The Car Seat Thread [Archive] - Page 2

Natrat80

01-31-2006, 11:37 AM

I hope this is the right place to post this question...

We currently have a Tahoe as our main family car and it fits DD's Marathon just fine. We hope to have another baby in the next 3 years and I don't foresee a problem fitting an infant seat in the back with the marathon.

Our current second car (DH's) is a Volkwagen Jetta. It barely fit the Snugride and the front seat had to be all the way forward for it to fit. We are getting rid of the Jetta (for that reason and others) and are looking at an older model Honda Accord. Do you think that the Accord could fit an infant seat and a Marathon or 2 marathons (1RF 1FF)? Like I said, the Tahoe is our main family car, so this would only happen if the Tahoe was in the shop or something. We just want to make sure that it would work in case we had to use the Accord for the carseats.

Thanks for your expertise ladies!

BooeyJ2

01-31-2006, 11:49 AM

HMBay, I also tried out the triumph... it seems like a nice seat, but in our case it was just way too wide for my car. We ended up getting the roundabout.

Ditto.

phart

01-31-2006, 02:07 PM

Do you think that the Accord could fit an infant seat and a Marathon or 2 marathons (1RF 1FF)?

Absolutely. I don't know what year you're looking at but we have friends that have a 2003 with car seats the way you're describing and my parents have a 2000 and I know our seats (snugride and marathon) will fit.

Natrat80

01-31-2006, 02:54 PM

Thanks Shannon!

nancy drew

02-03-2006, 08:00 AM

so lets say you have 2 rear facing marathons, one is in the middle and one is on the passenger outboard side. which kid goes in which seat? infant in the middle and toddler on the outboard or vice versa? im thinking toddler on the outboard, right?

allyray231

02-03-2006, 08:01 AM

I would say infant in the middle-toddler on the outside. My marathon is in the middle now for my 8 month old son

QPDoll

02-04-2006, 04:33 PM

We put a roundabout in DH's corolla, no problems, and we've got a marathon in my civic, both RFing, and they both fit fine.

We originally got the Evenflo Truimph for our 2nd car seat, but I despised it. We returned it and got a roundabout instead.

We are debating between the Triumph or a Marathon, why did you not like the triumph?

Does anyone know the cheapest place to order the Marathons online right now?

emschwar

02-04-2006, 04:59 PM

I didn't like the triumph for a lot of reasons. First, it was a PITA to install correctly in DH's car. And I didn't even install it - we had a car seat tech do it, and it took a good 15 minutes of struggling between the both of us to get it in the car securely (w/o LATCH). We also couldn't get it installed at a 45 degree angle, which is ok for older children (DS was 10? months at the time) but that meant that when he fell asleep in the seat (which happened a lot), his head slumped forward and he never really rested well. Second, the straps are really difficult to loosen. I can't really describe it well, but you have to turn a knob (pretty hard) and then pull on the straps. The knob is hard to reach when the seat is in the RFing position, then the straps loosen from the bottom, feed through the shoulder slots and back down to the buckle. You won't understand that at all, but it made it difficult to loosen the straps, where it was a piece of cake in the marathon. Tightening the straps on the triumph was a breeze, which is the only thing I liked about it. The final nail in the coffin was that, despite the fact that I had the straps at the right height, and the chest clip was in the right location, every time we tightened the straps, within a minute, the right one had slid off DS's shoulder, thus making the seat unsafe. I asked about it on the Baby Bargains Board, and it's not a totally uncommon problem. Thankfully, I bought the seat at costco, so I was able to return it for a full refund, even though I didn't have a box. What also irritates me is that I contacted Evenflo when I first started having the problem (by email on their website) and I never got a response back, which doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the company from a customer service standpoint.

QPDoll

02-04-2006, 05:02 PM

Thanks Emily! We will be going with the marathons. I just read back and followed the link to albee baby, they still had a specific marathon onsale for 219. I just put my order in for two! (yikes) Thank you for the information! I totally know what youre talking about with the tightening knob. I remember that in the store and not being able to figure it out. LOL We have a Durango, so Im not really all that concerned about space.

emschwar

02-04-2006, 05:23 PM

Glad you found a good deal!

For us, it wasn't an issue of space that made it so hard it install - it was the way the seat in DH's car was sloped or something. I'm not really sure, since we didn't have problems installing the RA in his car.

FWIW, I think you'll be a lot happier with the marathon, especially with 2 of them to adjust! One really nice feature is the ability to tether while rear-facing, which makes for a much more secure installation.

Cali_Katy

02-07-2006, 11:37 AM

emschwar

02-07-2006, 11:41 AM

We've got two cars and two carseats, a Britax Roundabout and a Graco Snugride. The car I drive the majority of the time has the Roundabout, but it's been very convenient to be able to drive the other car a few times a month without having to switch out a carseat every time.

DS has just about reached the height/weight limits on the Snugride, so I'm debating what to do next. Do I buy another expensive convertible to use in the other car a few days a month? Avoid driving the other car when at all possible? Buy a different, less expensive convertible carseat? Suck it up and buy another Britax?

We do a fair amount of traveling, and I have heard there are a couple well-rated convertibles that are lighter than the Britaxes and easier to travel with. Maybe one of those?
Honestly, if it were me (and it was 17 months ago) we got the marathon for my car and the RA for DH's. Well, we got the triumph first, but I hated it. So we swapped it for the roundabout.

Are you going to have more kids? If so, you might as well get another britax - then when #2 is ready for a convertible, you'll already have one for them to use.

Lolly

02-07-2006, 12:31 PM

Thanks for all the info ladies! So glad I found this thread. I am currently registered for a Marathon (to go in my car) and a Titan for my DH's vehicle. I think I'll also have to get another carseat (Titan) for my mom's car as well. These car seats are for after our DC grows out of the snugride.

The Marathon is for my car because when I return to work my DC will be going to daycare a block away from my office, so I figure the more comfy seat would be better for the commute. DH may have to pick up our DC from time to time, as will my mom, which is why I think we can go with the Titan in their cars.

I will take Em's comments into consideration though and we'll see how we like the Titan. All of our vehicles are fairly large so its not an issue as to whether they will fit or not (Marathon goes into my Chrysler 300, Titan goes into my DH's Suburban, and probably another Titan will go into my mom's Chevy Impala).

emschwar

02-12-2006, 08:55 AM

The Marathon is on sale this week at target for $249.

DianeCourt

02-12-2006, 09:40 AM

The Marathon is on sale this week at target for $249.

I just wanted to add a few more details.....Target.com is selling Britax Marathon car seats for $249 with free shipping. (Suggested retail is $269!) I also found a coupon code that got me ANOTHER $25 off: TCHMFSFU or TCADVCBN. What a steal! I also shopped online through Upromise so I'll get 4% of my purchase put into DD's college savings.

jbenny75

02-12-2006, 12:25 PM

I'm looking for feedback on the Britax Decathalon. I was planning on registering for the Marathon, but saw the Decathalon at BRU and liked the additional padding. It looks much more comfy. Is searched this thread and found only one reference to the Decathalon. Anyone else?

emschwar

02-12-2006, 12:42 PM

jbenny - try the Baby Bargains Board. There's a link on the 3rd post of the 1st page.

Jane&Andy

02-17-2006, 06:54 AM

Are car seat protectors safe to use with the car seat?

I've heard not to use any car seat accessories since the car seats aren't tested with them but wasn't sure if the protectors fell into that category. I have a brand new car so I sure would like to keep the seat looking nice but safety is more important.

emschwar

02-17-2006, 07:13 AM

Jane - do you mean the plasticy things that go under the car seat to protect the car upholstery? They're fine. Just make sure you get a tech to inspect the installation, because sometimes they make it harder to get a tight installation.

Jane&Andy

02-17-2006, 07:41 AM

yep, that's what I'm talking about. Thanks Em! that was just what I wanted to hear. :)

AndreaMMS

02-17-2006, 08:01 AM

Thanks so much for posting the free shipping and coupon info for Target, Dianecourt! What a steal! I just ordered our marathon in "camooflage"

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0006HBRY0.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

:p

JillyB

02-17-2006, 08:56 AM

DH just installed our new Marathon (in the "camooflage" print - AndreaMMS, it's even cuter in person ;) ) this past weekend, and I just wanted to let everyone know that he said it was super-simple to install (compared to the SnugRide). I think someone may have asked this before, but are there any "toys" that you can attach to the convertible carseats? DS loved the ones we had hanging down on his SnugRide. TIA!

Nancy

02-17-2006, 08:57 PM

To those of you who own Britax Marathons, what size/type of car do you have? The Marathon seems like a huge seat and I am wondering how well it will fit in my car(Honda Accord).

emschwar

02-17-2006, 09:02 PM

Nancy - we have a civic, and it fits fine in there. It's a little tight rear-facing, but not horrible.

cartersmommy

02-17-2006, 09:26 PM

I have a Jeep Liberty and it fits great in it! It is a large carseat, but it works in my car.

BooeyJ2

02-17-2006, 09:32 PM

I think someone may have asked this before, but are there any "toys" that you can attach to the convertible carseats? DS loved the ones we had hanging down on his SnugRide. TIA!

I haven't seen any that can hang, but we added some little plastic "links" to the straps when she was younger....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v716/Booey143598/More%20pics/Roundabout1.jpg

As she got older we just handed her some toys to hold and shake or whatever. We keep a little stash in the back seat. She's got a little doll, some Peek-A-Boo blocks, a play MP3 player, some books and some little Fisher Price people/animals back there. She enjoys just looking out the window as well though, so I wouldn't worry *too* much about keeping them occupied :)

baboo

02-18-2006, 08:33 PM

I have a question about the EPS foam on the Britax. I have been looking to order one of the cute covers off of Ebay and they mention that they have foam added, they sound like more than just a slipcover.
Wouldn't this negate the purpose of getting the Britax with this foam?
Have any of you purchased a cover, if so, what is it like?

emschwar

02-18-2006, 09:43 PM

baboo - you might try the Baby Bargains Boards. Someone there might have more info.

Me, I never even contemplated another cover. One of the "cardinal rules" of car seats is to never add any accessories not provided by the manufacturer, and while I'm sure it's safe to add some things, the cover was just a little too close for comfort for me. (It may be perfectly safe, I just wasn't comfortable even considering it.)

pewee9196

03-05-2006, 06:37 AM

Does anyone out there have a jeep wrangler? I have looked at data bases and there are seats that fit but I have serious reservations about putting a car seat in DH's Jeep. On the other hand I don't want to always be stuck at home or with baby. I don't drive his jeep and it is his baby. I don't want to make him get rid of it but is it safe? I know it will be a PIA to get a child in and out. We are not even TTC yet but this is one of the issues we are already looking at.
TIA.

DianeCourt

03-05-2006, 10:05 AM

For those of you who have a Britax Decathlon or Marathon & use it rear-facing, are you using the top tether? In the instruction booklet, it recommends using the top tether to control movement of the seat in the event of an impact. We have ours set up that way, but it's VERY awkward getting baby in & out of the seat because the stupid tether is in the way. I want to do what's safest, but this is annoying!

Also, I'm concerned about how folded-up DD's legs look against the vehicle seat back when we put her in the carseat. She's 27 1/2 inches long at 4 months, so I don't know how she's going to be able to remain rear-facing until she's one year old! Where are her legs going to go?!?!? Who else has a tall baby that's nearing a year old, and how are they fitting with the seat rear facing?

magdesilver

03-05-2006, 10:30 AM

DianeCourt,
How do you have the seat tethered? We have the seat tethered to underneath the passenger seat. Do you have it running over the front of the seat to the back tethers? If so, I'd switch it to under one of the front seats. You can tether it to any metal non-moving part that is bolted to the ground, like one of the runners for the seat (I think this is where ours is tethered).
Also, don't worry about your DD's legs seeming "scrunched". My DD is 29 inches and her feet don't touch the seatback at all yet- is your seat reclined enough? It isn't a problem to have her leg folded/feet touching though. I plan to have my DD rearface to the limits of the seat- 33 lbs.- so I am sure she will be quite tall by then (if she continues to follow her growth curve, she is tall and skinny). Here's a link regarding extended rearfacing, and you can see from the pictures that many of the kids are really tall and have long legs and are perfectly happily rearfacing (which is the safest thing, MUCH safer than forward facing if they are still within the weight limits of the seat! Check out the crash videos!).
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

emschwar

03-05-2006, 11:46 AM

Diane - ditto what magdesilver said. The tether should attach to the floor, at the base of the front seat. Much easier that way.

Also, there has never been a case reported of a child hurting their legs in a crash rear-facing. Noah is almost 2, and still rear-facing. His legs are practically crossed in the seat, and he's not in any discomfort. Just to give you an idea, here's a picture of Noah in his carseat:
http://images.costcophotocenter.com/34647%3B9%3A8%7Ffp3%3Enu%3D3235%3E33%3B%3E437%3EWS NRCG%3D32323%3A%3A6%3A%3B5%3B4nu0mrj
That was in august, and he's considerably taller now (and his height is all in his legs). I should try to get a more recent picture.

Just as an FYI, a car seat tech once told me that a slightly loosely installed rear-facing seat is MUCH safer than a correctly installed forward facing seat.

--------------------------------------------------------

Speaking of extended RFing - who else has a child RFing past 20 lbs and 1 year? If there's interest, I'd be happy to create our own extended rear facing photo album/list in this thread.

DianeCourt

03-06-2006, 07:36 AM

Thanks for your feedback, ladies. We have the Decathlon in DH's Dodge Durango and we were able to tether it to some of the seat hardware without a problem. So no problem there. The problem is my Cadillac CTS. There is NOTHING to attach the tether to besides the hook on the package shelf under the backlite, which will be great once she's forward facing. But not for rear facing! I have to run the tether over the top of the seat & it makes it difficult to get her in & out. I've tried everything, and just don't know how I'm going to get around doing it this way!

My DD is 29 inches and her feet don't touch the seatback at all yet- is your seat reclined enough?

We're eyeballing it, but I think the seat back is as close to 45 deg as it can be. We had to use a foam noodle under the seat base to get it to that angle. Without the noodle & with the seat at max recline, it wasn't getting there. It looks just like emschwar's picture, so I guess DD will have to get used to sitting "Indian style!"

emschwar

03-06-2006, 08:20 AM

Diane - have you taken the seat to an inspection station? They might be able to find a way to tether it to the floor.

lady1297

03-06-2006, 08:34 AM

Speaking of extended RFing - who else has a child RFing past 20 lbs and 1 year? If there's interest, I'd be happy to create our own extended rear facing photo album/list in this thread.

I had our son RFing until he was about 17 months old. He was 27 or so pounds and 30 or so inches. It wasn't an issue for me. I have no pics, sorry. The only reason we turned him around was we had to remove his seat to install it in another car for the weekend and figured, might as well turn it around too since he was close to the limit (30 lbs) of that particular seat. I'll keep any other kids rear facing for as long or longer too!

lady1297

03-06-2006, 08:36 AM

For those of you who have a Britax Decathlon or Marathon & use it rear-facing, are you using the top tether? In the instruction booklet, it recommends using the top tether to control movement of the seat in the event of an impact. We have ours set up that way, but it's VERY awkward getting baby in & out of the seat because the stupid tether is in the way. I want to do what's safest, but this is annoying!

I thought it wasn't advised to have the top tethered when the seat was rear facing? Our seats were installed at the state inspection site and they did not install the top tether unti they were FFing. Hmmm...

Traciann

03-06-2006, 09:06 AM

I think that Britax seats are the only ones that can be teathered rear facing. Ours was done by a CPS tech, and she looped the teather around the drivers side seat track. Can you do it that way, instead of over the top if the seat?

kindermom

03-06-2006, 10:40 AM

I am starting to look for a new car seat for my DD who is outgrowing the SR. At my house my DH drops off my DD at day care and I pick her up. She has 2 different day care places. On the weekends, we always drive my car. Ideally we do not want to have to buy 4 seats (my car, his car, and one for each baby sitter). Our sitters take DD out and about per our permission.

Our DD is a little long (mostly in her legs) and thin. We both drive compact cars (Saturn Ion and Honda Civic 4 door).

So...
1) Does anyone take out their car seat daily (like we drop off the seat in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon)? Which seat do you use?

2) I know that the Britaxes are highly recommended but I can not see spening that kind of money for the day care providers to use a seat maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks. Does anyone recommend another seat?

EJH

03-06-2006, 11:29 AM

emschwar

03-06-2006, 12:00 PM

kindermom - I really don't suggest moving the carseat between cars every day. I travel a lot, by air, or driving with my mom or sister and have to more the car seat to do that. It takes a good 15-20 minutes to get the car seat out of one car and properly installed in another. I travel every few months, and I cannot imagine having to go through all that twice a day! Also, each time you install a car seat, you have the risk of doing it incorrectly, or not getting it tight enough. Add that to the fact that you'd be doing it every day, probably in a hurry, and I think you're really taking a chance on safety.

kindermom

03-06-2006, 12:24 PM

That is what I keep trying to tell people! it just seems like the hassle is not worth the money we would save! Now, I can see getting a barebones, but safe car seat for the sitter who does not take her places often but needs it for the less than once a month outings. I can see getting something a little easier to use for the sitter who takes her out once every week or two. And I can see getting her the best for our cars because she will be with us daily.

Keep the suggestions coming, especially for the compact car set.

emschwar

03-06-2006, 12:30 PM

Are the less than once a month outings planned? Like on those days could you take the car seat from your car and put it in hers? That might eliminate having to buy a 4th seat.

mrst2b2003

03-10-2006, 04:15 PM

We are in the process of trying to decide on an infant carrier. What do you have? Pros? Cons?

Thanks

Amy

solongtogo

03-10-2006, 05:09 PM

We had the graco snugride, which we loved. Easy to use, easy to tote around.

BooeyJ2

03-10-2006, 05:32 PM

Kinder --

Consumer Reports recommends the Evenflo Triumph. Those run about $100, and are very highly rated.

When we get a second seat (right now I just have handed drop off and pick up), we'll get the Evenflo. We love our Britax but they are so, so expensive. If we can get a great seat for less money, we'll do it. Our friends have an Evenflo Titan which is also recommended and is cheaper still (maybe $70?), but it's never looked too comfy to me.

Oh, and we've done the take out, leave the seat for the other car thing twice and it was just a pain. I think it really compromises the safety of the carseat to be in and out of the cars all the time.

Erin

Our "extra" seat is the Graco ComfortSport .....
http://www.babyage.com/icons/localhost/products/medium/BA13623.jpg

Like you, we didn't want to spend more $$$ for another Roundabout, so we went for this one since a few people here on CC reccommended it. It's about $79.99 and is very easy to use. It goes in/out of our car, my sisters car and my FIL's house 3+ times a week and everyone has no problems getting it in/out. Hope that helps :)

Jaycee

03-11-2006, 08:23 AM

Question..

I have a good friend who has a 4 year old and has outgrown her 2 Britax Roundabouts. She is offering to give them to us, and it will save us a ton of money, but I am not prepared to compromise safety. So, is OK to use a Roundabout thats 3 years old, or like cribs, is the recommendation to always buy new due to the ever changing safety standards??

emschwar

03-11-2006, 08:39 AM

Jaycee - I believe the standard on car seats is 5 or 6 years. As long as those seats haven't been in any accidents (including fender benders) they're fine to use. Once they're 5 or 6 years old though (I can't remember which), it's time for new ones.

Jane&Andy

03-11-2006, 10:15 AM

I've heard they are good for 6yrs.

Brady

03-11-2006, 04:26 PM

Our "extra" seat is the Graco ComfortSport .....
http://www.babyage.com/icons/localhost/products/medium/BA13623.jpg

Like you, we didn't want to spend more $$$ for another Roundabout, so we went for this one since a few people here on CC reccommended it. It's about $79.99 and is very easy to use. It goes in/out of our car, my sisters car and my FIL's house 3+ times a week and everyone has no problems getting it in/out. Hope that helps :)

Ditto here. I have the Evenflo Triumph in my car, and my parents have the Graco ComfortSport. My father had no problems installing it (and it sometimes switches between his and my mother's car), my son seems to enjoy riding in it... it was a good "bargain" seat.

phart

03-23-2006, 02:55 PM

Aiden (2.5) is in a Marathon. Love it. No dislikes.

Maura will be in a Roundabout. We got her the RA because she'll be RF outboard instead of in the middle so it leaves a little more room for the front passenger. Haven't used it yet but I assume I'll love it as well:)

emschwar

03-26-2006, 10:51 AM

Free TIKE sticker (http://www.metlifeyourlife.com/cgi/sticker.cgi)

TIKE = Toddler Info Kept for Emergencies
This is a sticker with your child's info on it - name, birthdate, parents names, emergency contact, doctor's name, etc. You put it on your child's car seat, in case, god forbid, you and your child are in an accident and you are unconcious and unable to give information about your child. More info here: http://www.metlifeyourlife.com/tikesticker.pdf

phart

03-26-2006, 11:39 AM

When I took my snugride to get checked this time around the fireman gave me one. I didn't think to ask for another for Maura because I figured they'd both be in the same car so any emergency people would assume they were related. But, now I think I'll get another in case they're in seperate cars at any give time.

Thanks for the link!

shellbell516

03-28-2006, 08:15 AM

Any opinions on the Eddie Baur convertible carseats?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00009SS6A.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg
Cosco Eddie Bauer Summit Deluxe High Back Booster $119.99
"When your little one outgrows his or her infant car seat, this flexible Eddie Bauer Summit Deluxe High Back Booster is the only seat you'll ever need. Includes 5-pt. internal harness for babies 22 to 40 lbs. (LATCH equipped) and a belt-positioning feature for kids 30 to 100 lbs. Three harness positions let you easily adjust the straps as your child grows. Features 3-position recline to make napping in the car a treat. Includes adjustable armrest, removable cup holder and mesh storage pocket for further convenience. Includes a removable, machine washable seat pad. Made in USA. 28-1/4Hx20Wx21-1/4D."

We need to buy 2, so I'm debating a Britax for DH's car and a less expensive one for mine.

Daniel's Kitty

03-28-2006, 08:23 AM

Isn't that one only for forward facing? I believe it is more of a booster seat. I think Daniel decided that the seat wasn't padded enough though when we were looking.

Jenyfer9

03-28-2006, 08:51 AM

No, that one is good for rear facing too. We have the Cosco version of that (ie, less expensive), and it hasn't been my favorite.

cc8

03-29-2006, 03:26 PM

At 7.5 months, my little peanut has finally outgrown her SnugRide! We have a Britax Marathon new in box that we received at our shower. I know this has somewhat been asked on this thread:

Is it common for families to have 2 car seats - ie one in DH's car, one in your car?

DH transport DD to/from daycare M-Fri. I drive around with DD primarily on weekends, but there are random times during the week that I may have to drive DD. ALSO, we will probably have DC #2 when DD just hits 3 years old (or maybe slightly before).

Given the above, is it crazy to think about getting another Marathon or getting a Roundabout? My thinking is that it would be a lot more convenient to have a seat in both cars; and depending on the timing of DC #2, wouldn't we have to get a second car seat eventually anyway?

Our primary concern is of course safety but having said that, we would like to save $ if we can, without compromising safety.

emschwar

03-29-2006, 03:43 PM

We have 2 car seats - a marathon in DH's car, and a roundabout in mine.

At 3, your DD will still be in a car seat - they can't move to boosters in most states until they're 4. Plus, the marathon goes to 65 lbs, so even if she is 40 lbs when she's 4, it's safest to keep her in the marathon until she outgrows it. So eventually you will need another convertible seat for #2, might as well buy it now. They'll probably be more expensive in a few years anyway... :)

jenniferlynne

03-29-2006, 07:16 PM

My son is 23 months and is about 38 lbs. Right now he's in a Roundabout, which we love, but the weight limit is 40 lbs. We didn't get the Marathon because a) we have a small car and the RA barely fit rear-facing, and b) who knew my son was going to be so gigantic!! When we were looking for a convertible seat, it was so hard to ever imagine him being 40 lbs.

So, I know he's way too young for a booster but I really don't want to have to buy another convertible seat at this point, and I haven't seen any boosters that have 5-point harnesses. Am I going to have to shell out for a Marathon at this point??

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

emschwar

03-29-2006, 07:20 PM

emschwar

03-29-2006, 07:24 PM

Just found another option - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/SeatDetail.cfm?CSSID=151

ETA - the Britax Regent has replaced the husky. Though you can still find 2005 huskies online. (If it were me, I'd probably do that option - cheaper (though not much) than a marathon, and you'll be able to use a 5 point harness with him until he's 80 lbs! Of course, this is coming from the mom of the pipsqueak who hasn't yet hit 30 lbs and is still rear-facing :))

Klo.

03-29-2006, 08:09 PM

We just moved DS out of his Snugride too and I wanted to pop in and share my experience.
I orignially bought an Evenflo Triumph. It seemed to get really good reviews pretty much everywhere I looked, etc. etc. I looked at it in the store but had no idea what to look for in regards to how it should properly fit my child. So I brought the Triumph to be installed by a CPS Tech (this woman is Awesome!!). She said the main thing to look for in a seat fitting a child is that the harness points need to be at or below the shoulders but not so low that is too much below the armpits. She said she has never seen a Triumph that she liked and they are very difficult to install properly.
Now that I know this, I have talked to 3 other parents that had the same experience.

Anyway, I went back to the BRU and got the Alpha Omega by Cosco
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007XIES0.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I love this carseat. Not only is it really pretty and it looks so nice and comfy but it fits in my Explorer perfectly (although we did need to use a couple 'noodles'). It was a little more spendy than the Triumph but it is good until 80 pounds. This seat has 5 slots for the harness and is so easy to change positions too.

I also got an Evenflo Titan for my DH's vehicle.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009W85WY.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
DS fit in this one better than the Triumph because it has 4 slots for the harness. Its not as cushy as some of the other ones but we won't be using it for long car rides.

I refused to spend the $$ on a Britax. I think they are rediculously overpriced and aren't neccesarily any safer than other seats. The CPS tech I used said that some other companies are going to be coming out with some of the same features as Britax so they won't have such a corner on the market. Hopefully soon.
An inexpensive carseat that is installed properly will fulfill the same purpose as a Britax.

BooeyJ2

03-30-2006, 11:40 AM

emschwar

03-30-2006, 12:12 PM

aren't neccesarily any safer than other seats.
This is very true. ALL carseats sold in the US are safe. They're required to be. Every carseat sold in this country has to pass safety standards. When you pay for the pricier seats, you're paying for ease of use/comfort. More padding, easier strap adjustment, etc. The important thing is using a carseat CORRECTLY, every time. The extras just make that easier.

That being said - car seats with an overhead shield, like this one:
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0006NM086.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg
Are not safe. Some states won't sell them, but some will, and hence, you'll find them online. There's more info at the bottom of this page (http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx), if anyone is interested. Also, I've seen children climb out of their shield car seats while buckled in - because the shield doesn't fit tightly like a 5-pt harness does.

jenniferlynne

03-30-2006, 01:26 PM

Thanks, Em, for the suggestions. I'll check those out.

docoNY

04-03-2006, 10:46 AM

hi ladies

I have peeked around in here but not sure if this has come up yet

we live in Brooklyn and don't have a car - we have been using the snugride when we needed to go to the airport and when we were overseas visiting the IL's

my parents have a Graco Comfortsport installed in their car for when we take the train to them.

DD has officially grown out of the snugride

are there any convertible car seats that are easy to install?
basically DH would have install it in a town car to the airport and then fly with it and install it in the rental car.. we have a trip in late May and then Christmas time

anyone living in a metro area what do you do? I so miss the snugride

emschwar

04-03-2006, 09:06 PM

I just found out about another option in the 5 point harness above 40 lbs category. I'm adding it to the first page as well, but now, in addition to the britaxes, and the Nania Airway, is the Cosco Apex 65. Works as a 5 pt harness to 65 lbs, then can be used as a belt positioning booster until 100 lbs. Retails for ~$165, I believe

emschwar

04-03-2006, 09:21 PM

Actually, many more options for a harness past 40 lbs. Here's the list from page 1:
Nania Airway Harnessed to 50 lbs (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1024) (I've read this will be replaced by the Nania Legend this year)

Britax Marathon (http://www.britaxusa.com/products.cfm?action=ShowProduct&pro_id=7C71C785-4FBA-42 2D-83DC419B3D5B8213)
Britax Wizard (http://www.britaxusa.com/products.cfm?action=ShowProduct&pro_id=E1B65DDE-13AE-4A B6-BEE87A144FAFBCB5)
Britax Husky (http://www.britaxusa.com/products.cfm?action=ShowProduct&pro_id=B42FE61E-C8E5-45 89-95635E99E566A234)

Cosco Apex 65 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0009N1KB6/qid=1144120834/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-4850966-7064860?v=glance&s=baby)

SafeGuard Child Seat (http://www.safeguardseat.com/child/index.htm)

Sunshine Kids Radian (http://www.skjp.com/Pages/radian.html)

Fisher Price Safe Voyage (to 55 lbs) (http://www.babyage.com/products/ef20b2a_fisher-price_fisher-price_safe_voyage_ex_convertible_car_seat.htm)

chloechloe

04-04-2006, 12:13 PM

Safety 1st vantage point

Cosco Juvenile High Back booster

Cosco Surveyer

Cosco Scenera

My mom is looking for a carseat for my 18 month old daughter.....opinions would be appreciated..:)

amtaylor

04-04-2006, 12:26 PM

I don't have personal experience with any of the seats, but we did go to a car seat education class and they said do not buy seats with the bar that comes down over the childs head. When I searched for pictures of the seats, the Cosco Scenera had one. The five point system with a bar isn't considered as safe as the five point system alone.

Just wanted to share what we had learned. Good luck with your search!

TennJane

04-06-2006, 11:08 AM

Hi all. My Dh and I are registering for baby gear tonight and I would love some recs for an infant car seat and /or travel system that you have used and like. I read through the "baby gear you can't live without" thread and found some great ideas on what to register for. The car seat/stroller thing is throwing me for a loop. There are so many different models and I want DD to be safe and comfy. I'd like to make as informed a decision as possible. So... any recs for an infant car seat or travel system?
Thanks for your help! :)

lml41981

04-06-2006, 11:14 AM

We have and like the Britax Companion carseat with the Britax Forerunner stroller (had the Britax Preview stroller, but DH ran over it with the car). My only complaint is that I can't figure out what kind of car the base for the Companion fits in. It hangs off the edge of the seat in my Escape, DH's Jetta and my cousin's Yukon.

I like that it fits kids up to 30 inches or 22 pounds. But I think for the next one, we'll look at the Graco SafeSeat. If you're willing to cart around the kid *and* carrier for a year, that one fits kids up to 32 inches. DH and I split the load as it is if we aren't putting her and the carseat in the stroller.

jesvet

04-06-2006, 11:19 AM

http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=243&highlight=car+seats

That is a link to the Car Seat thread here in this forum. Lots of info there!

TennJane

04-06-2006, 11:40 AM

Thanks for the info and for the link! I did a search but didn't find it. Sorry about the double thread.

LyLMyssChaos

04-12-2006, 12:34 PM

magdesilver

04-12-2006, 01:02 PM

chloechloe-
There is a newer scenara without the overhead shield. That's what we have as our travel seat and it is great and very lightweight. A great deal at $40!

emschwar

04-12-2006, 02:40 PM

I have a question that may have been answered already, but here goes:
Which is more important to consider on a car seat; the height limit or the weight limit? Here is our situation:
Our son will be a year old next Wednesday. He is currently 34 inches tall and 33 pounds. We just moved him into my daughter's Eddie Bauer Summit and moved her into a Booster seat. Well, I just looked and saw that the Summit is only approved with the 5-point harness for up to 40 pounds. I already have numerous carseats, and I am really cannot afford to spend another $200+ on a Britax. All of the seats with a higher weight limit, seem to be for older kids, so I wonder if they'd be safe for a younger child than the age range recommends as long as he falls into the weight limits? I have looked at the seats listed on the first page, and it seems like I can knock each of them out for one reason or another (i.e. the Radian will fit us by weight for awhile, but with a max height of 49" he will definitely outgrow it before he can move up, the Safeguard won't fit him with the shoulder strap height, the FP lists weight, but no height for the child and it's height is 27.5 inches, etc.) I just am at a loss at whether we are okay to continue using our current seat (the Summit) or do I have to figure out someway to buy a different one and add yet one more unused car seat to the pile because a kid didn't fit it! LOL
HOw old is your DD? Kids shouldn't be in booster seats before they're 4. As for weight vs height, I'm not really 100% sure what you're asking, but the weight guidelines are definite. Height guidelines are a little flexible, since all kids have their height in different areas (some in the torso, some in the legs). If your son's height is in the torso, he'd probably be ok in a seat for a slightly taller child, but really it would depend on how that particular seat fit him.

I'm really confused by what you're asking. I could be wrong, but I believe all the seats listed on the first page (in the 5 pt harness past 40 lbs section) are for kids 1 year and older. What specifically won't work with each seat>

LyLMyssChaos

04-12-2006, 03:19 PM

HOw old is your DD? Kids shouldn't be in booster seats before they're 4. As for weight vs height, I'm not really 100% sure what you're asking, but the weight guidelines are definite. Height guidelines are a little flexible, since all kids have their height in different areas (some in the torso, some in the legs). If your son's height is in the torso, he'd probably be ok in a seat for a slightly taller child, but really it would depend on how that particular seat fit him.

I'm really confused by what you're asking. I could be wrong, but I believe all the seats listed on the first page (in the 5 pt harness past 40 lbs section) are for kids 1 year and older. What specifically won't work with each seat>

My DD will be 3 in July and the seat we have her in says it is okay for children 30 pounds and up. Our minivan came with a built in carseat/booster.

Here are the issues with individual seats:

Radian: Maximum height is 49 inches. Weight is up to 65 lbs. So the weight should cover us for awhile, but if my son continues to grow as he has (and he has not yet hit his 12 month growth spurt) he will outgrow that car seat within 6 months.

Safeguard: fits 22-65 lbs. with a maximum height of 57 inches. And it is for children over 1 year old, but what I'm seeing the issue with is the shoulder slot heights: at it's highest it is 19.5 inches which would be way lower than my son's shoulders.

Fisher Price Safe Voyage: Only lists a weight limit of 55 pounds which is fine, but it does not list the height limit. It does however list the product's height which is 27.5 inches and with my son already being 34 inches I don't think that seat is tall enough for him.

Cosco Apex 65: It's just way out of our price range at $170.00.

Maybe it would just be easier to just not take him anywhere until he is big enough for a booster seat. LOL :rolleyes:

magdesilver

04-12-2006, 03:42 PM

LMC, I agree that almost 3 is not old enough for a booster, even if she meets the requirements. Boosters offer very little in the way of protection in a collision. It is safest for her to be in a FF car seat with a 5 pt. harness.
http://www.cpsafety.com/default.aspx

I know it's hard to purchase new expensive seats but hopefully you can find an affordable solution to keep both of your kids safely harnessed, since that is the safest thing for them!

emschwar

04-12-2006, 03:52 PM

My DD will be 3 in July and the seat we have her in says it is okay for children 30 pounds and up. Our minivan came with a built in carseat/booster.

Here are the issues with individual seats:

Radian: Maximum height is 49 inches. Weight is up to 65 lbs. So the weight should cover us for awhile, but if my son continues to grow as he has (and he has not yet hit his 12 month growth spurt) he will outgrow that car seat within 6 months.

Safeguard: fits 22-65 lbs. with a maximum height of 57 inches. And it is for children over 1 year old, but what I'm seeing the issue with is the shoulder slot heights: at it's highest it is 19.5 inches which would be way lower than my son's shoulders.

Fisher Price Safe Voyage: Only lists a weight limit of 55 pounds which is fine, but it does not list the height limit. It does however list the product's height which is 27.5 inches and with my son already being 34 inches I don't think that seat is tall enough for him.

Cosco Apex 65: It's just way out of our price range at $170.00.

Maybe it would just be easier to just not take him anywhere until he is big enough for a booster seat. LOL :rolleyes:
Is your son's height in his torso or legs? 49" may not be a problem if the height is in his legs, since torso length is the key measurement in car seats as far as height goes.

Safeguard - I'd wonder if that wasn't a typo or something. It might be something to try in person, if you can. But iirc, that seat is like $400 or something. I could be remembering wrong though.

FP - again, I'd try this out in person if you can. If not, try the baby bargains board and see if someone that has it can measure the heights of the harness slots (same for safeguard). Then, sit your son down, and measure.

Your son is very tall, but his growth should slow down at some point. (Hopefully!) If it were me, I'd keep him in what you have now since you have 7 more lbs to go. That'll last you a few months at least, and give you some time to do some research. But just remember that as he approaches 40 lbs you're going to need something else. It's not safe to keep him in a seat for 40 lb-ers once he's over 40 lbs.

Also, it might be worth checking with your car insurance company and seeing if they'll pay for part of the seat. Some insurance companies will pay for car seats. I'm not sure which ones though.

AmyE

04-12-2006, 04:47 PM

I have to say, I don't understand the argument on size vs age of a child. The cpsafety website cited by a PP notes that kids should stay in the safest seat as long as they are within the height/weight measurements - it says nothing about age. The 3-year old in the rearfacing seat is there 'cause he's still under the seat weight limits. If the child outgrows the limits on one seat, and fits well within the limits of the next one, I personally have no issue with parents moving the kid to the next seat. The safest option of course is not to drive at all. Just my two cents.

Anyway, it also depends on state and local laws. In DC, the dept of transportation says kids over 40 lbs and 54 inches must be in a booster seat. They make a special point of it on their website even: "*Warning: It is important to put all children over 40 pounds and under 54 inches tall in booster seats! " They differentiate the booster from what they call the toddler seat (20-40 lbs.)

magdesilver

04-12-2006, 04:54 PM

Amy, some kids are very large for their age but do not have the strength to support themselves in a booster because they are still so young. The SAFEST position in a car is rearfacing, 5 pt. harness. That is good up to 30-35 lbs. depending on the seat. After that there are many options for keeping kids in a 5 pt. harness forward facing up to 65 lbs. (I have the Britax Marathon, for example, but there are many out there). A booster seat is mainly to position the regular seat belt so it fits the body properly and is recommended for children, not toddlers. The seats might be rated to 30 lbs., but that does not mean they are the safest option starting at 30 lbs. And the DC law is 100% for parents who would otherwise not put there 40 lb. child in ANY seat. If you have your 40 lb. child in a 5 pt. harness convertible, you are MORE than following the rules. They just don't want kids over 40 lbs. but under 54 inches in the regular seat all by themselves, if that makes sense. It's not that you must change to a booster at 40 lbs. from a 5 pt. harness seat.
Personally I want my child in the safest position possible if I am going to go to the trouble to buy them a seat. And that is rearfacing center position in my vehicle in a seat with a 5 pt. harness for as long as possible. Then I will turn her forward facing in that same seat for as long as possible. Is it cheap to get a top quality seat? No, but it's worth it to me to spend the money on that as opposed to something like dinner out or buying a few extra toys or outfits for myself or whatever, if I have to make that budgeting decision.
If you do the research, the safest options are pretty clear.

emschwar

04-12-2006, 06:45 PM

Well said, magdesilver. Another thing to remember, AmyE is that even if you meet the weight and height requirements, your body may not be ready to use the next seat. A child might be 20 lbs and past the height limit on the infant seat at 8 months, but that doesn't mean they're ready to be FFing. Their bodies, specifically their necks/spines aren't ready to face forward. Same goes for booster seats. A child's body has to reach a certain level of physical maturity before it's ready for a booster.

AmyE

04-12-2006, 07:47 PM

For Emschwar and magdesilver - of course you are correct - "A child's body has to reach a certain level of physical maturity before it's ready for a booster." Some kids are NOT ready to move into the next seat, even if they meet the weight limits. Those kids shouldn't be moved, and seats should be used as long as it's safe - even if the next seat might fit them, IMHO. But why assume that LylMyssChaos's 3 year old isn't ready for a booster, as magdesilver did, without any info on the kid? Some toddlers ARE ready for the next seat up earlier than others.

I personally don't think that a family on a budget needs to go out and buy 6 $200 seats because someone else's 3 year old can't sit up straight. The baby boy's seat is a different issue, as LMC explained clearly, but why say the 3 year old moving into a booster that meets her weight requirements is wrong because she's "not old enough", without any other info on that kid? Plenty of 3 year olds are bigger, stronger, more mature and better coordinated than some 4 year olds.

And an irrelevant note: the DC law says kids have to be in a booster from 40 lbs until they are age 8. The issue is that they want them in boosters - not infant/toddler seats - after 40 lbs, and that's what the law says. The problem apparently arose when they made child restraints mandatory about 10 years ago, and many low income families were putting bigger children into seats that were too small, in part to save money. Now the law is too arbitrary and doesn't conform to the car seat safety industry options. Time to educate the city council- again.

emschwar

04-12-2006, 08:38 PM

Amy - just because a 3 year old can "sit up straight" doesn't mean they're ready for a booster. There are skeletal and muscular considerations to take into account. If the ped said it's safe for a child under 4 to be in a booster, that's one thing, but to make that assumption without help is risky, IMO. I have no idea what LMC's daughter is like, neither does magdesilver, I assume. We're merely presenting information on the safest method of restraining the child, which is what car seats are all about.

I don't mean to turn this into a debate, or argue with what you said. I just want to make sure that people know what's safest for their kids. You're allowed to put a child forward facing at a year and 20 lbs, but that doesn't mean it's the safest choice. It's safest to stay RFing as long as possible. Noah's days shy of 2 and still RFing, and will be until he can't RF anymore. It's everyone right as a parent to make their own decisions about the kind of car seats they use for their children, as long as they follow the law. We're just trying to make sure everyone knows what's safest so they can make an informed decision.

magdesilver

04-12-2006, 08:46 PM

AmyE- The NHTSA says booster seats are for children who are 4 AND at least 40 lbs.:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ParentGuide2005/pages/WhenDoYou.htm

cc8

04-12-2006, 08:55 PM

DD will be 8 months on 4/20. At her last check up, she was 16lbs 1 oz and 27 inches (on 3/27/06). Should she be in the SnugRide or the covertible carseat we have (Marathon)? I'm kinda confused about height v weight. The officer we spoke to (who does infant/baby/child seat installations for Stanford Hospital) said that as soon as she outgrows either the ht or the wt, she should be moved out of the SnugRide.

magdesilver

04-12-2006, 09:04 PM

cc8- Depending on how new your snugride is the ht/wt limit is 20 lbs, 26 inches or 22 lbs, 29 inches. HOWEVER, it is safe to keep them in height-wise as long as they have at least 1" of hard shell above their heads (some kiddos have really long legs, so they can still fit torso-wise and be perfectly safe). I did switch my DD over well before she reached the height or weight limit on our infant seat because she seemed kind of cramped and even though she wasn't too heavy for the seat, she was too heavy for me to ever want to lug her around in it anymore, so it was just staying the car anyway. And we got our Britax in the mail and it was so cute I just wanted to use it!

LyLMyssChaos

04-13-2006, 06:01 AM

Thanks for the advice on actually trying out the seats for our son. I think we'll try taking him out to some places and physically put him in the seat and see how he fits. As for my DD, I failed to mention that the "booster" seat that our vehicle came equipped with has a harness on it, it's a 3 point harness though. I found this report (http://www.strolex.com/ANTONLAW.pdf) from the NHTSA that stated that the integrated seat (what I am using) is safe for children age 1-7 as long as they meet the weight requirements. So I believe that since she has the harness and is between 1-3, we are okay.
Here is a quote from that report:

(1) There are no existing integrated seats that can properly fit all heights and weights of children. For this report, the agency assumes integrated
child restraints would be designed for children age 1-7, with internal harnesses for 1 to 3 year olds. There are also no rear-facing integrated seats, meaning that infants still need rear-facing add-on child restraints.

Thank you again for the advice about my son's seat and thank you for the concern about my daughter. I know that you are just concerned and want to make sure that my children are as safe as possible.

emschwar

04-13-2006, 06:52 AM

LMC - I'm glad it's a harness booster! Just keep an eye on her as you drive (well, as much as possible) because 3 point harnesses are easier to escape from :)

pixiecat

04-14-2006, 09:50 AM

phart

04-14-2006, 10:00 AM

1.Is it a big pain to move the Marathon from my car to his?

1) I've never thought the Marathon was a pain to install. I do think it's a little *harder* to install RF than FF but that's just a routing the belt/sitting on it to get it really tight thing.

cc8

04-14-2006, 10:24 AM

Just stopping by to say I bit the bullet and got a second Marathon - so that there'd be one in DH's car and one in my car. There are reputable corporate sellers (vs individual sellers) on eBay who have pretty good deals on Britax, FYI.

emschwar

04-14-2006, 11:05 AM

Hi Ladies:

Well it's getting kind of squishy in the snugride and we are looking for the next step up! DD spends 99% of her time in my car (Nissan XTerra) and we are considering a Britax something-or-other (probably Marathon). However, my question is about DH's truck. It is a big Ford F350... right now, when he takes the baby(approx every 2-3 weeks), we just use her snugride & the belt system (no LATCH). Here are my questions:

1.Is it a big pain to move the Marathon from my car to his?

2.Is it worth it to purchase a less expensive carseat for his occasional use?

3.Are there certain seats that work better in a truck?

TIA!!
It's sort of a pain to move the marathon. It's pretty easy to install, but it takes time to get it in tight. When I move the car seat, I'd say it's a good 15 minutes or so to get in out of one car and into the other and get it latched in securely. And this is with LATCH, so without LATCH, it's going to take longer. You also need to remember that every time you move a car seat, you risk not getting it installed tightly. It it's within your means, I'd get a second seat so you don't have to worry about not getting a tight install when you switch it.

If you go to www.carseatdata.org, you can see what other people have had success with in their cars.

Kanga

04-14-2006, 01:49 PM

dionysia

04-14-2006, 01:59 PM

Does anyone know of a chain store (or store in the Boston area) where we can actually look at one of the higher end Graco Snugrides and the Britax Companion? BRU doesn't carry them in stock. :mad:

TIA!

Di

dana b

04-14-2006, 02:24 PM

di do you have any smaller non-chain baby stores around you? those are usually the ones who are allowed to carry the special models.

dionysia

04-14-2006, 02:33 PM

Dana:
Oddly enough, I don't know! :o

I know of BRU, Baby Depot, & Baby Furniture Warehouse. The latter is a 2 store chain and it's excellent (we bought our crib & stroller there), but they don't carry Snugrides or Companions.

Boston Baby just closed, with no warning. In fact, a lot of their customers were going to BFW to try and get help with their orders from crib and glider manufacturers.

There is "The Right Start" but I haven't looked there yet because I just found out it's not a maternity store (it's in the same complex as Motherhood & Pea in the Pod, so I was confused). Hmm, their website has the Companion and Snugride.

Gee, maybe I should have Googled before asking here. :o

Di

dana b

04-14-2006, 02:38 PM

hmm, i doubt the right start would have them, our right start has a very small selection. i know i've heard of a store in boston that has an awesome stroller selection, but i can't remember the name right now. you would probably get an answer to this on the bbb carseat thread http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=13.

SlvSpring

04-14-2006, 03:03 PM

I have a couple of questions if any of you guys can help me.
DH and I both have 2 door cars.... this will not change as we cannot afford to buy new cars and our cars are not very old. Sooooo... where is the best and safest place to install the careseat? Behind passenger or driver seat? And also does anyone have experience with rear facing seats in 2 door cars? How do they fit? We are planning on getting a Graco safe seat b/c of the increased height and weight requirements.
Also, we have a VW new beetle and a Mitsubishi eclipse convertible.
TIA for an advice you can give!!!!

emschwar

04-14-2006, 03:14 PM

We just moved dd from the snugride to the evenflo triumph. The car she's usually in has LATCH. I thought I remember the instructor at the carseat course we took said you didn't need to use the regular seat belt if you have teh latch sysytem. Is this correct? It doesn't seem very tight if we just use the latch. Am I missing something - from what I can tell there are two things to hook into the latch system for RF?
Do NOT use the seat belt with the LATCH. If it's not tight with the LATCH, then it's not installed correctly. Take it to an inspection station, and they'll tighten it for you.

DH and I both have 2 door cars.... this will not change as we cannot afford to buy new cars and our cars are not very old. Sooooo... where is the best and safest place to install the careseat? Behind passenger or driver seat? And also does anyone have experience with rear facing seats in 2 door cars? How do they fit? We are planning on getting a Graco safe seat b/c of the increased height and weight requirements.
You'll probably want to put it behind the passenger seat. You'll likely have to put the front seat WAY forward to install the seat RFing, and unless you want to drive with your knees in your chin, put it behind the passenger seat :)
If you go to www.carseatdata.org you can see how car seats fit in your car. It's a database of car seat compatibility.

aprilshowers

04-15-2006, 10:09 AM

Does anyone know of a chain store (or store in the Boston area) where we can actually look at one of the higher end Graco Snugrides and the Britax Companion? Try Magic Beans in Coolidge Corner. Not sure if they carry those models but they have quite a selection so there's a good chance. They are sooo helpful and friendly! http://www.mbeans.com

dana b

04-16-2006, 10:18 AM

Try Magic Beans in Coolidge Corner. Not sure if they carry those models but they have quite a selection so there's a good chance. They are sooo helpful and friendly! http://www.mbeans.com

yes! that's the store i was thinking of, i knew it had a weird name.

Southlooper

04-16-2006, 10:41 AM

I know there was a thread on this sometime last year but I can't find it.

My friend gave me a Bravo Century LX convertable car seat. The manufacturing date was March 2002. There was a recall on this seat but it was from 2001. The seat was in my friend's mom's car, was only used twice, and was never in an accident.

The seat is not manufactured anymore. DH and I keep going back and forth whether or not to use the seat.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

magdesilver

04-16-2006, 11:27 AM

I'd call the manufacturer with all the pertinent info (manufacture date, model number) to make sure there are no recalls and find out when the seat will expire- usually 5-6 years from the date of manufacture. Since the seat was manufactured in 2002, it might be good for another year or possibly 2- but you need to call as each manufacturer has different expirations on their seats.
If you will only get a year out of it, I'd pass and get your own newer seat that will last you longer. Otherwise, if you feel comfortable using it and trust your friend that it was used minimally and never been in an accident, then go ahead.

Kanga

04-16-2006, 03:29 PM

I would. When we had our carseat installation checked professionally, they checked for recalls. I didn't know each manuf. had different expirations, the lady told us 5 years (for our snugride) and made it sound like it was 5 years for all of them.

Scooter

04-16-2006, 07:50 PM

Besides its accident record, any recalls, and expiration date, I'd be concerned about the overall safety of the seat model. Can you check some of the safety ratings for that car seat? Maybe see if consumer reports from 2002 rated it or not?

dionysia

04-17-2006, 10:51 AM

Thank you, Aprilshowers!!!

Di

KiKi'sMommy

05-01-2006, 10:03 PM

I have seen the advertisements for the safeguard seats. Does anyone own one and how do you feel about it?

emschwar

05-02-2006, 01:59 PM

I have seen the advertisements for the safeguard seats. Does anyone own one and how do you feel about it?
Try the baby bargains board - http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=13

sem426

05-03-2006, 11:32 AM

i have a question about the roundabout and marathon

...we are planning on getting a roundabout for DD which we'll probably start using in a few months when she outgrows her infant seat. how long (agewise) was your DC able to use the roundabout?
i'm trying to decide if it's worth it to get the marathon if we'll get a year or more out of it.

TIA!

emschwar

05-03-2006, 11:42 AM

sem426 - this is going to vary a lot on how big your baby is. If you're at the top percentiles for weight, your child may well outgrow the roundabout (40 lb limit) before they're ready for a booster. If they're in the lower percentages, this probably won't be a problem (though height could be a factor). If you get the marathon, you'll be able to use it for longer, certainly. It could be a year, it could be 3. There's 25 lbs difference in the maximum weight between the two. If keeping your child in a 5 point harness for as long as possible is important to you, get the marathon.

jenniferlynne

05-05-2006, 03:11 PM

Sem426: We have a Roundabout and have loved it BUT my son is very large for his age (38 lbs. at 24 months), I just had to buy another seat since the weight limit on the RA is 40 lbs. and DS is nowhere near ready for a booster. We didn't get the Marathon because we have a fairly small car and I was concerned about it fitting rear-facing. It probably would've been worth it to be a little cramped in the front seat for a few months. But, again, my son is not typical...

`````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````

I posted a few weeks ago about options for keeping kids harnessed beyond 40 lbs., and just wanted to update about that. I looked at all the options and ended up with the Sunshine Kids Radian car seat.

http://www.go-baby.com/Products/sunshinerad2.html

It can be used up to 65 lbs., it folds compactly for travel, and it can even be used rear-facing, which I didn't realize. Everything I read about it said that it was a great seat BUT that it was very difficult to install tightly in some cars. I went to a local store to see how it fit in my car and it was fine. The tech who installed it said that cars that have the seatbelts mounted next to the seat, not coming from the seat back (does that make sense?) are the ones it's difficult to install in. He installed it easily in a couple of minues, though it is definitely not as rock-solid as my Britax. With the tether, though, it doesn't move more than an inch side to side, which I understand is the limit. The tech told me that removing my car's headrest will allow it to be installed even more tightly, so I'll do that when we get it installed for real. The other car seat I was seriously considering was the Cosco / Safety First Apex, which the tech told me is just an "okay" seat when compared to the Radian.

Anyway, I thought someone facing this same decision might find this useful.

Discussions about the Radian:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=4954
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=13&topic_id=39136&mesg_id=39136&listing_type=search

emschwar

05-05-2006, 04:57 PM

Jennifer - Did you buy the radian online, or find it in-store somewhere? A friend of mine has to get a new carseat for her son (he's too tall for the one he has now, and it's a 3 point harness, and he can escape from it). She's contemplating the new Safeguard Go, but she'd really like something she can "try on" before buying.

Duh - just re-read your post and saw you found it in a store. Chain? Thanks!

Sarah

05-05-2006, 05:29 PM

Radian: Maximum height is 49 inches. Weight is up to 65 lbs. So the weight should cover us for awhile, but if my son continues to grow as he has (and he has not yet hit his 12 month growth spurt) he will outgrow that car seat within 6 months.

How tall is he now? My almost 4 year old is in the top percentiles for height, and she's not above 49 inches! He won't outgrow that for a while. Even with a growth spurt.

emschwar

05-07-2006, 09:51 AM

FYI - Britax Roundabout on sale at target for $185! (In stores only, not online.)

wildcat

05-07-2006, 10:13 AM

For the Roundabout - I checked this morning on Target online and it is only 1 type that is $185, the rest are still $220. There's also a 10% off coupon (code TCATUTAH) that ends up being $37 off (with S&H of $23, so still worth it). However, estimated ship date is 6/19, so it works for us since my DD doesn't need it for awhile yet. I think it's a print no longer offered, so I'm not sure if it's a 2005 model or something?

emschwar

05-07-2006, 11:29 AM

No way to tell, that I know of, wildcat. Do you have a target near you? If so, I'd just go get one in the store. That way you're guaranteed to get a recent model (it's printed on the box).

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 11:49 AM

wildcat- I would bet that it is a discontinued pattern from last year. Britax keeps very tight control over their prices- which is why they are pretty much exactly the same most places and you can't generally use online coupon codes for them. They usually only allow discounts on their older patterns.

wildcat

05-07-2006, 11:51 AM

So is the older pattern ok to buy?

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 01:40 PM

Yes, it is fine to buy. I was just at Target and saw it and was tempted but I already have a marathon and don't need another one. Check the manufacture date on the box. Britax's are good for 6 years from that date so if it was made in 05 you have until 2011 to use it. Your baby will definitely be out of the RA by then!

dragonfly_71

05-07-2006, 04:54 PM

I just ordered the Roundabout for $185 at Target. With the coupon that wildcat(thank you!) posted including shipping and tax my total order came to $188 and change. Not bad. I'm glad I looked on here because we almost bought a Roundabout at Sears last night for $209. With tax that one would have been about $223.
ETA my estimated shipping date is June 20th which is fine for us because we already have a Marathon and only wanted a second car seat for DH's car so we don't have to switch. Oh and I went through Upromise when I ordered it so I also get about $8 in college savings.

Sebski

05-07-2006, 05:21 PM

DH and I just got back from purchasing a Britax Marathon for DS at BRU. I'm really *not* in love w/ the print and thought that they would have more to choose from. I thought that Britax offered a cow print? BRU only had a black/silver one or a floral print. We obviously went w/ the black one. I still have a couple of weeks before we need to install it so I can exchange it if I can find a better print. Are there any online sites that I could shop on for it?

Also - BRU didn't have the Decathalon model... I just looked it up on Britax's website and am torn between that one and the Marathon. He's too big for the Roundabout. He's been consistently off the charts height/weight-wise. Which would you recommend? We have an 06 Pathfinder...

wildcat

05-07-2006, 06:10 PM

dragonfly - Doh, I forgot upromise and we ordered 2 of them!:(

I went to Target this afternoon (we did go ahead and order 2 online) and the manufacture date on the ones on the shelf was 1/06, yeah!

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 06:50 PM

Sebski,
I would recommend the Marathon or actually even better, the Boulevard. The Decathlon, from what I've read, has a very irritating adjuster for the straps and also has the insert pillow for newborns which you don't need. The Boulevard has true side impact protection which is a nice added feature, and it has an adjustment knob for the shoulder harness- no rethreading!!! and because of that, the shoulder harness is infinitely adjustable (no traditional slots) and so you can always get a perfect fit for your child no matter their height or outfit. I have and love my Marathon (all 3- decathlon, boulevard, and marathon) are on the same shell and go to the same 65 lbs. weight limit, but the boulevard is the only of the 3 with the features of the adjustable harness without rethreading, and the true side impact protection with wings. Especially if you seat your baby on the outboard position or have a car that performed poorly in side-impact crashes, it's a nice peace of mind to have and worth the extra money IMO. If you are between the decathlon and marathon, I'd go Marathon.

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 06:51 PM

Sebski,
I would recommend the Marathon or actually even better, the Boulevard. The Decathlon, from what I've read, has a very irritating adjuster for the straps and also has the insert pillow for newborns which you don't need. The Boulevard has true side impact protection which is a nice added feature, and it has an adjustment knob for the shoulder harness- no rethreading!!! and because of that, the shoulder harness is infinitely adjustable (no traditional slots) and so you can always get a perfect fit for your child no matter their height or outfit. I have and love my Marathon (all 3- decathlon, boulevard, and marathon are on the same shell and go to the same 65 lbs. weight limit), but the boulevard is the only of the 3 with the features of the adjustable harness without rethreading, and the true side impact protection with wings. Especially if you seat your baby on the outboard position or have a car that performed poorly in side-impact crashes, it's a nice peace of mind to have and worth the extra money IMO. If you are between the decathlon and marathon, I'd go Marathon.

Sebski

05-07-2006, 07:00 PM

Thanks for the info magdesilver. BRU had the Boulevard and we put DS into it (along w/ the Marathon) and I wasn't too sure how if he would like the 'wings' on the Blvd... he's very nosey and likes to look around and gets extremely frustrated easily in the car. That's why we nixed the Blvd as a choice.

Anyone have any input on the Onyx fabric? I'm not happy w/ it - doesn't seem very plush or comfy for the $...

UTChick

05-07-2006, 07:02 PM

Does anyone know if the Snugride in Blackwell has been discontinued? I had registered for it and now online my BRU registry is saying that it is not currently available. I didn't think to ask about it in the store when I was there today. Just wondering if anyone has heard.

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 07:07 PM

I haven't touched the onyx fabric, but personally I think the black might get a bit hot and at least for me, it would show all the lint and dog hair for us. Something nice and neutral would be the brownstone or if you want to be funky, the mosaic. In the Marathon, I love my luau but it might be too girly for you. So, for a boy in that I would go with allstar, cowmooflauge, or the granite.

UT Chick, are you sure that the one you scanned was the newer version with the new height and weight limits? I'm pretty sure there is a blackwell of the newer snugride but they might not have put it out on the floor yet? That's the only thing I can think of as to why it would show as being discontinued.

UTChick

05-07-2006, 07:23 PM

I thought it was the one I scanned, but who knows. I just went to the BRU website and did a search for Snugride and Blackwell was not listed as a color option. I need to go back in to the store in a couple of days anyway, so I can ask them then. Gosh, I hope that color isn't gone! That is the only one I really liked.

magdesilver

05-07-2006, 07:43 PM

I don't see it on the graco baby website. Hmm, maybe it is discontinued. Here are some that might be similar:
Lotus, Metropolitan, Gridlock, or Cinder (you can see them on the graco website). Sorry about that!

UTChick

05-07-2006, 07:52 PM

I will go check them out on the graco website. Thanks for the info!

Sebski

05-08-2006, 05:26 AM

UTChick I was just in BRU yesterday and they had the Graco Blackwell there and no sign of it being discontinued or on sale. I noticed it because it's the seat that SIL has.

I'm definitely returning the Marathon I purchased to BRU for the lack of pattern choices. Now I just need to decide between the Decathalon or the Marathon. I *love* the Cow print and have to find it! :)

magdesilver

05-08-2006, 07:01 AM

I got my Marathon at babyuniverse.com a few months ago. They had the best price at the time, I went through ebates for a few more % off as well, and I got mine in less than a week with no shipping or tax. I've since purchased a bunch of other stuff from them and always been pleased.

Sebski,
You might want to check the baby bargains carseat board for more info about decathlon vs. marathon. The majority over there seem to prefer the marathon between those two, particularly because the decathlon is difficult to adjust the harness, and for proper use you are supposed to loosen/tighten the harness EVERY time you put baby in the seat. I don't always do that, but most days I do- I loosen it when taking DD out of her seat and then re-tighten when putting her back in. That way you ensure the best tight fit!

Traciann

05-08-2006, 08:07 AM

sebski i have the cowmooflauge and I love it. Its incredible in person. I have the ashley floral and the cow and wished I would have ordered 2 of the cow!!! I ordered mine from www.babyage.com

sem426

05-08-2006, 10:14 AM

Of course i went to BRU this weekend and bought the Roundabout, to now come here and see that Target was having a sale!
I just went online and they are all $219, I guess the cheaper pattern is sold out.

I did have $15 in coupons, so I only paid $204 with no shipping, so I guess that's not too bad. Plus we had gift cards, so it wasn't like we were actually paying for it!

Sebski

05-08-2006, 01:37 PM

Okay we settled on the Decathalon. I took DS to Buy Buy Baby (local BRU type store) and tried him in the Decathalon... it's much more plush than the Marathon and he looked more comfy in it. I actually liked the button harnass thing vs. the release on the Marathon. They only had the Onyx and Tiffany prints so I was out of luck in purchasing it there. Salesperson there told me to checkout Babycenter.com because they're having a big sale... the Tribeca print is on sale there for $256.49 (regularly $284.95). Plus, the site is running a Mother's day sale all week long so you can get an extra 15% off purchases over $150 or more. So, I got another $38.47 off the seat... total price came to $218.02! Woo hoo! :)

Thanks for the help ladies!

jenniferlynne

05-10-2006, 08:29 AM

Em -- Unfortunately, the store where I bought the Radian is not a chain. After reading the reviews of the seat, I wouldn't buy it without testing it in my car first. I hope your friend can find it somewhere!

achickwwit

05-10-2006, 12:10 PM

emschwar

05-10-2006, 12:39 PM

Can someone help explain the biggest reason for the difference in carseat prices? The range I am finding is about $80-$300 at BRU, and I'm looking for something comfortable for Aidy but comfortable for our budget as well.
Features and comfort. Cheaper carseats are generally less comfortable, harder to install, and have less "features" (easy to adjust straps, etc). Cheaper carseats may be less safe as well, though it's important to note that ALL car seats sold in the US are safe. They've all had to pass safety standards. The higher priced ones just have higher standards, usually. More expensive car seats have more padding, straps that don't twist as easily, easier adjusting shoulder strap heights, etc. Again, those are just generalized statements; it'll vary from seat to seat.

emschwar

05-10-2006, 12:40 PM

Also, some of the higher priced seats have a higher weight limit, meaning that you'll use the car seat for longer.

magdesilver

05-10-2006, 01:32 PM

Yeah, take the Marathon, for example. Definitely not cheap at around $250 but if you think about it you will use it multiple times a day for up to 6 years. Besides safety (most important!), ease of use for the parent is key. You don't want a seat that is a pain in the rear to use properly. And proper use is so important to a seat's safety. One that is a pain to adjust, for example, could lead to it not being adjusted right. I really love our Britax Marathon, it is super comfy and roomy for DD, super easy for me to install and use properly, and will last her until at least 5 years old, probably longer. To me, that kind of longevity is worth the money, especially when I think of all the trinkets I spent $$ on that I barely used at all! If $$ is a real issue, I'd get a better seat in the car you use the most and then no seat or a cheaper seat in your secondary car. My DH has a 2 door coupe and we don't have a seat in there at all, we never use it as a family car.

babya

05-12-2006, 09:31 AM

Evenflo Titan 5 Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Triumph 5 Comfort Touch Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Triumph Premier Convertible Car Seat

Evenflo Triumph DLX Convertible Car Seat

Britax Decathlon Convertible Car Seat

Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat

Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat

Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat

Britax Wizard Convertible Car Seat

BTB

05-12-2006, 10:04 AM

We chose the Britax Boulevard. The never-thread harness is too awesome and the fact that it self-adjusts along a track means it's always exactly the right height for DD, and easy to switch between days she's wearing a coat and days she's not (great in the spring here in the Midwest). It fits well in our four-door sedan. FYI, the Britax Wizard was discontinued and would be hard to find in stores now, but the Boulevard replaced it and the new design of the head wings on the Boulevard is way better.

daisysue62

05-12-2006, 10:13 AM

We have the Britax Marathon and really like it. It's so plush feeling and the straps never twist up which is a HUGE plus!

pontmarie

05-12-2006, 10:26 AM

We have the Triumph, but not sure which model. I have never had any problems.

Ole Miss Bride

05-12-2006, 10:28 AM

We have the Marathon. Scott will be riding in it for the first time today, in fact!

-Betsy

Mickey&B

05-12-2006, 10:29 AM

We have the Britax Marathon and love it :)

EJH

05-12-2006, 10:36 AM

Marathon. Love love love it. There are no words. :) (from a mommy whose child despised her infant seat to the core of her being, having a seat that she rides in without complaint is a joy that knows no ends!)

malala

05-12-2006, 10:41 AM

Does anybody know what's the difference between the Marathon and the Decathlon?

LIZNKEITH

05-12-2006, 10:49 AM

We have the Blvd, the Triumph (not sure which one), and an Eddie Bauer. Of all three, the Blvd. is by far my favorite.
Does anybody know what's the difference between the Marathon and the Decathlon?
Not sure about all the difference, but I know that the Marathon has the impact bars and the Decathalon does not. I'm not sure why Britax removed them from the Decatholn, but all their other seats have them.

magdesilver

05-12-2006, 10:53 AM

I think the decathlon has an infant insert to make it more comfy for little babies. I have and love my Marathon, but I think if I were to go back I would have gotten the Boulevard instead. Same high weight limit, plus the side impact protection and the infinitely adjustable, never rethread adjustable shoulder harness straps! So I'd go for the Boulevard or Marathon if I were you :) .

BTB

05-12-2006, 10:55 AM

The biggest complaint (so I hear) that Britax gets about it's convertible line is that it's not newborn-friendly, necessitating (in parents' minds) purchasing an infant bucket and then the convertible seat later (which is considered safer anyway).

The Decathlon was Britax' answer to those complaints - it's supposed to have better newborn padding.

Britax basically makes two convertible seats - the Roundabout, and the Marathon, which is the base for their other higher-weight-limit convertible models.

ETA: x-posted with mag, but happy to see she's spreading the Boulevard love. It really is a great seat - but if you want to save some money, the Marathon is a nice pick too. :)

achickwwit

05-13-2006, 09:56 AM

We bought this one last night, but don't plan to take it out of the box and install it for a few days. Just wanted to get some last-minute feedback from anyone who already owns and uses it...or from anyone who considered buying it but didn't. My main concerns: It is easy to use? Are the seatbelt adjustments simple? Does it stay relatively clean? We played with it for a little while in the store, but could only gauge so much.

Also, is it just my imagination, or is this car seat wider than others?

Here's a link to it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009W85WO/qid%3D1147535680/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-5687413-1608757

And a photo...
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0009W85WO.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Kanga

05-13-2006, 10:58 AM

We have a similar one that we got from a friend. It's an older one than the one you posted, but pretty close. The straps are super easy to use because of the knobs on the side that tighten it.

mittyrd

05-13-2006, 01:18 PM

The Britax Wizard is on sale at Amazon.com today for $135. I understand it is a discontinued item but do you think there is any issue with them that I should not buy it? I need to buy 4 convertible car seats in the next 2 months or less (twins). I have the Roundabout for my 2 yr old and love it but can't afford to buy 4 but would like to stay with the Britax family if the Wizard is a good car seat. Anyone know why it was discontinued?

jbemommy

05-13-2006, 01:36 PM

We have an Evenflo Triumph and have been very happy with it. I think the straps are very easy to adjust--less so rear-facing, but front-facing is fine. I tried to use SIL's carseat (a cheapo brand) the other day and couldn't believe what a pain it was to adjust the straps. Made me thankful for ours.

Brady

05-13-2006, 02:15 PM

We also have an Evenflo Truimph (ours was bought in early 2005, I like this new model you have- it's really snazzy looking!). Anyways- yes, it has been a very easy to use car seat, I just moved the straps up to the second level a few months ago, that was also easy to manuever. It did require uninstalling it, but I would imagine most car seats would require that. But, basic strap tightening/loosening is very easy to work.

Depends on what you have back there, in terms of keeping it clean! My son had half a nutri-grain bar, and once a teething biscuit.. not so clean after that! :o But, before he was eating back there- yes, it was clean. ;)

pontmarie

05-13-2006, 02:23 PM

We have a Triumph but I think it's an older model as well. Very easy to use, never had any issues with it.

emschwar

05-13-2006, 02:41 PM

Mittyrd - I'd guess the only reason it was discontinued is because they came out with the boulevard and decathlon. The only reason I can think of not to buy it is that it might have been manufactured last year. If that's the case, the seat will need to be retired one year before a car seat that was manufactured this year. (Car seats expire 5 years after they're manufactured.) Other than that, it's a fantastic deal!

kindermom

05-13-2006, 03:23 PM

I think that is the seat we are going with this coming weekend. I am glad it is easy to use.

BooeyJ2

05-13-2006, 03:43 PM

My sister has the Triumph and it's huge (not just my opinion, but my other sister, BIL, DH, my nephew's grandma, etc). Even my sister calls it the "Barker lounger" LOL. They drive an Expedition so it doesn't look/feel TOO huge in their SUV, but if it was in any regular or mid size SUV it would take up a good amount of space. Our Roundabout is thinner and that still takes up a good amount of space in our car (Ford Freestyle). Other than the size my sister is happy with hers.

Sandie78

05-13-2006, 06:27 PM

....the seat will need to be retired one year before a car seat that was manufactured this year. (Car seats expire 5 years after they're manufactured.)

I really, really don't understand this. It's not like carseats spoil like milk. So why do they expire? Does it matter if the seat has been used? What if the seat meets all current safety standards? It's not like you're driving in your car one day with an ok seat and the next day it's bad. Help me understand because it just sounds like a marketing ploy to me.

emschwar

05-13-2006, 06:38 PM

I really, really don't understand this. It's not like carseats spoil like milk. So why do they expire? Does it matter if the seat has been used? What if the seat meets all current safety standards? It's not like you're driving in your car one day with an ok seat and the next day it's bad. Help me understand because it just sounds like a marketing ploy to me.
I found this info on the Baby Bargains board:

(From the Britax FAQ) Britax recommends that the use of a child restraint be discontinued if the restraint is older than six years of age or has been in a severe crash. After six years, technology has changed, components degrade from the environment (depending on how and where stored), parts get lost or installed incorrectly, or instructions and labels may not be available or not legible. The restraint may be unsafe and should be destroyed.

The seats expire because after a period of time the integrity of the plastic begins to break down, therefor making it more susceptible to failure in a crash. I think that the plastic becomes less pliable and instead of absorbing the impact it could just snap or break.

So in essence, yeah, they do spoil like milk. It's not as dramatic, nor as outwardly visable, but there is a point of time after which the seat is no longer safe to use. It might not be exactly at 6 years, but wouldn't you rather just replace it than find out that it's no longer safe in the middle of an accident?

Sandie78

05-13-2006, 06:52 PM

emschwar

05-13-2006, 07:01 PM

I guess.... But aren't we worried about plastic filling landfills because it doesn't degrade? Anyway, of course I want my son to be safe and right now he has a new seat so I guess I'll worry about it in 5.5 years. Anyway continue with the discussion. :)

PS I think you gals post some great info on this thread and throughout CC.
Well, it may not totally degrade, but that doesn't mean it doesn't break down at some point. Someone on BBB said it well - go compare an old plastic cup to a newer one (not disposable plastic cups, but reusable plastic glasses). The old one is full of tiny cracks and scratches. The same thing happens to the car seat over time. They said it doesn't matter how it's stored, either. A 6 year old britax NIB still isn't safe to use.

I'm actually glad you asked the question. I didn't know the answer, so I looked it up. I'd been wondering myself why they expired, but never thought to look up the answer ;)

Sebski

05-14-2006, 01:25 PM

Does anybody know what's the difference between the Marathon and the Decathlon?

The Decathalon has extra cushion inserts, a push-button harnass adjustor and also an adjustable crotch-belt doohicky. We were torn between the Marathon and Decathalon (check a couple pages back) and decided to go w/ the Decathalon. I took DS to 2 diff stores and sat him in both a bunch of times. The Decathalon is much cozier for him... we got it from Babycenter.com in the Tribeca print. It's so plush! He *loves* it. Used the SCREAM in his bucket seat but falls asleep w/in minutes after being put in the Decathalon. My main reason for going w/ it was the push-button and the extra padding. I don't think that the push-button got rave reviews, but I really like it and find it so easy to use.

Edited to add that we have the Evenflo Triumph in DH's car and while it's an okay seat, it's not nearly as nice, comfy or easy to adjust as the Britax.

HTH answer your question! :)

Kelly's Girl

05-15-2006, 10:52 AM

emschwar

05-15-2006, 11:16 AM

What do you do about sunshades on the "big kid" car seats? I just ordered a Britax Blvd., and also got DS a Walmart one (can't remember the name, Triumph something) for a second/travel seat. I noticed it doesn't have a sunshade that I used often in the bucket. Do they not need one since they've moved up b/c they are sitting a bit more upright?
You can buy some clip on shades, though whether or not they'll fit on your car seat, or if you're comfortable using them, is another matter. We put the suction cup shades you can buy at walmart or target on the windows and on the back winshield (there's a special more see-through one you can get for that). It helped some, though not immensely. Things got a lot better when we got our minivan with tinted windows.

JRPAGV

05-17-2006, 09:14 AM

Bump

alienhost

05-17-2006, 09:36 AM

we have the roundabout, mainly b/c DD is so small (at 1 year she is still only 17 lbs) so I don't think we run a risk of outgrowing the weight limit. Plus I got an awsome deal on it ($160 shipped I think) so it seemed worth it.

Although DD needs to be rear facing for awhile still, I'm a little worried about her length since she is 28.5 inches, not sure what the limit for length is REAR FACING, anyone know?

Marisa

05-17-2006, 09:39 AM

alienhost

05-17-2006, 09:41 AM

As far as I know there is no height limit for rear facing, as long as the child fits into the seat as required in the manufacturer's instructions. Typically they look for her shoulders to be at or just under the straps -- if her shoulders are above the top slats for the straps, then she would need a larger seat. I know of no restrictions as far as the legs.

Thanks Marisa! She's still on the bottom or middle set of slats right now but soon I think her legs will be uncomfortable since she is already touching the seat w/ her feet. That reminds me, I need to check the position of the straps..,

Marisa

05-17-2006, 09:50 AM

I've actually seen pictures of older toddlers or preschoolers rear-facing -- it really is the safest way, so some parents decide to leave their children RF for years -- and those with longer legs seem to sit 'pretzel-style' if they have to. But I can't imagine your DD is there yet, my son was over 30" when we finally turned his Roundabout, at 21 months, and his legs were still able to fit comfortably.

Traciann

05-17-2006, 10:36 AM

We went with the marathon, because we felt that DD would be able to use it longer than the roundabout as far as weight/height limits are concerened. My friend with 3 year old twins had bought 40lb convertables had to buy new 5 point harness boosters because they were just not ready to use the boosters that use the seatbelts. So she ended up spending as much money as I did with the 2 seats. So that was my reasonings between the 2 seats. We have a honda civic and saturn SL2 and the marathon fits in both.

Club924

05-17-2006, 10:40 AM

Although DD needs to be rear facing for awhile still, I'm a little worried about her length since she is 28.5 inches, not sure what the limit for length is REAR FACING, anyone know?

alienhost, i think marisa is correct that there is no height limit for rear facing, but to follow the manufacturer's instruction. i found this quote from Car-Safety.Org (http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html)

"When used properly, rear-facing carseats provide significant safety advantages in frontal, frontal offset and side impacts. These types of crashes are far more frequent and severe than rear-end crashes. For these reasons, rear-facing is the safest mode of travel, especially for infants. In the USA, this recommendation is valid through the 30, 33 or 35 pound maximum rear-facing weight limit of newer convertible carseats, or until the child outgrows their convertible carseat by height. The height limit of a rear-facing carseat may be listed in the owner's manual. A child is also considered too tall for a rear-facing seat if the top of their head is at the level of the top of the carseat shell. It is NOT considered a safety issue if a child's legs are bent at the knees in a rear-facing carseat, or if their feet can touch the vehicle's seat back. At a very minimum, children should remain rear-facing until AT LEAST one year of age AND 20 pounds in weight. In countries like Sweden, children are often kept rear-facing much longer, even to 3 or 4 years old. Auto related injury and death rates for rear-facing children in Sweden are near zero because of this."

my 14 month old DD is still in her infant seat b/c she's such a peanut (18 lbs, 28 inches), but we'll be moving her into a convertible seat soon.