Why is the evenflo infant seat not usually recommended?

Shaunam · Jun 23, 2007

The 5 point,that is (sorry can't remember the name of it). I wasn't planning on using an infant seat, but my sister is offering me her evenflo infant seat with 2 bases and I think it may come in handy (and I know it's only 2 years old and never been in an accident). But she lives pretty far away and I don't want to inconvenience her if it wouldn't be worth it. So why do people call it "sucky".

Thanks!

Victorious4 · Jun 23, 2007

I wouldn't call any seat that can be used correctly "sucky".

The Evenflo infant seat that my SD's mom had couldn't be installed without the base, though, so that makes it less desireable in case of emergency, which is why she switched to a Snugride.

The only infant seats I really *like* though are the Graco SafeSeat Step1 because of it fits so much longer than other infant seats (even if baby isn't carried in it the seat can be at room temp while various bases remian in various vehicles + it can be used without a base in an emergency), the Chicco Keyfit (just sooooo easy to use), the Britax Companion (for it's antirebound & TSIP).

mominabigtruck · Jun 23, 2007

Well it depends on which evenflo seat as to why its sucky. None of the evenflo seats except for a few of the newer embrace's have front adjusters and the embrace has to be used with a base which sucks and the handles always have to be down. The portabout's handle always has to be down and they all have to have an inch clearance from the back of the seat in front of them and the way the portabout installs without a base is really weird and only really works if you don't use the seat as a carrier and then what's the point of having an infant seat, you could've just bought a convertible. Also, the portabout is known for sticking in its base. All in all a thoroughly sucky seat:thumbsdown:

Victorious4 · Jun 23, 2007

LOL, yeah, sucky as far as ease of proper use -- but, I still wouldn't call someone's seat sucky if they CAN & DO use it correctly....

Shaunam · Jun 23, 2007

Ok, I'm pretty sure it's the embrace now. I know it has back harness adjusters, which I don't consider a problem because I had a snugride with DS and it's back harness adjusters were way more annoying and I managed fine.

Does the embrace have to have an inch clearance between the handle and the front seat?

Victorious4 · Jun 23, 2007

As far as I know, Evenflo seats require 1.5" inches between all their RF carseats & front seatback.

mominabigtruck · Jun 23, 2007

papooses said:
LOL, yeah, sucky as far as ease of proper use -- but, I still wouldn't call someone's seat sucky if they CAN & DO use it correctly....

Well its sucky if you buy it brand new or its bought for you and you find all this stuff out after you have it and can't return it. There's lots of things I can put up with if a seat is either free or cheap but not for full price. I meant if her sister is giving it to her and it comes with an extra base its great. Especially if she wasn't planning on using an infant seat anyways. I had the embrace for peyton and he outgrew it before he was 4 months old and yes I bought it new so it seriously sucked. Plus, I couldn't even find anywhere the sold the base seperetly so I only had one base for 4 vehicles.

SusanMae · Jun 23, 2007

Check and make sure it wasn't recalled. I know Evenflo recently recalled seats(from 04-06) because the handle could release while you were carrying it....putting the baby at risk for being dumped on the floor if they weren't strapped in.

If it was a recalled seat, you can contact Evenflo for a repair kit. It's still safe to use as a carseat, just not a carrier.

Susan

joolsplus3 · Jun 23, 2007

SusanMae said:
Check and make sure it wasn't recalled. I know Evenflo recently recalled seats(from 04-06) because the handle could release while you were carrying it....putting the baby at risk for being dumped on the floor if they weren't strapped in.

If it was a recalled seat, you can contact Evenflo for a repair kit. It's still safe to use as a carseat, just not a carrier.

Susan

That's why I'd call it sucky... they've had had hundreds of reports of this happening, and it's the third time in 10 years they design seats with insta-accidental-release handles... Makes evenflo sucky as an overall seat manufacturer

. I'm with Papooses, though, it's probably fine if it's used properly (and it's hard to get that vision of Consumer Reports testing for years where the Evenflo seats fly off the bases... just leaves a bad taste in one's mouth...). Yeah, the handle must be down and there must be an inch or 1.5 of space between the seatback and the front seat (that's an evenflo rule for infant seats only, but it makes sense, how would you get the seat out if it were touching the front seatback?

)

Why is the evenflo infant seat not usually recommended?

Shaunam

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Victorious4

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mominabigtruck

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Victorious4

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Shaunam

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Victorious4

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mominabigtruck

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SusanMae

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joolsplus3

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