Car seat | Imamother

MMEC123

Sat, Dec 29 2007, 8:56 pm

DS is about to outgrow his infant carseat so we need to upgrade. The Britax Roundabout keeps coming up but they are a bit pricey for our budget... Anyone have any recommendations (based on personal experience please)? TIA!

YALT

Sat, Dec 29 2007, 9:10 pm

The Graco Comfortsport is a good one, and it's a convertible (it can be rear/forward facing).
I have it and I'm happy with it, and I know a few friends who have it as well and are happy.
I paid $90.
I just saw it in walmart.com for $79.82.

Hashem_Yaazor

Sat, Dec 29 2007, 9:35 pm

m-i-l (car seat installer person) said Evenflo Triumph Round (I have no clue what the round means). I have the Tribute 5 and HATE it. It's basically impossible to adjust rear facing. Look for one that will let your child be rear facing the longest, since that is the safest. Also make sure it works in your car; make sure it's returnable.

mummiedearest

Sat, Dec 29 2007, 9:50 pm

take the baby to a store and see what he's comfortable in. they all conform to safety standards and there aren't many consumer ratings on carseats, so just choose one that he's happy in and has features you want.

TwinsMommy

Mon, Dec 31 2007, 2:14 pm

we have 2 britax marathons--- we didn't have many options for extended rear facing + outboard positions in a saturn. The tether system is great and it took the head car seat technician in all of cleveland only 20 minutes for both seats, whereas for the graco snugrides we switched from, it took 2 heavy firemen 45 minutes with 2 extra clips. We'll turn around at 33 pounds (they might be over 2 at that point-- they're only 1 now and about 20-21 pounds).

MiracleMama

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 11:47 am

We got a Britax Marathon and it's wonderful. Sturdy, looks very comfortable, easy to install. The Britax models are definitely up their in price compared to others but they have the best rep. for safety. Also, we bought ours from a baby store in Lakewood and had it shipped. Even with shipping we saved a substantial amount of money; the store there sold it (and most everything else) for way less than the stores around here or anything I found online.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 12:45 pm

Actually, Britax is just as safe as Graco or Evenflo or whatever. All car seats must pass government testing. The price on the Britax is for convenience -- they are a breeze to install. Which is also very important -- a big factor in safety is proper installation, but that's not to say if you get a cheaper brand you are sacrificing your child's safety as long as it's properly installed and used.

ange

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 1:21 pm

We have the Gracos, I think. I bought it at target and the price was very reasonable - in the 40's. The weight limit goes up to like 80 lbs or so...so it should last you a long time. We are pleased with it.

dewyt

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 1:28 pm

I have the britax roundabout got it online during a sale for $161 and free shipping. its very comforatble, he loves when I recline it so he can sleep in it comfortable and its very esay to take in and out of our SUV.

Twizzlers

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 1:34 pm

I saw on consumer reports that the cosco one was the safest - and its not too badly priced either.

I have the graco safeseat 2 and am very unhappy with the quality. the back styrofoam has cracked twice already, and they had to send me replacements.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 1:46 pm

WHOA! Are we talking rear facing or forward facing?!

The Cosco one which has bad reviews BTW for other issues (I checked into it) is a FF-booster combo, if we're talking about the same thing (since you are mentioning the SafeSeat 2).

A baby outgrowing an infant carrier at 20 lbs or so should still be rear-facing as long as possible. It is really THE safest way for a baby to be facing. Many convertible car seats (not combination ones) go till 30+ lbs. rear facing, and then can be forward facing for a while. It is worth it for your child's safety to leave him rear-facing as long as possible (don't want to insert scare stories, but they have happened, and this is a very easy way to do your best to protect your child).

Twizzlers

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 2:00 pm

I was actually talking about the The Cosco Summit High Back Booster 22-260

its a toddler/booster seat.

the link I saw was here:http://www.consumersunion.org/products/car-seat403.htm

"TODDLER/BOOSTER SEATS: Age & Weight Guidelines: In toddler mode with the harness, these accommodate children between 20 or 22 pounds, depending on the model, and 40 pounds. When kids reach 40 pounds, it can convert to a booster seat, which children can typically use until they are 80 or 100 pounds.
Top-Rated Seat: The Cosco Summit High Back Booster 22-260, $110, is the only toddler/booster seat tested that CR can recommend without reservation. In booster mode, these seats rely on the car's safety belt to restrain a child, with the shoulder belt routed through a belt-positioning guide on the seat. The Cosco is the only seat with a guide that reliably allows the belt to slide freely and retract fully. The other seats have guides that allow slack into the belts, which could compromise a child's protection in a crash."

please tell me if you know anything wrong with it because I already recommended it to someone.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 2:12 pm

It's a fine car seat, and I was debating getting it, but in the end it seemed like the straps twist a lot. I got the Evenflo Generations I think and love it. Cinch to adjust and straps are so easy to keep straight.

But I would not recommend it for someone outgrowing an infant only seat, which I assumed meant only went to around 20 lbs (like a carrier car seat). I think a one year old should still face backwards, even if there is a FF car seat that will take at under 30 lbs. Their spines and necks are too important for me to play around with, and backwards is safest. I got my combination car seat when my toddler hit about 30 lbs. and outgrew his rear-facing car seat. (I would have bought a different RF car seat that would last a few lbs. had I known they existed.)

TwinsMommy

Mon, Jan 07 2008, 9:13 pm

twizzlers, the marathon rear faces to 33 pounds--- and at a year old, 6 pounds COULD be many months. a 27 one year old, though, wow!

Our one year old twins are about 21 pounds now in rear facing marathons and we'll turn them around at 33 pounds whether they're 2 or 2 and a half or whatever. Could be a while--- hard to imagine them at 33 pounds, they're little pishers. Smile

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Jan 08 2008, 10:21 am

TM, my one year olds were/are (they're not twins Smile

) not even 20 lbs....I just switched my toddler (he's 2.5) a month and a half ago. If I had a 33 lb. RF car seat, I would have left him....but I was recommended this awful one, and without knowing I could get better, I ended up switching him now.
But they can grow -- my son went from off the charts to 10% in weight in the past year (with the help of iron supplements which increased his appetite Wink

)
But yeah, I doubt he'll grow too fast now...he'll probably still be in 2T come summer time.