choosing a combo/booster seat

Hi, I'm looking for some help choosing a car seat. I am a first-time mom who will be bringing my 4 year old internationally-adopted son home to Canada in about 2 months. He measured in 2 weeks ago at 101 cm tall, 42 lbs. I want to have an appropriate seat installed in my car before I travel to bring him home.

I would prefer a combination-type seat that I can use with a harness until he's too big and then later as a high back booster. I shopped around and researched a bit and was ready to buy the Safety 1st Apex, and then I discovered that it won't work in my car. I have a 1999 Ford Escort station wagon (has a tether bolt, shoulder belts in back, no LATCH system), and the back seat does *not* have headrests. Apparently you can only install the Apex in a car with a high backed seat or headrest, so I'm back to square one.

As for other factors - I want a seat with decent padding so it is comfortable for longer drives eg to the lake. The seat will not be moved from one vehicle to another much, if ever. Removable covers/padding for washing would be a bonus. Also, he will never have been in a car seat in his life - in fact the first seat belt will probably be the one on the plane home.

Any suggestions or input welcome!

Thanks,

June
Winnipeg, Canada

Hi June,
I'm April (love those parents hey) and I am in Winnipeg too. I have an evenflo bolero that harnesses to 47 lbs and than makes a pretty decent booster afterwards. I bought mine at Wal-mart for around $130 and K loves it. She is 35 lbs 38 inches and is on the middle slots. I would guess your son will be on the top slots of whatever seat you pick with the exception maybe to the Radian but that doesn't go as a booster afterwards. Where in Winnipeg are you? We can always get together and I am a CRST so I can help with installation.

In Canada, the Evenflo Bolero and Generations are combo seats that make good boosters later and harness past 40 lbs. The Graco Cargo makes a good harnessed seat, and *might* have taller harness slots than the Evenflo combos, but doesn't do so well as a booster.

Thanks - I'll have a look at the Bolero. I guess there isn't another combo seat besides the Apex that harnesses to higher weights? Also, do you think that a combo is the right choice for him, or should I be considering something else, eg the Radian and then a booster later?

Some friends have recommended the Eddie Bauer seats, any thoughts on them?

April, nice to "meet" you... I'm in St B, and installation help would be great once I get a seat - I had already noted down the closest fire hall to go get it checked....

June

Stay away from Eddie Bauer and Cosco with the exception to the Apex. The Apex is the only Dorel brand (Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st) that harnesses over 40lbs.

Check your mail I pm'd you.

JunieB said:

Thanks - I'll have a look at the Bolero. I guess there isn't another combo seat besides the Apex that harnesses to higher weights? Also, do you think that a combo is the right choice for him, or should I be considering something else, eg the Radian and then a booster later?

Some friends have recommended the Eddie Bauer seats, any thoughts on them?

April, nice to "meet" you... I'm in St B, and installation help would be great once I get a seat - I had already noted down the closest fire hall to go get it checked....

June

Click to expand...

The Evenflo Bolero/Generations harnesses to 47lbs and makes a decent booster later on.

The Graco Cargo (make sure it's a front adjuster model) harnesses to 48lbs and I don't really care for it in booster mode.

The Apex harnesses to 48lbs and makes a decent booster later on.

The Eddie Bauer/Cosco/Safety 1st combination seats all have low top harness slots and will be outgrown by height long before you're ready to move your little one to the booster mode (with the exception of the Safety 1st Apex).

With his height, weight and age... I would probably look at the Evenflo Bolero/Generations. I think it may be more comfortable for him. The Generations has more padding than the Bolero and is on sale at toys r us right now for $99. http://www.toysrus.ca/webapp/wcs/st...d=-1&productId=104203&N=24 31019835&nvalue=24

Hope that helps.

Thanks for all the help. The Evenflo Generations is looking good, especially at that price. Before I go and read the manual at the store though - I don't need headrests in the back to use it, do I? I don't have them so I couldn't get the Apex...

June

The Apex is the only one you need headrests. The Generations/Bolero are great and all the kids who have used mine have loved the armrests and K sleeps pretty good in it too.

:yeahthat:
No, you don't need headrests. The Apex is the only seat you need headrests with.

aidensmom02 said:

No, you don't need headrests. The Apex is the only seat you need headrests with.

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That's why I actually prefer the Evenflo seats in canada to the Apex. I wish they'd bring the higher weight limit of the Bolero/Generations seat to the US.