s very small and the seatbelt is mounted high in this car, it hits her right in the face! There’s a good chance that she would (understandably) move the seatbelt out of position after a few minutes because that can’t be comfortable.

Safe Traffic Systems offers the Travel Smarter backless booster seat that can be used with any size vest to improve the seatbelt fit. As you can see here, it does exactly that! There’s no chance of the lap belt riding up onto her “soft belly” and the shoulder belt is more appropriately positioned. She’s also able to benefit from the car’s advanced safety features like side curtain airbags since she’s higher up.

You can read my Travel Smarter booster seat review for more info. It’s incredibly light and comes with its own backpack that also fits the vest inside.

If you feel that the XS Ride Safer vest is right for your family, you can buy it here and save $11 with coupon ‘VOYAGE’.

How to put on the Ridesafer vest for kids

When you open the Ridesafer travel vest backpack, you’ll see a few different parts and you’ll need to make some adjustments. The great news is that you can fit it to your child before you need to use it in the car.

The components included in the box are the vest, a sometimes-optional crotch strap, the optional-but-highly-recommended top tether, the truly optional neck pillow and a convenient carry backpack. We ditched the pillow after just one use and the crotch strap once our kids got a little bigger.

Putting the vest on is pretty intuitive: open the buckle and the very sturdy Velcro panel in the front, then have your child slip his arms in. Tug the vest down, fasten the Velcro so that it’s snug but not uncomfortable and then fasten the metal buckle, adjusting the strap length as necessary – there’s no way that vest is coming undone on its own! To get the length right, turn your child around and open the Velcro on the crossing straps on his back. Adjust the vest until the bottom flap on the front is resting on top of his thighs (since it will hold the lap portion of the seatbelt in the proper position), then refasten the Velcro straps on his back.

The final (optional) step is to the thread the Y-shaped crotch strap through the two slots on the back of the vest on the bottom (one on each side), then pull between the legs and fasten snugly through the slot at the bottom of the front. While the crotch strap is technically optional, it’s important for preventing younger riders from “submarining” (sliding down and out of the vest).

We stopped using the crotch strap around 4.5-5 years old. It’s not long enough to use all the way to the top of the size range, but it’s also not necessary at that point.

You can see a hands-on demo of putting on the Ride Safer vest below:

How to use the Ride Safer vest in the car

The Ride Safer travel vest is very easy to use once you get it on your child.

Here are the basic steps to use the Ridesafer vest:

• Put the vest on the child, making sure that the lower panel is over the tops of the thighs. It can help to “fan out” the two sides of the lap panel so that it sits flat.
• Have child sit in the car and fasten seatbelt as normal.
• Feed the lap belt through both metal guides in the lap panel of the vest, then pull snug across the lap. Don’t over-tighten the lap belt or it may start to bunch in the guide on the side away from the buckle.
• Open the Velcro shoulder pad on the side where the should belt crosses and feed the shoulder belt through that metal guide, then pull snug and close the shoulder pad.
• Attach the optional but highly recommended top tether to the shoulder straps using the two metal hooks (above the pads), then attach the other end to the car’s top tether point and pull the tail to remove slack .

If you’ll be using the Ride Safe travel vest in your own car or a rental car, you can leave it attached to the car when you get out! Just unbuckle the seatbelt and remove it from the lap belt guide on the buckle side before you unbuckle the waist strap. You can leave the tether attached at the shoulders and even leave the seatbelt threaded through the shoulder and the other side of the lap! As you become more experienced with the vest, it’s a real time saver.

Ride Safer travel vest FAQs

Yes, as long as it’s used in accordance with the directions the Ride Safer travel vest is legal in the United States. Please see more information on Europe , Australia and Costa Rica for additional guidance if you’re traveling to those places.

Yes, it passes FMVSS 213 testing just like all other car seats in the United States.

No. If your child is under 40lbs, the CARES harness ( full review here ) is an excellent complement that can be used on planes.

The RSTV is permitted in Canada as a medical device with prescription.

The Ride Safer Travel Vest has only been crash tested an approved with the Travel Smarter backless booster seat . Using it with any other booster seat (inflatable or otherwise) may be unsafe and in some cases illegal.

RideSafer Travel Vest Review Impressions

Bottom-line upfront: we liked it enough to take it with us for a full year of travel. Yes, its that much of a game-changer. Now having returned, I have no regrets about that choice.

Now for my full thoughts: The Ride Safer vest is an awesome product that really delivers on its promise to make traveling with preschoolers and older kids easier without compromising safety. We took it to Europe without ever testing it at home, which was a risk for sure, but I figured it out pretty quickly. Our son barely complained during any of our car rides, though he’s generally pretty easygoing about car seat safety and is accustomed to riding in a forward-facing harness most of the time at home.

When we used it during our gap year trip, it was perfect for taxi rides in the cities because I could just roll it up and put it in our day bag. We also used it for some very long road trip stretches, and found it to be solid overall. There were times when our daughter slumped more than we would have liked when sleeping, and early in the trip the shoulder straps seemed a hair too long for her; however, a little gap at the shoulders isn’t necessarily a concern. In our long-term testing, she never complained about comfort despite some drives of 6 hours in a single day.

Overall we’re very satisfied with our decision to bring the Ride Safer rather than our usual travel car seat. For kids who are mature enough and big enough to fit, we whole-heartedly recommend it in situations like ours where traveling light is the only practical solution .

It’s also a great alternative to a booster seat for taxi or Uber riders living in major cities or families on extended trips at age 4+, especially when many families would otherwise allow their children to ride unrestrained. Just throw it in the included backpack and let your kid carry it around! We’ve also found it indispensable for fitting 3-across in our small car when Grandma comes to visit.

If your child is younger or smaller, take a look at the WAYB Pico , which is an excellent folding car seat with a 5-point harness. If you travel infrequently and will just be taking a single flight and then renting a car, one of these travel car seats might be a good fit for your needs.

The RideSafer travel vest is also sometimes prescribed for children with special needs, especially now that there’s a size Extra Large available. It can be a great choice for older children and even teens who have outgrown the tallest harnessed car seat and still need more support than a traditional booster seat can offer.

What we like:

-Feels very well made

-Design has multiple fail-safe mechanisms

-Extremely compact (takes up less than half of a preschool-sized backpack)

-Easy to use, takes less than 3min to put on the vest and get the seatbelt in place (assuming your kid is a willing participant)

-More torso support than a backless booster, avoids booster rider slumping when asleep

-Adjustable sizing so it can last for several years

-Wide range of sizes now available, from XS to XL

What we don’t love:

-Can take some practice and tweaking to get the fit of the car seat vest  just right

-Crotch strap is almost too short for many kids, though its use is not required

-Getting the vest on the kid and then the kid in the car can get to be tiresome if you’re doing it several times per day, every day, for a whole year

-Lots of parts to keep track of (for a city family using the vest in a taxi, you can leave the headrest at home and save tons of space)

-The optional headrest is more trouble than it’s worth

-Not permitted to use on an airplane, so for a child under 40lbs you’d need to buy a CARES harness to make the airplane seatbelt safe

-Kids can’t see out the window (can be used with the Travel Smarter booster seat to give them a lift)

-The 2023 version now has a 5 year expiration, while earlier versions had a 10 year expiration

Final Thoughts on the Ride Safer car seat vest

As you can see from my impressions above, there is room for small changes or additional features; however, our impression is overwhelmingly positive. I was especially pleased that, when used with the top tether, the car seat travel vest prevented slumping out of position while sleeping. If we had just brought a booster seat, our daughter would have been in an unsafe position. Moving from two bulky car seats to none on our gap year was absolutely epic (we use this one for our son since he was 6 years old by then – full review here ). I honestly don’t know how we could have managed without the Ride Safer travel vest .

While the Ride Safer vest is a little pricey for an item most families will use only occasionally, if your family travels often with older preschoolers or young school age children I can’t recommend it enough. It would be a fantastic choice for car-free families with kids ages 4 and up as well, as you can easily shove it in your purse or backpack for unexpected taxi rides.

We feel confident that the Ride Safer offers a safe alternative to either lugging a huge car seat around a city or relying on an unfamiliar car/driver to maybe offer car seats. Ready to buy your own Ride Safer vest? Get it directly from Safe Ride 4 Kids for amazing customer service and fast, free shipping! Use coupon ‘VOYAGE’ to save $11 on your order.

Not sure what car seat to bring for travel? Find the best travel car seats by age

Our friends at Safe Traffic Systems and Safe Ride 4 Kids sent me several Ride Safer travel vest for kids to review; all opinions are my own. 

What to read next

57 thoughts on “ride safer travel vest review: it will change the way you travel with kids”.

What a greta piece of travel kit. Having just returned from a trip where I had to take a car sat for my two-year-old and a smaller travel booster for my four-year-old I feel your pain having to lug bulky seats around in the past. This type of solution is brilliant for traveling families. It does look very secure too and maybe not so easy to wriggle out of as the travel seat I took with me on my last trip! Thanks for sharing this on #MondayEscapes

I really wish they had come out with this when my girls were younger, it certainly seems like such a huge help with travel – especially taxis and such! Excellent idea, and I’ve got to share this with some friends who still have younger kids.

I’ve been biding my time until Jacob was old enough! It’s a really innovative solution. Thanks for sharing!

What a great invention. Definitely a game-changer if you don’t need to carry a car seat or a booster. I’ve been keen on using Hertz with AAA code to get a free car seat with each rental.

Great idea but I appreciate you pointing out what you love and what could need more improvement #fearlessfamtrav

It’s a really interesting idea, but it seems just a wee bit too complicated and uncomfortable to fully replace a booster seat, especially for longer journeys. Also, I worry about it becoming too warm during summertime. Thanks anyway for bringing this to my attention. #FearlessFamTrav

If a child is truly old enough to use a backless booster, something like a bubble bum would be a great choice; however, my personal minimum for that would be 6yo AND not falling asleep in the car. Sadly I see so many pictures of booster riders who fall asleep and basically lay down sideways – not adequate protection in a crash, not even close.

The vest is really great for families whose kids are riding in a forward-facing harnessed seat, but who are basically willing not to squirm too much in the car.

Do you know if it can be used with only a lapbelt? We are going to Sri Lanka soon and can’t find a van that has shoulder belts so looking into different options since we won’t be able to use the high back booster.

Hi Kaylie, no it needs a shoulder belt. We’re in Panama now and have had a few van rides in which the kids just used the lap belt. Sometimes that’s the reality. We’ve found Uber cars to have better safety features than traditional taxis or vans, but I’m not sure if Uber is available in Sri Lanka. How old is your little one?

I had no idea anything like this existed! We make yearly trips to visit family and this would be so much better than lugging around a car seat! Thank you so much for this post!

Wow, it sounds brilliant. Definitely something we will invest in when we go abroad with the girls. It has always worried me about what to do with car seats and this seems like the perfect solution. I love that it doesn’t take up too much space. Nat.x

This is so interesting – I’ve not seen one of thes ebefore .So much lighter than a car seat and having to lug around. #familytraveltips

Thanks for such a comprehensive review! Can you share the dimensions of the item folded up and in a proper stuff sack? ie what is the smallest it can be? THANKS!

I don’t have the dimensions offhand (no soft tape with me while traveling!) but I’d say perhaps like a 2L soda bottle without the neck part?

This is not true – a ride safer vest can be used with just a lap belt PROVIDED the tether is used – the clip anchoring between the shoulders and the bolt or latch mandatory in most cars.

You are correct that it can technically be used with a lap-only belt in that situation, but I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a car today that has a lap-only belt AND a top tether. Alternatively, you could buy the EATAL accessory to mimic a tether point, but many cars don’t have a suitable tether point at all. I think that for 99% of parent out there, the best practice is to use it with a lap-shoulder belt if one is available. We found many cars in Thailand and Morocco that have lap-shoulder belts outboard and lap-only in the middle (no top tethers in ANY position), and I would rather not have parents remember only partial information and misuse the product. In that situation, the safest position for the child is outboard with a lap-shoulder belt.

Looks like the Amazon Prime code doesn’t work anymore – I’m getting “The promotional code you entered cannot be applied to your purchase.” Any chance you have a new one?

How was the comfort level for long drives? Also, it seems like the child wouldn’t be able to see out of the window. Was that an issue?

This is a very interesting alternative… My three year old is still rear facing in a convertible, so I am hesitant to downgrade in terms of protection, but It would be extremely convenient when traveling. Something to definitely consider!

I wholeheartedly agree! We kept our older one rear-facing until 4 and the younger one until 3.5, but at that point we went off traveling full-time and the Ride Safer was by far the best option for that lifestyle 🙂

Super excited to have found this option – this + Bubble Bum are good options for my two kids. Will look into the links.

They’re both awesome products! We started using the Bubblebum for our older one at 6yo. We started using the Ride Safer around 3.5yo but only because we were traveling full-time and a regular car seat just wouldn’t have worked. But for a more “normal” family travel schedule, I think the Ride Safer vest is a great choice starting around 4yo 🙂

I didn’t knew about this gadget until now and I’m glad I read your post.

Hopefully you’ll get a chance to try it out! We’ve loved it for traveling light 🙂

We’ve been thinking about purchasing one of these. Thank you for the information!

You won’t regret it, the Ride Safer vest is super handy once your kid is old enough to use it!

We travel about half the year with our daughter who is about to be the perfect age/size for this!

It’s perfect! We did find that our petite girl fit better once she was between 3.5 and 4yo. How big is your daughter?

This looks like a smart idea for traveling with our 3 year old. We have mifolds for our older kids but they complained that the seat area was uncomfortable. The vest would have solved the uncomfortable seat problem.

I’ve heard that the mifold can be uncomfortable and that the belt fit for some kids in some cars isn’t great :-/ If your older ones are booster-age and mature, I’d look into the Bubblebum . But for your younger one, the Ride Safer vest should be good (we liked the fit better closer to 4yo than 3yo for what it’s worth).

Would love to try this out, likely with our older one. Will need to wait a little for her to grow a little bigger 😉

I’d definitely wait until 3.5 or even 4 🙂

I’m a little concerned that my daughter – who is generally uncomfortable in car seats – will not find this comfortable, but am willing to deal with that in exchange for not logging a big car seat around. Thanks!

Traveling to Spain in October and this will be our first trip my daughter meets the requirements for this product. Excited to see how it compares to lugging a big seat with us.

I was wondering the same, sounds like a great product.

Sooo looking forward to when my little guy is big enough to use this!

Such an awesome tool! Wish I knew about these sooner.

There was nothing like when I first started traveling!

Thank you so much for the very thorough review and videos. I am getting ready to take 2 preschoolers on a trip from Atlanta to multiple cities in China for a month. On our way back to Atlanta, we will be in L.A. for a few days with a friend who has 3 kids in car seats, so, I have been looking for suitable child restraints that won’t destroy my back or my sanity. I would love to try the RideSafer Delight on my kids (both are on the taller side) since my youngest will just turn 3 while we are in China. Since I don’t think that we would use them much after the trip and since they are pretty pricey, I’ll try asking around to see if anyone in my area has one that I could borrow to test fit. Thanks again for the post!

I’m really excited because my oldest just turned 3 last month and we’ve got a Euro trio coming up that this would be great on!

Is there any way this cam be combined with bubble bum so kids can look out of the windows?

I live in San Francisco and think just about every friend here has one of these. I’m still holding out, based on price – but really appreciate the lower weight limit than other travel friendly (Uber/Lyft friendly) options for preschoolers, as my little one won’t hit 40 pounds for a long time. When we’ve borrowed one though, she seemed like she was swimming in it (at 34 pounds). You mentioned that too – so seems a common complaint – would be curious to know more from others. Thanks for all the details!

Can’t wait until my daughter is a little older/heavier to use this!

How convenient for rentals and taxis!

We are just starting to outgrow our carseat for flights and this would be such the perfect option!

We got one for our older girl when she was 3, traveled in Kenya with it… Now waiting for our youngest to hit the age/weight requirements so she can start using it too!

Amazing! Out of curiosity, what’t the seatbelt situation like in Kenya?

It says it’s not approved for use in Europe?

The previous version was approved for Europe, but the manufacturer is still going through the certification process for the updated vest.

Great idea but I appreciate you pointing out what you love and what needs work.

This is such a great option for travel! I really wish we had this when we went away last year instead of lugging our little one and the car seat with us! We are very excited to give this a try.

I can’t imaging doing a gap year with a regular car seat – you guys are troopers! I’m glad we waited until our daughter was old enough to use the vest. Hopefully you guys will have a Ride Safer vest in your future 🙂

I appreciate the review! I am interested in one of these when my daughter is old enough

The extra small size goes down to 20lbs. 30 lbs isn’t the minimim

Thanks for stopping by! Please see my updated Ride Safer Travel Vest review for more information on the XS. And while it is technically is rated to 22lbs (the Federal minimum for forward facing), there’s virtually no situation in which it’s an ideal restraint for that size child. Even in the most tricky of circumstances, I’d sooner put a 22lb child in this car seat that only weighs a little more than the vest.

Safe travels,

Hey Family travellers!

We just came back from travel with the family. Its was tons of fun ! The only issue we had was the transport ie safe taxi with car seat as we didnt have a car. Any tips on safe travels? We tried one company but they only have airport transfers.

It really depends on where you’re going. Is there a particular destination you had in mind?

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Perm Krai, Russia GPS

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Product Details

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Product features

• Complete voice guided navigation.
• Incredibly beautiful HD maps.
• Fast routing - no data connection is required!
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Product description

User data privacy, technical details.

• Access coarse (e.g., Cell-ID, Wi-Fi) location
• Access fine (e.g., GPS) location
• Access extra location provider commands
• Access information about networks
• Required to be able to access the camera device
• Open network sockets
• Read from external storage
• Record audio
• Access storage
• Access the vibration feature
• PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming
• Write to external storage
• Allows sending in-app billing requests and managing in-app billing transactions

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