Who are we?
We are a family of three who are currently travelling the world with our toddler (The Globetoddler)
What is Belt Up Baby?
When travelling the more exotic fanciful corners of the world there is enough to worry about when travelling with a baby or toddler. Will they eat the food? Do they need vaccinations? Will it be too hot? Is it safe? Will they get ill from food, water, mosquitos, EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH! Especially as an over protective parent making the decision to travel across three continents wasn’t taken lightly. The Belt up Baby (we’ve nicknamed ‘the BUB’) took away at least one of my worries-the lack of baby car seats available and especially the safety aspects of travel in some of our planets less equipped and less westernised areas. The BUB is suitable from 9 months of age. It can be used in any vehicle that has front facing seating and a 3 point seat belt (one that fits along your chest and waist). However, this must not be in the front of the vehicle. It is not recommended for use in vehicles without the 3 point seatbelt so unfortunately cannot be used on Tuk Tuks or buses with only lap belts. Both easy to transport (via the handily supplied bag) and easy to set up and use, this invaluable piece of travel kit really helped to set our minds at ease on the first leg of our journey – Cancun, Mexico.
Putting the Belt Up Baby to the test
After safely landing in Cancun airport we gathered our luggage and headed straight for our tour operators coach-once on we set up our BUB and sat Jasper in it for the short transfer to our hotel. When fitted the BUB feels sturdy and secure. It was a bonus that Jasper loved it and actually preferred it to his normal car seat because of his proximity to Mummy or Daddy and getting him in it wasn’t half as bad as I anticipated. There were other babies on our bus and the parents were nervously hanging on to them as they wriggled about on their laps. The BUB really helped to eliminate this potential problem for us.
Once at the hotel the BUB went straight back in the handy storage bag ready for its next outing. Next we used a local taxi company to take us to Xcaret – a tropical wonderland on the outskirts of Cancun. At one point the driver had to brake suddenly due to another driver in front pulling out – we were glad we had jasper in the BUB. We are continuing our adventure in Canada and the USA and have purchased a car seat for this leg of our journey but BUB is still stowed away in its handy bag ready for when we hit SE Asia in around 12 months time. It has already helped to ease our concern of travelling in another country and the great thing is that as Jasper grows, the BUB grows with him so he will continue to be safe and sound on public transport. A weight off any parents mind!
Peace of mind whilst travelling
An invaluable item and a definite alternate when you are unable to take your own car seat on your travels or obtain one at your destination. Always remember to find out the laws of the roads and legalities regarding infant car seats before you travel to any country and that where there is a seat and seatbelt available, that should be your first choice.
Handy features
- The BUB comes with a handy storage bag with straps.
- The BUB fits nicely in our regular day pack when we are out and about.
- We found the storage bag to be showerproof when we accidentally left it hanging from the back of the stroller.
- Additionally, you can purchase a toy that attaches to the BUB for baby entertainment.
- After a yoghurt incident, we found the BUB very easy to clean.
Conclusion
We couldn’t fault the BUB itself. However, we have given the BUB 4/5 due to a limited opportunity to use as we found most public transport did not have any seat belts fitted or only had lap belts. This was true for trains, public buses and local taxis in Mexico. The only transport we found with the appropriate seat belts were private taxis and tour coaches. Resultantly the BUB may not be ideal for any rural travel or travel in lesser developed countries. An improvement would be if there was a way to use the BUB on transport where no seat belts are fitted or where there are only lap belts to increase its opportunity for use.
If you’d like to find out more about The Globetoddler and the family’s round the world adventure you can follow their blog The Globetoddler Disclaimer: The Our Tribe Travels product review panel are given products free of charge in return for an honest and detailed review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are the reviewer’s own and are not influenced by the brand or affliliates.
