Opinions on Convertible Car Seats

http://www.elitecarseats.com/Sunshine-Kids-Radian-80.pro

Expensive but totally worth it. They may have a newer modle now but this is the one I use and love! There are tons of reviews on the above site and it helped me a lot with my decision. Hope this helps.

You do want a carseat that converts to a booster. All carseats today have expiration dates on them. I'm sure your boosters from the older children do too. IF not, then they are probably already expired. Call the company to be sure. That is important because if you are in a car accident, and the seat fails, and it was expired, you have no recourse with the company.
The thing I found important was it have a cup holder/snack holder with it. Made it great for eating on car trips. As for reclining, I think the safest position in the car is upright.
R.

Hi M.,
We use the Cosco Scenara for our DD (23 months)and the Cosco Highback Booster for our DS (6 yrs). The Scenara we used rear facing with recline at first when DD was smaller. We've never had a problem with them - they've been very easy to use and install (DH and I each have one in our cars and grandma has one in hers). The Scenara is newer and seems to install a little easier (don't know why). We had the booster first (I liked it because it came with the five point harness that we were able to use when DS was younger)which caused me to look at the Scenara for our youngest. They are cheaper seats - about $50-55 (we got a great deal at overstock.com for grandma's - about $35 and free shipping!!!) but we've never had a problem and they've been very easy to use.
Hope this helps!
Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

I did a lot of research on car seats when our daughter was born. When she was ready to get out of the infant seat I again did a lot of research. My primary concern was safety.

I ended up choosing the Recaro Signo. I LOVE IT! Seriously love this car seat. It can be rear or forward facing. And yes, in the rear position it does recline. I decided to go with this car seat because it can hold a child up to 70 lbs. As I said, safety is my primary concern. I will be keeping our kids in car seats as long as possible.

It is large. But not any larger then the Britax Boulevard, and if I remember right was about the same price. The Recaro is made by a company that is the leading manufacturer for seats for race car drivers. These guys KNOW how to protect a passenger.

The side head 'wings' are adjustable so you can move them up and down as your child grows. My daughter finds the seat comfortable and has been in it for several hours at a time. My parents live 5 hours away ... so she's done long drives in it.

It's easy to install with or without the LATCH system, but indeed the LATCH system is the easiest.... as with any car seat frankly.

If you look online, the only complaint you'll see is the straps will twist. Honestly, I had this problem with the infant seat as well...so I don't really understand why this is a surprise for people. Getting kids in and out of the seat ... the straps naturally twist occasionally. But, it is easily fixed.

Recaro did have a recall on their product a year or so ago. We had made sure to register our seat online and consequently were notified by mail. The company was awesome. We had a new seat in no time at no cost to us whatsoever. They even paid the shipping on the return of the old seat.

I would highly recommend this seat. It is comfortable and safe.

I am a big fan of Britax Marathon. All of my friends recommended them to me. They are pricier, but apparently one of the best, safest, top rated convertible seats you can buy. They do recline and forward face up to 60lbs. They are a bit heavier to cart around if you will need it for air travel, 17lbs compared to other seats which can be around 10-12lbs. You can usually find great sales on them in the fall and spring. If you can snag one for under $200, that is a great deal. I got mine a year ago for $225 and its great!

Consumer Reports rates the Britax Roundabout and the Evenflo Triumph both at 81/100 and the Safety1st Alpha Omega Elite at 80/100.
I figure for one point, it certainly isn't worth spending up to $300 for the Britax!!! Our Triumph is ok, but it isn't rear-facing for as long as other seats. I like our Alpha Omega Elite. It's rear-facing for a long time (the recommendation is to leave the child rear-facing as long as the seat permits up to the high or weight limit, not turn them around the day they are 1-year and 20 lbs, PM me if you want the article on how much safer it is). My son is 21 months and still happily rear-facing! The only problem is that it isn't compact at all, so it's hard to get it in a smaller car. You can find them on sale for around $100. Here's one even cheaper:
http://www.carseatconnection.com/store.php/carseats/pd241...

Hello! I am a crazy carseat lady! I have owned a Graco infant seat, Britax Roundabout, Evenflo Triumph, Britax Frontier, and Graco Nautilus.

Hands down I LOVE our Britax seats-they are worth EVERY penny I have spent on them.

The Graco seats are competent but certainly not as well designed as the Britax seats.

The Evenflo Triumph we bought in 2006. It was a seat for my mom's car, so we went w/ the 2nd highest rated seat in Consumer Reports...what a huge mistake that was.

I hate that seat!!! I am sure they have improved the design by now, but Evenflo will never get anymore of my money.

Wrestling w/ a car seat is not something anyone should pay to do. :)

I did a lot of research recently before purchasing the Frontier. If the height limits on the Recaro and Sunshine kids Radian had been higher I might would of gone w/ those, I think they are good seats as well.

Bottom line-spend the extra money, it is so worth it.

Elite Carseats.com is a great website to order from. Our Frontier was on our doorstep 20 hours after I ordered it and they charge a pretty small fee to ship it back if it dosen't work out.

I hope that helps! Feel free to buzz me any questions about why I am devoted to the Britax seats!

I upgraded my infant car seats to booster seats that are for kids from about 2 years old up to 100 lbs (or 5 feet tall), which is the new regulation in some areas. They are an Eddie Bauer series. They are super easy to install. The chamber to put my car's belt through is large enough to put most of my hand through the side of it. I can pull the belt through, grab the belt behind the car seat cover, and place it into the other side of the seat really easily. I can install the car seat in the car in like a minute or less.

There is a removable headrest or head support, keeps the head from bobbling back and forth. Once that is removed, there is another cushioned head rest (less foam on the left and right temple) that adjust up about 6 inches as the child grows. It has the five point harness, which as the tab between the legs you can pull the strap to make it tighter or simply push the metal button and push the strap into the hole to make it larger. The straps have like a foot or two of extra length for adjustment. (My 5 year old son, who is rather tall for his age, can wear his 2/3 length winter coat underneith the belt.)

The seats recline with a red lever on the base. The base is nice because it boosts the kids up to be able to see out the window. The base has cup holders and a hard plastic pocket. (The base is removable. It's really not necessary.) I have found the base helpful for sippy cups, take-out food, snacks in the car and... of course, where they stash their toys during trips. The base is also helpful for when they outgrow the five point harness straps because they are at the correct height to use the regular seat belt. The five point harness belt can be removed. Instead of the car's seat belt going through the middle-back of the seat, it has an holder on the left and right sides to hold the belt at the correct height to the child's neck and chest. The holder is adjustable up and down for when they grow.

There are 2 other straps in the back of the seat for extra latches (some cars have to keep the seat from moving). The box comes with extra straps and an extra metal bracket to adjust the straps in the back. I haven't needed to use it yet though, and I have had the seats for 3 years.

The inside cover attaches with easy clip snaps near the knees. Elastic bands that go around round pieces of the seat near the sides. The top of the cover is fitted. This is nice because even if you used the seats for 10-15 years, which I'm sure you won't, the seat cover will fit perfectly. I have found that other seat covers are only held on by elastic and elastic wears out with different temperatures, over time and especially after being washed multiple times.

The fabric is pretty easy to maintain. I can wipe off most dirt with just a wet cloth or a little dish soap on it. The colors are fairly neutral, so you can find one to match the interior of your vehicle. They have a neutral pattern. Even when they get older, they will not feel like they are in a baby seat.

My mother just bought a new car with leather seats. She used the car seats without the base. Although the bottom of the car seat is plastic, it did not leave marks or permanent impressions on my mother's new leather interior.

The seats also have arm rests that have a large, easy press, button on the outside to move them up or down. I often release the arm up to get them out easier when they are bundled up in their winter coats. My car is compact, and I can fit two of these seats in the back and still have enough room for another child in the middle... it's a tight fit, but there's room. I have even put an infant seat and 2 of the toddler seats in the back. So, although it looks bulky, it really isn't that much wider. It can be a few inches narrower on the bottom if you remove the base. You can still recline the seats even if you don't have the base on. Just put a rolled up towel or book behind the car seat, and then tighten the vehicle strap to set the position.

Eddie Bauer is an investment, but it's the last car seat you will ever have to buy. Plus, they are such a sturdy design, you can sell it when you are finished with them and get quite a bit out of them. I think retail they were like $180 new a few years ago. The price has come down quite a bit since then... maybe like $100. I found them at Big Lots for $80 a piece, which is the normal price of a generic car seat at Wal-Mart without all the benefits, workmanship or manufacturer warrenty. Even if I sold them now, I could probably get most my money out of them.

They look similar to "Eddie Bauer Deluxe Summit High Back Booster in Ashford". There are lots of other ones that probably have similar options.

http://www.albeebaby.com/eddiebauer.html?gclid=CI-1uPbyyZ...

The Britax and the Evenflo Triumph do have the best ratings. However, they may not be whats best for you. What you should do, is go to either a babies r us or something similar that have a display. Most stores will let you take a seat off the display and try it in your car. The britax and triumph are both fairly large seats. If you have a small car, they may not fit too well. I started off with a Mazda 6 and I had a Triump, rear facing. I had to keep the passenger seat all the way forward just to fit the seat in. If your child is forward facing, not as big of a deal. Another option is to call the local health department. I don't know where Cardington is but I'm in Medina County. The health dept here can give you suggestions as well as make sure it is installed correctly. They are on an appointment only basis. The local police departments have some officers that are certified in car seats as well. So that's always something to consider. As far as your old seats go, don't use them past the expriation. I wouldnt get combination seat (child+booster). They aren't as safe as a convertible (rear+forward) and a booster seat can cost as little as $14 if you don't need a highback.

M.,
My boys are nine and two now so I was amazed at how things had changed in the "baby world" in just seven years!
I did a LOT of research on this last year. Drove my husband crazy in fact. I finally decided we were willing to fork over the money for a Britax. But if only it were that simple! I then had to decide what model to get. I spent a lot of time agonizing over this but we ended up with the Boulevard. It was quite a bit more $ but the safety rating sold me (it has a higher side impact rating). It reclines also and goes up to 65 lbs.
Over a year later I'm still insanely happy with our choice. We watch my niece from time to time and her seat just seems so flimsy to me. And nearly impossible to sit securely on the seat, even with the latch and anchor system. The Britax is heavy, sturdy in the car seat, and snug on my little guy.
He rides very well in it and seems comfortable when he sleeps when we take long trips. This was another big point for us as we travel a lot and I remember countless times sitting in the back seat when older brother was little holding his head up while he slept because he just looked so uncomfortable!

For me, I never looked back on spending $200+ on something that I knew was a good, safe product. I read reviews that said you couldn't put a price on your child's safety and rolled my eyes at the time, but I have to say I agree now (I agreed before, it just seemed to me you could be just as safe with a $50 car seat).

I also found out you shouldn't use a car seat that's over seven years old. You can find these in the previous year's model at much discounted prices, especially if you don't plan to have any more kids that this will be passed down to. There are some really cute designs. My husband hates the color of ours but at the time it was either purple or bright blue and at a savings of $90 I could forego the looks of it! Much cuter options for girls. :)
A google shopping search will give you an idea of what's out there.
Hope this helps and you find the perfect fit for your family!
It's intimidating, I know. Good luck!

Oh where do I start? Actually, I'M that crazy car seat lady!

First and foremost, your 8 month old daughter needs to remain rear facing for a minimum of 2 years. This is what is now recommended by the AAP. Completely forget about the 1 year & 20 pounds. That's old, outdated, and could be potentially deadly advice. Children benefit greatly by rear facing for a minimum of 2 years, all the way up to 4 years old. Rear facing is 500% safer, and recudes the risk of serious injury or death in an accident by 70%. When you know better, you do better. Keep her rear facing.

That being said, I think I've owned just about ever car seat on the market today! Some I loved, some I hated. So I'll stick to what I loved and tell you about those.

Before I get started, let me tell you that a $50 seat is just as safe as a $300 seat. They all pass the same requirements and safety testing. The safest car seat for your child is one that's going to be used correctly 100% of the time, installs correctly in your car, and fits your child properly.

Do not feel obligated to buy a Britax. While they are good seats, they certainly are NOT the best. They were leading the car seat industry 5-10 years ago, but definitely not today. Many other manufacturers have caught up, and surpassed them. You can find car seats that offer the same features, or better features for less money. And Britax convertibles lack the leg room needed for older rear facing children. You want to get the most bang for your buck, right?

Also, please stay away from 3-in-1 type seats that rear face, forward face, and then turn to a booster. Those will NOT get you the most bang for your buck. They're fine for rear facing, ok for forward facing, and are HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, NO GOOD boosters. No child should ever use one as a booster. It could be deadly. They do not fit a child properly, and are outgrown way before a child is big enough to be out of a booster seat.

Now, car seats that I do love :)

Evenflo Triumph Advance- around $120-150. Rear faces to 35 pounds (most kids 3-4 years old) and forward faces to 50 pounds (most kids 5-6 years old). When this seat is outgrown, the child will be ready for a booster. The harness on this seat is on an infinite sliding adjuster, so you never have to rethread it as your child grows. I absolutely love the knob adjusters to tighten and loosen the harness. This seat is very user friendly. Easy to install and easy to use. It's kinda the "Laz-E boy" of all car seats.

Graco My Ride 65- $150 Rear faces to 40 pounds (most kids to 4, though my 4.5 year old still fits) and forward faces to 65 pounds. This seat has 2 built in cup holders, which are a big hit with my 18 month old. Very easy to use and install, and lots of cut patterns (especially for girls!) Check out the Flair print at Target, so cute!

Learning Curve True Fit- $180-260 depending on model. Rear faces to 35 pounds and forward faces to 65 pounds. This seat is the tallest seat on the market. Every single child will make it to 35 pounds rear facing in this seat. For my child, that's 4.5 years old. The harness does not have to be rethreaded to adjust the height as your child grows. There is a removeable headrest for children under 22 pounds. Built in lock-offs for the seat belt.

Safety 1st Complete Air- $250 (on sale for $219 right now) Rear faces to 40 pounds (will get kids to 40 pounds, very tall shell!) and forward faces to 50 pounds. When this seat is outgrown forward facing, the child will be ready for a booster too. So the 50 pound forward facing limit isn't an issue. It's not necessary to harness to 65 pounds, unless your 4 year old is 65 pounds. The harness doesn't have to be rethreaded as your child grows, you simply move up the head rest. Awesome air cushions for side impact protection.

Sunshine Kids Radian (models 65, 80, XT, 65SL, 80SL, XTSL)- $165-270, depending on model. 65 and 65SL models rear face to 40 pounds and forward face to 65 pounds. 80 XT models rear face to 40 pounds and forward face to 80 pounds. 80SL and XTSL models rear face to 45 pounds and forward face to 80 pounds. XT models have headwings. SL models have Super-LATCH. These seats are awesome, and I love the 45 pound rear facing limits. But there are some compatibility issues, as they can be difficult to install and aren't always compatible with the vehicle.

Please check out your local car seat dealers (Babies R Us, etc.) and try your child out in the different seats. BRU allows you to take the seat out to your car to test it out for installation.

Good luck, and if you have any questions please let me know! Or you can visit www.car-seat.org and talk to a bunch of very friendly Certified Passenger Safety Technicians!

Also, please contact a local Certified Passenger Safety Technician to check your installed car seat to make sure it's in properly. 95% of car seats are not used or installed properly. Please make sure you're in that other 5%.