Hey Car Seat Experts!
I have about 10 half finished blogs that I'm dying to post but also severely lacking in time this week...so I'm going to throw this one out there, as it's pressing on the to-do list!
We're ready for a 1 year old, 25 lb or more forward facing carseat! Yipee! (And also Boooo, I'm really going to miss the snap-n-go days!) We have a pretty good idea of one that we want (Thanks Heather!) but I really want YOUR thoughts.
We don't need a convertible, obviously, since we're going straight to forward facing. We would like one that's not as big as a rocket ship but still comfortable. We'd also like one that does not have cowprint (no offense, but ew!)
Can't wait to hear your expert advice!!!
12 comments:
Britax marathon in blue cotton (not too hot and sweaty) denim. love it. after i got it it seems like a lot of other people like it too.
nice bonus is that it does go rear facing if your next baby is ready to get out of their infant seat before age 1.
washable cover...love that!
We have the Britax Marathon and it's pricey but I love it! But it's good for tall babies so that was a plus for us. Plus, I love that I can wash the cover, it reclines for long trips, etc.
I spent forever seeking advice on car seats and we finally settled on the Graco Nautilus (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011URFRE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p75_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0KDTQKZF2S439DHJHJX1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846) . The features that I really wanted were a seat that was roomy, had a recline feature for long drives, had a cup holder for sippy cups, and had good safety ratings. The bonus on this seat for me is the little hidden compartments where Grant likes to store his binkys and little toys. I also appreciate the strap that I can use to tighten the harness from the front seat if needed. Good luck!
The first toddler carseat we bought was a Graco and it converted from a toddler seat, to a booster w/ a back, to just a booster (as in, Hayley will be using that carseat for life). The only thing we didnt take into consideration is the weight of her carseat. It is HUGE and whenever we have to switch cars, it is the biggest pain in the butt.
So when Andersen moved up to a big carseat, that was a huge consideration for me. We got him an Evenflo that was marked incorrectly at $49 (it's usually $95!). It doesnt convert but we've learned that conerting carseats are so hugely expensive that it actually doesnt save you any money. Hayley's carseat was $150 for the convertible one. Andersen's carseat was $49, and we will spend about $20-35 on his booster seat. Yeah...huge expense difference. Hopefully that helps!
Hi Jane! We actually just bought James a new carseat yesterday. Our pediatrician recommended a Britax carseat but they are way out of our price range right now so I did a ton of research to find something else cheaper but equally safe. Over and over again I found excellent reviews on the Graco Nautilus. It is a "bigger" carseat but it's safety reviews are amazing and it's a 3 in 1 so you'll never have to buy Ryan another carseat or booster again.
after much research we got the britax marathon. it was easy to use, comfy, and just seemed really nice. also it has the best safety ratings. but it is pricey. my friend just got the cosco for like 50 and is happy enough with that.
Gotta admit ... never researched them except to find the cheapest ones! You can get a nice, neutral colored one with a cup holder for about $35 if you look around. For me, I just can't spend $100 on something that's going to get leaky diapers, barf, smooshed food, etc. And then they expire after so many years, so it's not like you can pass them down to all your kids either. ... but that's just works for me.
This link has a new study that just came out on the safest car seats http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr090810.html .
That being said, we have purchased 3 "big kid" car seats so far. The first was the evenflo titan and we hated it. it was smaller, but it was so hard to install and sydney grew out of it (height wise) super fast, and so did Mady. Now Sydney has the Graco Nautilus (I see many others do too so I won't toot that horn- it's a good one) and Mady has the Evenflo Symphony. I LOVE the Evenflo Symphony because it has a really simple install. It's also a taller one so the kids can see out the windows. Both of ours go to boosters too, so we shouldn't have to buy anymore carseats for these 2 girls!
Which one are you looking at?
I have to third the Graco Nautilus. We've used a bunch of carseats. We didn't like the Britax- not as easy for the kid to snap themselves in and it wasn't very deep in the seat. So even my shorty daughter was like perched in it. (I don't know which Britax that was though- so maybe the Marathon is different. The Cosco one is IMPOSSIBLE for Whitney to do herself. And uncomfortable. The Evenflo was a spaceship and I hated it! So the Graco Nautilus- that built in cup holder is honestly a life saver. And those cubbies too. We did add more padding to the tushy but we've done that on all our carseats. Apparently she's a little princess. Who knew? Good luck and Happy Day to Ryan tomorrow!!
We have the Britax Marathon, and the Graco 3-in-1. I think thats what its called. I will say I am not a huge fan of either. They are just so big, HEAVY, and wide. If you find a narrow safe seat please let me know. I have three seats in the back row of my van but I can only use two because of the HUGE car seats! So annoying. If you are going to get one of those though I do love the Marathon. Its been a great, and I really like that it sits up high. Good luck!
K
Jane! Hey! I was really feeling like a crappy parent when we just bought the cheapest car seat but I had it 'professionally' installed and I asked if it was a big deal they said it doesn't matter the cost the most important thing is that it is installed properly. SO, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Ours has the sippy cup holders but neither of my older two use theirs. Just make sure to install it properly and your sweet Ryan will be just fine!
I really love my Graco Nautilus. It is pricy but will also convert into a booster seat when they get the age to need it. You can also leave the back on if they need that support for their head and still use the seatbelt. We looked forever and wished we would have gotten this one sooner than 1.5 yrs later. It is heavy but really easy to clean too.
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