Evenflo Triumph vs. Air Protect?

[rachie]

Dh and I have a large vehicle that will fit our entire family but it guzzles gas and often times one of us will run errands in our smaller Honda Civic but wish to take one or two of our children along for the ride for bonding and to give the other parent a break from having them all.  So we are looking for two or three car seats that are not as pricey as our "everyday" Radians (which just practically we just don't have time or energy to be un and re-installing the Radians between cars).  

I love that our Radians have the rf tether.  But in the price-range I'm hoping to stay in there are no seats that will have a rear-tether AND an easy-adjust harness so we can easily take either of our children of different sizes.  (1yo, 2yo, 3yo)

I've sort of tried to narrow it down and I think the Evenflow Triumph may be an option (though a bit big, would make it so we could never fit 3 across) with the newer easy-adjust harness.  

I had also seen an Air Protect on clearance for similar price and love the head/neck protection there but it seems to me that the rest of the seat lacks safety features (energy-absorbing foam, sturdy seat structure).  ???  

I also had seen a Evenflow seat similar to (same body, I think) as the Triumph (Momentum 65 DLX) but has "E3" foam to help with side-impact forces.  I'm leaning towards this seat, being about the same price as the other two.  

Anything else in the same price range, good protection, easy harness adjust (no re-threading) that is slimmer than the Triumph? 

[Maedze]

Great questions!


I don't think I would describe the Evenflo (not Evenflow) Triumph 65 as narrow, unfortunately, LOL.  It's a pretty bulky seat.   The Evenflo Momentum is a nice seat, but a little shorter than the Triumph so it won't last quite as long rear facing.   

Before I make any suggestions, can I get the follow info:  height and weight of your kids, which direction they face in their primary vehicle, model year of the Civic, and whether it's a 2-door or a 4-door? 

The Safety First Air Protect is a Cosco Scenera with slightly inflated plastic bags along the inner shell.   It won't last nearly as long as either of the previously mentioned seats. 

Do you ever intend to have all three kids in the back seat?   Will anybody else be riding back there?

[rachie]

Sorry for the typo, lol.  Yes, it would be nice to be able to fit 3 in a row BUT fitting just 2 in safer seats is fine with me ;)

All three (except our oldest who is 6 and will ride in a Harmony high-back booster) are rear-facing currently in Radians.  

I don't know their exact weight/height off-hand but I'll guess my 18mo is probably about 18 pounds (tiny), 2yo is about 26 pounds and 3yo is probably 28-30 pounds.  

Our Honda Civic is 4 door, 2002.  

[Maedze]

If there will never be more than 2 in the back seat, I would get two Evenflo Triumph 65s, because they will fit all three children well, and because the infinite adjust straps mean the harness won't have to be rethreaded for different sized torso :-) 

[chickabiddy]

I thought the Momentum had a (slightly ) taller shell than the Triumph?  Either way, though, neither are slender seats.

Although parents like the feel of "sturdier" seats, there is no evidence that sturdier seats are safer.  All seats pass the same tests, and it's very possible that the more flexible plastic in Dorel seats is meant to absorb crash forces instead of passing them on to the child.  An Air Protect is a short-shelled seat and I wouldn't recommend it for that reason, but I would not worry at all that it's a little bendy.

If you only need two seats, either the Momentum or the Triumph are good choices. :)

[Maedze]

It's actually the T65, oddly enough.   It's not a huge difference or anything...the Momentum is about equivalent to the MR65.