I'm traveling with my almost-2 year old in a couple of weeks. It will just be the two of us, so no husband help this time. I purchased CARES and will be using it onboard. I'm intending on checking my Britax Marathon as baggage but as I look online I see several recommendations against that as it might get damaged.

If I do decide to go ahead and check it, how should I wrap it? I don't have the original packaging.

My other two options are to buy the Cosco brand car seat and have it shipped to my destination, or to buy a backpack contraption for the car seat. If I end up doing that, my CARES purchase was pretty much wasted because if I'm going to haul the car seat through the airport, I'm going to use it onboard.

Any advice?