Fell out of love :(

C

Chris

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #1

So I finally got to play with the Chicco Nextfit today, I was sure it was my dream seat...but it isn't. :crying:

The biggest problem is that the RF belt path cuts right across where the crotch buckle comes out so regardless of which position the buckle is in, the seatbelt would interfere with it. I've had this problem with the evenflo tribute as well, but didn't expect it with a higher end seat like this. :scratcheshead:

My van seats are very slanted (Dodge Grand Caravan) so I could only use one position FFing and two RFing. I would really hesitate to actually use it with a newborn RFing because it was still very upright. Not a big deal for us because we don't intend to use it for a newborn, but still...I was so excited about all of the different positions and hoping that this would be great for our slanted seats. Le sigh...

Is it just me that thinks the fabric on the cover is destined to be snaggy and show every little spot? Also, the white piping on the gemini (purple) cover looks like it would crack and fall apart. I couldn't even figure out how the cover comes off for cleaning.

DS was not a fan of the very stiff strap covers and they were puzzling to me too. The cupholder is too small to hold DS's favorite cup. I could go on and on about all of the things that I thought I would love and how sad I am that I don't. Boohoohoo.

 

cookie123

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #2

I didn't look at it for more than a second, but I also thought the cover would be susceptible to snags and spots, probably even water spots. Somebody it the other thread said their's hadn't snagged and they had it for a month.

 

kidzndogz

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #3

I have no issues with the belt interfering with the crotch buckle. It doesn't even touch it when installed. And Liam wears Velcro shoes and climbs in the seat himself and there are no snags. Our CCO snagged right away but this fabric doesn't. And it wipes off easily. Stuff doesn't soak in immediately.

It is very upright on our 4Runners seat though. It's fine in the 2nd position for our 2.5 year old but I can see it not being reclined enough for a newborn in the first setting.

 

Phineasmama

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #4

Have you tried the Maxi Cosi Pria? It is really awesome for the deeply sloped van seats. And a nice big cupholder The fabric is really soft and squishy.

 

L

lauti

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #5

Phineasmama said:

Have you tried the Maxi Cosi Pria? It is really awesome for the deeply sloped van seats. And a nice big cupholder The fabric is really soft and squishy.

Click to expand...

This is what we have and I am I glad I got it now after seeing the Nextfit. I too wanted to love the Nextfit but I just don't. My DS looks a lot more comfy in the Pria, it seems to have more room through the hips and more leg support. The neck straps on the Pria are also a much better fit for my DS.

 

Kel

Well-known member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #6

Glad you like your Pria70. Mine should be here tomorrow! I'm hoping it gives my almost 3 yr old more hip and shoulder room than his my ride.

 

kaharris83

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #7

Chris said:

Is it just me that thinks the fabric on the cover is destined to be snaggy and show every little spot? Also, the white piping on the gemini (purple) cover looks like it would crack and fall apart. I couldn't even figure out how the cover comes off for cleaning.

DS was not a fan of the very stiff strap covers and they were puzzling to me too. The cupholder is too small to hold DS's favorite cup. I could go on and on about all of the things that I thought I would love and how sad I am that I don't. Boohoohoo.

Click to expand...

The cupholder has an insert that can be removed to hold a bigger cup. But it sounds like that was the least of your issues with it.

 

C

Chris

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #8

We have been on a three month hunt trying to find the "perfect" seat to keep nearly 3 yr old DS rfing. I was so sure the nextfit would be it, but I just wasn't in love. I knkow it is snobbish, but I just can't do a Dorel product, not after all of the stuff with them in the last couple of years, so the Maxi Cosi is out for me (I do think the infant insert thing is very inventive, even if a bit difficult in real life).

I liked the mysize70 when I tried it at BBB, but today I tried it again at BRU just to have something fresh in my mind to compare the nextfit to and the BRU floor model was beat up and difficult to adjust. Totally different than the two times I installed it at BBB. Which makes me worry that it just gets worse with use instead of getting smoother, so I think I have ruled that out.

We have a BLVD which is what DS is outgrowing, the Peg Perego Viaggio wasn't any bigger.

I think we our only really solid choices left are a radian and foonf. I don't super love the radian, but once I figured out the install, it did go into our car nicely and should last us at least another year RFing. DH completely fell in love with the Foonf, it should give us another year RFing, but the price tag...ouch! Somehow I had really dreamed that the nextfit would give us equal warm fuzzies to the foonf at the price of a radian. :/

 

kaharris83

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #9

We had a few S4Me's and the harness was awful for us, this was when Target was clearancing them when they first came out. We have a Radian XTSL and I actually really love it. My only gripe is the low sides, which do appeal to some. Since DS1 is outboard I love the NextFit for the deeper sides. The low sides had me rule out the Foonf too.

 

Phineasmama

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #10

I wouldn't say the Foonf sides are that low lol...

 

C

Chris

New member

• Mar 26, 2013

• #11

The low sides on the Radian freak me out a bit too, since DS will very nearly always be riding outboard, but the Nextfit's sides are SOOO high! I keep bonking DS's head getting him into his BLVD so I think it might be worse in the nextfit. At least he is getting to an age where he will usually climb into his seat on his own. If I'd had to lift him everytime we tried it today he would have been a pretzel and I would have had a hernia! (we tried it in several locations both RF and FF each time.)

OT sidenote-I am hugely 8 mths pregnant and at BRU the could not be bothered to pull the seat off the shelf for me. They just took my license and told me to get my own seat down. I was stunned! That seat is seriously heavy and the outside is so smooth that there is nowhere to grab it. I literally slid it off teh shelf and dropped it into the cart. I must have spent 45min perusing and messing with carseats there just for fun (aside from the 30+ I spent installing 2 dif seats in my car) and not ONE salesperson approached me. If I'd been planning to buy today I would have been ticked. Seriously, a pregnant lady is looking at infant buckets and you don't try to sell her one?

 

L

lauti

New member

• Mar 27, 2013

• #12

Chris said:

OT sidenote-I am hugely 8 mths pregnant and at BRU the could not be bothered to pull the seat off the shelf for me. They just took my license and told me to get my own seat down. I was stunned! That seat is seriously heavy and the outside is so smooth that there is nowhere to grab it. I literally slid it off teh shelf and dropped it into the cart. I must have spent 45min perusing and messing with carseats there just for fun (aside from the 30+ I spent installing 2 dif seats in my car) and not ONE salesperson approached me. If I'd been planning to buy today I would have been ticked. Seriously, a pregnant lady is looking at infant buckets and you don't try to sell her one?

Click to expand...

Ugh, BRU. Mine had the cup holder ziptied to the straps (presumably how they come in the box) and I had to hunt someone down to cut it off which involved a lot of huffing from an employee. How did the expect anyone to try their kid in it when you can't even buckle them up?

 

likes2shopalot

CPS Technician

• Mar 27, 2013

• #13

I went to our BRU last week and the exact same thing happened. It was the middle of a weekday. Three people sitting at the front desk, they let me wrestle it myself and could have cared less if I had any questions.

In contrast I went to BuyBuyBaby the same day asking for the NextFit (which they won't get until April) and spent an hour talking to the associate about seats. She happened to mention that their associates always carry the seat out to the customers car and help them with it.

 

kaharris83

New member

• Mar 27, 2013

• #14

Phineasmama said:

I wouldn't say the Foonf sides are that low lol...

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They didn't look that much higher than my XTSL to me. They certainly aren't NextFit or Britax deep. I need to see that protection there even if we have no idea if it makes a difference in an accident.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Mar 28, 2013

• #15

Ugh. BRU. I got carseat advice so bad there once, I had to get a job there to make it better. It's an uphill fight trying to get anyone else to be involved with customers or know anything about seats, and even when I *am* working, they often stick me at the service desk instead of baby gear. One of my old coworkers moved and went to BBB and jokingly invited me to come along... I WISH!
Anyway, sorry the hunt for a perfect convertible is so tough . I tolerated the install/harness of the Radian for RF just to be happy about it's low-profileness in making it easy for my preschooler to scramble up into it. Wish the True Fit had a 45lb RF limit, that'd be so perfect!

 

Cryssy Jane

New member

• Mar 28, 2013

• #16

This is so me with the peg convertible. I loved everything about it on paper but not that it's here I'm so not in love