Advice, Please

Unfortunately, I am in the market for a new seat. My daughter is currently in a ComfortSport and has nearly outgrown it. I am extremely frustrated by this because I didn't do my research on the seat and feel like I'm not getting my money's worth out of it. I would like to get a seat within the next few months but I really need help deciding. A few considering factors are 1) comfort (we travel frequently) 2)easy installation 3) straps that won't tangle 4) ability to get several years of use. My daughter is 2 years old and 23lbs and 33 in. Also, the seat would be for a '01 Cavalier. So, it seems my choices would be:

Marathon, Decathalon, Boulevard
Regent
Radian (scared of the installation with this one)
Signo
Como
new Triumph
new Titan
FPSVD
Apex 65 (not too sure on this because I think I need headrests?)

Thanks for reading and for your input.

Unfortunately, most kids do outgrow the ComfortSport very early and that's exactly why we don't recommend it at all. It's low back and low top slots make it a bad choice for the money.

Is your daughter still rear-facing? At only 2 years old and 23 lbs., she would be SO much safer rear-facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear-facing for as long as possible (to the upper limits of a convertible carseat) for the best protection. My 2.5 year old is 27 lbs. and about 36.5 in. tall and has never been forward-facing in his life. He and his little brother will rear-face to the maximum limits of their seats.

A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and kiddo is gone.

Watch this video...it contains crash test footage of a rear-facing seat vs. a forward-facing seat, you will see the HUGE difference it makes on a child:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kRP7ynNI8mI

And here's another video about the same thing, but it has a few pictures of my boys in it, along with lots of other rear-facing kiddos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo

And here are some great links:

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx
http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/rear.html
http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/rear-facing_seats_2.html

Your best seat choices:

- Britax Marathon/Decathlon/Boulevard (33 lbs. RF & 65 lbs. FF) $220-$300 - Can be tethered rear-facing (improves stability in side-impacts and rollovers and is especially beneficial for older RF babies/toddlers), have built-in lockoffs, very easy to install and use, tall back, tall top slots, great padding, will last until 2-4 years old rear-facing and about 5 years old forward-facing.

- SunShine Kids Radian (33 lbs. RF & 65 lbs. FF) $180 - Can be tethered rear-facing, tall back, tall top slots, can be difficult to install, good padding, will last until 2-4 years old rear-facing and about 5-6 years old forward-facing.

- Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe (made by Britax, 33 lbs. RF & 55 lbs. FF) $150 - Easy to install and use, tall back, tall top slots, NO rear-facing tether, good padding, will last until 2-4 years old rear-facing and about 5 years old forward-facing.

The Recaro Como and Signo will be priced the same as the Britax's. They'll go to 35 lbs. RF and 70 lbs. FF. They won't be out until July or later, but they sound like they'll be great seats.

The new Triumph Advance will go to either 30 or 35 lbs. RF and to 50 lbs. FF. It's supposed to be priced the same as the current one, but it will have a taller shell and top slots. It'll be out in July, if I'm not mistaken.

Oh and by the way, I have a 2002 2-door Cavalier. I have 2 rear-facing Britax Marathons in there, so if you're worried about the size of those, don't be!

At 23 pounds she really should still be rear facing, it's best to keep her rear facing until she reaches the maximum height/weight of a convertible carseat.

So right away I would cross off the Apex and Regent -- she would be completely swallowed up by those large seats anyways.

Any of the others on your list would be excellent choices

As far as her being rear-facing, this is tricky to answer...she is rfing but if I just recently read in the comfortsport manual that only the bottom 2 slots are for rear-facing and the top is for forward-facing. I'm very confused because I thought she could rf as long as she was under 30 lbs.

Where is her head in relation to the top of the seat? is it even with the shell? how far below or above?

No on the Regent and the Apex. She should stay rearfacing and these are for ff'ing only. Plus, they will swallow her alive. LOL

Your daughter may stay in the CS rearfacing until her head is even with the top of the shell. The straps need to stay *at or below* her shoulders and must follow the guidelines the manufacturer gives. In this case, you must continue to use the middle set of straps unless you are going to turn her ff'ing (which I would not do). The top straps are not reinforced for use in rearfacing position. As long as the middle set stay on her shoulders properly, she can stay rearfacing in this seat until the top of her head is at the top. After that, I would buy another seat, b/c she is too little to be ff'ing. FWIW--the CS has the lowest top slots on the market--many other carseats have that same height slot as a middle slot. )-:

Personally, we all know that the Britax seats are incredibly easy to use and install. They also last a good long time. If you need a seat now, and it will be your main seat, I'd buy the Boulevard. If you can wait a few weeks or months, I'd check into the Evenflo Triumph Advance (your dd is tiny, really, so it would last her a long time!) or even the new Recaro's.

If you don't want to spend a lot right now, I'd get the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe. It's a great seat!

And if you need a seat *now*, but want to get a Triumph Advance or Recaro later, I'd get a Cosco Scenera and keep her rearfacing in that until the other seats come in. Then, you'll have a great spare!

hths

henrietta

Marathon, Decathalon, Boulevard or FPSVD -- great seats that are generally easy to use, fit most vehicles, usually fits kids until they can learn to use a booster correctly + you can use a GogoKidz for toting through airport (which much be removed to install in a vehicle, but can be left on in the plane) ... FPSVD is based on the Marathon, but lacks RF tether & lock offs; Decathalon does not have the Rip Stitch straps to help ride down during a crash.

Regent -- not yet: wait till kiddo can no longer ride RF (it's also not FAA approved & is just too much heft for travel anyway!)

Radian -- fits kids by height slightly longer than Britax, folds for travel, but is really heavy & I think it does not install well/easily in a Cavalier

Signo/Como -- no actual experience with these seats yet because they have not been released just yet (August or September) ... but I would love to have one: should supposedly fit longer than any other convertible + Recaro's other seats are just so nice I personally wouldn't pass this up if my kid could still fit RF

new Triumph (Advance) -- I really like this seat: still just barely fits my 5 year old, has the highest RF limits + super easypeasy to use features!

Apex 65 -- not yet since kiddo should still ride RF for optimal protection

No, Graco says you can NOT use the top harness slots rear facing, so if her shoulders are at or above them the CS is outgrown already rear and forward facing, no matter where her head is.

The Safety First Uptown or Fisher Price Safe Voyage Delux would be good budget choices since you need a seat NOW. In fact, I would say get an Uptown ($90 at wal-mart) since from what you've said your daughter has already outgrown the CS and you do not have time to wait for a seat to be shipped.