Front Facing Car Seat

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 15 2007 Posts: 3288

My son has outgrown his rear facing car seat and I need to get him a front facing one. I am in Israel. There is a mivtza on a cheap one. The problem is that, while I don't have money to spare, I also don't know anything about car seats and I don't know how to assess whether the cheap one is good enough or whether I need to spend more money and get a "better" one. Can anyone advise on how to choose one, what to look out for, what's important etc.?

Posted: Mon, Dec 22 2008, 10:16 am Post subject:

We have the infantino one (bought at chasadi smuel). It 's okay. I would't call it a wonderful seat, but it's certainly okay, and it turns into a high back booster and then a low backed booster. It was 280 NIS
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Lucky Mom to 5
Nechama & Rena 21 Sh'vat, 5764; Rivka 5 Tamuz 5765; Avraham Tzvi 11 Adar I, 5768; CHD "1 in 100" miracle baby Eliezer Yosef, 13 Av 5772 (TAPVR, now repaired B"H)

Active Poster Joined: May 29 2008 Posts: 52

I'm in the US and have the Graco Front facing car seat, very happy with it.

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 15 2007 Posts: 3288

Thanks for your replies so far. Can anyone tell me what is important to look for in a car seat, and, if you are happy with one, why you are happy with it. The main thing I'm concerned with is whether the cheaper ones are less safe than the more expensive ones. And, I'd like to understand what the differences are, if they are not safety related.

Posted: Mon, Dec 22 2008, 2:15 pm Post subject:

One difference is the fabric. How much padding there is. Whether it's reclinable/adjustable.
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Emmanuel Tzvi: 26 Shevat 5766
Shai Michael: 8 Cheshvan 5768
Yitzchak Meir: 19 Iyar 5770
Dvir Aharon: 10 Tammuz 5772

Executive Member Joined: Feb 06 2008 Posts: 318

I think that some of the major things that make one car seat better than another are:
1) how well they rated in the crash tests
2) how easily they install - b/c even if one is theoretically safer than another but if it is hard to install then likely it won't be installed properly thereby losing that extra safety.
3) how well it secures the child.
I have a Graco convertible and a Britax convertible, and the Britax has this extra feature to make installing easier and more secure if you don't have a LATCH system in your car (I don't have LATCH in my car, since it is an older car, if you know what that is). That Britax feature definitely makes me feel safer but was it worth the extra $175?!?!? Well yes for my childs safety but at this point he could be forward facing anyway, where the installation is SOOO much easier. (He is still rear facing because I think that it is safer but will be switching soon.)

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 15 2007 Posts: 3288

It's a forward facing seat that I need, so maybe ease of installation is not the most relevant point. He already has a rear facing one. I don't think the one he has can be installed the other way round.