Car Seat Advice Needed

Hi A.,

My advice would be the Britax brand...they are really expensive, but very worth it, afterall, it's protecting your baby!...If price is an issue, and for most of us it is, check out consumer reports to see what is the safest in your price range.

J.

Eddie Bauer and the Alpha Omega are the same seat - made by the same company (different cover/color)
Awesome seat - used it for my son - all the way through a booster seat!
Baby Depot usually has a better price than Babie's R Us!

I have the Alpha Omega Elite, and it's a great seat. The buckle is a little annoying but the seat is REALLY safe. I've heard nothing but good things about which is why I got it. The buckle wasn't really annoying for me, more so for my father when he helps me to my car when I pick my daughter up from my parents (I'm 9 months pregnant!) He's left handed so it seems weird for him. Happy seat hunting!

Hello. We are in same boat. Looking for combo seat. I did analysis on Graco site and stated to use a combination seat that can be rear facing until weight goes up and then over 30 lbs go forward facing. See link. http://www.gracobaby.com/productguide/car_seat_selector.aspx
Just put in age, weight and height. Then click on models and they suggest forward or rear facing depending on size of your child.
Hope this helps!

We have both the Alpha Omega (hubby's truck) and the Eddie Bauer(my jeep liberty). They are both 3-in-1 and really, there is very little difference. My hubby thinks they are really the same brand. I am happy with them both and don't know which I would recomend over the other as they are so similar. The Alpha Omega was almost $100 dollars cheaper (at WalMart) so that is probably the one I would buy again when I need one for baby #2. My son was in them (rear facing) at 4 months as I was not a fan of the infant carrier (shoulder problem). I found the 3-in-1's are much more solid installed than the infant carrier and I wore my baby in slings and carriers so the 3-in-1 is a great fit for us.

Greetings! My friend and I did tons of reviews and a bit of research, we're big safety freaks. The Britax Decathalon (or Marathon) was our choice. They are rated the #1 Safety wise. They use the same protective foam used in crash helmets. Yes, a crash is a crash, but the foam absorbs more of the impact so there is less chance of traumatic injury to the head/spine.

If I remember right the Decathalon is slightly better suited to little guys, because they provide and extra head cushion to help cradle them until the babies get big enough, I've had both, I preferred the Marathon a bit more, but then he was on the bigger side. Other than the cushion the only real difference was the way it adjusts the straps, the decathalon had this button that I thought was great..but not so much, it was harder to work with.

From a practical viewpoint, they go up to 33 or 40 lbs rear facing (the absolute safest position for them as long as possible) then to 65 lbs forward facing. so unless there are other reasons that outway..it's good to keep them rear facing, it's a personal choice I guess. I did turn my son pretty close to 20lb mark, but mostly due to his size(length) and he was not so comfortable anymore.

My second choice would have been the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1.. it goes to 105 pounds and has a little drink cup which would come in handy about now,, but I couldn't do it, though if i remember right Bauer safety was okay too, the Britax was still safer, the crash foam wins.

Good Luck, I hope I helped.

That's the one we have. My son was 2 in March and he weighed in at 21 pounds in Jan. He's a tiny one. We like the seat. We haven't had any problems with it.

Hi A.~I have the Eddie Bauer and I like it, it's in my husbands truck. I also have the Britax Marathon (bought on-line, on sale, just google Britax and check $$ - I paid $219 compared to $269) and I just love it. My son is 3 and has been in it since he was 1. My 7 1/2 month old daughter is now in one (rear facing) and it is great. My son says it's comfortable, and I feel it's very sturdy and safe.
It's such a hard decision to make, I hope this helps!

I have both these car seats and both are great i would recommend either one of them. they are excatly the same except for the name. good luck

I have the Alpha Omega Elite and I like it a lot. The fabric that I have is dark gray/black mesh like...doesn't seem stuffy at all. It is also really easy to move the shoulder restraints up to the next level...just two red levers to pull up...you can even do it when your child is in the seat....no rethreading needed. My sister had the Eddie Baurer (older model) and she preferred my seat over hers and went to buy it. It is on the bulkier side but we were able to fit that seat, my daughter's Combi high back booster (another bulky one), and my mother (not very comfortably) in the back of our SUV. Hope this helps.

I have the Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 and really like it. It is in my husband's car (an Xterra) and works well. I would recommend it.

I have the Britax & I am very happy with it. It has the 5 point harness like the infant seat & the seats are very cushiony - I found alot of the forward facing seats seemed hard to me.

Go with a Britax seat. They are a little higher in price but worth the money. We received the Marathon and it is great! No matter what seat you get, be sure to get one that goes to the highest weight limit so you can stretch your dollars.

I have the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 and I have to be honest, I'm not that happy with it. We've already had the co. replace it once. What happens is when my son is sitting in the seat, I struggle with tightening the harness belt. Otherwise, it seems safe. I read alot about seats before I graduated to this one and it was an unfortunate disappointment.

Both of my girls are older now, but we used the Britax car seat (i.e., the Roundabout)and then trasitioned to a Britax booster. I found the Britax seats to be of the highest quality, found the installation easy and very secure. This is what I'd recommend, espcially if your son is on the small side. They are defintely more expensive but I think the quality is worth it. Here's a link to the Britax web site: http://www.britaxusa.com/products/Default.aspx

Good luck!

They are actually the EXACT same car seat. The only difference is that Eddie Bauer makes the seat cover for the eddie bauer 3-1. My husband and I have the Eddie Bauer seat and love it. We actually just purchased a second one for his car as well. My son is very comfortable in it and we won't have to buy another seat for him. Which is the main reason we got this one. He is still rear facing, won't be one until the end of May, and it'll be nice when we get to turn it around. Good luck. We have no complaints. Keep in mind the Alpha is cheaper and since it's the same seat, it'll be more about which one looks nicer to you.

I would recommend the Britax Marathon. We have two boys and when I was pregnant with my first, we got the Britax for my car and the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 for my husbands car since he would rarely be driving him around. We are not that crazy about the Eddie Bauer and the Britax seems much more comfortable. The Eddie Bauer also faded because my husband's car is always parked in the sun. I know it is more expensive, but the Britax can hold up to about 60 pounds. Back when we first got the Britax it was rated #1 by consumer reports. By the way, it is not worth going the cheaper route and getting the Britax roundabout (my sister has it) because in the long run it is much smaller. WIth my second son, we bought another Britax Marathon. I don't know much about the Alpha Omega.

We bought the Alpha Omega when our oldest son (now 2 1/2) outgrew his infant carrier seat. I did a lot of research and wanted something that would last. The Alpha Omega was the best for our price range. We used the Alpha Omega rear facing until he was 1 year, then used it forward-facing until this past December. He did get sick in it once, and I found it not terrible to clean. We still have the Alpha Omega. It's being used rear-facing again for baby #2. The boys traveled well in it on long and short trips. It's padded well, and seems comfortable.

Good luck in your search!

We just installed the Alpha Omega Elite in our car yesterday for our son. From what I know it was easy for the guys to install and it looks nice! Thats all I know so far!

Hi. I had the Alpha Omega for my oldest son which came highly recommended from my sister-in-law who used them for her three sons. I loved it! I did buy the Britax for my younger son, only because he is a bigger boy and I wanted a car seat that would fit him as he grew. But the Alpha Omega was great!!!

WHen I bought my convertible seat (6 years ago) those were actually the same seat - the Eddie Bauer just costing more for the name. I purchased the regular Alpha Omega and still have it (I know you are supposed to change after 5 years, but my liitle one will be out of it in a month or so and into a regular booster and we just use it as a back up in my husband's car - who hardly ever has them in the car). Anyway, it has been a great seat, both my kids found it comfortable and really liked it. I would definitely recommend it.

Some of the Eddie Bauer seats are made of leather. That doesnt seem very breathable to me. And I always pictured them to be sticky in the summer. I have a friend who has one and she commented that the seat cover doesnt come off to wash.
I dont know anything about the Omega.
I have two different Britax car seats and I love them both. If I had to buy another seat it would be Britax hands down. They are the safest, super easy to get in and out of the car, and the cover comes off to throw in the washer.
They are expensive, but they go up to 65 lbs. We have had my sons for 3 years. And after a trip to the washing machine, it still looks brand new.
And you cant really put a price on safety.
Good Luck on your decision!

Hi A.,

Eddie Bauer seats do not have high safety records from what I remember when I was doing car seat research. I do recall the Alpha seat and that did well in crash tests. However the Britax line came in #1 on the charts. The Britax Roundabout seat which is the smaller of all of them was on the top. I have a SUV and we have the Britax Marathon. It is a big seat and I now wish I would have gotten the Roundabout model instead. You can research seats on Consumer guides.

Good Luck!

We got the Alpha-Omega for my son when he was able to face forward, LOVE IT!! Easy to get him in and out. We use the LATCH system, so it is fairly easy to get the seat in and out. We liked it so much, we just bought one for my Daughter too! She isn't big enough to face forward yet, so we have it rear-facing. Because of the way my seats are, we have to put some pool noodles under it so that it is at the correct angle (this was done by a carseat safety professional).

I would highly recommend it! It will save you money too...the covers come off so you can wash them and you can use it as a booster seat once your child is the correct height/weight/age, so you won't have to buy another one!

Hi A.

Just my two cents---the best purchase I made with my second child was the Britax car seat. It was an extremely comfortable seat for him and came with little things that you don't really notice until you have them like the little velcro strips to keep the straps on the sides when your child gets in and the rubber pieces that keep the straps from twisting. It might be a little pricey but definately worth every cent. I had a car seat similar to the Alpha Omega for my first child and I think the Britax far outperforms it. Hope that helps a little!

K.

All my Eddie Bauer products I have for my son I am VERY unhappy with it. I have both of those car seats and I NEVER use the Eddie Bauer seat. I love the Alpha one so much better.

Hi- sorry I am a little slow to respond, life is busy with 3 boys, 6, 2 and 10 months. Just wanted to let you know I have used the Alpha omega with all 3. I have bought 3 in the past 6 years, and I guess that is a testament to how much I like them. I think that it is a great buy for the price ( just bought last one in BJ"S for $89 I think) being that it can be used as infant, toddler and then booster seat. The one thing I have found (which is not really a problem because the base comes off easy enough and it shows you how in the manual) is that with my past car and now current minivan they did not fit the seat well with base on, once removed no problem. The manual actually says that some seats are too narrow for the base and apparently it is true!! It does fit fine in my husbands car with the base on (SUV), so choice is yours but my vote goes to Alpha Omega. Good luck!!

I have the Alpha Omega and love it. I would not buy anything else. Besides it is a booster too so you woun't need to purcase another!

Hi A.:

We have the Omega for our one year-old and we love it! We highly recommend it. Lots of room and very easy to use. Looks comfy, too.

We have the Alpha Omega and we love it!! It is easy to adjust the height when you need to and also the straps. This is our 3rd Omega, each one of our kids had one as their second seat. Good Luck!!!

I have the Alpha Omega and i love it. My daughter is on the smaller side as well. She is almost 18 months now and she is very comfortable in it. Look at the boxes the eddie bauer may have height restrictions and if your little one is smaller the alpha omega may be the better choice. Good luck car seat shopping.
Sherri

i see u got a lot of answers so i'll keep mine short...i love love love love love my alpha omega...so much so that my bil ditched his britax to get one and my in laws got one for the grandkids in their car....i have a small car and it fits great....no worries...big or small car! also big or small kid you're all good...my little guy was 8lbs 2oz @ birth and hasn't stopped growing since....he is very comfy and he;s now 2!

good luck to ya!

I have both a Eddie Bower seat that is a car seat and booster and I also have the Alpha Omega. I love them both. They are compurable to each other. The only difference is I think the Eddie Bower goes up to 100lbs where the Alpha only goes up to 80lbs. Also the Alpha is very difficult to wash because you have to take the seat totally apart to get the cushions off. The Eddie Bower is easier in that aspect. But as I said, I love them both.

I have both car seats and i am happy with them both. I drive an SUV and fit the 2 seats and my child not in a car seat and it is tight but we can do it! One suggestion though, make sure the latch on the Eddie Buaer one is easy to do. If it truly is the same one as i have (and I think it is) then I will mention that I am the only one in my family that knows how to latch it with ease. It is like a puzzle!
Also, don't get rid of the cup holder that comes with the car seats. I duidn't think my son would use it and put it away somewhere and how I wish I had it when he is yelling from the back for me to take his juice cup!

I have the Omega!! My son loves it it has a 5 point harness and is very roomy! Fits Great in MY JEEP AND mY HUSBANDS TRUCK!! I too looked into the Britax but when I went to toysrus to buy it they didn't carry it in stock and Dad was buying so we looked at them all and put our son in the modles at the store and the Omega Won!! Also it is extremely easy to install. forward or backward facing!! We bought ours when our son was 11 monthes. Good luck! The only difference I could see with the Eddie was that it had nicer material and a name stamped on it! Either one I am sure is great so you decide and be confident in your desicion!

ok, I have 2 alpha omega allets, and 2 allpha omegas I also have a Apex 65 which I love and yes I only have 2 kids but 2 cars. I have the opposite problem you do My kids are very tall, the 95 percentile, they were out of the infent carrier by 5 months.

Since you do not need the infant part of the seat just the toddler part and booster here are a couple of things to look for. You need a 5 point harness that has a weight limit that can hold as much as you can. The child is at it's safest in a 5 point harness. The car seats advertise up to 100 lbs but that is the seat not the harness. The harness is what needs to hold the child to 65/80 lbs

Check out the following website.

http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/IWCatProductPage.pro...

The Briax is a much more expensive version but that is what you need to find. Any questions email me.

Hi A.,

One thing I would highly recommend doing is making sure whatever car seat you buy can be taken apart easily for cleaning. I bought an evenflo convertible carseat with our fist son and liked it very much until he got sick in it. It was a pain to take the cover off and clean. Putting it back on proved to be a challenge as well. When our second son was born our fist wasn't out of his seat yet so we decided to spring for the Britax Marathon for the new baby. What a big difference! This seat can litteraly be taken apart or put back together in a matter of minutes. Which comes in really handy in moments of chaos. Not that children get sick or have "accidents" often but the do happen. The Britax can also be used in an airplane - most cannot. Saftey on all of the seats is pretty much the same as long as you are purchasing an new seat and not using a used one. Hope this helps.

My daughter is 12 months and almost 18 pounds and we have both the infant carrier and the Alpha, we were looking forward to turning the Alpha around, but guess we'll have to wait a couple more months. Anywho, we love the Alpha Omega, great price at BJs.

Hi A.,

My son has been in the Omega since he was about 10 1/2 months old & we love it. We read up on a lot of the car seats and we were happy with what we read. We have an a car & SUV & it fits & works well in both.

Good luck

I have a petite little girl and now, at 18 months, she is finally just reaching about 20-21 pounds. I have had her in a front facing car seat since around 9-10 months (she was crunched in the rear facing and would scream because she was too tall and very uncomfortbale in it). Although, she still hates the car seat because of that, she's been getting better as each month goes by. I'm not sure the brand name of my car seat, I got it at BJ's Wholesale for under $100.00, 3-in-1. It's a great car seat, has many safety features and my SUV has all the hooks for those safety features. The only complaint I have is 1. It's difficult to clean and take apart. and 2. I have no idea where the straps are supposed to be on her, so if you know or find out, please let me know. I heard above her shoulders, but I am not 100% positive. Personally, I think you're wasting money on Eddie Bauer. I think you're just paying for the name, but that's my opinion. If you like it and it makes you feel safer with your child in it, then go for it! Good Luck with your little man!

Try it in the store. My daughter hated it. We ended up getting the evenflow titan. She loves it and so do we. Super easy to use and just as safe as the eddie bauer. Just make sure to test many out and see what the child likes.

We use teh Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 and love it. It is a bit larger than other seats, but I like the idea of it going all the way to a booster. When our son was first in it, he had to face backwards still. When tilted at the proper angle, it took up a lot of space and the front passenger wasn't left with much leg room. However, the car seat itself is great - easy to use and easy to take in and out. I would definitely recommend it!

After trying a couple of carseats I purchased the Saftey First Alpha Omega Elite and I love it! My daughter is only 10 months and so she is still rear facing, but this is the first seat that she actually seams comfortable in. I love that you never need to re-thread the straps to adjust them and that it can be reclined even when forward facing so that they sleep better...especially good for long car trips! I did my research throughly and it is one of the safest car seats ( Ranking with the Britax roundabout and the Graco comfort sport) and it was the easiest for us to install. It will be the last car seat we buy too because it converts to a 100lbs booster.
I bought it here www.albeebaby.com for $80, half the price of the other stores because they were discontinuing the fabric. It shipped really fast and customer service was excellent too.

SO to recap, we LOVE the ALPHA OMEGA ELITE and definetly recommend looking at WWW.ALBEEBABY.COM to compare prices.

We have 2 and LOVE it. My daughter is almost a year old and not yet 20 lbs, but very tall (100th percentile), so I had to put her in her "big girl" car seat, when she was 9 months old. I tried to keep her in the carrier for as long as possible (as it was sooo easy), but she was outgrowing it due to her height. I've had her in the rear facing position for the last 2-1/2 months and will soon move it to the front facing. In fact, I was speaking with a coworker who bought one and loved it so much, got a 2nd for his 2nd car. Also, the base comes off, so if your back seat is narrow, it will still fit, and you can use it without the base if you want to travel and bring it on an airplane with you.

Just 2 pieces of advice 1) put the buckle in the farthest position away from your son (it has 3 position slots and I didn't realize mine was in the closest position to her till it was installed), but luckily she's so thin, it's OK. But when I move her to forward facing, I'll move it farther, to allow for more room (better to have the room and tighten the straps) and 2) buy it in BJ's or Costco. I got my first one as a baby shower gift from Buy Buy Baby (costing $180) and we got our 2nd one from BJs (as did my coworker) because it's only $99.99 and the EXACT SAME SEAT!

I would say go with a britax marathon and leave him rear facing until 33lbs. He's much more safe rear facing. His legs might be bunched up by the end, but I always looked at it as a couple of broken legs sure beat a broken neck, or death in a crash. The US has very low safety standards for children compared to other countries, for instance, European countries...

Good luck mama!

Kate