Carseats - Colorado Springs, CO

Hi A.,
I don't have those models, but I have a Britax that I LOVE! Actually, I have 2 of them! I got one for my oldest son when he turned 1 year, then got a second when I had my second. We got the first one 4 years ago. I have another brand that we use in one vehicle so we don't have to move seats, and there is no comparison! We don't have a lot of money, but priority is on safety. The extra $100 or so that I paid for the Britax has been worth it, especially considering the years of use and being able to make a comfortable seat for my toddler when we travel on the plane or long trips. Britax is one of only a few brands that you can use on the airplane. My model has side impact protection and a thing that keeps their heads from falling over when they sleep. They always sleep in the car! Go for the Britax. You won't regret it!
-M.
PS After writing this I saw the comment about the Radian that is also airline approved. I just saw it in my One Step Ahead catalog. Definitely worth checking out.

I have the Britax Marathon and I love it. It will fit my son until he is 100 pounds, which is great because I feel better having him in at 5 point harness as long as possible. It's easy to adjust the straps and easy to get in and out of the car when I have to put it in another car. It was expensive, but worth every penny.

I have the Britax Roundabout and absolutely love it! My 2.5 yr old daughter loves it too and always has. I now wish I would have gotten the Marathon because of the higher weight limit. Already she's approaching the 40lb mark and is about 39" tall so we'll have to get her a new seat soon but I still think she's too young for a booster. I still want a 5 pt harness but there aren't a whole bunch of seats on the market that have a 5 pt harness for over 40 lbs. The Marathon goes up to like 60 or 65 but as you said it's kinda pricey, however the Britax car seats have been rated as one of the safest seats on the market. So I think the price is totally worth it. But if I could go back in time, I think I'd get the Marathon. Check out babyuniverse.com and some of the other online retailers because a lot of times they have sales on Britax and free shipping. There are many sites that don't need to charge tax either. Hope my two cents helps.

We have car seats for our 2 girls that are from Sunshine Kids. It is a Radian car seat that is made of steel instead of heavy plastic. They are expensive (around $200) but go up to 80 pounds and are 5 point harness so they are extremely safe and will be the last car seat that we have to buy. We travel alot and find that these are great for airlines and the seat folds up for easy storage (less chance of damage) when you have to check it. I have a friend who has the Britax. She really likes it but after seeing ours wishes she had gone with it. The girls are very comfortable in the seats as well. Hope this helps.

We have Gracos new car seat, and I can't remember what it's called but it's gray with flowers on it (it starts with an A though) and we like it. We also have an older Even Flo Triumph. We really like that one too, but the news ones are horrible. Their straps are easily adjustable, but when your child is over, if they lean forward, the straps fall down in the back...it doen't lock. You'll understand once you look at them.

As far as Britax, I know you can't go wrong there...they are great car seats.

Good luck in your shopping!

I have a Britax Decathlon that I love. It's easy to install, easy to strip & wash. I'm glad we went for the extra $75 or $100 to get the best what with all the recalls.

We chose the Britax Wizard due to the company's outstanding reviews and the fact that it could go from infant to 65lbs. Considering that it's safest to keep a child in a carseat for as long as possible, we wanted to avoid having to buy two or three different seats. We've been very happy with it. Britax has many models, but this one has a an extra piece that helps keep the head stable in the event of an accident.

I have had 3 different Britax and I LOVE them all, they are worth the little extra money, they are great quality and very comfortable for the kids. I would say get the one with SIP..... I think there is even one that is the Roundabout platform with side impact protection. I have the one that is the Marathon platform, with SIP, I think its called the Boulevard... but I always get the names confused.... I love it, but I also used to have a roundabout and I liked that it was just a little bit smaller my son still used it until he was ready for his Britax Booster. It is worth the money, you will be very happy you bought Britax.... also scour the web, you might be able to find a deal somewhere.

We just purchased a Britax Boulevard for our 6 month old and he LOVES it!! He's still rear facing in it, but he's 29 inches tall so he outgrew the infant seat way too quickly! This is so much more comfortable and "plush". We love the Boulevard for the head and neck support in the case of a side impact crash. And if you pick it up you can feel how sturdy and well built it is compared to other models. It does cost more than others but it's so worth it! You can't beat the #1 rated seat by Consumer Reports. Plus, it's made in Europe and the European Safety Standards are way more strict than in the U.S.

We have a Britax Marathon and a Roundabout and have been extremely happy with both. I know when we purchased them Britax was number one on the safety report for car seats, and of course, safety is very important. They are also easy to get kids into and out of, have adjustable straps, and can be used for many years, so are worth the investment. We have had the Roundabout for almost 4 years, and got the Marathon about a year and a half ago. We have used them daily since purchased and have had no problems with them, have flown with them, and have taken them on the train as well as a variety of automobiles. They are pretty easy to install and uninstall. I highly recomment them! Good luck with your search.

we have the britax roundabout in both our cars and we love them. our 13 month old has not complained once...

I got the Britax Roundaabout (I think it goes up to 40 lbs) and love it! I researched forward-facing carseats on Consumer Reports and pother safety sites and it was rated the highest in all categories. If there's one thing not to skimp on, it's carseats!

I bought the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible Car Seat. It is made by Britax and is modeled after the Marathon. It goes up to 55 lbs. and not to exceed 49 in in height. I have no complaints with this car seat. The only really difference is it only come in 2 colors and the cover isn't as soft as some of the other Britax. Albee Baby on line has them for $129.00. Just check the manufactured date. Sometimes if you find a good deal on a car seat it may be new but, already a year or 2 old. I read that car seat should only be used 4-5 years after they were made. I did buy mine at Albee Baby last year and it was manufactured about 5 months before I bought it and I have had no problems with it. Good Luck!!

Hi A.!

I have two Britax seats. We have a Decathlon and a Boulevard. Personally, I love the Boulevard. It has the head support that the Marathon and the Decathlon don't have. My daughter tends to fall asleep in the car, and I feel with the added head support the Boulevard was better. Try Ebay for a lesser price. There are some great vendors that sell them brand new for less money and free shipping sometimes.

However, now that my daughter is 3 I felt she needed more of a booster seat, but I didn't want to give up a 5-point harness. I found a Recaro carseat. We bought the Young Sport. I am so impressed with the safety, side impact rating, and overall quality of the seat. The only down side, is that it's a little heavy. It's not the best for traveling with.

http://www.recaro.com/index.php?id=1531&region=3&L=2

Good luck with whatever carseat you choose! Also...don't forget that the wonderful men and women of the fire department will inspect and install your carseat for free! :)

Take care,

D.

You know, most carseats (Eddie Bauer, Graco, and others) are actually made by 'Cosco' and brand names are put on them. You can get the Cosco brand at Babies R Us for a fraction of the price... same make & model... same quality.

We have a Britax Marathon and an Evenflo (don't remember the model but it's supposed to be one of the top ones) for our 2 and 3 yo sons. I definitely love the Marathon.
It's tested at higher European standards and can be used up to 60 pounds. It's also soooooo user friendly, so much more than the Evenflo. I would love to upgrade our Evenflo to a Britax very much.

A.,
We bought the Britax Boulevard online from Ebay. It was brand new, but we paid about $280 instead of the $330 it retails for. I think it is a very nice and safe carseat, but it is a little hard to use. I would suggest going to Babies R Us and trying it out before you buy it. Good Luck!

Hi A.
We have a Britax Boulevard. I have nothing but great things to say about it. It is worth the money in my opinion. We looked at less expensive models but none seemed as solid. I honestly feel like my daughter is as safe as she can be in the car. If you have those hooks in your car for carseats, it's easy to install correctly. Good luck on your search!

When I moved my son to a forward facing I researched it out on the Target and Walmart websites. They have a place that you can rate the car seats and lots of other moms have rated the seats and have given their opinions about each seat, I found that to be the most helpful. I ended up getting a Graco and have been happy with it, it is a little hard to tighten the straps, you have to pull hard to make sure they are tight enough, but other than that is has been a good seat for us.

We have the marathon and it is very durable and sits a little higher so they can see well out the window etc. What we didn't take into consideration is even though it will last until they are 5, by 4ish they want to be in a "booster" or a "big girl" car seat. But it has lasted great for our 2nd child too.

I don't know and haven't heard about any specific ones that are good, but my daughter's pediatrician said that they shouldn't face forward until they weigh 20 lbs. AND are 1 year old.

we have a britax and at the time i bought it, it was the safest carseat under $300. we also have a graco as a spare and the britax is definately easier to install correctly. given how long the child will be in it and that it is a safety issue the britax is well worth the money. think of it this way - you will probably use the carseat for at least 2 years, is $12 per month too much?

I have heard that the Britex are the best as far as comfort and safety, but the price can be an issue. I absolutely love my Eddie Bauer by Cosco. It is great b/c once they outgrow it as a toddler, the base can be removed and it converts to a booster seat thus saving you having to buy a booster seat once they hit 40 lbs.! My daughter loves hers and she tells me it's comfortable. Good luck.

I have a Britax and love it. It is the best carseat that I ever bought. I think that it is worth the money. Actually it is made for birth on up so it is the only carseat that you ever have to buy instead of every couple of years upgrading. The comfort that it gives my son is wonderful.

Hello

We have 2 - Safety 1st Summit Deluxe High Back Booster Car Seats. We have had the first seat for almost 4 years now and love it. My 4 yr old and 2 yr old both use these seats. My son who's 2 has been using this seat since he outgrew his infant seat at 9mo. The seat is easy to take apart and clean. An excellent seat that lasts all the way to a booster seat. I paid $89 for both or ours.

Hope this helps.

More info on the seat:
http://www.babyage.com/products/22-565wal_safety_1st_safe...

My Daughter has the Britax Marathon seat and I am VERY happy with it. I like b/c it has the latch belts and it can support more weight so you don't have to change seats again anytime soon.

Hi A., I have a Britax Marathon and I love it. I bought it to use with the children I nanny for (ages 4 and 6) and with the intention of using it when my own children come along (in Aug). The great thing about it is it grows with your child. Yes they are on the more expensive side but when you add up needing to buy another one when they outgrow the regular car seats - 3/4 and again at 4/5yrs, it makes sense. Another plus is it can be used as a rear facing seat until your daughter is 1 year old and then can change with her. They are super sturdy and lock into the car really well. The buckle system is also a little more challenging for the little ones to open by themselves. Hope this helps!

Just wanted to say that Britex is worth EVERY dime. The best car seat out there to protect our precious little ones.

We have a Britax in one of our cars and my mom's car. I like the Britax because it is very easy to use and adjust correctly, but I don't think they are safer than other carseats. I think they are great carseats for everyday use. We have a much cheaper Cosco seat in our 2nd car.

Also, I just saw one other response regarding EXTENDED REARFACING. Turning them at 20 lbs and one year is the MINIMUM. There is a lot of info/research out there now that says it is safest to leave them rearfacing until you reach the MAXIMUM criteria of the carseat (33 lbs for the britax, I think) because of spine development. It is common in some European countries to leave them rearfacing until closer to three years old. Hope that helps, it's not something I knew before someone mentioned it to me.

I've been perfectly happy with my Eddie Bauer convertible seat (don't remember the model, but it's tan plaid w/black base). I got it at Target for about $120 over a year ago. It's been the only seat we've used, and it'll hold my daughter, now 1 y.o., until she's 40 lbs. It's easy to install and light to move, if needed. Good luck - there are so many to choose from! :)

we used an evenflo triumph, which is a convertable. we always said we were "dialing" them in because there's a knob to twist to tighten the harness. FYI - we had at least three different firefighters (when we stopped for car seat installation) say that this is the only seat that they consistently see kids tightened properly.

We have a Britiex Decathalon. We got it when my son was 5 months old and out weighted his infant seat. We love it. The weight limit rear facing goes to 33 lbs and forward faceing to 65 pounds. It is not a belt postitioning boost but he can stay in the five point harness for longer then almost all other seats. It uses a tether system both front and back faceing and is easy to install in both our older car (no latch system) with the seat belt and the new car withthe latch system. We have used it when we fly and it fits in the seats great. Britex has a great replacement policy too if your carseat is in an accident. Check out their web site. Hope you find a seat you like.

I love my Britex carseat. I got it for my oldest daughter because I was having a hard time getting my old one to strap down to the seat tightly, so I saved up for it (they are more expensive). But it is so wonderful. It's very easy to fasten in whether you have the LATCH system or just seatbelt it in. The material is very soft too for them (mine has stain resistant material, which makes it nice for mommy :) ) The pad also comes off relatively easily to wash, which is nice.

We have two Britax Marathon's. We love ours so much with our first that we did not even look at carseats when it came time to get one for our second son. The only decision we had to make was what color. I highly recommend the Marathon.

I bought the marathon a few years ago when my now 4 year old was one. I love it and now use it for my 2 year old. I there is no amount of money that would justify the safety of your child. And every friend/family member I have that has children in car seats has at least one!

I have a Britax Marathon for both of my children and when I bought the 1st one 2 1/2 years ago it was the #1 rated car seat. I love it and know that my kids are safe. I know they are expensive but I can't replace my children. I think when you buy the forward facing car seat you just have to believe in the one you buy and know that it will keep your children safe if anything were to happen. Just make sure you buy one that is from a good company that has not had any recalls. Hope this helps

we have a britax marathon and britax roundabout and LOVE them!

I have posted these links everywhere and give it to anyone concerned or questioning carseats..

Importance of rear-facing car seats for your child

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo

Car seats vs booster for your toddler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

Best wishes,
C.
http://www.HelpUStayHome.com
http://www.TotalWellnessInfo.com

I love ours and it wasn't too expensive. It's a Cosco and it reclines. My only complaint is that now that we're expecting #3, it's going to be really tight in the back seat with such a big carseat. I guess it'll be a while before the little on notices. We'll see what happens with big brother.

I would check to see what Consumer Reports says on the issue. They are incredibly well-researched and they keep their listings up to date. I vet all of my kid-stuff through them.

I have two of the Britax and I love them! I think they are the best! Yes they are expensive! I think safety is first so I would spen the money on them. I am not saying that the others are not good because if they were not they would not pass code. Good Luck!

We have a Britax Roundabout that I absolutely love. If you can afford it, get the Britax. When our 2nd was born, money was a little tight and we just couldn't see spending that much money (especially since we need seats for two cars) so we got the new Graco. It's working out just fine, but if we'd had the extra money I would've gotten another Britax. The Marathon has a much higher weight limit and can be used a lot longer, but beware, it's huge! Make sure it fits in your car.

I bought the Marathon for my daughter just after her first birthday and she's almost three now, we love it! It's soft, pretty, safe, stands up to the test! The straps move up and down for the height change in your child, like I said, I bought it when she was just a year and now at almost three there is still one more size adjustment up. The straps are also very easy to adjust when large winter coats are needing more room, or just pull the bottom for a tighter fit. My daughter is also trying to be independent now and she can buckle the top part by herself, but has never been able to get it open (I have heard a lot of parents complain that their children can get out of their seats ~ not with the Marathon). It has huge cushions in it so I have never seen my daughters head dangling when she falls asleep in her seat, she rests well in this seat. The whole thing comes apart to be cleaned also. It can be tricky to put back together but not to difficult. The top of our seat has been bleached by the sun though, the color has gone from pink to white ~ only on the top sticking over the backseat.

Hi, A. -

I'm a carseat safety tech, so hope I have some useful advice! First of all, since you mentioned that your daughter is 9 months, I just want to remind you that forward facing seats should never be used before the child is 1 year AND 20 pounds. This has to do, in part, with muscle development in the neck and their ability to support their heads in a collision. If her legs seems a little long in a rear-facing seat, just remember that a little less room for stretching is easier to deal with than potential injuries if she's put in a forward-facing seat too soon! Just be sure to read the manual that comes with whatever seat you buy, as that will tell you the specs for that seat.

Secondly, regarding which seat to purchase, the rule of thumb is that you purchase a seat which fits your vehicle - some will definitely work better in your vehicle than others due to seat configuration, etc. - and that it's a seat that you can use correctly EVERY single time.

Finally, my best advice is to find a carseat safety technician close to you to have the seat and installation inspected. It's free of charge and gives you invaluable peace of mind!

Hope this helps you take care of your precious daughter!

I have the Britax Marathon and Roundabout and I wouldn't trade them for the world! They are the best on the market. You won't be sorry.

K.
www.babybootcamp.com

I have a Britex Marathon and my little daughter is so comfortable in it! It secures really well to the seat and is easy to install and de-install. I recommend it. Good luck!

Hi A.,
We have a Britax and although it was more expensive than the others, when I took it to be installed at the fire department, they said it was the "Cadillac" of car seats. Can't beat that. Good luck.

It's been a long time since my boys were in carseats, but I think your best bet is to go to consumer reports and look at safety ratings and quality assurance. I also think it is always important to check any recall info on any child product that you are intending to purchase. Good luck. I will say that the models that I was happiest with were the models with longevity. Try to find something that will be safe as a forward facing toddler seat but also grow with them into booster and into early elementary.

We have a Britax Roundabout. I love it, but they are pricey. I found this one when shopping around for a church donation. http://www.albeebaby.com/fiprsavodeco1.html

Apparantly Fisher Price and Britax have merged. This is essentially a Britax (as far as safety goes), just not quite as plush and cheaper.

I too use the Evenflo Triumph. We bought it after seeing it is the Consumer Reports' Best Buy. It rated high in every safety category, and is affordable. We're about to buy 2 more for my 6 month old.