Is it safe to rent car seats? Why Rent Baby Equipment When Traveling? Reasons why one should rent baby equipment? Green Baby Travels MN Baby Equipment Gear Rental

Why Should Airline Travelers Rent Car Seats and/or Baby Equipment?

There are a couple of ways to make traveling with children easier, cheaper and greener. One way is to put up with the inconveniences of not having your baby gear with you. Another way is to rent the equipment/gear you will need when you are away from home. Here are some hints and answers to FAQs for the ones trying to make the decision of what to bring on a flight:

1- Is it safe to rent a car seat or other baby gear?

It depends. It depends from whom you rent. It depends on what you rent.

2- How can I make sure that the equipment is safe?

Word of mouth and reputation are key pieces of this equation. Ask your friends or colleagues about recommendations and experiences with certain rental companies and go from there.

3- What should I look for when renting baby equipment?

Besides recommendations, look for gear brand reputation and manufacturing dates. It is not the price range or the appearance of the equipment that matters. For example, at the higher to mid-price range, car seats made by Britax such as Marathon and others have a high safety reputation. Graco portable cribs and pack n plays are highly regarded and some of their infants car seats are more popular than expensive brands. Car seats have a manufacturing date sticker attached to them. Make sure the seats are within the acceptable range before renting them. Many car seats have a 7-year lifetime. However, even charity organizations will not accept car seats older than 3-years. Therefore, you are better off sticking to their guidelines and only renting seats 3-years old or newer.

4- Are rental equipment items clean?

Again, rental company reputation and recommendation from friends will serve you well here. However, when in doubt, ask the question directly. Car seats have removable covers and should be washed after each rental. A simple double rinse cycle wash in the wash machine with warm water and mild detergent followed by drying should do the job. No need for bleach. Other items should be cleaned in the same fashion.

5- Is it really more responsible to rent baby gear?

Yes. Well, this is a good question with a long complex explanation. It has to do with reuse, it has to do with fuel consumption increase with increase weight, it has to do with waste minimizing and some much more. For some elaboration on this argument, read on go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency_in_transportation

"A principal determinant of fuel consumption in aircraft is drag, which must be opposed by thrust for the aircraft to progress. Drag is proportional to the lift required for flight,[19] which is equal to the weight of the aircraft. However, beginning at transonic speeds of around Mach 0.85, shockwaves form increasing drag. For supersonic flight, it is difficult to achieve a lift to drag ratio greater than five and fuel consumption is increased in proportion. As induced drag increases with weight, mass reduction, with improvements in engine efficiency and reductions in aerodynamic drag, has been a principal source of efficiency gains in aircraft, with a rule-of-thumb being that a 1% weight reduction corresponds to around a .75% reduction in fuel consumption.[19] Passenger airplanes averaged 4.8 L/100 km per passenger (1.4 MJ/passenger-km) (49 passenger-miles per gallon) in 1998.[citation needed] Note that on average 20% of seats are left unoccupied. "

Now consider adding lbs and lbs of weight from luggage and other stuff, such as baby gear to that mix. Honestly, it may be trivial compared to all the other stuff but weight is weight and the more weight, the more fuel used. I am not saying you should carry the burden of saving fuel costs and should accept the hefty airline fees without complaints. I am just saying that there is nothing wrong with saving fuel while adding convenience to your travel by renting baby gear.

6- Is it expensive to rent bay gear?

No. Rental companies offer very reasonable deals.

7- Any other benefits?

I can think of a few others benefits but it depends on what your believes are. You are supporting the local economy. You are trying out new products. You are traveling free of extra stuff and can bring what you really can't live without. You are giving your child an extra comfort when outside of his/her elements. etc etc etc...

I will keep adding to this as I get more FAQs compiled. In the meantime, I hope this helps you make your decision next time you travel.

Take care.