Seeking Recommendations for Front-facing Seats

I have been using the Evenflo Triumph for my 26 month old since she was 9 months. I liked it so much I bought another one for my now 1 year old. I checked out consumer reports and this was one of the best in all areas, without spending over $200 for the Britax ones. There are a few different Triumph models but I believe mine were around $120. Both Target and Walmart carry them. I highly recommend the Triumph! Good luck in your decision!

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I recommend any Britax seat. The Decathlon has some issues people don't like but the Boulevard and Marathon are GREAT seats. I know they're more pricey but they will last your child the longest. Plus they're a dream to install.
1 year and 20 lbs is actually the bare minimum for forward facing. It's best to keep them rear facing as long as possible. Here's a video that explains why. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8 . Convertible car seats have a 30-35 lb rear facing limit (Britax has 33). If you don't want to spend that much Evenflo just redid their Triumph car seat. It will last just as long as a Britax will and it's $150 at Babies R Us. Just make sure to get the Triumph ADVANCE, the older version Triumph is outgrown really quickly. Go to www.car-seat.org if you have more questions. Car seat technicians will answer and it's free.

Britax Roundabout - get it online for cheaper and free shipping. Great quality, easy to use and safest on the market. I agree with previous post that you cannot put a price on safety. L. W.

I've been researching car seats myself, here are some links that will help you. car seat.org & baby bargains have great boards where you either post q's or just read info (for baby bargains, look at messages, then places to go - car seats) that might help you narrow your choices. carseardata.org will help you assess if the seat you are considering will fit in your vehicle and how easily it will install.

here is a link from a story in the chicago tribune on car seats, you may want to visit it so you can view video and other related links:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-ca...

I am planning to use a Britax seat. The CPS techs on the boards really recommend that you keep your child rear facing beyond one year, until he/she exceeds the weight limit on the seat, before turning the child forward facing. That means you're really looking for a convertible.

hth

I recommend any Britax car seat. They are more expensive but ours have held up wonderfully!

I went with the Britax Decathlon. I really like it. It was a little expensive, but worth it. A lot of people recommended the Britax Marathon to me. But the Decathlon had a few more options that I liked.

One thing to look for is how long will you be able to use this next car seat - the Decathlon will go up to 65 lbs. My daughter is 1 and weighs 24 pounds. So, I thought I should get a car seat that went up to a higher weight limit.

I went to Babys R Us. Looked at purchasing one online but after paying for shipping, the cost wasn't too different. Plus, at Babys R Us, if I found that I didn't like the car seat I could just go back to them and return it.

We have the Britax Decathalon. LOVE IT!!! Its very easy to install and the weight limit is 65 lbs so it can be used for a very long time!

This brand can be pricey, but I highly recommend shopping online. You can often find free shipping and if you shop for discontinued fabrics you can save a ton of money. (we originally bought ours for $100 less than what it retailed for at Babies R Us.) Also, if you are ever in a serious car accident (God forbid) Britax will replace your car seat for free. You just have to fill out a questionaire (can be found on their website) and send in your car seat. It takes about 6 weeks, but they will send you a brand new seat. (Granted, car insurance will also replace the seat, but its really nice to know that a manufacturer is willing to go the extra mile for you!) After the accident we were in, I'm really glad that we went with the Britax. I'm not sure the other brands we considered would have kept our baby as safe...

I have always used the cosco high back 5 point harness seat for all 3 of my kids. Yes its cheap but it fits in most cars. Plus i had a state trooper tell me once that it wasn't the price u pay for a carseat.... its the details. Just like the ones with the extra stuff on it like the shields that go over the front of the baby. He said alot of kids break their arms on the extra stuff during a car accident. Hope this helps.

Hi~
I can't tell you the brand we use, but it isn't necessary to spend a small fortune on a seat. It's always nice to have the best 'stuff' but these kids are expensive!! I wouldn't buy the cheapest, but the midrange seats offer some great selections. We've been using ours for over 2 years and it's great! The Britax seats are really nice, but not necessarily better than their less expensive counterparts!
Good luck!
~L.

Find one with a five point harness and 65 to 100 lb weight on it. Our son outgrew his Convertible Graco Comfortsport at 2 and was too small for a beltless booster so we had to go spend another $65 on a highback booster for him.
C.

We have the Britax Roundabout and really like it. It isn't cheap, but you can find it cheaper on-line. Plus, he can stay in it until 40 pounds, so that is a long time. I have NEVER heard anyone say they disliked their Britax carseat. Good luck! Let us know what you pick and how you like it!

I LOVE my Cosco Alph Omega!!! I just flipped my daughters carseat and she sits so compty and I love all the features!!

Look for one that can turn into a booster seat, also look for a cup holder and snack/toy holder. I found those features very helpful. Also some stores will allow you to "try" the seat in your car. Your best bet would be babies r us or toys r us, I wouldn't buy the seat unless you can try it, it might not tighten down properly in you car.

I am very picky about car seats. They have to fit correctly in the car or they are not worth the time to use. I have been know to take my friends kids out of the car seat to put it in properly. If were're going to use them for safety they need to be installed properly for them to be safe. I think something you should think about is how the seat you choose is going to fit in your car. I had a really hard time getting the Alpha Omega by Cosco to fit in my car. Depending on the babies r us, sometimes they will take you out to your car and make sure it fits properly. I just have a ford minivan but it was a struggle to get that Alpha Omega by Cosco back in every time we had to remove it. It just wouldn't get level! I ended up having to roll a towel up under the back side for it to fit properly(suggested by AAA at a car seat check). Another thing I didn't like about that seat is the straps were CONSTANTLY! getting twisted!!! It drove me nuts. Good luck in your search and happy birthday to your son!

My son is the same age! We just bought him the Britax Boulevard. It was on the more expensive side however, I don't think you can put a price on their safety. It received the highest safety ratings by Consumer Reports and it fit great in my car. My son also fit great in it! The car seat is the only one on the market right now with the Side Impact Protection feature. If you don't want to spend a ton there is a wide price range with the Britax carseats and they all came highly recommended by many of my friends. Hope that helps!

I love our Alpha Omega by Cosco (sold at Target and Babies R Us-I think). You can adjust the shoulder straps without rethreading them by using leavers under the head rest. It also converts to a booster so it can be used up to 100 lbs (eitehr 100 or 80).