Frugal Crafting: Homemade Travelmate

About a year and a half ago I made my own travelmate. I'd seen them online, but didn't want to pay the $80+ price tag, which didn't include shipping. I also didn't think their method of securing the carrier to the car seat (two screws that screw into the back of the car seat) looked really secure.

Why would I need one in the first place? Ever try carting a heavy car seat through the airport, along with whatever suitcases you have and the child that needs said car seat? It quickly becomes too much to handle. By adding wheels to the car seat, you can easily pull it through the airport. You can even strap your child into the seat before heading off to the far reaches of the airport.

It wasn't that hard to make- two pieces of wood screwed together, with corner supports on the inside for added suport. I cut holes in the wood for the straps that would hold it to the carseat. Then I added an axle and wheels.

The finished product wasn't very pretty, so I covered it all with some denim fabric (sewn and hot glued), then added the straps.

The car seat rests on the small ledge, and is held to the travelmate by two sets of straps- one goes through the LATCH straps that hook into the car seat when not in use, and the other follows the path of a regular seatbelt (under the armrests and around to the back). Once strapped in, the car seat isn't going anywhere.

I've used it on a couple occasions, and have only come up with one thing I'd change. I used some webbing as a handle for dragging the whole contraption, but it really needs a rigid handle for added stability. I think some metal tubing from the hardware store should work, but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet. 

Even with the non-rigid handle it worked quite well and cost a fraction of the original. The wood was scraps my dad had laying around, as was the metal rod I used for the axle. I did pay a dollar or two for the 'hub caps' (I don't remember what they're really called), and the wheels were about $12 on ebay. I also paid about $5 for the straps and buckles, and I had the fabric in my stash. All together, I paid less than $20 for something that costs more than $80 (not including shipping), and if I only use it a few times, I don't feel guilty about wasting lots of money :)