The first rule of traveling with a child is: keep them buckled up. But, harness systems are by no means soft and gentle. Even worse, we need to install them tightly enough to protect our children from moving, so it often happens that the rough seat belt irritates their skin.
Luckily, the manufacturers came up with accessories to help our little one feel more comfortable in a harness. My favorite product of this kind is the car seat strap cover that doesn't impede safety yet creates a soft barrier between the strap and my child.
Look at the list of the best seat belt cover I found, and learn why they are so popular.
Table of Contents
- Best Car Seat Strap Covers on the Market: My Top 7 Recommendations
- #1. COOLBEBE Car Seat Straps Shoulder Pads - Top Pick Baby Car Seat Belt Cover
- #2. Symphony Car Seat Belt Pillow for Kids - The Best Seat Belt Pillow
- #3. GAMPRO Car Seat Belt Pad Cover Kit - Multipurpose
- #4. Culclendy Baby Car Seat Neck Cover - The Best Neck Support
- #5. SSAWcasa Seat Belt Pillow and Adjuster for Kids Travel - The Best Offer with an Adjuster
- #6. R HORSE 4Pack Seatbelt Pillow Car Seat Belt Covers - Four-in-One
- #7. YR Seat Belt Cover for Kids - Fabulous Design
- Buyer's Guide: How to Choose the Best Car Seat Strap Covers
- Top Safety Tips
- Frequently Used Questions
- Final Thoughts
Check out the creme-de-la-creme of today's list, the top 3 products with the price and ratings listed.
Best Car Seat Strap Covers on the Market: My Top 7 Recommendations
When it comes to the car seat strap covers, three main things are essential.
CoolBebe strap covers are meeting all three requirements.
These soft wraps are made of 100% polyester, while the padding is made of polyurethane foam. As such, they are incredibly plush and soft, preventing the harness from hurting your baby's fragile body.
On the other hand, the cover is made of velvet-touch fabric, also very soft, so it's perfectly safe and pleasant on the skin. However, the manufacturer included this material for another reason, and that's to prevent slippage.
As car seat straps and harnesses are usually a pain in the neck maintenance-wise, we use covers to keep them clean and avoid the hassle. But if covers are just as complicated to wash, the problem is still there.
For CoolBebe covers, use a cold wash cycle to wash them in a machine and hang them to dry. They'll be as good as new.
Finally, these covers are very affordable, and they are available in three colors. You can use them on a car seat strap or stroller strap.
Seat belts can be just as uncomfortable for kids as the harness is for babies, so it's not a bad idea to get a seat belt cover and make trips more comfortable. The difference between a seat belt cover and a car seat cover is just in size since seat belt covers are longer.
This seat belt cover comes from Symphony. It measures 8.5 inches in length and 2.6 inches in width, and it's available in four different designs: dinosaur, dinosaur 6A, space, and unicorn.
I like that these covers look fun and interesting. Kids are visual beings, and they often feel more comfortable just because the environment looks fun. So, from that point of view, it's a well-design product.
The covers incorporate new-generation absorbent cotton. This material is breathable and soft, odor-free, and very elastic. It won't irritate your child's skin, and since it's very soft, your child can use it as a pillow if he/she falls asleep.
You won't struggle with the installation. The covers include velcros, so it takes a few seconds to attach them to the seat belt.
- Breathable
- Fun design
- Easy to install
- Improvised pillow
- Thinner than expected
Children are definitely not the only ones struggling with rough seat belt straps. Adults also love comfort, so here we have a seat belt cover from Gampro, designed to make traveling more bearable for children and adults.
This product is an Amazon's Choice, meaning it has a very high rating and loads of positive reviews. It's made of soft polyester, skin-friendly and breathable. If you have irritation-pro skin, you can finally take a break from redness and itch.
Beneath the polyester cover, Gampro put sponge. The sponge is very soft and comfy and allows air circulation, which is priceless in summer.
These covers are multipurpose, and you can use them as seat belt covers, backpack covers, diaper bag covers, basically on any strap that causes irritation. The dimensions are 10 x 2.3 inches, and there are seven different designs you can choose from.
If you want to use them on your child's shoulder strap, you can. However, they may be too long, so I'd rather opt for a cover made for children specifically.
When it comes to the price, these are very affordable, and they come with a money-back guarantee, so you can purchase without a worry on your mind.
- Breathable
- Multi-purpose
- Affordable
- Soft sponge
- They tend to move
Here we have another set of two car seat strap covers, but from a small manufacturer called Culclendy. Even though Culclendy is a small business, these straps are very popular on Amazon, which shows that this manufacturer really invested time and effort into it and made a product worthy of attention.
These straps are made to support your baby's neck in the car seat, stroller or cradle. I'd specify this particular cover as an infant car seat strap cover.
They are made of a combination of soft cotton and Minky. Cotton is a natural, breathable material, so it won't cause any skin irritations. And Minky is a perfect addition to softness and comfort, adding more structure to the body of the cover.
I like that the covers are reversible. One side is monochrome Minky, and the other features a particular fun design such as flowers or dinosaurs; you can see the exact offer on Amazon.
When it comes to dimensions, the straps measure 5.9 × 5.9 inches, which is perfect for the neck support of newborns.
- Reversible design
- Breathable
- Soft
- Well-designed
- Reliable
- It could be a bit more padded
Here we have an awesome two-in-one product from SSAWcasa, a seat belt pillow/adjuster for kids. The product was designed to help adjust the seat belt correctly and ensure the safety of kids in a vehicle without compromising their comfort.
The shoulder pad is made of soft micro-suede fabric and filled with PP cotton, while the adjuster features a breathable baby cotton material.
When it comes to the pillow/cover, it measures 11.8" x 4.7'' and offers comfortable support to your child's head. It also protects the straps from getting dirty and your child from rough seat belt material.
The triangle adapter was designed to keep the traps away from your child's neck and face, and they fit all seat belts regardless of the type of vehicle. This adapter was designed for kids who are moving from the booster seat to the seat belt use.
Both pieces are non-toxic, the seatbelt cover is removable and washable, so it's up to you to maintain it germ-free and skin-friendly.
- Breathable
- Soft material
- Universal size
- Comfortable
- It’s not recommendable to use adapters with seat belts.
Next in line is an offer from R-Horse, a set of two strap covers and two adjusters, perfect for comfy rides without neck soreness.
The pillow measures 11''x 4''x 1.5'' and the adapter's dimensions are 8.3''x 2.8'' x4.3''. I like the design, there are four cartoon variants to choose from, and each is very fun and attractive.
When it comes to the material, the covers are made of soft micro-suede fabrics, while the inside is filled with PP cotton. Therefore, they are breathable and very pleasant on the skin. They won't cause irritation, and due to thick, plush filling, they'll prevent neck and shoulder soreness that rough straps can cause.
The maintenance won't be a problem either. You can remove the cover in a bit and wash it, keeping it clean and germs-free.
The only negative comment I found was that the covers are oddly shaped, so it may be hard to adjust them for smaller kids. Also, some parents are concerned about how safe it is to use a seat belt adjuster since the manufacturers did not specify whether adjusters are crash tested or not.
- Soft
- 4-in pack
- Breathable material
- Washable
- Not crash-tested
The last is a seat belt cover from YR, incredibly cute and very well-designed. From all the products reviewed, this brand has the broadest palette of designs to choose from, and they all look amazing. But let's see how functional it is.
The covers are made of neoprene. It's a high-grade material built to absorb sweat and allow air circulation. At the same time, it's very stretchy and soft, providing your child the comfort it needs.
What makes these covers exceptional is the wide layer of velcro that allows you to adjust the width and fit the covers perfectly.
You can use them on a seat belt, backpack, or whatever straps your kid is struggling with. They are very durable and effortless to clean, so you don't have to worry about germs and bacteria.
Although I've made up my mind about the car seat belt cover, this one is one of my favorites too. I like how well-made the cover is and how many options the buyers have to choose from.
- Many variants
- Breathable
- Washable
- Soft
- Not very thick
Buyer's Guide: How to Choose the Best Car Seat Strap Covers
As with any other product, it may be tricky to choose the one that is actually working and won't rip off immediately. But, if you haven't bought anything like it before, they may seem all the same.
I've felt that way too, so I composed a list of things you should prioritize when buying car seat strap covers/pads/pillows to help you.
1. Material
It's essential to choose a non-toxic breathable material that is plush and pleasant for the skin of your baby. Your baby might use it every day, so imagine how awful it can get if the product is irritating.
My go-to materials are always natural fabrics such as cotton or linen.
2. Size
No matter what accessories you add, your baby won't feel any better if they don't fit the straps the right way.
So, make sure to check the measurements of the items you're buying and compare them to the vehicle seat belt or harness dimensions.
Also, avoid the seat belt pillows for a rear-facing car seat, as they are too big for your newborn's head.
3. Padding
A cover won't change a thing if it's thin and has no structure.
If you genuinely want to help your child enjoy traveling without getting marks on their shoulders every time they ride, buy top accessories with thick padding.
4. Brand
It's not that important whether the accessories are popular, as much as it matters for a brand to be reliable. Some famous people may have recommended certain items, and now everyone is buying them, even though the brand is trash.
You've probably witnessed this countless times.
To avoid being scammed, always check the background of the brand, some of their top products, and whether customers are actually satisfied with their items.
Top Safety Tips
If you just got your first baby, you might be overwhelmed about the safety measures you need to take before you get your child in a vehicle. To help you with that, I'm linking you to one awesome video about everything you should know about rear-facing seat installation and buckling up.
Here is a similar thing about the forward-facing seat. And here is something about the booster. Also, here you can see educational content about the children's safety in a vehicle.
Frequently Used Questions
Is it safe to use car seat strap covers?
The official recommendations are not to add any accessories to the federally-approved child restraint system. These accessories are not crash tested with the system itself and could potentially put your little one in danger.
This doesn't mean they will, though. It simply means they haven't been tested along with the exact car seat you are using.
So, the advisable thing to do is ask for information from your car seat manufacturer.
Are seat belt covers safe?
Once again, the official regulations say you shouldn't add any accessories to the official restraint system, seat belts included.
If you choose to do so, it doesn't mean you will impede safety, but they cannot guarantee that the system will work as it is supposed to. This is especially applicable to seat belt adjusters.
Official recommendations do not approve the use of adjusters, as they change the position of the seat belt.
Are car seat strap covers necessary?
Absolutely NOT. Car seats function perfectly well without products such as shoulder strap pads, wraps, etc. You can choose to add them to make the ride more comfortable for your little one, but these items are by no means necessary.
Should car seat straps be above or below shoulders?
When you're using a rear-facing child car seat, the shoulder straps should be just below the child's shoulders. With the forward-facing seats, the situation is vice versa. The shoulder straps should be above the shoulders.
Final Thoughts
Have you ever used products like the ones we talked about today? If you haven't, it's not a bad idea to consult a CPS technician and hear his/her opinion about it.
I've used a seat belt cover before, and my child did too. From my experience, I don't see these accessories as a safety threat. If you buckle up your child as usual and simply add the covers, they shouldn't make a significant safety difference.
Just ensure the straps are not loose.
If your child has sensitive skin or the seat belt makes them feel uncomfortable, I encourage you to buy one of the best car seat strap covers. My favorite is the COOLBEBE Car Seat Straps, excellent for newborns and kids.
- WE START WITH SAFETY: COOLBEBE Seat belt cushions prevent any slippage, provide effective security whether in the car, infant carrier or stroller. Super-soft velvet pads ensure your little one can...
- SUPERIOR SOFTNESS & LOVELY: Made from Super-soft velvet-touch fabric, the Soft Wraps Belt Covers Provide additional comfort to prevent rubbing and irritation from car seat straps; Kids will feel much...
- VERY VERSATILE: These Seatbelt Strap fit all car seats, infant carriers, and buggy straps. Soft Wraps are great for a variety of uses. The simple design black belt cover will wild complement any...
- EASY TO CLEAN: The fabric is 100% polyester and the filling is 100% polyurethane foam. These Soft Wraps, keep both your seatbelts and straps clean. They are machine washable, for easy removal of those...
- 100% LIFETIME SUPPORT - COOLBEBE seat belt covers Will Keep Your car/stroller Neat and Organized and 100% lifetime support from COOLBEBE, any questions or suggestions, welcome to get back and we will...