I was worried about having a September baby – it meant I’d have a brand new baby through the cold winter months. And we live in Buffalo, New York – we may not be known for our sports teams’ success but we are known for our winters. Isn’t that the first thing you think of when you hear Buffalo? Okay, maybe you think chicken wings first, but snow is a close second.
That first winter was surprisingly easy – I had a great fleece bunting outfit that accommodated the car seat buckle so I didn’t have to worry about taking my daughter out of it to get her in the car seat safely.
Fast forward a year, I now have a toddler, and she needs a real jacket. Trying to find one that could keep her both warm AND safe was a bit of a challenge. I take car seat safety very seriously and cringe when I see kids in their puffy jackets being buckled into their car seats. It happens SO often, especially here in Buffalo where it can get very frigid and parents are just trying to keep their kids warm – but it’s dangerous! The people at OneKid understand the need for a winter coat that doesn’t have to be removed, so they created the Road Coat – it’s exactly what I was looking for!
What makes the Road Coat so special? It has two layers – a thin inner layer and an outer puffy layer, each with its own zipper. When you’re out braving the elements, you keep both layers zipped up just like a regular winter jacket. When it’s time to head home, simply unzip the outer layer and strap your child in with the harness over the inner layer. There’s no need to remove the jacket! (Current recommendations suggest removing the child’s jacket and placing it over them backwards after you have them buckled in. While safe, it’s not always practical. What if your child has fallen asleep? Now you have to risk waking them to get them undressed to put them in a cold car seat. Plus they’ll be exposed to the elements while their jacket is off.)
The collar of the Road Coat is split and comes apart easily with Velcro. This allows the harness straps to lay flat and fit snugly, keeping your child safe and secure. When the harness and chest clip are in place, you can then zip up the outer layer if you want (over the harness), keeping your child warm and preventing those little hands from sliding the chest clip down. The chest area of the inner layer has a non-slip surface to keep the straps in place as well as red indicators for proper chest clip placement. I love that the zippers are extra large, making it very easy to handle them, especially with a wiggly toddler. Both zippers have a zipper garage at the top, protecting those tiny chins. They really did think of everything with this jacket. It even comes with a travel bag so you can tuck it away in the diaper bag and it doesn’t take up much space.
There are a few different variations, but I went with the down version because our temperatures can get pretty low here in Buffalo. This jacket has a temperature rating of -25 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s not uncommon for us to dip below zero, especially when you factor in the wind chill. The Road Coat is also wind and water resistant.
It’s made of 80% down and 20% feather filler, is machine washable and can even go in the dryer (on low – because sometimes you don’t have time to wait for air drying)! For a down coat, it’s very lightweight. I found it to be true to size – the 12 month size fit my average-size one year old when we first got it and she is still wearing it comfortably 4 months later.
You can check out The Road Coat from OneKid HERE. There is also a vegan option and a Transition for milder temperatures. They even make full snowsuits for infants! Watch out for discounts and special offers. The price may seem steep, but this coat is worth every penny. Between daycare a few days a week, a weekly play date and running errands, we are in and out of the car a lot. The peace of mind it provides me, knowing that she is safe, is priceless. We have been stopped by so many parents and asked about the Road Coat (the two zippers is usually what grabs their attention), and everyone thinks it’s genius after I explain how it works.
With a ton of colors and prints to choose from, you’ll definitely be able to find one that you child will love. And they’ll be grateful when they don’t have to take off their coat every time they get in the car. Because let’s be honest, would you want to remove your coat when it’s 20 below zero?
I received this jacket from OneKid for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
