Convertable Car Seats

Hi there!

A child should not be forward facing until a minimum of 1 year old and at least 20 lbs. I would say the Britax are VERY worth it. Please note that if you get the Britax Marathon, Decathelon, or Boulevard, then they go up to 65 lbs where most other car seats only go up to 40 lbs (The Britax Roundabout is a great seat, but only goes up to 40 lbs.). Therefore, you might end up having to buy yet another seat (besides a booster), thus defeating the $100 savings. I have the Britax Boulevard and LOVE it. I love that it even has the genuine side impact...one of the safest seats out there in my unprofessional opinion. My son seems to be very comfortable in it also. The Britax seats are very easy to adjust even with the child in the seat (many seats you can't adjust the harness unless the child is not in the seat). I bought mine brand new on eBay for around $200 + $35 shipping back in March/April (saved me about $100 for this seat doing it that way). Albee Baby has some of their Marathons and Decathelons on sale (see http://www.specialtybaby.com/britax.html ). Anyway, for the Britax seats that go up to 65 lbs, I think the extra money is very worth it. I'm hoping to only have to buy a booster seat after this one.

J.

Infants should be rear-facing until they are at least 20 lbs AND 1-yr-old. Both. Visit American Academy of Pediatrics for more car seat safety guidelines.
http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

I have a convertible car seat and my son really loved it. (He's using a forward-facing car seat/booster car seat now - easier for him to get himself in and out -- he's 3 now.) We had the Evenflo Triumph -- it is padded very well. Nice for them when they fall asleep. And it reclines -- helps when they are younger. Also the straps were super easy to buckle (the metal pieces stay put and don't fall up or down on the belt).
Don't know anything about Britax.

1. At what age did you turn them around forward? AT Least 1 year longer is better.... length doesnt matter as much as Weight, as long as they have 1" from the top of the car seat to the top of thier head ( in the infant carrier) they are FINE... dont let anyone even your Ped tell you different... its FINE for the feet to touch the back of the seat

2. Did you get a convertable car seat? I used an Evenflo triumph for 3 years LOVE it and you can use it rear facing to 30 lbs!!!! and it is safer to keep them rear facing longer!

3. Does anyone have the Evenflo Triumph Delux? Review's? no delux but had the regular one and it was great!

4. What do you recommend and why? A Britax marathon... hands down for the safety ( you can use it rear facing longer) and NO you arent paying for the name.. there are a number of reasons they are better.. they are better tested the materials they use are better they wash up better. also the Fisher Price Safe Voyage is made By Britax just a watered down version... and not all the choices on fabric they run about 180. and can be used harnessed longer which is safer than moving them to a seat belt to soon. And again the Evenflo triumph is good but only harnesses to 40 lbs.... ( I bought a britax regent because at 4 my son was 40 lbs but I wasnt ready for a booster yet and neither was he, so if you are wanting to keep them harnessed as long as possible go with the Britax or the fisher price one.

5. Is Britax really worth the extra $100 bucks? I have to buy 2 of these things! HANDS DOWN YES..... will she be in the 2 seats equally ( timewise?) I might go with a marathon i one car and the fisher price in the other, if cost IS an issue.. and sizewise the marathon is a monster LOL

I also think I want one that reclines my Daughter sleeps in the car all the time. I want something that is comfy that she can sleep in. yep they all recline if properly installed...

good luck and YEAH to you for caring about your daughters safety!!!!!

I just wanted to add that your daughter *may not* be outgrowing her seat. the 30in is merely a guidline. (Weight is non negotible though) A lot of people think that once their childs legs start to touch the back of the seat, that they have outgrown their seat. This is NOT the case. As long as there is ONE INCH or more of hard plastic shell above her head, then she still fits in the seat. Some kids have long legs, some kids have longer torso areas so that is why the length is negotible, so to speak.

1. At what age did you turn them around forward? I am thinking about 1 year.
The longer you leave the child rear facing, the more protected your child is. 1 yr AND 20lbs is the absolute minimum. However, the Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending that you leave your child rearfacing until the limits of the seat. Email me if you would like to see some graphics as to why it is better to leave the child rearfacing until the limits of their seat.

2. Did you get a convertable car seat? I am leaning toward this so I can start using it now rear facing or maybe leave her rear facing longer.
Since she is only 10mo, definately get a convertible seat. One that rear faces and forward faces.

3. Does anyone have the Evenflo Triumph Delux? Review's?

4. What do you recommend and why?
If you can go for a BRITAX, do it. They EXCEED all requirements in testing. They are easy to use, and will last you longer (If you get one of the seats that harness to 65lbs)
Britax is also now making a seat for Fisher Price called the Safe Voyage Deluxe (its cheaper than a Marathon). This is a convertible seat, and will harness until your child is 55lbs!

5. Is Britax really worth the extra $100 bucks? I have to buy 2 of these things! If you have the extra money YES! Maybe it could be something that grandparents could help out with? Early birthday present? I would say that the Safe Voyage Deluxe seat is a little bit less expensive, yet perfectly acceptable, option. Like I said, its made by Britax and goes through all of their testing.

I have Britax Boulevard and owned a Roundabout love Britax worth all the money!!!

We have the Evenflo Titan Deluxe and have been very happy with it. After much research also, we purchased this because it was Consumer Reports best buy and also very affordable. My husband is a firefighter and one of the other firemen teaches a carseat safety course. His suggestion was to not spend the extra money on a Britax because all carseats are required to meet the same standards. For the most part you are paying for bells, whistles, and brand name when paying more. Hope this helps. It is a hard decision to make.

Hi Susan!
My daughter is currently in the Alpha Omega Elite car seat and we love it! My daughter went into it about 8 months and she will be 3 on Saturday. If you don't want to buy another car seat any time soon, this one is the one to get! It will work for kids 5 lbs to 100 lbs. It faces backwards, turns forwards, then eventually becomes a booster seat. Its easy to adjust even with out taking the car seat out of the car. My son just turned 6 months old so he's not in it yet, but we already have the same car seat bought and waiting for him!
I hope this helps you!
C.

Britax car seats are great as long as you can afford them or have parents who can afford them. I have neither and there's no reason to break your wallet over them when there are some fabulous car seats out there that are much cheaper. Go with the Evenflo Triumph 5. SUPER easy (both forward and backward) and easier on the pocketbook. BRU has coupons on their website right now on car seats.

Don't get suckered into all the extra stuff either. There's absolutely no structural or safety reason why some car seats within the same brand (take Triumph 5 for instance) are more expensive than others. They are just trying to lure you into a cup holder, extra head padding (which they don't use until they are on the tall end) and prettier fabric (it's all going to get messy anyway).

I have two Britax Roundabouts and love them. We actually didn't turn our kids around until after a year old because they still fit. The pedi said as long as the baby fits facing backwards (even over a year old) to keep them that way, but once they are too long, to turn them around - other injuries can occur if they are facing backward and too long. Talk to your pedi about it and see what he/she says. If your baby girl is strong enough, he may say to turn her around. Good luck on your quest. It is a chore finding the right one.

1. At what age did you turn them around forward? I am thinking about 1 year.
~I did it at one year, my ped was firm about it-also check the height and weight requirements per manufacturer-they differ.

2. Did you get a convertable car seat? I am leaning toward this so I can start using it now rear facing or maybe leave her rear facing longer.
~That's what I did-my son was out of the infant seat at like 5 or 6 mo and I went to the convertibles.

3. Does anyone have the Evenflo Triumph Delux? Review's?
I have it. I HATE it. I have 3 car seats, and I like it least. It's hard to adjust, fits awkwardly and the base is big.

4. What do you recommend and why?
I have 2 cosco alpha omega ones from BRU-the blue/balck one (higher end) and the tan/black one (cheaper). I am not sure the elite one is worth the 40 dollars more it costs, but it is easier to adjust... I love them. The aren't so restrictive yet seem to fit well in my explorer. They are super easy to adjust too. The seatpad comes out easily for washing.

5. Is Britax really worth the extra $100 bucks? I have to buy 2 of these things!
NO! I did the math and unless you really want/plan to keep the SAME car seat all those years (who does-they get so nasty) it's not. If you buy a 5-40lb one and another larger booster later, the price together is about the same or a little less that a Britax.

I also think I want one that reclines my Daughter sleeps in the car all the time. I want something that is comfy that she can sleep in.
~The all have to be reclined if installed correctly when rear facing.

I agree with the other two moms. However I love my Britax car seat. I have the wizard in denim. I can pull the cover off wash it and it looks new, no fading. I ordered it online and had it delivered to my door step for less than Babies R Us sells them. Check the webites and price compare. Good Luck.

We have an older britx model in our second car. Since it is not used very often.

FYI: They stay rear facing to avoid neck injury, do not turn around early.

Well, I see you already have a lot of responses, but I will agree that the Britax is worth is, if your child's safety is important to you. One thing about the Britax is that it's approved for airline travel (well, at least the Marathon- maybe not each model) and you can get wheels that attach to it for traveling as well (so you don't need a stroller). We've gotten a lot of comments on our wheeling Britax in the airports. If you get one and need the wheels, let me know. You could borrow mine, maybe. Anyway, about rear-facing: this is a great website on the subject http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx. I kept my son rear-facing until he was 18 months. 12 months/20 lbs is the minimum!

I amnot sure where you live but Childrens Medical Center sells the evenflo car seats at cost. IF you make an apt they will help fit it to your car. I was really impressed by our safety check. As far as the Britax brand...I had asked that question to the trauma nurse who was fitting our carseat. SHe said that statistics show that over 90% of carseats are not used properly. It is far more important to have a car seat fit properly it your car than the Britax brand. (it is made for the European cars)
Hope this helps.
H.

I bought the Britax car seats and don't regret it at all. We did a lot of research before purchasing the car seat and found it really is the best on the market and I feel it is worth the extra money. We started ours off rear facing and turned it forward when my daughter turned one. I feel your pain on buying two because we had to purchase two. Some advice I can give is to check the internet before purchasing at a store. I bought both of mine from www.bestbuybaby.com and was very happy with it. i got free shipping and no tax.

Hi Susan,

I use the Evenflo Triumph. I really like it.
PROS
**It's easy to adjust the strap height.

**I like the tension knobs for adjusting the harness. You always get the best fit. I see so many other children in a car seat where the harness is too loose.

**We also thought this one looked more comfortable. We go on 12 hour car rides to visit family and wanted something the kids would be comfy in. This one is also wider than some others which I think makes it a bit more comfy too.

**The cover is extremely easy to remove when you need to wash it. It goes back on every time. I bought a booster seat for my other child and had to take off parts etc. to just remove the seat cover. Then it shrunk and doesn't fit right anymore.

CONS:
** It is rather large (wide and tall) We have a chevy blazer and with this car seat and the booster seat for my son, there is hardly any room for even a very skinny person to sit in between them. It's tall too but is okay in our blazer, and the child can see out the window.

** It is very heavy. Not good if you may be changing it from one car to another very often.

anyway - hope this helps you a little.

Car seats just WEAR ME OUT!!!! Shopping, researching, etc. Why do they make it so hard!?!?!?!

To find out a car seats safety rating go here:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm

After months of researching, I finally purchased the Evenflo Triumph Premier Convertible Car Seat for $179 at Babies R Us. it is plush and comfy looking... here's a picture of it: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=240129...

My son has been using it since he was 8 months... He likes it. It DOES recline and it reclines well... his head doesn't slump over like the infant carrier did (even though it was suppose to be a reclining position). He looks very comfortable in it and he can see out the side windows. I have a large mirror on the back car seat so that I can see him in my rear view mirror and he seems really content in it. Even while sleeping.

It's easy to adjust and it has an "A" safety rating.

Britax is nice but you are only paying for the name. No reason to spend that extra money... and it seemed a little too "boxy" looking for my likes... I don't want my son to feel trapped in a box... plus, not enough air flow with too high of sides. Britax did not get a better score than the one I bought.

If you ask me, buy a car seat that is the same rating, that your baby likes sitting in, and save the rest of the money for clothes and other needed stuff. No reason to spend that extra money for the "Name" of a car seat.

Also, always remember to take the car seat to an inspection station to have it installed correctly.

Good luck! :o)

We have the Britax Roundabout, Britax Marathon & a Costco convertible (from 5 to 100 pounds - the most reasonable). I love all our car seats. The most important thing is that is fits correctly in your car. We have had a problem with other ones fitting our cars.

You can go to amazon.com or babiesrus.com (it is powered by amazon.com) and you can compare the seats and read reviews from people who have purchased the product. I find it very useful to see the pros and cons of each product.