Safe/comfy car seat for the ride down

[Tinky]

Car seats have certainly evolved since even my 6 yo DD has been in one. I'm looking for a new car seat for my now 8 month old. He is ready for a convertible as he is at the 20lb mark. There are so many to choose from does any one have any love? Any models that they dont?

Thanks!

 

[o2bacelt]

We have a Britax Marathon and my DD loves it, she's very comfortable, she's been in the seat since she outgrew the baby carrier around 4 months. DD is rather tall and hit the height limit in the baby seat first.

Britax are more expensive that a lot of the other seats out there. I don't know what model of car you drive but you may want to see if it fits first. It sometimes helps to get a look inside the car as well. Britax also makes smaller seats than the marathon and I think they just came out with a seat that is slightly larger. All the Britax seats are FAA approved so they also go on airplanes.

My DD was rear facing until just after her first birthday. Since she's turned around she's much more comfortable.

This is just our preference your mileage may vary and you may be sticker shocked at the price tag but $250 was worth it for us.

Hope that helps!

 

[Twingle]

We've used the Cosco Alpha Omega for all three of our children - LOVE IT! My DS was a huge baby, outgrew his convertible by the time he was four months old. He's six now, and uses it as a booster. My twin DD's are 2, and have been in the Omega since about seven months, because of their length.

Good luck!

 

[all4fun]

We've had three different car seats for my DS:

Cosco Alpha-Omega 3-in-1 (aka Eddie Bauer): convertible seat that converts to a booster. (r/f 22lbs, f/f 40lbs, booster to 100 I think) Comfortable seat, but I had problems with the harness straps twisting. Also, it's commonly outgrown by height well before children reach the weight limits. My ds is in the 90th percentile for height and has almost reached the top harnessing position for this seat (remember with Cosco/Safety 1st 3-in-1's the very top (5th) position is ony for bpb mode, the 2nd to the top position is the highest position you can use for harnessing. Since ds is not three yet and needs to be harnessed for quite a while longer, I just bought him a Britax Boulevard recently to replace it. Just thought you should know. Some people really love these seats, but depending on how your child grows, it may not be the last car seat you'll ever need.

Cosco Touriva (now called the Scenera) approx $40-50 @ Walmart, Target, K-mart. Very basic seat, not a lot of padding (but ds doesn't seem to mind at all), nice high back, r/f's to 35lbs, f/f's to 40. Easy to install and use. A very good economical choice for those on a budget or as a secondary seat for the other car, grandma, or travel (which is what we use it for).

Britax Boulevard (formerly Wizard): Same shell size as the Marathon & Decathlon. 33lbs r/fing, 65lbs f/fing. Very HIGH top harness slots 18" compared to the A/O's 15", so it can be used much longer as a harnessed seat). Has "True Side Impact Protection" head wings, infant body pillow that is removable for toddlers, and knobs you turn to raise and lower the harness - you don't have to rethread it. This is a truly comfy seat. We bought the one w/ Park Avenue cover and it's really soft material. We're very happy with this one, but it was $$$.

Btw, Britax seats are well-liked because they exceed current safety standards, are designed to be easier to use. Other than the Sunshine Kids Radian seat (skjp.com), these are the only seats that can be tethered r/fing. After using Cosco seats for two years, I thought our Britax was a breeze to install. The only Britax seats that are NOT airline approved are their BPB's and also their youth seats Husky/Regent which are f/fing only and have 80lb weight limits.

One tip about installing a convertible rear-facing. Older infants don't need to be at a 45 degree angle like infants do. As a matter of fact it's actually safer for them to be sitting a little more upright once they have good head&neck control (helps reduce "ramping up" in the car seat during a collision). This will help the car seat fit a little better in the back seat. As a matter of fact if the infant seat fits, then the convertible should too.

This site has other recommendations for car seats w/pro's & con's:
Car Seat Recommendations and this site might also be helpful to you: Car seat compatibility database Seat and Automobile Information.

hth!

 

[lauritagoddess]

I really recommend the Britax seats. After my DS outgrew the infant carseat, he went into a Cosco Alpha Omega convertible. It was a decent seat but he never seemed truly comfortable in it. And the straps always tangled, it drove me nuts. And eventually there was a crack in the plastic on the side of the seat. I got a Britax Marathon and it was worth every penny. The seat is so well-made. It seems very comfortable and my son at 3.5 can still be in a 5 point harness (and he's a big kid) and probably for quite awhile. And the straps don't tangle, lol.

 

[Desnik]

We absolutely love our DS's Britax Boulevard. It is so cushy and comfy and his head never falls over when asleep. If you want safety, well this way exceeds all US safety standards. I got this info from a website that sells them:

The Boulevard™ convertible car seat is the crown jewel in the Britax line of 'True Side Impact Protection'™ restraints. The deep side wings with EPS foam are engineered and tested for optimum side impact protection and adjust effortlessly with the turn of a knob to grow with your child…without removing the seat from your vehicle! The Britax-famous features of built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, push button release LATCH system with patented Versa-Tether®, and sculpted base ensures an easy installation with a secure fit. Comfort abounds with a plush, washable cover, while additional comfort foam, patented HUGS® system, shoulder belt comfort pads, integrated toddler pillow, and a removable infant body pillow provide a perfect, adjustable fit as your child grows from 5 to 65 pounds.
http://store.yahoo.com/barebabies-store/boulevardonyx.html#

You can also find more info if you search the web. Don't forget, you can have the safest car seat ever and it will not keep your child safe if he/she is not properly in it and if the seat is not properly put in your car. We were in a horrible accident in Sept. and DS was in a car seat. An inexpensive evenflo brand and it was installed properly, and he was in it properly and it saved his life. We flipped over numerous times and DS didn't even have a scratch on him! We landed on the cars driver side door and DS was on the passenger side back seat and was "in the air" but still snuggly in the seat and the seat still where it was suppose to be! This was it:
http://www.babyage.com/products/3591328_evenflo_triumph_5_comfort_touch_convertible_car_seat.htm

 

[Tinky]

Thanks for all the responses!
I admit that I had a little sticker shock when I priced the Britax but they are in a car seat for so long that it makes sense to get one that safe, advanced and comfy!

Thanks again!

 

[new_mouser]

What you really need to do is contact a certified car seat technician in your area to help you shop. You can usually find them through a local affiliate of National SAFE Kids. While Britax seats have a wonderful reputation, that might not be the perfect seat for you. Certified technicians are usually more that eager to meet you at a local store to help you pick the perfect seat for your child's age, body size and type, and the make and model of your car. Bring your child with you so that you get the right fit. While comfort is fabulous, you really want the safest seat. Incidentally you may not be using the same seat for several years, especially if your child's body size changes.

 

[Tinky]

Hmmm....Their body shape/size changes on a daily basis but I totally get the idea for getting the right model for my car (minivan). Thanks.
And believe me I dont want to come off sounding anyway but sincere but... I would never sacrafice my childs safety for creature comforts, please be assured.

 

[mom2alix]

This might help. Here's a database that has information on which seats are compatible with which car seat models.

http://www.carseatdata.org/database.html

I just got a Britax Roundabout for DS after using an Eddie Bauer model for DD. There is not comparison. I HATED that Eddie Bauer car seat; the straps were always twisting and it was just awful. This Britax is a dream to use.

 

[SnowWitch]

We went with the Britax as well. We love it. Daughter is very happy in it and comfortable. The fact that it exceeds current safety regulations made it a clear winner for us!!

 

[Tinky]

mom2alix Awesome, Awesome website! Thank you so much. I went in and check my make, model and year of my van and it brought back all the reviews and info! Thank you again!

We dont have any Britax retailers around here so it looks like I will have to order one online.

Thanks again!