RECOMMENDED CARSEAT

Active Poster Joined: May 01 2008 Posts: 57

dd is 9 moths old and sits in a rearfacing carseat. I want to buy a new, forward facing carseat she could use for at least two-three years. I live in Israel and carseats here are very expensive. My father will be travelling to the US next week and I wanted to know of a good carseat I could have him buy.

I want it to face forward
Fit for up to 3 years old
Super safe
Good quality.

Recommendations?

Posted: Wed, Apr 22 2009, 10:54 am Post subject: re: RECOMMENDED CARSEAT

hey I have two one was $380 (Britax) and the other was $30 (Costco) to be perfectly honest the $30 car seat is waaaaay more comfortable for my ds than the expensive one

as for safety - the cheaper one was in an accident and TG everything was gr8 so there is no knowing - make sure you register the carseat so you get any update for recalls

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18276

She should still be rear facing!! At least a year and 20 lbs is the law in America, but it's recommended to leave them RF as long as possible. R"L there are terrible stories of kids who were FF before their body was ready and their neck...I don't want to say it. http://carseatnanny.blogspot.com/2009/04/aap-relases-new-rf-statement.html

There are great convertible car seats that can go RF and FF so it will last you a long time.

The Evenflo Triumph is a good, reliable car seat that RF to 35 lbs, and FF to 50 lbs for a reasonable price.

From the same site I linked, is her reviews:

Convertible Seats:
1. Cosco Scenera:
Like:
-Inexpensive
-Easy to install with LATCH or lap belt
Dislike:
-No EPS/EPP foam
-only forward faces to 40 pounds

2. Safety 1st Uptown (this seat has been discontinued, but you may still find it at Big Lots)
Like:
-fairly inexpensive
-Has EPS/EPP foam
-Easy to install with LATCH or lap belt
-Has a tall shell
Dislike:
-Children sometimes look squished in the shoulders (though is it uncomfortable? Don't know)
-Needs a locking clip for rear facing
-only forward faces to 40 pounds

3. Safety 1st Avenue
*never used this seat*

4. Graco Comfortsport
Like:
-well paded
Dislike:
-only rear faces to 30 pounds
-top harness slot is for forward facing only
-top harness slot is short (13ish inches I think)
-children usually outgrow the seat very early

5. Evenflo Titan Elite
Like:
-rear faces to 35 pounds
-not terribly expensive
-forward faces to 50 pounds (though I doubt many kids will get near 50 pounds)
Dislike:
-straps can be twisty
-top harness slots are low compared to other seats (14ish inches I think)
-short seat shell compared to other seats. I'd rather use a Scenera

6. Evenflo Triumph Advance
Like:
-Forward faces to 50 pounds
-rear faces to 35 pounds
-you don't have to remove harness to change heights
-top harness height is pretty good
Dislike:
-knob to adjust harness can be difficult/impossible to use when rear facing (depending on your vehicle)
-some children find the red tabs on the shoulders bothersome

7. First Years True Fit
Like:
-Rear faces to 35 pounds
-forward faces to 65 pounds
-top of seat is removable to babies under 22 pounds
-has infant padding to fit young babies better
-has a tall shell for taller rear facing children
-has high top harness slots
-don't need to remove harness to adjust height
-has lockoff so you don't need a locking clip
Dislike:
-some people have a hard time accessing the harness adjuster when rear facing (especially when it's not at 45* angle)
-Lockoffs are required even when using LATCH.
-Depending on angle of the seat, the seatbelt can be dofficult to keep in the right spot for the lockoffs.

8. Evenflo Symphony
*I've never installed this seat*
Like:
-rear faces to 35 pounds
-don't need to remove harness to change height
-has a pretty good top harness height
Dislike:
-some children don't like the red tabs on the shoulders
-only forward faces to 40 pounds

9. Britax Roundabout
Like:
-can be tethered rear facing
Dislike:
-forward faces to 40 pounds
-has a pretty short shell height, most children outgrow it early

10. Britax Marathon
Like:
-forward faces to 65 pounds
-has a high top harness height
-rear faces to 35 pounds (those manufactured prior to Feb 2008, it's only 33 pounds)
-Easy to install
-can be tethered rear facing
Dislike:
-lockoffs don't always hold tight, but locking the seatbelt retractor will help

11. Sunshine Kids Radian 65/ Radian 80
Like:
-forward faces to 65 or 80 pounds
-80 comes with infant padding (you can purchase seperately for 65)
-can be tethered rear facing
-narrow seat, excellent for fitting "3 across"
-high top harness slots, even allowed to go over the top slots
Dislike:
-confusion as to if it can rear face to 33 or 35 pounds (manual says one thing, seat say another)
-can be very difficult to install
-must use the "boot" that comes with the seat for rear facing, doesn't always give the correct angle

12. Sunshine Kids Radian XT
*haven't used this seat yet

13. Britax Boulevard
Like:
-Rear faces to 35 pounds (33 pounds for seats made before Feb 2008)
-Forward faces to 65 pounds
-Has a high top harness height
-Easy to install
-Headwings provide more Side Impact Protection
-Can be tethered RF
-Knob makes it easy to adjust harness height
Dislike:
-Lockoffs don't always hold tight, but locking the retractor will help
*I don not like the Boulevard CS. Sometimes it will click before the harness is tight
_________________
http://a-natural-birth.com
Let me know privately what you would like to see on this; I'm still working on it Smile

Complimentary ad for being a mod

Beginner Joined: Oct 23 2009 Posts: 11

I just want to add that the Britax Roundabout now comes in a new version called the Roundabout 50. Goes to 50 lbs and has a much higher shell. Costs the same as a regular Roundabout. I'm thrilled with mine.

and PLEASE don't turn your baby around!! At least one year, but now the recommended age is 2 years. The Roundabout 50 goes to 35 lbs rear-facing.

Senior Member Joined: May 31 2009 Posts: 125

Britax Marathon

Platinum Member Joined: May 13 2007 Posts: 8153

Gold Member Joined: Apr 16 2005 Posts: 1943

Posted: Sat, Oct 24 2009, 10:25 pm Post subject:

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12057

Gold Member Joined: Apr 16 2005 Posts: 1943

Silver Member Joined: Apr 19 2009 Posts: 586

we have had good experiences with the Cosco Scenera and the Graco ComfortSport.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18276

Supposedly, lockoffs are used as well with LATCH. I still have to install my True Fit which has built in lockoffs to verify that this is accurate.

BTW, that list was from someone local -- not the one I generally give Smile

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18276

(Oh, and she now uses the Radian for her daughter.)

Regarding RF in Radians:
The Radian 65SL can rear face up to 40 pounds (retroactively to seats made after Sept 08). The Radian 80SL and XTSL can rear face up to 45 pounds.

Skinny (works well in 3 across situations), nice tall shell, but many complaints when installing in various vehicles. Heavy, but folds compactly for storage...