Infant Carriers

[::er!ca::]

Are infant carriers safer used with or without the base? Has there been any research/studies done on this topic?

[crunchierthanthou]

If the manual allows using it without the base (some don't), then it's passed testing both ways. The base is a convenience feature of many seats.

My personal opinion is that it's safer in that there's less room for misuse. Without the base, you have to reinstall the seat everytime with the possibility of errors. The base only has to be installed once. As long as you get a proper install the first time and check it for tightness regularly, it's easier to use correctly. Plus, I think it's a PITA to install baseless infant carriers. It's nice to have that option in a pinch, but I wouldn't want to do it every day. :twocents: