carseat recommendations anyone? - Page 2

[nia82]

We have a Maxi Cosi Mico from DS still (it is a bucket type of seat, 5-22lb infants fit in there) which we will be using. There actually was a recall on the base of our model which was fixed and I don't worry as Maxi Cosi, and this model especially, is really safe and has a good track record. They actually do safety ratings for car seats in Germany (the German AAA does) and this seat turned out to be wonderful. DS outgrew it by 4 months though, he was huge (20lbs then)... It is easy to install and very nicely padded with energy absorbing foam.

Then we bough a Britax Boulevard which DS still uses. It is a wonderful seat, but I wouldn't want a newborn in it, I prefer a bucket for that stage. I bought recently a Cosco Scenara for traveling which I returned rather quickly. There is a HUGE difference, and you get what you pay for. THere is just a fabric cover over plastic with the Cosco, while the Britax is nicely padded, has a padded head protector on each side which the Cosco lacks. It also stinks to install it - the Britax, whether it is a belt or latch install is a breeze and tightens wonderfully (I have installed this seat in a Ford Explorer XLT, Explorer Sport, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Sienna, Chevy Aveo within 3 minutes). The Cosco - the latch is poor, the belt runways don't have a clamp to clamp the belt nicely, you gotta use a towel to get it somewhat in the car and it still is somewhat loose, way too loose for my taste. Note: I never used any of those seats forward facing, I have heard the Cosco is better forward facing than rear facing. Also, the Cosco doesn't have a top tether which is super important for forward facing tots. So I do not regret one second to spend extra money on the Britax! Now that DS is nearing 35lbs and a new one coming, we will purchase a Radian XTSL soon to remain DS rear facing and once DD outgrows the Maxi Cosi, she can move in the Britax.

Btw, I check with my local CPST for installation issues and so far I always did it right :D

[Twinklefae]

The Radian can be quite tricky to install in some vehicles, which is why I don't usually recommend it unless you have a 30lb 1 year old who NEEDS a high high rf'ing limit, or three across.

I also love my Scenera, but yeah, it's not a cushy seat - we replaced ours with a True Fit because DS couldn't make it through long trips in the Scenera.  It does take a bit of practice to learn to install the Scenera, and it's oddly easier to do with a belt.  (I agree that the LATCH is miserable)  But as was pointed out on another board recently, it's been on the market for 15 years, millions of children have used it, and perhaps the flexibility of the shell is BETTER at absorbing forces in a crash than a stiff rigid seat.  If it was as dangerous as some people feel just based on how flimsy it is, there would be a rash of deaths in them.  We don't know what's safer, we can only guess.  Also, rear facing tethering is something US techs are taught is wonderful and Canadian techs are taught is tolerated but shows no benefit.  And to be leery of it.  So it's not something I look for in a seat - but that is just my opinion and I've helped many families set up their rf'ing tethers.

Maxi Cosi in North America is owned by Dorel, and has no relation to the European company other than the name.   That doesn't make it a bad seat, and I've heard lots of people really like how it works with the stroller.

It's impossible to compare European safety ratings with NA ones.  It's almost impossible to compare the US and Canada - even though we have a lot of the same seats on the market, there are often minor differences.  Europe has different seats, a younger vehicle fleet, a completely different testing standard, and a lot of things are allowed there which are not allowed here.  It's apples and oranges unfortunately.

The biggest point I'm trying to make here is that I don't want anyone who is reading this to decide that if they can't afford an expensive seat that they are doing their child a disservice.  The most important thing is to use the seat you have correctly (a visit to a tech can help, because a good tech will TEACH you to install the seat, instead of just doing it for you.), keep your child rear facing for as long as possible, keep them harnessed until they are big enough and mature enough to sit properly in a booster and keep them in the booster until they fit properly in a seatbelt.  You can do that for around $200 total if you start with a Scenera ($49 in the US) and then move to a Nautilius ($150) in the US. 

[nia82]

Actually, MAxi Cosi Europe is owned by Dorel. It's the same company, they were bought out, which doesn't mean they make bad seats now. Laws in Europe are not streamlined, they differ from country to country. E.g. I was told it's illegal to put a rearfacing toddler in the middle seat. I didn't do it anyways cause my parents' car has latch only behind the passenger and driver's seats... And all my friends with kids found it weird that my 2 year old is rear facing! While in Sweden, kids rearface forever, they have car seats that rearface up to 55lbs!

I agree with the convertibles are not for newborns, I couldn't imagine it. I think the Graco Snugride is relatively cheap and then one can move into a Scenera if money is tight. The Scenera sold at Target actually rearfaces up to 40lbs, the Walmart one doesn't.

However, I would prefer to invest in a Britax or Radian for after the bucket phase, if with baby shower money, gifted money, or saving up for it. The Radian can be a pain, especially in the Sienna which we own, but we will manage.

[CherryBomb]

Our other infant seat expired, so we bought a Snugride 35.  I really like it, it's easy to use and ds seems comfy in it.  I haven't had the newborn head flopping issues, either, idk if that's related to the seat or not.  Dd3 is in a Britax Boulevard, nice seat but yes it's big!

[rootzdawta]

Originally Posted by pixiekisses 

Gentle reminder here, please keep personal matters out of this thread, if you want to further discuss your private differing opinions, do it in a PM or feel free to contact staff for help if that's needed.

But keep this thread to car seats only, and be nice and polite. :)

Yes, please.  Another kind reminder to keep this thread on topic. 

[rootzdawta]

Moved from I'm Pregnant to Family Safety.

[ComplexOphelia]

For those who are considering the Chicco but worried about babes being too big, we actually JUST moved DS out of his, at 2 years - but he only weighs 22 pounds soaking wet (he's a wiry little thing :lol).  We moved because he was too tall for it, though, not because he seemed uncomfortable size wise.  I'd think it'd be good for a bigger baby, too.  

We now have a Britax Boulevard we're using for him, and it definitely is large.  VERY large.  We had no problem with the Chicco rear-facing in our Subaru Legacy, but had to turn DS front-facing in the Britax because otherwise I don't have enough room for me and my legs and the belly.  It fits rear-facing, but it's pretty tight.  I do like how comfortable it seems for him, and it's easy to use, which for me is a huge plus.  What I like about it is the same thing I liked about the Chicco - it's got a pull tightener for the straps on the front.  It is really easy to adjust every single time I put DS in it, so every time I put him in I know that it's snug and fitting the way it should.  To me, it just makes sense that ease of use = safer seat.

Also, I thought it might be good to link to this article, which taught me a couple of things about using our seat correctly: http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/108322/9_lifesaving_car_seat_rules.

[sunnymw]

Originally Posted by ashleybrook 

well, all the ones my dh and i have looked at have been so hard that the baby's tailbone is likely to be bruised! yuck! does anybody have any good recommendations on a carseat that's comfortable...and of course safe :)

my dh really wants the bucket type for the newborn stage...so what do you have that you like? 

ashley

Ashley, good infant seats (followed by a review link if applicable.. Carseatblog does GREAT reviews!)

Chicco Keyfit 30 http://carseatblog.com/5364/chicco-keyfit-30-review-infant-carseat-nirvana/

Combi Shuttle 33 http://carseatblog.com/7153/combi-shuttle-33-review-is-this-the-one-for-you/

Graco SafeSeat1/Snugride32/35 (these are all basically the same seat with minor changes... the Snugride 32/35 are NOTHING like the Snugride 20/22)

Safety 1st Onboard Air http://carseatblog.com/6369/safety-1st-onboard-35-air-review-more-wows/

Other buckets aren't recommended as much, especially the Evenflos because of reasons listed above and the Britax because, well, that thing is freaking humongous and won't fit in a lot of cars. 

Convertibles that fit from birth:

Sunshine Kids Radian (what we used for DS2)

The First Years TrueFit

Combi Coccoro

Cosco Scenera

The Combi seats both have "puzzle buckles" (as you can see in the shuttle review)

Originally Posted by carriebft 

We are a britax loving family- my kids have all used the "little" britax 40 roundabouts until they were well over 4 (we seem to grow shorter/skinny kids in this house!) But we did try the bigger britax seats as infants with our first because everyone had told me the 40s wouldn't last long. What we found was that the britax belt slots were too high for our infant girl, despite her being almost 8 pounds. I suppose the infant insert could help this issue, but wanted to put our experience out there.

We have a graco safe seat for the new babe. We got an awesome deal and our other bucket was destroyed in a basement flood. Twinklefae- is this a good seat?

So our configuration will be infant in safe seat, 3 yr old and 4.5 yr old in roundabout 40s and 6 yr old in high back booster. Though the middle guy might go high back right at 5 or a month or so before if he hits the 40 lb mark or somehow shoots up and his shoulders go above the top strap....neither are an issue as of right now.

safeseat is the same basic design as the new Snugride 32/35 and is a great seat which is very easy to use.

 

Originally Posted by LSUtwinMama 

Thank you for your feedback on car seats, Twinklefae. I found it very informative.

Do you (or anyone else for that matter) have some feedback on best seating arrangement for 3 kids in a van?

My twins will be 23 months old when #3 arrives. Currently they sit in the 2 chairs in the second row in my Toyota Sienna, rear facing. That arrangement works great for now because each girl has her own chair, but with baby brother on the way... where do we stick him?  Do I move one twin to the rear? Put the baby in the rear?

If they want to sit together you can put them both rear-facing in the back, and let them climb in through the hatch :D

 

All seats have lower LATCH and top tethers. Period. ;) IDK if someone removed it or it was returned, but any seat new out of the box has a top tether. It is teh lawz. :D

The Scenera is actually more versatile than many people believe and gets such a horrible rap. I found it to be one of the only seats that I could successfully install in 200% of vehicles I ever tried it in. It's a workhorse. It's a GREAT seat. And I'd prefer younger kids in a rear-facing Scenera to a forward-facing Britax Frontier ANY day (been there, DONE that!!). I never had the first problem with my Scenera whereas I had to have Britax replace my Boulevard and then replace the harness because it was just one dang thing after another :lol

Originally Posted by nia82 

We have a Maxi Cosi Mico from DS still (it is a bucket type of seat, 5-22lb infants fit in there) which we will be using. There actually was a recall on the base of our model which was fixed and I don't worry as Maxi Cosi, and this model especially, is really safe and has a good track record. They actually do safety ratings for car seats in Germany (the German AAA does) and this seat turned out to be wonderful. DS outgrew it by 4 months though, he was huge (20lbs then)... It is easy to install and very nicely padded with energy absorbing foam.

Then we bough a Britax Boulevard which DS still uses. It is a wonderful seat, but I wouldn't want a newborn in it, I prefer a bucket for that stage. I bought recently a Cosco Scenara for traveling which I returned rather quickly. There is a HUGE difference, and you get what you pay for. THere is just a fabric cover over plastic with the Cosco, while the Britax is nicely padded, has a padded head protector on each side which the Cosco lacks. It also stinks to install it - the Britax, whether it is a belt or latch install is a breeze and tightens wonderfully (I have installed this seat in a Ford Explorer XLT, Explorer Sport, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Sienna, Chevy Aveo within 3 minutes). The Cosco - the latch is poor, the belt runways don't have a clamp to clamp the belt nicely, you gotta use a towel to get it somewhat in the car and it still is somewhat loose, way too loose for my taste. Note: I never used any of those seats forward facing, I have heard the Cosco is better forward facing than rear facing. Also, the Cosco doesn't have a top tether which is super important for forward facing tots. So I do not regret one second to spend extra money on the Britax! Now that DS is nearing 35lbs and a new one coming, we will purchase a Radian XTSL soon to remain DS rear facing and once DD outgrows the Maxi Cosi, she can move in the Britax.

Btw, I check with my local CPST for installation issues and so far I always did it right :D