With snow in the forecast and cooler temperatures, it was time for me to buy Rosie a Winter coat! Last year I didn’t bother much with a Winter coat since she was a newborn and we could use a car seat cover. This year is a whole new adventure because we have to find a coat that will work in the car seat. I’ve been doing a lot of research on car seat coats, trying to figure out what exactly is safe.
I didn’t know that car seat coats were a big topic of conversation for toddlers until I had one! Basically the issue is that if you have a bulky coat in the car seat, you have to loosen the straps a bit to get the car seat to buckle. Then, if you were ever to get in an accident, the bulky coat would compress and the harness straps would be too loose. It is only safe for your child to wear something (within the harness) that is the thickness of a sweatshirt (like a fleece jacket) or a down jacket that is packable.
You can test if your child’s coat is car seat safe with just a few steps. First, put the coat on your child and put them in their car seat. Then, unbuckle your child and take them out of the car seat. Then, take off the coat, and put them back in the seat and re-buckle. If there is no slack or a little slack, the coat is car seat safe. If there is a lot of slack, this coat is not car seat safe.
Car Seat Coat Recommendations
First, let me preface by saying this list is all based on research that I have done (reviews, blogs, etc.) Just because these coats work for others doesn’t necessarily mean they will work for your child. The coat must be the appropriate size and also pass the test above.
A few to call out specifically… This pink one is the one that I grabbed. I love that it was so affordable ($23!) and also Amazon. We did the test above and it worked! I doubt that the quality is there compared to other nicer brands, but she will be in a different size in a few months anyway, so I thought we would try it out. Also, a lot of the blogs I read RAVED about the Snozu brand of coats (good selection on Amazon, look here and here). These coats are very safe and around $30.
The ‘One Kid’ coat is the only one on the list that is 100% car seat safe (tested, certified, etc.) It has a unique design that has an inner and outer layer so that there isn’t a puffy layer in between the child and the harness. From what I understand though, as long as the coat passes the “test” it can be just as safe.
Other Options
If you do not feel comfortable with these coats, there are a few other options:
- A poncho
- A winter coat (that isn’t car seat safe) worn backwards
- Lots of blankets
- Lots of layers