thoughts on Recaro Signo?

[Unregistered]

Its time to get a Convertible car seat and Im thinking about hte Recaro Signo. Albee Baby ensures that the seat they are selling is not the recalled seat.

Any thoughts?

 

[skylinphoto]

I have one recaro signo.
I love it. It feels super solid. It's soft. It's quite large though. It does NOT give a lot of legroom. When rearfacing, it's not great for older rearfacers (my 3 year old is rfing but doesn't have a lot of legroom at all). When ffing, there isn't great leg support.

It's a nice quality seat though. I'm buying a second.

 

[firemomof3]

I had 2 signos for a while and really liked them. The harness adjustor is by far the best I've ever tried; it tightens smoothly & evenly everytime. The latch release to make the latch straps longer/shorter do get sticky and difficult to release, like pp said there isn't much leg room for rf and there is a lack of leg support ff. But I really like the seat and have lots of pics if you need any

 

[southpawboston]

pros:

- luxurious, well padded and high quality microfiber cover
- feels solid
- LATCH bar makes installations tight and easy in most cars
- alligator style LATCH connectors
- pouch for storing top tether when used for RF
- infinite height harness adjust, with 18.25" top height
- deep SIP wings that adjust with harness
- extra seat/thigh cushion for smaller toddlers/infants
- butter smooth harness adjuster
- does not take up a lot of room when RFing, can fit in small cars
- tall base (our kids like to sit higher up and see out better)
- 70 lb FF weight limit
- 35 lb RF weight limit
- kids LOVE to sleep in it-- no head slumping

cons:

- hard to get good RF angle without at least one pool noodle
- "lockoffs" don't work as lockoffs, so renamed as "belt guides"
- short legroom for RFing kiddos-- tall kids won't last to 35 lb limit, and SIP wings make getting RF kids in and out difficult
- tall base may decrease driver visibility in some vehicles, and may make climbing in difficult for small kids (both our kids climb in fine, and we have no driver visibility problems)
- LATCH connectors difficult to loosen after being installed for awhile (the webbing does not want to slide through the adjuster)
- silly, useless decorative plastic rear cover that covers the splitter plate never stays in place
- not a lot of shoulder room for really wide-shouldered kids

 

[kathysr98]

pros:

- luxurious, well padded and high quality microfiber cover
- feels solid
- LATCH bar makes installations tight and easy in most cars
- alligator style LATCH connectors
- pouch for storing top tether when used for RF
- infinite height harness adjust, with 18.25" top height
- deep SIP wings that adjust with harness
- extra seat/thigh cushion for smaller toddlers/infants
- butter smooth harness adjuster
- does not take up a lot of room when RFing, can fit in small cars
- tall base (our kids like to sit higher up and see out better)
- 70 lb FF weight limit
- 35 lb RF weight limit
- kids LOVE to sleep in it-- no head slumping

cons:

- hard to get good RF angle without at least one pool noodle
- "lockoffs" don't work as lockoffs, so renamed as "belt guides"
- short legroom for RFing kiddos-- tall kids won't last to 35 lb limit, and SIP wings make getting RF kids in and out difficult
- tall base may decrease driver visibility in some vehicles, and may make climbing in difficult for small kids (both our kids climb in fine, and we have no driver visibility problems)
- LATCH connectors difficult to loosen after being installed for awhile (the webbing does not want to slide through the adjuster)
- silly, useless decorative plastic rear cover that covers the splitter plate never stays in place
- not a lot of shoulder room for really wide-shouldered kids

I completely agree with all of that, plus:

The cover is super easy to clean. A bit of water & a paper towel has removed everything DD has thrown at it.

Seat belt install is also super easy. My Signo is the only seat I don't mind moving from car to car. It's just that easy to install.

As far as RF leg room, we have no problems so far, (DD is 13mo, ~20lb, & ~30.5") but we have quite some time to go before she's FF. I will say, someone on c-s.org has a siggy pic of an older child RF in a Como (Signo's cheaper brother).

My super skinny DD has been very well cradled in this seat. She was 5mo when we got it - 10% weight, 90% height, & 95% head cir. Even with those stats, we never had head slump!

 

[disbugsmomma]

As far as RF leg room, we have no problems so far, (DD is 13mo, ~20lb, & ~30.5") but we have quite some time to go before she's FF. I will say, someone on c-s.org has a siggy pic of an older child RF in a Como (Signo's cheaper brother).

I think you would be referring to me here. :thumbsup: My siggy picture was taken just over a week ago. Her stats are there too.

 

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

I just had to say how nice it is to see SouthPaw back around here again.

Oh, and ITA with everything he said except, my DD has plenty of RF leg room, since she is center in my MDX, and the seat back is lower there. She just drapes her legs across the seat.

 

[momofmandp]

What is the shell height and harness height like in comparison to some of the others (Marathon True Fit, etc...)?

 

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

Here is a link to the initial review SPB did on this seat - so helpful! :thumbsup:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=25952

 

[southpawboston]

I just had to say how nice it is to see SouthPaw back around here again.

Oh, and ITA with everything he said except, my DD has plenty of RF leg room, since she is center in my MDX, and the seat back is lower there. She just drapes her legs across the seat.

thanks

strange. my DD2 was complaining about her legs "hurting" by 2.25 years. not sure about her height at the time, but she was about 90th percentile. we ended up turning her at about 2.5 years and somewhere around 31-32 pounds, not sure i remember exactly.

i know that many parents here object to turning a DC around because of protests, but we discovered (many months AFTER turning her) that DD2 suffers from knee joint pain (no one, including her pedi, knows why) and once we discovered this we realized retrospectively that her protests were because of genuine pain (we originally thought she just didn't like to RF).

 

[skylinphoto]

Example of legroom:
My son when he was just under 3 years old and 35.5 in tall rearfacing in the signo with his legs crossed.

If you wanna see a really super cramped picture of him..you can see it here.
He normally sits like the picture i posted here (the actual picture posted above) though.

 

[kathysr98]

I think you would be referring to me here. :thumbsup: My siggy picture was taken just over a week ago. Her stats are there too.

Yep! Thanks for posting. I've used your siggy to show my mom & BF that RF for 3+ years is doable. They were skeptical that it was possible before they saw that pic w/ the stats.

 

[firemomof3]

Here is my 3y/o in the Signo just before I switched her to the True Fit

But, I really like the fit of the Signo on kids under 3y/o because it "hugs" them vs. the True Fit where kids just swim in it! Here is a good comparison pic

 

[romanoma]

I agree with all of above. Just wanted to add that due to the way the seat cradles the child and the very soft, lovely microfiber cover, I have found it very hot for DD as the summer is now upon us. I recently got the seat, and did not think through that little factor before purchasing.

I still like the seat, but just have to be sure to really crank on the AC, even to the point where I am cold, to be sure she isn't a sweaty mess when we arrive at our destination. I think this will be a very nice thing in the winter in a cold car though, I think she will be kept warmer then too.

 

[disbugsmomma]

Yep! Thanks for posting. I've used your siggy to show my mom & BF that RF for 3+ years is doable. They were skeptical that it was possible before they saw that pic w/ the stats.

Awesome, glad I could help. :thumbsup:

It looks like I keep my seat a bit more reclined than some of the others here, it gives her a bit more leg room.

 

[JerseyGirl'sMama]

Example of legroom:
My son when he was just under 3 years old and 35.5 in tall rearfacing in the signo with his legs crossed.

What angle is the Signo installed. Probably just the angle of the pic, but it looks very upright.

thanks

strange. my DD2 was complaining about her legs "hurting" by 2.25 years. not sure about her height at the time, but she was about 90th percentile.

I am going to come back and post a pic of my DD as soon as I take one (tonight?). She is 36" tall, in the 90th percentile on height as well.

Very interesting about your DD's knees. Glad you know though.

 

[skylinphoto]

Totally just the angle of the pic!

 

[Unregistered]

Hi -

I'm thinking of getting the Signo G2 for my son. Do any of you know if the Signos I'm seeing on sale at Diapers.com, etc. are the first generation or the new G2?

Thanks!
- Heather

 

[Mama!]

Example of legroom:
My son when he was just under 3 years old and 35.5 in tall rearfacing in the signo with his legs crossed.

If you wanna see a really super cramped picture of him..you can see it here.
He normally sits like the picture i posted here (the actual picture posted above) though.

This is how my son fit at 2 and 3 yrs as well. He didn't mind, but it was hard to load him in and out.

 

[Mama!]

Hi -

I'm thinking of getting the Signo G2 for my son. Do any of you know if the Signos I'm seeing on sale at Diapers.com, etc. are the first generation or the new G2?

Thanks!
- Heather

The new G2's would be listed as such. they are just now rolling out of the factory acc to Recaro's CS.