1. At what age, weight or height can my child use the Car Seat Poncho?
2. With what types of car seats can my child wear the Car Seat Poncho?
3. In what sizes is the Car Seat Poncho available?
4. My child doesn't walk yet. Can she use the Car Seat Poncho?
5. My child is a walker. Won't the Car Seat Poncho drag on the ground and get dirty when she walks?
6. Can the Car Seat Poncho be used when the car seat is rear-facing?
7. Won't my child be cold in an open garment like a poncho?
8. Won't my child get too hot in the car?
9. What if my child doesn't like wearing a poncho?
10. What is your return policy?
11. Can I send the Car Seat Poncho as a gift?
12. Do you ship to Canada or overseas?
Frequently Asked Questions
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1. At what age, weight and/or height can my child use the Car Seat Poncho?
As long as your child is in a convertible car seat or the 5-point harness mode of a combination seat, he or she can use the Car Seat Poncho. So, the manufacturer's height and weight restrictions for your child's convertible car seat are the guiding factors.
The Car Seat Poncho is intended for use by a child who is effectively riding in a convertible car seat -- that is, too big to be toted around in an infant carrier seat carrier and too small yet for a booster . For many children, that means from the age of 6 months, and/or 20 pounds, to about 4 years and/or 40 pounds minimum. Of course, every child is different, and height/weight restrictions vary from seat to seat as well. Some children may "graduate" to rear-facing convertible seats when they are younger than 6 months, and -- with wonderful higher weight harnessed seats increasingly available, many will stay harnessed way past their 4th birthday. Parents should use their own judgement along with their seat's guidelines, in deciding whether or not their child can use the Car Seat Poncho. Return to top.
2. In what types of car seats can my child wear the Car Seat Poncho?
The Car Seat Poncho is intended for use with any car seat that is equipped with a 5-point harness or the 5-point harness mode of a combination car seat. If you choose to use the Car Seat Poncho with an infant (portable) car seat, you must make sure that the poncho does not interfere with the motion of the carrying handle or the insertion of the seat into its base. Also, care must be taken to ensure that the poncho does not become entangled in moving or non moving objects inside or outside the vehicle. While many new infant seats, such as the Safe Seat 1 or SnugRide 32, accomodate children up to around 30 pounds, many parents begin leaving the seat inside the car and lifting their baby out, for all intents and purposes turning their infant seat into a rear-facing convertible.
Our product works wonderfully with car seats that have SIP (side impact protection headwings). Just open the top zipper and spread the hood around the SIP wings. It cannot be used with overhead shield models, over-the-head 3-point harnesses or with Y-harnesses. Return to top.
3. In what sizes is the Car Seat Poncho available, and what about hat sizes?
The Car Seat Poncho is available in SMALL and MEDIUM/LARGE. Height is the best way to choose size. If your child is shorter than 33 inches, choose the SMALL.
If he or she is taller than 35 inches, the MEDIUM/LARGE is the better choice. Those in between 33" and 35" can wear either size, although a MEDIUM/LARGE
would probably get at least 2 seasons of wear, maybe even more.
SIZING FOR HATS: The SMALL hats fit heads up to 19" around, and the M/L hats fit heads up to 23". If your child's head is right around 19", you might find it useful to know that the solid hats are stretchier than the print hats.
4. My child doesn't walk yet. Can we still use the Car Seat Poncho?
Of course! Simply put the Car Seat Poncho on him and zip it up. When you pick him up to carry him to the car, catch the back of the poncho between his bottom and your carrying arm. This way there won’t be any “updrafts” when he is outside. Return to top.
5. My child walks. Won’t the Car Seat Poncho drag on the ground and get dirty when she walks?
Early walkers (who do that adorable “Frankenstein” walk) are a bit unsteady and are usually carried to and from the car, same as before they started to walk -- especially in the winter. Once they are confident, steady walkers, they are usually tall enough so that the poncho does not drag. The front of the poncho is 19” long, so, when worn by a child who is 25” or taller, the poncho does not touch the ground. Return to top
6. Can the Car Seat Poncho be used when the car seat is rear-facing?
Absolutely, positively! The Car Seat Poncho's is especially convenient when you are fastening your child rear-facing. When you open the zipper and move the front panels to each side, you have total access to your child's harness, with no bulky coat in the way. Return to top.
7. Won’t my child be cold in an open garment like a poncho?
With two layers of 400-weight fleece, the Car Seat Poncho is very warm -- like wrapping two blankets around your child! It is specifically designed for use during regular, everyday trips -- to school, to the grocery store, to play dates, etc. In short, the type of trip where children are going into the car, sitting in their car seats, and then going directly from the car to an indoor location. If you and your child are going to spend an extended period outdoors -- like at the playground or on a long winter walk, bring a regular puffy coat to keep your child warmer once you get there.
One of the reasons I designed the Car Seat Poncho was that the walk from our front door to our car was no longer than 30 seconds. It was such a hassle to put my child in his coat, to walk out the door, then have to remove it to put him into the car seat, then put it on again once we left the car. It drove me nuts to go through all that fuss. The Car Seat Poncho just makes everyone's life easier, happier, and SAFER! Moms in Michigan, Alaska, Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and more tell us their child is warm and happy wearing the Car Seat Poncho.
8. Won't my child get too hot in the car?
No! Another great thing about the Car Seat Poncho is that your child will be more comfortable in his or her convertible car seat. As the temperature inside your car increases, you can open the zipper from thetop to partially uncover him. You can even remove the Car Seat Poncho completely without having to touch the harness at all. Return to top.
9. What if my child doesn't like wearing a poncho?
Some children express initial reservations about wearing a poncho instead of a coat. Practically all of these moms reported back that, after a week or so, their kids became happy and enthusiastic poncho wearers. Based on their experiences, as well as our own, we have collected some helpful suggestions here. Return to top.
10. What is your return policy?
If you are not satisfied with your poncho(s) or items were damaged during shipping, you may return them within 21 days, for exchange or refund of poncho purchase price. Hats and blankets are not returnable, and merchandise received as a gift is eligible for exchange only.
11. Can I send the Car Seat Poncho as a gift?
Yes! Whether for a newborn, a baby who's "graduating" to a convertible seat, or a birthday child, the Car Seat Poncho will always remind your loved ones how much you care. Your gift will be lovingly wrapped, and include your personal message. It can be sent directly to your recipient or to you.
To purchase and send a gift order: Place your billing information in STEP 1 of the order process, and, in STEP 2, place the name and address of your recipient. If you would like to include a gift message, use the COMPANY field. Also, if the child's name could be used for a boy or a girl, please indicate the gender of the gift recipient.
If you have any questions or problems, feel free to call us at (917) 881-9044 between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and we will be happy help you and/or to take your order by phone (MasterCard and Visa only).
12. Do you ship to Canada or overseas?
Yes, we do ship to Canada. The costs to ship outside the US start at $26 US, using USPS Priority Mail. Shipping time is 7-10 business days.
We realize that these costs are relatively high compared to other web-based retailers, and we do apologize. For a small business, US Postal Service's Priority Mail is the most cost efficient shipping method available. Larger companies can negotiate with commercial carriers like UPS and FedEx for bulk rates, but the Car Seat Poncho is not able to do that (yet!). While USPS does offer less expensive First Class mail, that method is neither traceable nor insurable, so we cannot ship merchandise that way.
One suggestion for Canadian and European customers is to split the cost of shipping among three or more moms, e.g., a mommies' group, play group, nursery school, extended family, etc. For instance, if a moms' group or parenting organization had many members interested in buying Car Seat Ponchos, their total order could be shipped to one address and the shipping divided between the recipients. Please be aware that additional duties, tariffs or charges may apply and are the responsibility of the recipients.
Again, our apologies. We wish the cost were lower, too!
If you have another question that is not addressed in this FAQ, please send us an email. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Answers
Worried about the cold?
"It is very cold outside today and I would not have thought about taking her out in this weather. Now that it is so much easier to get her in and out of the car, while keeping her warm, I didn't think twice about going out. Thank you so much for such a wonderful and well-made product." Hilary, Pittsburgh PA
"The other day, my daughter slept in the car while we were picking up her older sisters. If it hadn’t been for the poncho, she definitely would have woken up, because it was so cold. She snuggled into the poncho so well and was so warm, the cold never woke her!"
Kerrie, Maplewood, NJ
