hate my bucket-what to get to replace it

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

I was given an evenflow bucket that we've used since ds was born-he's 6 weeks and 9.5lb. I hate this bucket-it's rear adjust and has no padding at all. We haven't been doing much driving but from Dec-March we'll be traveling alot. I really don't want to use that seat for long road trips. But I'm not sure what to get. I don't like carrying infant buckets, I'd rather wear ds. I had pretty much decided to get a Complete Air but tried it yesterday on DS and he's still too small for the lowest strap and he really looked like he was swimming in the seat. The seat fits in our car (2003 Mitisubishi Galant) but only at 40degrees so even if DS is tall enough for the straps in a month I don't think that he'll have the head control for 40 degrees.

Here are my current ideas of what to do:
1. buy a used bucket-I'm seeing KF on craigslist for $95-130. Use that till he out grows it and get a Complete air

2. get a smaller convertible (suggestions PLEASE) that will fit now but won't be able to rf as long. I probably won't buy a bigger convertible later and will switch him to a natulist whenever he out grows it. I looked at the britax diplomat yesterday but wasn't wowed. the true fit seemed huge, i'm not sure it would fit in our car at 45 degrees.

thanks

wendytthomas · Oct 28, 2010

The first is not an option. Unless you trust the sellers with your son's life I wouldn't trust the seat. If they washed the harness, had it involved in a crash, checked it on an airplane, or misused it somehow, it may fail. If you can get one from a friend (any bucket), then fine. Someone you trust. Otherwise, no.

The True Fit without the headrest is very tiny. It should fit just fine. In fact, I know someone who got rid of their Boulevards in their Galant (I want to say theirs was a 2000 or 2001) because the True Fits worked so much better. One rear facing more upright for their older daughter, one rear facing at a newborn angle for their newborn. That'd be my first choice. Try it in your car, if you can.

Otherwise, look at the new Britaxes with the infant insert. He might fit in those, and they don't take up a lot of space front to back, and should get your average child to about three rear facing.

Wendy

lorismurph · Oct 28, 2010

What about the MyRide65? Or the Evenflo Momentum?

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

sorry didn't stipulate that I'm in Canada. I don't think that the evenflow momentum is available here.
Do you think a myride would fit rf 45 degrees in our car? I can see the true fit working because of the removable top.
thanks

btw-why is there a swap section here if buying a used seat is a total no-no?

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

my bad, I just found the momentum at toys-r-us. so same question, is it likely to fit in a 2003 mits galant at 45 degrees?

mrdhollins · Oct 28, 2010

I too was thinking the MyRide65... it should fit now and will probably last longer than a Britax. Plus, it's waaaaaaay less expensive than a Britax.

As pp (Wendy) stated, DO NOT BUY a used seat from CL. (and/or you know the person selling it & trust them)

wendytthomas · Oct 28, 2010

Buying used seats from trusted places is fine.

Unless you trust the sellers with your son's life I wouldn't trust the seat.... If you can get one from a friend (any bucket), then fine. Someone you trust. Otherwise, no.

I'd buy a seat from my cousin, for instance. And likely she from me. I wouldn't buy one from the guy three blocks over, though.

Also here it's more than just seats. It may be covers, cupholders, little extra bits and bobs for carseats (ie, I have a Licorice Coccoro, but I'd love the padding from a Cool Mint Coccoro).

Are you putting your child in the middle? Often seats fit better there, plus it's 30% safer.

Wendy

aeormsby · Oct 28, 2010

Unregistered said:
btw-why is there a swap section here if buying a used seat is a total no-no?

I feel like I 'know' a lot of the people here. And they're obviously very aware of what not to do with a carseat. Also, like Wendy said there are lots of other things besides actual carseats. I purchased a pink cover for one of our carseats for DD, and we'll save the red one for when DS uses it in the future.

HayleyCPST · Oct 28, 2010

Unregistered said:
2. get a smaller convertible (suggestions PLEASE) that will fit now but won't be able to rf as long. I probably won't buy a bigger convertible later and will switch him to a natulist whenever he out grows it.

I'm a little confused. You want to get a smaller convertible that won't last him long RF. You don't want to buy another convertible later down the road, so you'll put him in a Nautilus when he outgrows this smaller convertible. Correct?

If that's the case, why don't you want him to be RF for a long time?

Since you don't like to carry the bucket around and buying it from CL is not an option, then look at the True fit like Wendy said. You won't need the top head rest until he's 22lbs, which may be a while.
Another choice since you're traveling will be the cosco scenera. RF to 40, has low slots and is very lightweight. I've heard this is a good seat for traveling.

The evenflo bucket you are talking about, does it have a zig-zag handle? Be sure that when it's installed that the handle is back and its at least 1.5" away from any part of the front seat. You may have to move him to the center to achieve this.

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

I'd much prefer to have him in the middle both for safety and because dh and I are both tall. The top of the CA fit between the front seats, but it seems that the MR and TF are too wide for that? but the TF head rest comes off while he's in the 45degree recline right?

HayleyCPST · Oct 28, 2010

Unregistered said:
I'd much prefer to have him in the middle both for safety and because dh and I are both tall. The top of the CA fit between the front seats, but it seems that the MR and TF are too wide for that? but the TF head rest comes off while he's in the 45degree recline right?

Just be sure the handle is in the back position and it's 1.5" away from any front seat.

The true fit has a head rest that is used when the child is over 22lbs or is above the line on the seat. This helps it to fit better in more compact cars so that you can install it at a 45 degree angle.

You can still install it at a 45 degree angle with head rest on, but in your car, it's not very likely. Hopefully at this point he will be old enough to be more upright so the head rest will fit.

Do you have any baby stores around you where you can try them out in your car?

mrdhollins · Oct 28, 2010

Unregistered said:
I'd much prefer to have him in the middle both for safety and because dh and I are both tall. The top of the CA fit between the front seats, but it seems that the MR and TF are too wide for that? but the TF head rest comes off while he's in the 45degree recline right?

In my limited experience, the CA and the Radian are the only two convertibles that can typically puzzle between the two front seats.

And yes, you can remove the headrest of the TF as long as your DS is short enough.

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

Hayley-it's not that I don't want to keep him rf as long as possible-just that the seats that he'll fit now don't rf as long as the CA. (sorry about the double negative) But I don't think that I'll want to buy a CA in 2 years just to keep him rf for another 5lbs.

There are stores around here, but my dh has the car during the week and I'd like to do as much pre-shopping as possible.

crap I didn't realize that the 1.5" was handle, I thought it was from the seat. in that case he's not properly restrained even in the bucket. yet another reason to get rid of this bucket. we can't move the seat up 1.5" and still be safe to drive.

OK we'll get a new seat this weekend. right now ds is 6weeks 22" and 9.5lb. I'm guessing that he'll be fairly tall for his weight given dh and I and the other babies in our families. I'm still leaning towards the TF because it'll be smaller while he has to be fully reclined, but that's the only real distinction that I'm feeling between the TF and MR. They're basically the same width right, so both will take up a lot of the backseat real estate? we don't often have another couple ride with us but it has been a nice option. what are the other major reasons to choose one over the other?

LISmama810 · Oct 28, 2010

Just wanted to throw one other thing out there: You said you were given the Evenflo bucket. I'm not sure if that meant it was given new or used. If it's used, please check to make sure it's not recalled. There was a recall of Evenflo Discovery infant seats a couple years ago. (Though I don't know if that pertained to Canada. If that seat exists there, though, I imagine it did.)

Unregistered · Oct 28, 2010

it's an embrace and hadn't been recalled as of July when my friend gave it to me.

mrdhollins · Oct 29, 2010

Unregistered said:
I'm still leaning towards the TF because it'll be smaller while he has to be fully reclined, but that's the only real distinction that I'm feeling between the TF and MR. They're basically the same width right, so both will take up a lot of the backseat real estate? we don't often have another couple ride with us but it has been a nice option. what are the other major reasons to choose one over the other?

The other main differences I can think of is that the TF RF to 35 lbs and the MR to 40 lbs. The TF has removable cup holders and the MR's are stationary.

We looked at both and my husband preferred the padding (seemed cushier) on the FT. I know the TF has the infant insert standard, not sure about the MR.

HTH

HayleyCPST · Oct 29, 2010

Can you install it outboard passenger and have your husband or yourself ride in the back seat with the baby while someone drives?
The front passenger seat will be unusable, but at least you all can be safely in the car.

The handle rule makes this seat incompatible with most cars. Don't stress out about it, you are doing your research to find him a new seat.

Honestly, I'd still go with the True fit. It has a much taller shell than the MR. Are you and your husband on the taller side?

DahliaRW · Oct 29, 2010

The MR does have infant padding (since that was asked).

HayleyCPST · Oct 29, 2010

Are you choosing between the MR and TF?
To sum up the differences:
MR goes to 40lbs, TF goes to 35
The TF has a removable head rest for smaller children.
TF has no-rethread harness, MR doesn't.
TF has built in lock offs, MR doesn't.
MR has 2 different LATCH connectors (1 for RF, 1 for FF).
MR only has 1 crotch buckle position, TF has at least 2.
MR can be FF from 20-65, TF starts FF at 23lbs.
MR expires 6th year, TF expires 7th year.

Similarities:
They both have a 17" top harness slot, although the TF has a taller shell.
They both have infant padding.
They both go FF to 65lbs.

TF is 19lbs with headrest. MR is 15.8lbs. MR is an inch wider than TF. TF is taller. MR is about 30 dollars less than TF.
I think that's it. Did I miss anything?

Unregistered · Oct 29, 2010

thanks for that list. very helpful. I'm 5'11" and DH is 5'9", kids in both our families tend to be string beans. I think that we will get the TF rebound, now I just have to find it. apparently it's being discontinued at TRU here to change out the cover (that's what the sales girl said anyway) so I was able play with a display model but haven't been able to find one that I can buy. and so the saga continues...

hate my bucket-what to get to replace it

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