Needs car seat recommendation

[Jessd]

Hi!

DD is 2 years old, we are going to WDW in December and she will be 2 1/2 then. I am looking for a car seat that we can also use on the plane. I know we really don't need one for the plane, but we will be renting a car in Florida so we might as well use one on the plane too.

I want one that doesn't have the part that you lower over her head. She is the next Houdini because she can get out of anything. If I welded the seat belts together, she could be able to get out.

Do you have a recommendation for a car seat that would work for us?

 

[Ariel8676]

What kind of car seat do you use at home? You could just bring that one so you don't have to spend extra $$$.
We just got a Eddie Bauer( like the Alpha Omega elite,,with a name) It can be used up to 100 pounds...i think its worth the money because you wouldn't have to buy a booster seat when she gets bigger...that is if you were going to buy another seat.
I've heard people say good things about the Cosco Scenera as well..

 

[FSUGrad97]

We have an Alpha Omega Elite (my van) and an Evenflo Triumph (DH's truck) for our DD2.

I had to get another car seat after my DD threw up, and I couldn't get the vomit smell out of the carseat. Florida heat + vomit smell = BAD. Plus, it was a complete pain to clean, took up a lot of space in the back seat, and is HEAVY.

To make a long story short, we bought the Alpha Omega Elite and my DD LOVES her seat. I think it runs about $100, or so.

 

[Jessd]

What kind of car seat do you use at home? You could just bring that one so you don't have to spend extra $$$.
QUOTE]

We have one of the car seats where the restraint comes over the head and buckles into the bottom. She takes her arms out of it so it really isn't restraining her. I swear, she can get out of anything, that is why we are looking for a new one.

 

[Ariel8676]

OK well i really like the Eddie Bauer one we just got, my 4 and 3 yo even like it..lol they love how comfy it is...my 4 can't unbuckle the straps either...

 

[laughinplace199]

We had Britax Roundabouts for my kids when they were in car seats. Now they are in Britax booster seats. Can you tell I like Britax seats?

 

[kathi29]

Depending on your budget, I would look at the Cosco Scenera (about $40 at WalMart), the Evenflo Express, Graco CarGo (both of these probably $80 to $100), or the Britax Roundabout ($180 or so) and Marathon (about $250). All of these seats have the 5 point harness.

The Alpha Omega "only car seat you will ever need" is pretty misleading. The harness heights are very low, meaning most children grow out of them by height long before they reach 40 pounds to switch to booster mode. And the seats expire after 6 years - most kids need to be in a booster until age 8 or so. (Forward facing, the harness needs to be at or above your child's shoulders. Also, unless they have changed something the highest adjustment is for booster mode only, it cannot be used in harnessed mode.)

 

[Ariel8676]

Wow i'm surprised to hear that about the Alpha omega..my dd is 4 yo and weighs about 41 pounds and is about 42 inches and fits just fine with the 5 point harness..and the back isn't even up as high as it can go. I got one that just came out maybe there is a difference between the brand new ones and the older ones?

 

[GatorGal]

We have one of the car seats where the restraint comes over the head and buckles into the bottom. She takes her arms out of it so it really isn't restraining her. I swear, she can get out of anything, that is why we are looking for a new one.

This type of seat is referred to as an Overhead Sheild Seat and to be honest with you, they aren't recommended anymore. The design of the seat prevents the straps (which are the main component of the seat that is designed to restrain your child in the event of crash, not the sheild part) from being tight against the child's body. This is probably why your child can get out of it, it's not tight enough, she's got "wiggle room". Five point harness seats have straps that are meant to be adjusted so that only one finger can fit between the straps and the child's shoulder. There's no "wiggle room" The buckle to release the straps are positioned such that most children don't have enough leverage to release it, thus keeping the child secure. I'm not saying no child can get out of them, but it would be more difficult.

There is evidence that the plastic shields on seat like the one you have can casue injury in the event of a crash, so regardless of the escaping issue, you are wise to replace it. While all seat must pass federal guidelines in order to be sold in the US, some Britax seats have side impact protection, which currently is not required by the government yet and I highly recommend Britax seats for the ease of use and added safety features. Many of their seats are rated to 65 lbs so depending on the weight of your child, you could still get a few years of use if that helps to justify the cost.

HTH

 

[kathi29]

Wow i'm surprised to hear that about the Alpha omega..my dd is 4 yo and weighs about 41 pounds and is about 42 inches and fits just fine with the 5 point harness..and the back isn't even up as high as it can go. I got one that just came out maybe there is a difference between the brand new ones and the older ones?

If your daughter is 41 pounds, you need to take her out of the harness. The harness is only rated to 40 pounds.
It is possible they have raised the harness heights in the newer models; it was one of the biggest complaints with the seat. But please check your manual to see if the highest headrest height can be used in harnessed mode for a child that still weighs less than the harnessed limit. Some children will fit the seat longer - a child whose length is in their legs is going to fit longer than one who has their length in the torso. It's all about keeping the harness above the shoulders (and the tips of the ears within the shell of the seat)

 

[KimberlyC]

I too have the Alpha Omega Elite. Actually I have 3 of them. The Eddie Bauer one referred to by the PP is the same car seat but comes in a different fabric pattern and costs more because its got the Eddie Bauer name. I went with AOE b/c it matched my interior (gray/black) better than Eddie Bauer. But functionally, they are the same.

This is a big ol car-seat and rear facing its a PITA (especially compared to nice convenient infant carriers) but with a 2 year old you don't need to worry about that. If you plan to have another, its a factor to consider I guess. My 2 yr old weighs 31 lbs and is 34 1/4" and will fit in this for quite awhile. I did a lot of research before purchasing this seat. It has a 5 point harness with a puzzle clasp. My DS can undo a lot of things, but not this clasp. He did just fine in it a month ago, flying for the first time. He fell asleep there and back. Forward facing, its easy to install (once you know how). Rear-facing, its a PITA, but again you don't have to worry about that. Its heavy, but so are they all. I bought a PacBac backpack thing for car seats so that I could carry it as a backpack, but if you have a nice hard carry on bag that it could sit on without crushing anything to wheel it would be easier than carrying it. It does get heavy and you have to take it off for security and what not.

The Alpha Omega Elites run $150 in my area and I bought all of mine at Babies R Us and Toys R Us. Other than it being heavy (but they all are) and the harness twisting from time to time, I'm happy with them. (Obviously, since I have 3).

 

[all4fun]

I would recommend the Britax Marathon or Boulevard which are expensive but they will absolutely last you the longest. You might also look at the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe. It is a stripped down version of a Britax Marathon but runs about $100 less.

The Cosco Scenera is a great "budget" seat and we used one of these for travel until ds outgrew it and his Cosco A/O 3-in-1 by height at 34months. I would recommend the Scenera but not the Cosco/Eddie Bauer 3-in-1's. The top harness slot on the 3-in-1's is actually the 2nd from the top (4th) slot. The Very top slot is only to move the headrest up for bpb mode and is not reinforced to withstand crash forces with the harness. Also, the AO was a pain to travel with, even when I removed the base. It's pretty bulky and heavy. The Scenera is lighter and we never had any problems installing it in the cars we rented or airplane seats.

If they have made the A/O's with taller harnessing slots I would check it out in real life with a tape measure just to be sure. Make sure you're not measuring to the very top slot as that is only for bpb mode as I stated earlier. My "old" '03 AO top harness slot was only 15" high.

Your other options are combo seats which are f/fing only seats that harness to 40lbs and then convert to a BPB. You might look at the Evenflo Chase/Vision/Traditions, The Evenflo Generations/Bolero, or the Graco Cargo.

hth!

 

[all4fun]

I also wanted to add that I agree with the pp about the safety (or lack of) in OHS seats. Here's an article about them if you're interested:
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx


Also, even with a new 5-pt car seat you might still have problems. This is what I read from a car safety site: http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html#Q31

Q31: My child won't use a carseat/booster. My child escapes his carseat. What can I do?

Some children can twist out of harnesses at an early age. Others can easily undo the buckle mechanism. Children may also be able to put too much slack in a seatbelt, and some children don't want to use a child restraint or seatbelt at all. Driving is a dangerous activity, and like any other, it requires proper supervision at all times.

Parents can try many things. You can try calling the manufacturer of your carseat to see if they have a buckle that requires more force to release, or a 2-piece chest clip instead of a "paperclip style" chest clip. Using a seatbelt yourself sets a good example. Refusing to put the car in motion unless the child stays in their restraint is another. Also, try to keep your child entertained or distracted if possible, and NEVER make an exception and allow them not to use their child restraint. For severe cases, you can try a safety vest by E-Z-On (800-323-6598) that may be more difficult to remove.

Just in case you still have problems!!! hth...

 

[jenjersnap]

We are a Britax family, but I have the much less expensive Cosco Touriva/Sceneras just for traveling. They are well-regarded by carseat techs despite being very inexpensive. Do NO buy the overhead shield version - they aren't considered safe anymore and cost more then the regular one for some reason.

My first convertible was the AOE. My tall DS outgrew it when he was 20 months old.

 

[Phalene]

We're another Britax family here. My oldest is in the Boulevard and my youngest is in the Advantage.

 

[3boyzmom]

I also vote for Britax ... I've had various models for all of my children and can't reccomend them highly enough. Also, the roundabout has a latch that my child cannot get open!

 

[Jessd]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! We will be going to Toys R Us this weekend to go look.

 

[alloyd1170]

I hated my Alpha Omega Eddie Bauer with my son. The straps twisted, it was impossible to reach the tightening strap/release when it was rear facing.....I bought a Britax Decathalon (think thats it-has an adjustable crotch strap, pink with flowers..) which I absolutely love. Its well worth the money. The straps dont twist, I can easily reach the straps/button when its rear facing, comes with great ratings, rear facing to 33 lbs, forward facing and booster to at least 65 lbs. Cant go wrong with Britax.

alison

 

[las3888]

Another vote for the Cosco Scenera. I think Target sells a similar version for $10 more but I don't think it's called the Scenera, but it is exactly the same seat (but blue I think). I bought mine at Walmart and I think it was $39 a year ago but I think I have seen them for $49 recently.

At any rate, it is not our everyday seat, but it is our travel seat - LOVED the price, plus it is fairly light --VERY important when lugging around the airport and I mean LUGGING. We have taken it on 3 trips now with DS and plan to keep using it for trips until he outgrows it. We also don't have a carseat in DH's car, but it is a spare for when need be.

His everyday seat is the Evenflo triumph. Like it also. It is more complicated to install, another plus for the Cosco, since you are always under the gun trying to get these things installed in the plane and the rental car.

Cosco has the same parent company as Eddie Bauer and Safety First (I think). Thus they all have basically identical seats that are marked for different price brackets. What you see at BRU might be the same seat at Walmart but alot less! At least that was what I found to be the case when I was shopping.

Good luck!

PS - this is not the over the head bar seat, but a regular strapped car seat.