WAYB Pico Review After 6 Years: Is This Travel Car Seat Worth It?

WAYB Pico Review: The Quick Verdict

The WAYB Pico car seat is an 8-pound, forward-facing 5-point harness seat that folds down to 11.6 x 14.5 x 18.9 inches. It is certified for aircraft use and can be installed in a vehicle with LATCH or a seat belt, plus the top tether when a tether anchor is available.

For our family, its biggest strengths are portability, the compact fold, and how much easier it is to fit into tight back seats. Its biggest drawbacks are the high price, forward-facing-only design, limited comfort for sleeping, and a crotch buckle that can feel tight as kids get bigger.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I would still buy one for our family. We’ve used the same Pico across three kids and several years. If I had one child and expected to use it only once or twice, I probably would not.

Prefer Amazon? See the WAYB Pico on Amazon.

WAYB Pico at a glance

Feature	Current WAYB Pico
Weight	8 pounds
Folded size	11.6 x 14.5 x 18.9 inches
Orientation	Forward-facing only
Restraint	5-point harness
Current price	$499
Aircraft use	Certified for aircraft use
Vehicle installation	LATCH, lap-and-shoulder belt, or lap-only belt
Top tether	Use when the seating position has a tether anchor
Useful life	7 years from manufacture or recertification
Warranty	3 years
Carry bag	Sold separately

WAYB currently lists the Pico at $499 at the time of this update. The company gives the seat a 7-year useful life and a 3-year limited warranty.

One important change since we received our seats is that the minimum size requirements changed for Picos manufactured after June 30, 2025.

Date of Manufacture	Weight	Height
Before June 30, 2025	22–50 pounds	30–45 inches
On or after June 30, 2025	26.5–50 pounds	33.5–45 inches

WAYB recommends the Pico for children age 2+ who also meet the applicable height and weight requirements. Check the label on your own seat for its manufacture date and limits.

Our Experience with the WAYB Pico After 6 Years

WAYB sent us two Picos in September 2020. We initially used them mostly close to home because, well, 2020 was not exactly our biggest travel year.

Over the years, all three of our kids have used the Pico at different points. We brought one to Boston in 2022 for our then-4-year-old, Vancouver in 2023 for our then-5.5-year-old, and to Hawaii in 2026 for our 4-year-old. We’ve also used the seats in our own cars, family members’ cars, rental cars, and tight 3-across setups.

We still have one of those original Picos today. Once our oldest outgrew the other one, we passed it along.

We haven’t traveled with the Pico as often as I originally expected. Part of that comes down to the way our family travels. We prioritize destinations where we can rely on public transportation and skip car seats altogether when possible. I also kept all three of my kids rear-facing beyond age 2, while the Pico is forward-facing only.

I now think of the Pico less as a replacement for our everyday car seats and more as a specialized travel tool. When we need a harnessed car seat but want something lightweight, compact, and much easier to move around, that’s where it makes the most sense.

The Pico in a small car

When we first received our Picos, my husband drove a tiny BMW i3. Our regular convertible car seats practically consumed the back seat and made buckling everyone awkward.

Switching to two Picos made a noticeable difference. The kids had more room around them, and getting everyone buckled was easier. That same narrow, low-profile design has also helped when we’ve needed to fit three car seats across in other vehicles.

Where the WAYB Pico Really Shines

It is genuinely compact

The compact fold is still the feature I appreciate most.

A regular car seat can be relatively lightweight and still be giant and awkward to carry. The Pico gets both parts right: low weight and a small folded shape.

When you’re already managing suitcases, backpacks, kids, and everything else that accumulates on a family travel day, the compactness makes a meaningful difference.

It works especially well in tight cars

We’ve used two Picos side by side and incorporated a Pico into three-across setups.

When you have three kids and end up in a smaller rental car or family member’s vehicle, every inch matters. This has been one of the Pico’s most useful features even when we’re not traveling.

It keeps kids in a 5-point harness

The Pico fills an interesting gap for kids who are already forward-facing but who you still want in a harnessed car seat.

I wouldn’t move one of my kids into a booster earlier than I otherwise would simply because a booster is easier to pack. The Pico gives you substantially better portability than most traditional harnessed seats without requiring you to jump ahead to the next restraint stage.

Where the WAYB Pico Falls Short

It is forward-facing only

This was probably the biggest limitation for our family.

Although WAYB allows the Pico to be used starting at age 2 when a child also meets the applicable size requirements, I chose to keep all three of my kids rear-facing longer.

NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing until they reach the top rear-facing height or weight limit of their seat before moving to a forward-facing harness.

One of my sons tried the Pico around age 2.5 when we first received it, but he still primarily rode rear-facing. I didn’t start using the Pico with my youngest until she was 4.

If extended rear-facing is important to you, there may be a fairly long stretch when the Pico simply isn’t the right travel seat yet.

It isn’t my favorite seat for sleeping

Traditional convertible car seats generally offer more structure and head support.

The Pico is open and upright, which helps keep it compact and lightweight, but it doesn’t create the same setup for a sleeping child.

Our kids have been fine in it for shorter rides. For a long road trip where I expected a child to sleep for hours, I’d usually choose a more traditional car seat if I had the option.

The crotch buckle can feel tight as kids grow

The Pico has fit all three of our kids reasonably well, but the crotch buckle is on the shorter side and became less comfortable as they got bigger, especially with fuller thighs.

It wasn’t enough of a problem that we stopped using the seat, but it’s another reason I see the Pico as a travel-focused car seat rather than my first choice for long everyday drives.

Flying with the WAYB Pico

One of the biggest reasons families consider the WAYB Pico travel car seat is flying.

We’ve flown with ours a few times, although we have never installed it for our child to sit in during the flight.

Instead, we brought it onboard, stored it in the overhead bin, and used it in a car once we reached our destination.

So I can speak firsthand to bringing the Pico through an airport and onto an airplane, but not yet to using it as a child restraint during the flight.

Does the WAYB Pico fit in an airplane overhead bin?

In our experience, yes.

We’ve stored the folded Pico in airplane overhead bins without an issue. WAYB says the seat, either alone or inside its Carry Bag, is compact enough for the overhead bin or even under the seat in front of you on most commercial aircraft.

I’m a big fan of compact family travel gear that can stay with us instead of getting checked. Our Babyzen YOYO travel stroller works similarly and has fit in the overhead bin on the vast majority of our flights.

Keeping the Pico with us also means I don’t have to worry about arriving without the car seat we need at our destination.

I still wouldn’t assume it will fit in every overhead bin. Aircraft and available space vary, especially on smaller planes.

Can you use the WAYB Pico on an airplane?

Yes. The Pico is certified for aircraft use and carries the required aircraft certification label. On a plane, it installs forward-facing using the aircraft lap belt only. LATCH is not possible on a plane.

We haven’t personally used ours this way yet.

If you plan to, I’d practice before traveling and know where the certification label is on the bottom of the seat in case a flight attendant asks to see it.

If you’re still deciding whether you even want to use a car seat onboard, I go deeper into that decision in my long-haul flight with kids guide.

Is the WAYB Pico easier to fly with than a regular car seat?

For us, absolutely.

An 8-pound folded Pico is much easier to manage than hauling one of our full-size convertible seats through an airport. My Kindergartener even carried it himself through part of the airport.

That doesn’t mean it disappears into your luggage. It is still another piece of gear to manage. But when we know we’ll need a harnessed car seat after landing, I would much rather bring the Pico.

WAYB Pico Installation in a Car

The Pico can be installed forward-facing using LATCH, a lap-and-shoulder belt, or a lap-only belt. WAYB instructs you to attach the top tether whenever the seating position has a tether anchor.

We’ve installed ours with both LATCH and a seat belt in our own cars, family members’ cars, and rental cars.

I don’t strongly prefer one method over the other. Which one I use depends on the vehicle.

Installing the Pico with LATCH

With LATCH, connect the lower anchors, attach the top tether, and tighten the seat.

As with other forward-facing car seats, the seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back when checked at the belt path.

The process is straightforward, although I sometimes have to work a little harder than expected to get the Pico as tight as I want it.

Installing the Pico with a seat belt

The seat-belt installation is useful in rental cars and other vehicles where it makes more sense than using LATCH.

I appreciate having both options because when you’re traveling, you may not know exactly which car or seating position you’re getting until you arrive.

Regardless of which method you plan to use, practice before your trip. Your first installation ideally shouldn’t happen in a dark rental-car garage with tired kids waiting.

Using the Pico in a 3-across setup

This is one of the places where its design has been extra useful for our family.

We’ve installed two Picos side by side and used a Pico as part of a three-across car seat setup. Its narrow frame gives you considerably more flexibility than many full-size convertible seats.

Exact fit depends on your vehicle and combination of seats, so I wouldn’t assume a particular three-across setup will work without testing it.

WAYB Pico Comfort and Fit

The Pico is impressively compact, but compactness comes with trade-offs.

While the materials are nice, premium, and clearly high-quality, it doesn’t feel like a plush, full-size convertible car seat.

For shorter rides, our kids have done just fine. That’s where I think the seat makes the most sense for us: rental-car days, getting around at a destination, visiting family, and other situations where we need a harnessed seat without wanting to haul one of our everyday car seats.

For long drives and sleeping, I prefer a more traditional seat with additional structure and head support.

The low-profile design has an upside, though. Kids have plenty of open space around them, and the Pico takes up far less room in the back seat. That is especially helpful when multiple car seats need to share one row.

WAYB Pico Carry Bag: Do You Need a Travel Bag?

We have the original WAYB travel bag that was available when we received our Picos in 2020. That version is no longer sold, so I can’t give you a firsthand review of the current WAYB Pico Carry Bag.

But after actually flying with the Pico, I would absolutely want some type of carrying bag if I were taking it through an airport.

The Pico itself is light, but once folded, it is still an awkwardly shaped car seat. I can’t really imagine wanting to haul it loose through a terminal while also managing kids, suitcases, and other travel gear.

For local use, though, I could easily skip the bag. If you’re primarily moving the Pico between your car and a grandparent’s car, nanny’s car, or another family member’s vehicle, the seat is compact enough to store and move on its own.

Air travel is different.

Our old WAYB bag makes it much easier to contain the folded seat and move it through the airport. You could probably rig the seat onto a rolling suitcase with straps or bungee cords, but personally, I’d rather have a proper bag.

The current Carry Bag is sold separately for $99 (at the time of this update). WAYB says it can be worn as a backpack, attached to rolling luggage with its luggage sleeve, or carried from the top handle.

If I were buying a Pico specifically for frequent air travel, I would budget for a practical carrying solution too.

Is the WAYB Pico Worth It?

At $499 for the car seat alone, the WAYB Pico is expensive, especially if you’re buying it as a secondary seat that only comes out for trips.

So, no, I don’t think every traveling family needs one.

For our family, though, I would still buy one.

We’ve used the Pico with all three kids over several years, both while traveling and at home when we needed a compact car seat setup. Spread across three kids and multiple years, the price feels much easier to justify.

If I had only one child and expected to use the seat only a couple of times, I probably would not spend $499 on it.

But that answer changes quickly depending on how you travel. I know families with one child who fly frequently, regularly bring a car seat with them, and love their Pico. For them, the portability gets used again and again.

The key question is:

How often will you actually travel with a car seat?

If you frequently fly, use rental cars, switch between vehicles, or deal with small back seats, the Pico’s compact fold and low weight can solve a recurring problem.

If you mostly road trip in your own car, rarely fly with a car seat, or can usually rely on public transportation at your destination, you may not get enough use from it to warrant the price.

I wouldn’t buy the Pico because it is a better everyday car seat.

I’d buy it because there are specific travel situations where hauling a traditional car seat is a huge pain, and the Pico is considerably easier.

Prefer Amazon? Check the WAYB Pico on Amazon.

Can You Use the WAYB Pico Internationally?

International car-seat rules are one of the more complicated parts of traveling with young kids.

Car-seat certification is not universal. A seat that is approved and completely appropriate to use at home may not carry the certification required in another country.

There are some exceptions. A small number of manufacturers and models allow more cross-border use, particularly between countries that recognize similar standards. Clek, for example, says its seats are approved for travel in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and other countries that accept North American child-restraint standards. However, it still sells country-specific versions for longer-term use.

But options like this are relatively uncommon.

For most families taking occasional international trips, it probably isn’t realistic to choose your everyday car seat based primarily on whether that exact seat will also satisfy the regulations of every country you may eventually visit.

That’s where international travel gets frustrating.

Parents can find themselves choosing between bringing a familiar seat from home whose history and condition they know, renting or borrowing a locally approved seat whose full history they may not know, buying another seat at the destination, changing their transportation plans, or avoiding car travel altogether.

A car seat’s condition and history genuinely matter. Previous crashes, missing or damaged parts, recalls, expiration, and correct installation all affect whether a seat should be used.

At the same time, knowing and trusting your U.S. seat does not make it certified for use somewhere that requires a different standard.

So I don’t think the international question is as simple as saying, “Just bring your own seat,” or, “Just rent one when you arrive.”

The better approach is to research the rules and realistic options for each trip, then decide how you can meet the local requirements while also being comfortable with the specific restraint your child will use.

Sometimes that may mean finding a reputable rental or borrowing source. Sometimes you may find that your existing seat is accepted at the destination. Sometimes a different travel seat makes sense. And sometimes, as we often do, prioritizing public transportation lets you avoid the car-seat problem altogether.

For the WAYB Pico specifically, WAYB currently says the U.S. Pico is not approved for use in international vehicles, so I would not assume you can legally use it abroad simply because it is a safe seat at home.

Can You Use the WAYB Pico in Canada?

We personally brought our Pico to Vancouver in 2023 and used it in a rental car.

At the time, I didn’t fully understand the certification distinction.

Canada requires child restraints used there to carry its National Safety Mark, which shows that the specific seat complies with Canadian standards. Transport Canada says seats without that mark are not certified for Canadian use.

Our U.S. WAYB Pico does not have that Canadian certification.

That means our experience using it in Canada should not be taken as a recommendation or as evidence that a U.S. Pico is approved there.

At the same time, I understand why this is such a difficult decision for traveling parents.

Bringing your own seat means you know its history, how it has been stored, whether it has been involved in a crash, and whether all of its parts are intact. Renting a locally approved seat may solve the certification issue, but you may have less firsthand knowledge about that individual seat’s history or condition.

Those are both legitimate considerations. One does not erase the other.

I wouldn’t say that a familiar U.S. seat is automatically safer than a locally approved rental seat, and I also wouldn’t assume that every rental seat is automatically the better choice simply because it carries the local certification.

Instead, I would research the actual options available for that trip and try to solve both problems: use a restraint that meets the destination’s requirements and use one whose condition, fit, and installation you are comfortable with.

That can be annoyingly complicated. But I think acknowledging that complexity is more useful than pretending there is always one simple answer.

What About Using the WAYB Pico in Europe?

Europe adds another layer of complexity because “Europe” is not one single car-seat jurisdiction. Rules can vary by country, although many European countries use the UN R129 child-restraint standard.

The U.S. WAYB Pico is certified to U.S. FMVSS 213 standards, not UN R129, and WAYB currently says the Pico is not approved for use in international vehicles.

So I would not assume that a U.S. Pico is legal to use in a European rental car simply because it is a properly certified car seat at home.

That said, the same practical dilemma still exists here as it does with Canada. Traveling parents may be weighing a familiar seat whose history they know against renting or borrowing a locally approved seat they have never seen before. Buying a European car seat for a short vacation usually isn’t realistic either.

I don’t think there is one universal answer that works for every family or every trip. Instead, check the rules for the specific country or countries where you’ll actually be driving, then look at the realistic locally compliant options available to you.

If you’ll be visiting several countries, check each one rather than assuming the rules are identical across Europe.

And remember that airplane approval and vehicle approval are separate issues. A restraint that can be used on a particular flight is not automatically approved for use in a car after you land.

WAYB Pico Alternatives

One reason the Pico can justify its high price is that there really aren’t many products that do the same thing.

You can find cheaper lightweight car seats. You can find smaller travel restraints. But finding another forward-facing 5-point harness seat that weighs around 8 pounds, folds this small, and travels this easily is much harder.

Cosco Scenera Extend

For younger children, I would look at the Cosco Scenera Extend, the current successor to the longtime travel favorite Scenera NEXT.

The Scenera Extend costs dramatically less and can rear-face from 5 to 40 pounds and forward-face from 30 to 50 pounds. It is also certified for aircraft use.

That makes it particularly appealing if you’re traveling with a baby or toddler you want to keep rear-facing.

But lightweight does not necessarily mean easy to carry.

The Scenera is still a traditional molded car seat. It doesn’t fold, so you’re still dealing with a bulky, awkward object through the airport.

It does offer more structure than the Pico, and the rear-facing position can give a child a better sleeping angle. But it still isn’t what I would call a particularly plush car seat.

It also has relatively low height limits compared with many larger modern convertible seats, so some kids will outgrow it sooner. The current model tops out at 40 inches rear-facing and 44 inches forward-facing.

Mifold Hifold Fit-and-Fold Booster

For an older child who is truly ready for a booster, the Mifold Hifold is another interesting travel-specific option.

Unlike the Pico, the Hifold is a high-back booster, not a 5-point harness car seat. It folds down into a compact package, weighs about 10 pounds, and is specifically designed to be portable for travel, rental cars, carpools, and moving between vehicles.

The big advantage over a standard high-back booster is portability. It folds much smaller than most traditional boosters while still providing the head and torso support of a high-back design.

But I would only consider it once a child is genuinely booster-ready.

That means I wouldn’t move a child out of a harness simply because the Hifold is easier to travel with. Booster readiness is not just about hitting a minimum age or weight. The child also needs to be mature enough to sit properly for the entire ride without leaning, slouching, playing with the belt, or moving out of position while sleeping.

For the right older child, though, the Hifold can be a much more travel-friendly option than a traditional high-back booster.

RideSafer Travel Vest

The RideSafer Travel Vest is another option we’ve personally traveled with and used at home.

It packs dramatically smaller than any car seat, which is incredibly convenient. But I don’t consider it a direct replacement for a harnessed car seat for a younger child.

The RideSafer is a wearable, belt-positioning child restraint rather than a traditional 5-point harness car seat. Even the manufacturer says rear-facing is the safest option for children fitting its smallest size and recommends that smallest vest primarily for special situations such as travel, taxis, and rideshares.

For me, this comes back to readiness.

NHTSA recommends keeping children in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until they reach that seat’s top height or weight limit. It also notes that some younger children may technically outgrow a harnessed seat but still not be mature enough to stay correctly positioned in a booster.

I wouldn’t move one of my kids into a booster or belt-positioning travel restraint earlier than I otherwise would simply because it is easier to pack.

That leaves a pretty specific window where the Pico shines.

Option	Best For	U.S. Vehicle Use	Airplane Use
Cosco Scenera Extend	Younger child, especially if you still want rear-facing; inexpensive and lightweight but bulky	Yes. FMVSS-certified convertible car seat for rear- or forward-facing use within its limits.	Yes. Certified for aircraft use.
WAYB Pico	Forward-facing child still using a 5-point harness; frequent travel where compactness matters	Yes. FMVSS 213-certified forward-facing harnessed car seat.	Yes. FAA-approved/certified for aircraft use, installed forward-facing with the airplane lap belt.
Mifold Hifold	Booster-ready child who still benefits from a high-back booster but needs something portable	Yes. FMVSS 213b-compliant high-back booster for children who meet its requirements and are booster-ready.	No. It is a booster and is not certified for aircraft use.
RideSafer Travel Vest	Older/mature child who can remain correctly positioned in a belt-positioning restraint; extremely compact travel option	Yes. FMVSS 213-certified wearable child restraint when used according to its instructions.	Not currently. RideSafer says it is still awaiting FAA approval.

Airplane use is an important distinction. A product can be designed and certified for use in a car without being approved for a child to use during a flight. The Pico and Scenera can both restrain a child onboard when installed according to their aircraft instructions. The Hifold and RideSafer can travel with you on the plane, but they are not currently approved for the child to use as their restraint during the flight.

The vehicle-use column above refers specifically to U.S. use. International approval is a separate issue and depends on the exact restraint, its certification, and the rules at your destination.

There really isn’t another product that duplicates the Pico’s exact combination of 5-point harness + low weight + narrow frame + compact fold.

That is probably its strongest argument.

It doesn’t really make sense to ask, “What is a cheaper Pico?”

It’s:

Do I travel often enough during the forward-facing harness years to make the Pico’s specific advantages worth the price?

And that answer will vary by family.

WAYB Pico FAQs

Is the WAYB Pico a booster seat?

No. The Pico is a forward-facing car seat with a 5-point harness. It does not convert into a booster.

Can the WAYB Pico be rear-facing?

No. The Pico is forward-facing only and is not designed to recline or install rear-facing.

If you want to keep your child rear-facing while traveling, you’ll need a different car seat.

Does the WAYB Pico expire?

Yes. WAYB gives the Pico a useful life of 7 years from its date of manufacture or recertification. Check the label on the bottom of your particular seat.

Is the WAYB Pico FAA approved?

The Pico is certified for aircraft use and carries the required aircraft-use labeling. On an airplane, it installs forward-facing with the aircraft lap belt only.

Would I Buy the WAYB Pico Again?

Yes.

After owning the WAYB Pico since 2020 and using it with all three of my kids, I would still buy one for our family.

It hasn’t replaced our everyday car seats, and we haven’t needed it on every trip. But when we do need to bring a harnessed car seat, I really appreciate having something that weighs 8 pounds, folds down small, and is much easier to move through airports and fit into rental cars.

The Pico makes the most sense if you travel often enough to actually use those advantages.

If you have one child and expect to bring a car seat on only one or two trips, the price is harder to justify. For frequent travelers, families with multiple kids, or anyone regularly dealing with rental cars and tight back seats, it fills a niche that very few other car seats do.

For us, it has earned its place in our family travel gear.

Prefer Amazon? See the WAYB Pico on Amazon.

More Family Travel Gear and Flying Tips

If you’re working through the rest of your family travel setup, these guides may help:

• Babyzen YOYO Stroller Review: Another compact piece of travel gear we regularly bring onboard and store in airplane overhead bins.
• Long-Haul Flight with Kids: My bigger-picture approach to seats, sleep, entertainment, and getting through long flights as a family.
• Long-Haul Flight with a Toddler: More specific tips for the particularly challenging toddler stage.
• Preschoolers on a Plane: Airplane activities for kids ages 3 to 5.
• Best Toddler Airplane Toys: Lightweight toys and activities that actually work in tight airplane spaces.
• Family Travel Gear I Recommend: Browse the strollers, car seats, packing gear, and other products we use for family travel.