Help me pick a convertible seat for my 6 month old (Sorry for the novel!!)

[snoopy5386]

My 6 month old DD2 is getting close to outgrowing her snugride and my in laws have offered to purchase a convertible for her, now I just have to decide which one. I was at Babies R Us today checking them out and I've narrowed it down to either the Complete Air, the Evenflo Triumph 65 or the Myride.

DD2 is a big baby - 18 1/2 lbs and 28 inches long, but so was my DD1 and DD2 seems to be following her growth curve almost exactly (same weight at 6 months, but DD2 is 2 inches longer than DD1 was at this age). Now, at 4.5 DD1 is a peanut, 38 lbs and 40 inches, her growth really started to slow down after 1 year of age, so DD2 might do so as well.

Ideally I'd like DD2 to rearface until 4, but I'd be ok with turning her at 3.5, I had to turn DD1 at 3 y 3 m when she reached the 33 lb RFing limit on her BLVD.

I don't want to pass down DD1's BLVD since it will expire before DD2 is done RFing and a Radian is not an option for our car, I already tried one and it doesn't fit.

So, which seat? What are the top strap heights for each seat?
Which seat has the most RFing leg room?
And on the other end of the spectrum, how do these seats fit older kids? My DD1 who is 4.5 is not near the height or weight limits on her BLVD but seems to be outgrowing it comfortwise. She seems so stuffed into the seat and the crotch strap really bothers her. I don't want to encounter this problem down the line with whatever seat we get for DD2.


We drive a 99 Honda Accord right now, but we'll be getting a new car sometime in the next few years. DD2 is a former carseat screamer and is still very fussy in the seat. We make a 3-5 hour drive (each way) at least once a month back home to visit family/friends and I ride in the back between the two seats, so any more room back there for me would be much appreciated! I'd also love to be able to install both girls seats right next to each other so that I could have the window seat instead of being stuck in the middle and so that DD1 can help entertain DD2 when I can't be in the back with them.


Complete Air:
Narrowest seat, so more room for me and potential to install next to DD1's BLVD or her turbobooster when we move her to that fulltime
If we went with this seat we'd go with the SE or LX to have the adjustable recline, this makes it easier to install correct?
I'm not a fan of the continuous harness, we also have a Scenera for travel and I hate the continuous harness on it, so I imagine I'll hate the one on the complete air too.
The headwings - can kids see anything around them? Right now DD2 spends all her time in the car craning her head around to watch DD1, I think she'll be pretty pissed if she can't see her sister, which will make car rides unpleasant for all of us.
Adjusting the harness straps - can you change the strap height without uninstalling the seat while RFing? It seems you have to unistall to adjust it FFing right?
Narrow straps - I've heard complaints about the narrow straps, especially on older kids with the straps rubbing their necks, how big of an issue is this?
Covers - they are all pretty boring :-(

Evenflo Triumph 65:
Huge, huge wide seat. Will I be able to fit back there with it? We are also carpooling 1x a week right now, the snugride, a turbobooster and a Keyfit Strada booster, will I still be able to fit the two boosters next to the EFTA?
Love the harness adjuster and the strap height adjuster on this seat.
Basically I never hear any complaints about this seat, is there anything I should be looking for? Does it have low strap heights?

MyRide:
Also a wide seat, similar problems to the Triumph 65 in this area.
I've heard it has problems with being reclined FFing, what does this mean exactly - kids uncomfortable? kids slumping?
I like that it has some prettier covers available.

Please weigh in on which one to get!!
Also, can I go to Babies R Us and try these seats out in my car? How do I do that, just ask at the customer service desk or something?

Thanks so much!!!

[allisonrose]

I don't have much experience with the seats you mentioned but wanted to say that you won't necessarily hate the continuous harness on a Complete Air because you dislike it on your Scenera. I have a Scenera and a True Fit and the continuous harness on the TF is sooo much easier to use than the Scenera!

I have heard that BRU does let you try out seats in your car. They send out an associate with you to make sure you don't take off with their seat. I'd say trying the seats out in your car is a great idea.

[TheGirls]

We're going for the Complete Air because it has the tallest shell of the seats you listed. Or of any seat, I think (Radian is close, but has it's install issues, TrueFit is close, but has a 35lb RF limit). DD is tall, and will outgrow the MyRide by height well before 40lbs (probably before 35lbs). I haven't tried the EFTA, but I think it is the same height, so similar issues. Plus the narrowness gives us more flexibility in where we install it.

I also have a Scenera and a TrueFit, both with continuous harnesses, and the Scenera's is much more annoying. I've never had any other kind, so I'm used to it I guess. I never have to loosen/tighten the harness, which is nice.

[Ninetales]

I have a Complete Air. I haven't had any complaints about the straps, though I'm not sure what "continuous harness" means. It's very easy to change the harness height - you just raise the headrest. You don't have to uninstall or re-thread it. Mine is the 65-lb version and doesn't have a boot and I managed to install it without too much trouble. It wasn't the easiest thing ever but not hard either. I wasn't impressed by the colors either but once I saw the Flutter pattern I had to have it.

My friend had an EFTA and loved it, and replaced it after an accident with a Momentum 65 and also loves it. It wasn't a contender for me because of how wide it is and because I wanted higher harness slots.

I love Myrides but again, I wanted higher harness slots. I think these are lower than the Momentum. The complaints I've heard about the recline are that it reclines too much when FFing and kids don't tend to like it. It also seems pretty wide, though I do love the colors and I've had a good relationship with Graco.

[DahliaRW]

I woudl do the complete air because it has the tallest shell and with a taller baby that is a must. I own a CA and love it. I also own a MR and love it too, but it's not as good for taller kids. Both of my tall ds would have outgrown it rfing before 3.

[Eresh]

nak

the ca has the tallest shell of the three. it has 3 crotch strap positions. i think you may be limited to the smaller two rfing because of the rf belt path. not completely sure about that. the lack of padding on the shoulder straps does sometimes result in red marks in ds1's neck if i'm not careful to put his shirt between. the continous harness is a bit annoying but i found it less so than the tf. its a pretty minimal seat -- not "cushy" at all -- but it has the harness/shell height and 40lb rf limit. its also narrow and gives a good amount of legroom for rfing kids. ds1 can see around the wings but he cranes his neck forward to do so.

[DahliaRW]

Yes, you have to use the two inner crotch positions when rfing (this is due to how the seatbelt/latch straps route through the rfing belt path.

There isn't much cushioning, per say, but ds does not complain and he's been in the seat about a year and a half!

I do think the CA65 has harness covers, but I'm not 100% sure on that....

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

I do think the CA65 has harness covers, but I'm not 100% sure on that....

It does. I was drooling over one yesterday!