Looking for car seat suggestions - Canada

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 5, 2016

Hi looking for car seat suggestions for our daughter for when she outgrows her graco snug ride click connect 30. The two vehicles are a 2009 pontiac wave with no front passenger and a 2016 dodge ram 1500 crew cab. Ideally looking for a 3 in 1 seat to get the best return on our investment. The seats could be two different ones. At 4 months she weighs 14lbs and 63cm (long torso), we are going to be too tall for our current seat long before she weighs too much. I'd like to keep her rear facing for as long as possible. Thanks

sunflower · Dec 8, 2016

I don't have experience with those cars, but most infant seats are outgrown when the baby reaches 1" from the top of the seat.

What is your budget? The Britax seats fit most cars, but aren't thw tallest ones, though not the shortest either.The Roundabout wouldn't last you long. The Diono Radian is great for long torso kids, but they don't work in many cars, so someone with experience in those cars can chime in. I like that seat. The Evenflo Sureride DLX/ Titan 65 can also work. Maxi Cosi also has higher slots.

Also, most 3 in 1 seats do not work well for at least one of the stages, usually being the booster one. It's cheaper to buy a dedicated booster, when it will be needed, as most kids are only booster ready at age 6 or so, and your car seat may be expiring by then.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 9, 2016

Thanks for your reply. Our budget is hopefully the lower end of the spectrum as we are likely going to have to buy 3 seats. My car (the smallest vehicle), hubbys truck, and grandma(s) cars as once I go back to work. I work shifts and hubby is a trucker/firefighter, so will be relying on grandmas to babysit when I am working/sleeping, and don't want them to feel they are stuck at home with baby, but don't want to uninstall/re-install seats in our 2 main vehicles all the time.

I have been looking at the Safety 1st Alpha Omega, Alpha Omega 65, Grow and Go Sport and Guide 65. As well as the Evenflo Symphony LX. If their product descriptions have the correct dimensions I believe all but the grow and go sport should fit in my car. I know you mentioned the Evenflo Symphony LX above, do you have any thoughts on the Safety 1st seats?

Once we pick a couple we really like, I am hoping to be able to find one that I can try in my car, just to see how the fit is.

K's Mama · Dec 9, 2016

I think you'll be able to use your infant seat a lot longer than you think. It can be used until there is only 1" of hard shell above babies head. I know several kids who have used their infant seat until past the age of 2.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 9, 2016

Thanks for your reply, however according to our current seats "guidelines" it states "Car Seat: rear-facing for infants from 4-30 lbs (1.8KG-13.6KG) and up to 30” (76.2CM) tall". Given that at 4 months my daughter is 63cm tall its unlikely we will be able to use this seat past a year.

bubbaray · Dec 9, 2016

I would go with something cheap and easy to use for the two least used vehicles. Cosco Scenara would be my first pick. Widely available at Walmart and other retailers. You don't want to be uninstalling/installing convertibles like you do buckets.

What is a Pontiac Wave? Is it a sedan? Anything should fit in the Dodge truck

lgenne · Dec 9, 2016

Avoid the Alpha Omegas. The Grow & Go and the Guide 65 are both reasonably compact, and relatively easy to use.

I would add the Cosco Scenera NEXT to your list, at least for secondary vehicles. It doesn't last a super long time (it's outgrown at 40 pounds/40 inches) but it's the most affordable option available, and is remarkably easy to use, in addition to fitting easily into very tight spots.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 9, 2016

Two of the seats will have to be decent ones as the truck and car will be used equally, the grandma seat will be a "cheaper" one from Walmart for sure.

The wave is a 4 door sedan. I tried to upload a picture of it but cant figure it out.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 9, 2016

lgenne said:
Avoid the Alpha Omegas. The Grow & Go and the Guide 65 are both reasonably compact, and relatively easy to use.

I would add the Cosco Scenera NEXT to your list, at least for secondary vehicles. It doesn't last a super long time (it's outgrown at 40 pounds/40 inches) but it's the most affordable option available, and is remarkably easy to use, in addition to fitting easily into very tight spots.

Can I ask why to avoid the alpha omegas?

lgenne · Dec 9, 2016

Christa Gunnewiek said:
Can I ask why to avoid the alpha omegas?

Of course.

They are fine car seats, if they fit your car and your kid, and you can follow the instructions. Those are three very big "if"s.

They are very wide car seats that also take up a ton of front to back space rear facing. They don't really fit kids for anywhere near the full weight range advertised on the box in any of the 3 modes. And they are unusable as boosters--belt fit is pretty universally poor. On top of that, there are some very complicated and difficult to remember/follow instructions, that vary from one model to the next.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 9, 2016

lgenne said:
Of course.

They are fine car seats, if they fit your car and your kid, and you can follow the instructions. Those are three very big "if"s.

They are very wide car seats that also take up a ton of front to back space rear facing. They don't really fit kids for anywhere near the full weight range advertised on the box in any of the 3 modes. And they are unusable as boosters--belt fit is pretty universally poor. On top of that, there are some very complicated and difficult to remember/follow instructions, that vary from one model to the next.

Thanks that is very helpful!

lgenne · Dec 10, 2016

To be clear, I think I would choose a Scenera NEXT for any vehicle over any of the other options you listed except maybe the Grow & Go. The Scenera NEXT is basically a rear facing only seat (rear facing and forward facing modes are outgrown at about the same time), but it's cheap and so easy to use rear facing. A Guide 65 will last longer forward facing, but is much more difficult to install well rear facing.

Once the Scenera NEXT is outgrown, there are several nice affordable combination seats (forward facing only harness-to-booster seats) available today, and there might be more by the time you need them.

Christa Gunnewiek · Dec 10, 2016

lgenne said:
To be clear, I think I would choose a Scenera NEXT for any vehicle over any of the other options you listed except maybe the Grow & Go. The Scenera NEXT is basically a rear facing only seat (rear facing and forward facing modes are outgrown at about the same time), but it's cheap and so easy to use rear facing. A Guide 65 will last longer forward facing, but is much more difficult to install well rear facing.

Once the Scenera NEXT is outgrown, there are several nice affordable combination seats (forward facing only harness-to-booster seats) available today, and there might be more by the time you need them.

The ones I listed were just ones that I was able to find measurements on. I am open to more RF/FF suggestions for smaller cars as well.

lgenne · Dec 10, 2016

Can someone with more Canada knowledge suggest other options? I think the Graco Dimensions might be another good one to look at?

featherhead · Dec 10, 2016

lgenne said:
Can someone with more Canada knowledge suggest other options? I think the Graco Dimensions might be another good one to look at?

It's like $300 and only rear-faces to 35 lbs.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

elsie5 · Dec 10, 2016

The Graco Contender which is (almost) the same as the Dimensions, is at 199$ right now at Canadian Tire (In stores)

Looking for car seat suggestions - Canada

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