Here are the seats I would start with...
The infant seat is outgrown when the weight limit is reached (
usually at 20 lb) or when there is less than 1" of the seat's shell above the baby's head. Toddlers should remain rear facing as long as possible, so you should definitely be looking at a convertible seat rather than a front facing only seat. See the following pages for more info on why rear facing is critical.
s.ivillage.com/pp/boards/...76,00.html
www.thematlocks.com/jenni...ndedRF.htm
user.mc.net/~carseat/rearface.html
The following seats are a good place to start looking. I've listed them from highest to lowest price, which happens to also be the seat with the most features to the seat with the least. (Sometimes, less expensive seats have more features than a more expensive seat. That's not the case with these four.)
1) Britax Roundabout/Advantage. (
www.britaxusa.com/ ) These 2 seats have EPS foam (like you find in bike helmets) to help protect the head. They have built in locking clips, which make installation much easier in many vehicles. They have an *easy to use* tether which can be used both front and rear facing. They have straps which do not twist or wrinkle. They have a harness adjuster which is so easy to use that my 4 year old can buckle himself in and get his own harness *tighter* than the recommendation! (There are seats which take my full strength to tighten just barely tight enough. The recommendation is that you should only be able to fit one finger between the child and the straps at his collar bone.) The Advantage has "infinite" harness adjustablility (you turn a knob to move it up or down), while the Roundabout has regular "slots". Any harness slot may be used front facing (most convertible seats only have the top slots reinforced for front facing use.) They are very well padded. They are also very expensive—approximately $200 for the Roundabout and $250 for the Advantage.
2) Evenflo Triumph. (
www.evenflo.com/ep/on_go/...h.phtml?nf ) This seat has EPS foam. It also has a unique harness adjustment system that uses knobs and a "memory harness". I’ve heard that the system can take a bit of getting used to, but once you do, it’s great! That avoids the problem many seats have with adjustability. The Comfort Touch version is well padded, but it also costs a little more.
3) Century Accel. (
www.centuryproducts.com/S...TypeID=158 ) It is available in a DX (slightly more padding and the cover covers more of the seat) and a SE version (a little less expensive). The straps on this seat are less twisty than many, though not nearly as nice as those on the Britax seats. The harness adjuster is also easier to use than some, but again, not nearly as easy Britax’s.
4) Cosco Touriva. (
www.djgusa.com/coscocat/c...uriva.html ) This seat is much more difficult to use and has a lot less padding than any of the seats listed above. It also has a very difficult to install and adjust tether. However, it is significantly less expensive, and if you are diligent about making sure the straps don’t get twisted and in ensuring that the harness is tight enough each and every trip, it is not an "unsafe" seat.
The seats I listed above all have a rear facing weight limit of at least 30 lb (remember, toddlers *must* stay rear facing until they weigh at *least* 20 lb and are a minimum of 1 year old, and longer is safer). They are compatible with a wide variety of vehicles, though you should always make sure a seat fits in *your* vehicle before making a final decision. They all have reasonable harness slot heights (lowish bottom slots and tallish top slots). They all have a 5 point harness, which generally provides better protection in a crash than an overhead shield does.
There are perfectly fine seats that did not make my list. Some have compatibility issues with many vehicles (but might fit your vehicle perfectly). Some have exceptionally low harness slots and might be outgrown much sooner than another similarly priced seat. Some are more difficult to use without being any less expensive. However, if you can say, "Yes," to each of the following questions, the seat may be the right one for *you*.
1-Does it fit your child?
2-Does it fit your vehicle?
3-Does it fit your budget?
4-Will you use it properly each and every time you go somewhere?
Finally, here is an article on chosing the "best" convertible seat.
www.thematlocks.com/jenni...leShop.htm