Is this the best car seat protector on the market?
Car seats are definitely one of the trickiest parts of family travel around the world. Nobody can deny their importance, but actually getting them from A to B – especially if you have more than one child – so you can start your adventure and not pay a fortune in rental fees, therein lies the challenge!
We have tried everything from cheap covers to sticky taped garbage bags and shrink wrapping our car seats together at the airport to try and keep our gear protected, but nothing beats having your car seats in their own fully protected bag.
Introducing you to the Hello Jolie wheeled car seat travel bag. Designed by a mum-of-two who similarly found her hands very full at the airport, this innovative designer came up with the perfect transit solution for car seats.
We were curious and intrigued to see if it was that good! Is there really a solution to our biggest packing nemesis? Here’s what we found on our recent trip across the continents with the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag.
This post is part of our tried and tested series of product reviews – from strollers to portable cots, we’ve got your travel needs covered!
This post contains affiliate links which may earn us a commission if a purchase is made.
Essential Facts about the Hello Jolie Car Seat Bag
How does the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag work? The primary role of the car seat bag is to protect your car seat from damage and mishandling while travelling in the luggage hold of a plane.
It can also be used to take your car seat through the airport in a convenient way if you want to use the car seat on board the plane. The travel bag fully encloses the seat and provides you with both wheels for smooth gliding through the airport and handles top and both sides for easy manoeuvrability.
The Hello Jolie car seat travel bag packaging and ease of use
It arrives in a rather large box to fit the bag in it’s folded down dimensions of 23.6″ x 20.1″ x 8.3″, weighing 5.5lbs.
It should fit most leading car seat brands with a back height up to 27″ – the bag itself including wheels stands at 30″.
The bag itself is super easy to use, no instructions needed to see the wide opening for your car seat – the reinforced zip has a very generous opening so no squashing and squeezing into an impossible space required.
Product specs- What material is the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag made from?
- The product is made from a sturdy waterproof nylon and has padded sides.
- The four base wheels swivel independently.
- There is also an internal strap to hold your car seat in place, as well as an optional external strap to attach other luggage.
What car seats will fit in the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag?
With ample dimensions, it can fit quite generously sized car seats but do quickly measure your car seat before ordering a product like this – anything under 27″ back height and bases less than 20″x 19″ should fit.
The manufacturer recommends if you are using a seat with a fixed base to detach this so just the car seat is on the bottom of the bag then rest the base piece on top of the seat for transit.
We were able to fit a full-sized toddlers car seat, a folded high back booster and a bubblebum all within the same travel bag with room to spare and no pressure on the zips. If we had two full-sized seats we would have needed two bags.
How easy was the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag to use?
Compared to past trips with car seats in tow – we could literally glide through the airport!
I have always struggled the most as a solo-travelling mum getting from the taxi to the check-in counter – you know the scene, trying to pay your driver, unload suitcases, keep kids off the road while looking for a trolley – and in our case, its normally about 1am at DXB, one of the world’s busiest airports…..
With our car seats all in one bag and on wheels, I was able to use my budding little helpers to push our cases and car seats through the airport.
Even if I had a stroller too, the car seat could have been light and easy enough to steer one handed, or you can attach other luggage to the car seat bag to pull both along at once using the included luggage strap.
At DXB airport we were allowed to check in the car seat travel bag on the normal luggage belt with our cases, however, at both Australian airports we went through they wanted it treated as oversized.
After each flight, we had to collect it from oversized luggage regardless of where it was checked in.
NB – always check with individual airlines whether car seats are counted separately or as part of your overall luggage allowance. We have a detailed guide by airline here on what items are allowed with an infant or child’s ticket.
Whether a car seat is treated as oversized luggage or not is at the discretion of the airports, not always under the control of the individual airline.
Wear and tear to the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag
After our first three flights with it, not a single issue. No rips or tears to report, wheels still strong and no signs of fraying – compared to much cheaper products we’ve purchased in the past without extra padding, this is an absolute win!
This bag should see us through those final couple of years needing car seats and boosters.
How does the Hello Jolie compare to other generic car seat travel bags on the market?
There are two obvious differentials to other similar car seat protection products we have seen and reviewed over the years. Quality and price.
The two, fortunately, go hand in hand in this case. Yes, the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag DOES cost more than its competitor products, particularly the basic drawstring style bags which you can pick up for around the $20USD mark.
You can see our full comparison of car seat travel bag products here.
Hands down the padded lining and sturdy zip put it ahead of others for quality.
When it comes to having wheels, don’t underestimate just how handy this feature is when you’re hands are full! Very few comparison model car seat bags deliver on this feature, and as someone who suffers from back issues, this is far better than a hugely bulky back pack.
This does add a little in size and weight when it comes to storing your bag at your destination, but a small price to pay (we still used it as our dirty clothes bag while we were road tripping!)
Globetrotters Recommend Hello Jolie car seat travel bag
Without a doubt, this is a sturdy and secure car seat bag. The design makes it so easy to pull along with your other luggage – ideal, particularly for parents, managing multiple children and not enough hands.
As I am frequently travelling with three kids solo, the wheeled design is an essential feature and definitely worth the additional investment in a quality travel product.
Get your hands on the Hello Jolie car seat travel bag exclusively on Amazon:
More handy family travel product reviews
Looking for more insider tips on the best travel gear on the market that’s actually worth investing in? Why not try one of these!
- Ultra-lightweight & compact strollers for travel
- The best lightweight double strollers on the market
- The best gate check bags for strollers
- The best portable cots and bassinets
- The best portable highchairs & boosters for travel
You can find our full tried and tested series here, and don’t forget to pop over and see all our very best toddler travel advice.
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Disclosures: We were provided with a Hello Jolie Car Seat Travel Bag for the purposes of conducting an honest review. All views, as always are our own. We are members of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase using our affiliate link we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Our full website terms of use can be found here.