There's a pretty extensive review thread on the CARES harness. Click here.


I believe the foldable seat to which you refer is the Safety 1st Go Hybrid. We have one and I generally like it but there are a couple of big caveats.

1) You can only use it as a backless booster in cars that lack a top tether connection. And it's one heck of an expensive backless booster. The good news is that almost all new cars sold in the US in the last 10 years or so have top tether connections (I've never run into a rental car without one) but if you plan to use it in an older car, it's not a good choice.

2) If you want to use the LATCH connectors and the 5 point harness (as opposed to using it as a belt-positioning or backless booster), you're technically supposed to check the weight limits on the car's LATCH system. I'm told most cars are limited to 40lbs, so if you have a bigger kid that could be an issue in many cars. And I'm not even sure how to look up the LATCH weight limits.

3) It's not as comfy for the kid as a convertible car seat. My son's main complaint is that it sits lower so he can't see as much out the window. And my mother (a physician) worries that the position in which my son often ends up falling deeply asleep allows his head to loll around too much--she is concerned that in an accident he might suffer serious neck injury akin to an anesthetized surgery patient who is moved incorrectly. She recently persuaded me to buy him a foam cervical collar. I'm skeptical that he'll be willing to wear it, but am willing to at least try to put it on him the next time we go on a nighttime drive.

All of that said, the thing is WAY more convenient than my Britax Roundabout for lugging around the city when picking up rental cars.