Diono Rainier vs Evenflo Symphony DLX Platinum All in One Car Seat

des737

New member
Hello!
I will need to get a convertible car seat for my LO in the next few months.
We currently have the Britax B-Safe bucket seat.

I am considering the Diono Rainier and the Evenflo Symphony DLX Platinum.
I know both are in quite a different price range, however both seem to get good reviews. What I really like is both convert to a booster.

I heard the Rainier's straps are a pain to use, which is turning me off of getting it.
I find the Evenflo looks more comfy and padded than the Rainier however the Rainier goes to 120lbs as a booster and the Evenflo only 110lbs. My son is 4.5 months and already 18 lbs, so if that's any telling of the future, he will be a big boy :)

Also, we have a Hyundai Elantra (mid-size sedan), so it would be important that they fit comfortably in our car as well.

Important factors to me are safety, comfort, ease of use.
Budget isn't a factor.
Thanks for your advice!
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Hi there.

Unfortunately, neither is great as a booster. The Symphony provides a good fit, but it's big front to back and is short rear facing (which at four months is what we need to focus on for the next several years).

The Diono is great for rear facing, but the booster is outgrown at the same time as the harness.

Between the two I'd recommend the Diono with angle adjuster, and just buy a dedicated booster down the line.

Another option for a compact seat that *does* do a booster (and backless booster) well is the Graco 4Ever.

Wendy
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I also like the 4Ever, or their other one at Target, the Milestone... http://www.target.com/p/graco-milestone-all-in-1-car-seat/-/A-15211091#prodSlot=_1_1
Try not to get too focused on 'the last seat I'll need' right now, or on the super crazy high weight limits they seem to have (an 'average' 8 year old is 55 pounds, most kids are out of a booster at 11 and an 'average' 80 pounds). Go ahead and find a good convertible you like, that fits into your car well and fits your child rearfacing till the minimum age of two. The Evenflo is actually rather short for rearfacing, and might not do the job (37" height limit for rearfacing, which is roughly an average 3 year old), plus, it's on the bulky side so you have more 'head bonk' on the roof line loading kids into it in a sedan. The Rainier with the added angle adjuster definitely wil fit in your car, and it's low profile (no head bonk!), and it will fit rearfacing and harnessed forward facing much longer (kids should be harnessed to a minimum of 4, I like to shoot for sometime in kindergarten, 5-6ish, for maturity reasons, Symphony is pretty tall, Rainier is taller, in terms of harness height).
When you get up into booster age, a convertible seat might be unbearably funky from goldfish and cheerios and wetter things, and the trip to buy a really good dedicated high back booster can be kind of exciting for kids. Plus, you often find you need a second or third seat at that point, anyway, for riding in relative's or friends cars, and neither the Rainier nor Symphony are light and easy to pop into other cars on a moment's notice. Boosters that are only boosters are also often a lot easier to buckle (the Symphony is up on a high base, there can be a lot of leaning to reach that buckle down in the car, the Rainier allows the belt to stick in the guide when a child leans forward, introducing lots of slack that's hard to remove).

And now with all that said about not picking a seat that becomes a booster, I still like the Gracos for their fit to car, low profile, and ease of install and adjustment. For the many thousands of times you'll be fiddling with the harness, you want one that's easy to use and potentially replaceable (Dionos are tug-tug-tug to tighten, Symphony's can't be replaced in case of rot or fray or barf smell..., Gracos are smooth and potentially replaceable).

You might also consider the Britax Click Tights, they are super easy to install and incredibly tall for rear and forward facing use.

Hope that helps!
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
As others have said, there is no way that a 120# child will fit in the Rainier as a booster (or a 110# child in the Symphony as a booster). Buy the convertible you like best, and buy a dedicated booster in six or so years.
 

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