Please help me choose a convertible for my toddler!

[Lula's Mom]

Hi!  I have a 14 month old in a Graco Snugride 32. He's only about 20-21 pounds, but he'll outgrow it soon by height.  So I'm looking for a convertible to purchase soon.

What I'm looking for (of course safety is a given):

Probably my biggest requirement is comfort. It has to be well-padded, really cushy. My kids have sensory issues, and there can be meltdowns if clothes, seats, etc aren't comfortable.  I can't put him in one of those seats that's just fabric over a plastic shell.  I don't even know why they make those!!

Today I felt the Graco Comfortsport and the Evenflo Titan Elite.  That's the kind of padding I'm after.  But after searching here, it seems that the shells of both are very short and the straps were twisty and annoying (unless they've redesigned the seats for this year, by chance? The search results were from 2009). Would you recommend either of these seats? 

I also looked at the Complete Air.  I'd say it met my bare-minimum standards for padding, but I do really like the wings. It reminds me of my 9-year-old's SK Monterey, which she really likes. I did NOT like the chest clip. It has a one-touch button to push, and it just slid open!  I like something that a kid would have to wrestle with to get it undone. Is there another convertible with wings like that?

Please help. I feel like I must just be missing what would be the ideal seat for him!

[DahliaRW]

The MyRide isn't super cushy, but it seems very comfy and the covers tend to be pretty plush.

If you want to spend more the Britax seats are cushy.  I believe the radians as well.

Anyone know about the True Fit?  It looks cushy, but I haven't really played with one much IRL.

[Twinklefae]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW 

The MyRide isn't super cushy, but it seems very comfy and the covers tend to be pretty plush.

If you want to spend more the Britax seats are cushy.  I believe the radians as well.

Anyone know about the True Fit?  It looks cushy, but I haven't really played with one much IRL.

I agree - the MyRide and Truefit are both VERY cushy with the infant inserts in, which I believe you would still be able to use (though obviously check the manual) and still comfy without them.  My son has been riding in his Truefit for a long time and has never complained.

The Britax seats are comfy as well, but I am not a fan of the price for what you get.

[amrijane128]

We love our Britax Marathon, and have dealt with a boulevard as well (and DD's Frontier is in the mail!) It is definitely very comfy and the top latch requires pressure from top and bottom to open and the bottom latch requires a bit of strength to get to release. 

[sunnymw]

I have owned the following seats:

Britax boulevard

Numerous Radians (80, XT, XTSL)

Numerous TrueFits

Cosco Scenera, Safety 1st Uptown, Snugride 22, Graco Nautilus

Evenflo Triumph Advance

Graco Comfortsport

Evenflo Titan Elite

As far as cushy goes, I think Britax is actually kind of lacking. I had the Onyx cover and there was the thinnest piece of foam under it. It didn't feel good at all. 

I'd say the cushiest seats I've owned are the Evenflo Triumph Advance (the newer version is the Evenflo Triumph 65, which RF to 40lbs) and the TrueFits. You can only use the insert to 22lbs I believe, but I never used it and the seat is WAY cushy anyway even without it. I mean lay-z-boy comfy! The Radians (80 and above) are also very cushy and the fabrics are quite plush, just stay away from the mesh ones as they snag easily and DS1 doesn't like the way they feel if his shirt gets pulled up while I'm loading him. 

the comfortsport and titan were less padded than the above mentioned seats, but more padded than Britax and the Scenera... either way, doesn't matter, both were outgrown way too quickly for my taste.

[Lula's Mom]

  Thanks, all!  I ended up getting a Truefit.  It installed pretty easily, and I like the lock-offs.  The baby seems to really like it. It was hard to get the cover back on afterward though.  There's no way to reach the snaps down there between the Truefit & the seat of my car.  I only got one done up.  That won't be a problem when he is forward-facing eventually.  Thanks to everyone for your advice.

[an_aurora]

You don't need to pull the cover back to install--there are slits in the cover that exposes the belt path :)  

[Lula's Mom]

Really!   I didn't see the slits because I have the infant insert in.  I'm pretty sure that the booklet told me to do that!  I can't look at it right now, but it said unsnap the 4 snaps... pull it back... fiddle with the lockoff things... blah blah blah.  Can you do the lockoffs through the slits?  I had a little trouble with them even with the cover pulled back!  

Thanks, I will look at it again next time it has to be installed (not touching it now!)

[an_aurora]

Yes you can do the lockoffs through the slit in the cover!  I was complaining about how inconvenient it was to try to re-snap every time, and then I discovered the slits.  If you lift the infant padding you'll see the slits in the cover over the lockoffs!