Questions about the new BabyTrend convertible...

So I am really confused by the new PROTect convertible and I am wondering if maybe someone who is already familiar with the TrueFit might be able to answer these questions...

1. How long does it RF for by height? Would it be 1" below the main part of the seat or 1" below the top of the headrest? What is the internal seating height?

2. Does the seat have any energy-absorbing foam?

3. Is the removable headrest just a piece that fits flush at the top? Or does it extend like a car headrest? I feel like I have seen pictures where the TrueFit had little metal rods connecting the seat to the headrest, but I might have been hallucinating...

4. Is it compact? It looks compact in the photos, but I can't tell. The seat pan looks deep, but I don't know if that's just because the shell looks short?

5. I don't know what they were like on the original TrueFit, but the BabyTrend LATCh connectors don't look like the push-button ones, nor do they look like the hook ones...they look more like something I would expect to find in my toolbox. Any comments on whether these connectors are easy to use? Do they work okay with deeply recessed anchors?

6. General thoughts on ease of use? I remember putting my daughter in a friend's true fit once and the straps were insanely twisted, but I don't know if that was just because my friends didn't know not to let the harness twist.

Thanks! Any insight or info is appreciated!



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Nedra said:

So I am really confused by the new PROTect convertible and I am wondering if maybe someone who is already familiar with the TrueFit might be able to answer these questions...

1. How long does it RF for by height? Would it be 1" below the main part of the seat or 1" below the top of the headrest? What is the internal seating height?

Click to expand...

It rear faces up until 1' of the headrest, although that would be impossible for a kid to outgrow by height instead of weight (the TF has a 35 pound weight limit). Kids can also only use the 3rd harness height, and it can get uncomfortable if it gets too far below their shoulders.

Nedra said:

2. Does the seat have any energy-absorbing foam?

Click to expand...

Yes, in the headrest, and along the sides too I think, not 100% sure, search through forums for Naked car seat thread, but BT may change that.... I can update more this afternoon.

Nedra said:

3. Is the removable headrest just a piece that fits flush at the top? Or does it extend like a car headrest? I feel like I have seen pictures where the TrueFit had little metal rods connecting the seat to the headrest, but I might have been hallucinating...

Click to expand...

It does have metal rods where it connects it to the seat but it is not extendable, but it can be removed if the child is under 22 pounds and under the height limit which is printed on the main shell with a red line so their is no guessing.

Nedra said:

4. Is it compact? It looks compact in the photos, but I can't tell. The seat pan looks deep, but I don't know if that's just because the shell looks short?

Click to expand...

The TF is not very compact with the anti rebound bar, not the worst, but not the best, it is better without the headrest attached but that's only until 22 pounds or the height limit on it.

Nedra said:

5. I don't know what they were like on the original TrueFit, but the BabyTrend LATCh connectors don't look like the push-button ones, nor do they look like the hook ones...they look more like something I would expect to find in my toolbox. Any comments on whether these connectors are easy to use? Do they work okay with deeply recessed anchors?

Click to expand...

TF had nice push button latch but I love that it has lock offs which make it super easy for me to install, and you still had to use the lock offs with the latch.

Nedra said:

6. General thoughts on ease of use? I remember putting my daughter in a friend's true fit once and the straps were insanely twisted, but I don't know if that was just because my friends didn't know not to let the harness twist.

Thanks! Any insight or info is appreciated!

Click to expand...

Never had much problems with twisted, I found the harness a little hard to tighten unless I pulled the extra slack from the harness in back. It also has a continuous harness which I like and find it easier to leave tightened.

Over all I really like our TF. Sometimes the lock offs didn't play nice with my seatbelt as the seatbelt had little buttons on it but I could adjust it slightly and it was fine. Have installed with latch too and it was fine. My main complaint is that it has a lot of nooks and crannies for crumbs to hide in in the bottom of the seat

The old model was pretty tall by height, can't say what the new limits might be, though. There's some good 'naked' pictures here, I think they can't have changed TOO much of it...? http://carseatblog.com/3054/the-first-years-true-fit-premier-c670-review-very-nice/ (Oh, and after they were done with that tester, I got it, here's my dd in the background, I think she was 3.5? http://carseatblog.com/?s=says+who?&x=0&y=0)
Personally I found it too bulky, but that was with three kids (someone always in the back, or three across, lots of pick ups and dropoffs to deal with, kids clambering all over my car!) and being used to my insanely low profile Radian I don't think the BT model has the anti-rebound bar.
It also had a 'continuous' harness, which you either love or hate. it's one strap with the midpoint under the seat. That means it often gets longer or shorter on one side if you tug up a the hips too much - it's possible that added to your friend's twisted straps, though I never had that problem, and I've seen people turn totally untwisty straps into rope in minutes, I don't know how they do it, lol.

I found the front to back size to be very compact, even with the headrest installed. It is a pretty wide seat, but the shape puzzles well with some other seats. It was the best seat I found for the truck my dh had when my dd was little. The truck was an older model extended cab and he is 6'8" so his seat had to stay all the way back. It also worked well in his Jeep Wrangler.

I loved my TFs and was very sad when they expired earlier this year. If they come out with some cute fashions, that might be DD2's next seat when one of hers expires . . .

I didn't find the straps to twisty. Actually really liked the continuous harness. It is more compact front to back than it looks due to the shape of the headrest. I think the rest of the people answered all your questions well. My kids each had lots of shell over their head ffing when they moved into their boosters. It is wide side to side, but does puzzle well with some things. I got 2 TFs and various other seats in the back of my parents' camry.

Here is a picture of a stack of them naked before they went to the landfill.