Need to replace car seats - safety comparisons

[lemurik]

I was rear-ended and now need to replace the car seats. Both kids were in the car when it happened - no one got hurt.

Old seats were Britax Decathlons. I have 2 options: 1) Get convertible seats similar to old ones. 2) Get Front-facing to booster convertible seats.

DS is 33lbs, 42.5" DD is 27lbs, 37".

What would you recommend?

Are there any sites where I could compare safety ratings of various car seats?

Thank you

[DahliaRW]

It's up to you if you wan to keep your younger child rfing.  She's almost 4, so she's old enough to be safe ffing. 

There are no sites that compare safety ratings of car seats.  We know that all seats pass the same NHSTA tests.

For combination seats, I'd look at the Graco Nautilus and Britax Frontier.  Pick what you like!

[Maedze]

Is your three year old rear or forward facing?  

There is no purpose to buying a convertible for a five year old child, as he won't have any use for a full half of the seat.  I'd get him an Evenflo Maestro, Graco Nautilus/Argos, Recaro ProSport or Britax Frontier 85, all of which work as harnessed seats for now and then convert to *good* boosters.   Same choices for your little one, if she's forward facing.

If you'd like to keep her rear facing, there are a bunch of seats that would do that for you.

[lemurik]

Both are forward-facing.

Thank you all for suggestions. Do you have personal experience with either of these seats?

[Maedze]

I'm a technician, I've worked with all of them :-)   

The Maestro will last the shortest amount of time, in the sense that it's a shorter booster than the other seats, and you'll eventually have to buy a high back booster to replace it. 

[Maedze]

ETA:  There is no such thing as a legitimate or valid source of 'safety ratings' for US car seats.  They all pass the same tests.

[DahliaRW]

I own a nautilus and a maestro.  The nautilus is a great seat, and makes a good booster on most kids who are too tall for the harness and converts to a highback as well as lowback booster.  The Maestro is another favorite of mine, but once the harness is outgrown it is outgrown as a booster.  The Maestro is cheap, though, and the cost of it plus a turbobooster down the road is probably comparative to the cost of a nautilus.