HELP! Need to buy rear/front facing car seat - ideas?

[Van]

Hi there,

My LO is quickly outgrowing his infant car seat. I know nothing about the models on the market. All I see when I go to stores are eddie bauer and a few other brands. What is out there? What is the safest? What works?

A few notes... I have a ford focus but the back seat is not huge so the seat cannot be too big when rear facing. My LO is 25 in and 18 lbs so the clock is ticking on him getting out of his infant seat, however.... he is only 5 months old, so i need something to support him.

Price is not a huge issue, as we rec'd cash for christmas gifts and are using it towards this... however, I want to get value for my money of course, something that could grow with him would be great.

Safety is my #1 priority right now.

ANY help is appreciated!

Thanks,

Van

[QuassEE]

You may have more time than you think, since your son's infant seat is outgrown when his head reaches 1" from the top of the plastic shell, or he meets the maximum weight limit of the seat...whichever comes first. The height guideline is simply that--a guideline, since babies carry their length in different areas of their bodies.

If you want the most bang for your buck, I think you should look into the Britax Marathon or the Sunshine Kids Radian. Look for a model that goes to 65lbs when forward-facing...since some older stock may still be on shelves that are only approved to 48lbs. Both of these seats install well in a Focus, but you'll probably have to use LATCH to get a good install with the Radian. Fortunately Ford does permit the use of LATCH in the centre seating position.

Don't fear how large these seats look...as your son gets older, he will be able to sit more upright and his seat won't look like such a monster. You'll have a 5 or 6 year old in that seat one day, so it really does need to be that large...

-Nicole.

[Jewels]

QuassEE suggested some great seats :thumbsup: The only other seat that I would sugest if you have a bit of time is the Evenflo Triumph Advance Deluxe. It isn't out on the Canadian market just yet but is suposed to be here very soon.

Here (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=278124#post278124) is an article (with pictures) on how to tell when your child has outgrown their rear-facing seat.

[unityco]

We have an '06 Focus Wagon, and we have had an Evenflo Titan and a Britax Marathon rear-facing, both installed using the seatbelt. They both fit well in the middle without having to adjust the front seats (with a less than 45° recline.) While I liked the Titan, I wouldn't recommend it because it simply didn't last long enough - the top slots were too low. However, I understand the Titans on the market now are different than the one we had.

We have a Radian FF now... we've never used it RF, so I can't comment on that. It does work well FF though! The Radian and the Marathon will both last you a good while!

HTH!

ETA: Our big "little" guy was only three months when he outgrew his infant seat. You shouldn't have to worry too much about how your five month old will fare in a convertible - at that age and size he should be fine! (Some people never use infant seats and put their newborns right into convertibles. Convertibles can support young babies :thumbsup: )

[snowbird25ca]

While I liked the Titan, I wouldn't recommend it because it simply didn't last long enough - the top slots were too low. However, I understand the Titans on the market now are different than the one we had.


The new Titan has a higher weight limit, but same height of slots in the shell. I tried my 3.5yr old in one at BRU tonight and she's outgrown it by height. It's too bad they didn't make the shell taller when they raised the weight limit.

[Mommy090804]

I wanted to echo what PPs have said. You best choices for convertible seats in Canada are either the Radian or Marathon. The no-frills Radian is about $230. The fancy Radian (Premier) is $260. The Marathon is $299. Which one is better? Depends....

If you expect your child to be tall, or have a long torso, then your very best bet in Canada is the Radian which has 18" top harness slots and harnesses to 65lbs (although you likely know that the seat will be outgrown by height before weight if you have spent a bit of time browsing this board). The Marathon also harnesses to 65lbs, but the top slots are 17", so it will likely be outgrown sooner. How soon - depends on your child's torso height. Some kids outgrow it as early as age four, but I think most kids make it until age five or even six.

The Marathon is a nicer, more plush seat, which installs well in most, if not all, vehicles. We have never ever had a problem with installation of a Marathon in any car. The LATCH bars are great and make installation a breeze. The lock-offs are also handy-dandy. No need for a locking clip. It is wide though, and doesn't always work well in a "three across" situation. If you are planning to have more than two kids and have a small car, then you may want to consider the Radian.

The Marathon has nicer cover choices. The Marathon also sits up higher in the car, making it easier for RFing (especially extended rear facing) and FFing children to see out the windows.

The Radian also has a RFing "foot" which is an extra piece. Not too big a deal, but if you are travelling with a RFing infant, it's just an extra piece that you have to worry about. On the other hand, the Radian folds for travel. It is heavier than the Marathon, but sits quite low on the plane, enabling you to use the airplane fold-down tray with a FFing child.

The Radian has a eight year expiry date versus a six year expiry date for the Marathon. Your child would likely outgrow the seat before this time, but if there is a chance you might be passing the carseat to a younger sibling, then the Radian will last longer.

Bottom line (in my opinion): if your expect your child to be really tall in respect to total height or unusually long torso, then go with the Radian. If you have an average sized child, then go with the Marathon. The other exception to this is if you definitely are going to need to fit three across in a car, then you should probably go with the Radian.

Honestly, right now there aren't really any other seats in Canada to recommend, besides the Evenflo Triumph DLX which may be coming. If you can afford it, go with the Marathon or Radian. They are both beautiful seats, but we prefer our Marathons for the age of our children right now. We have a Ford Focus and both seats install quite well. The Marathon is a breeze, and the Raidan takes a little longer.

Where to find the seats? We have ordered all our seats online. Right now there are a couple sites that have free shipping. Just ask when you are ready, and we can point you in the right direction...

PS: As far as safety goes, priority is correct installation of the carseat, correct usage, and keeping your child rear facing until 30lbs (the limit in Canada right now).

[van]

WOW! great help, thanks so much. I'm thinking we are going to go to a place in Ottawa where they will let you at least lay the car seat in the car to see if it fits before you buy.

One question, specifically about the Focus... do I have to install it in the middle?

Thanks,

Van

[QuassEE]

Generally there's more space to install a rear-facing seat in the centre...it's also the safest position in the car, as it's furthest from outside intrusion in a crash. However, if you have reasons for wanting the seat in either of the outboard seating positions, it's fine so long as you get a good tight install in that seating position.

-Nicole.

[Mommy090804]

One question, specifically about the Focus... do I have to install it in the middle?

The Ford Focus does permit middle LATCH installation of some seats by using the two middle outboard anchors. Check your vehicle and carseat manuals. You have probably read on this board that seatbelt and LATCH installation are equally safe, provided the installation has been done correctly. You may want to have a certified tech check your installation once you purchase the seat. HTH!

[BudgieStew]

We owned a 05 Focus and had no problems RF a Marathon in it...we put it passenger outboard as we have another child in a car seat.
But had no difficulties installing it with LATCH. I never tried it with seat belt. I installed it once FF with LATCH and it was easy enough as well.

I love my Marathon...having owned other seats previously there is no comparison. When the Marathon arrived it was like going from a Chevette(sp) to a Cadillac. :)

I do loves our Radians though, but find they suit the needs of my oldest better then the needs of my youngest.