Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

anna's mama

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Thanks so much for this review. This is my first time hearing of this seat and I am now in the market for buying a new seat for our 3.5 year old for our second vehicle. My only question is about the safety of this seat. I suppose all seats get tested before being put on the market and I'm sure you looked at this before buying. Can you tell me how it measures up to the Britax brands and the other more pricey supposedly the "safest" seats?

Thanks so much. I forsee purchasing this seat. Looks like a winner.

andrea
 
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azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Thanks so much for this review. This is my first time hearing of this seat and I am now in the market for buying a new seat for our 3.5 year old for our second vehicle. My only question is about the safety of this seat. I suppose all seats get tested before being put on the market and I'm sure you looked at this before buying. Can you tell me how it measures up to the Britax brands and the other more pricey supposedly the "safest" seats?

Thanks so much. I forsee purchasing this seat. Looks like a winner.

andrea

I wanted to point out that one seat is not safer than another.
the "safest seat" is:
One that fiTs your child
Fits yout vehicle
Fits your needs
and
you will install and use correctly every single time. ;)

They all have to pass the same standard set of crash tests.
 
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

I wanted to point out that one seat is not safer than another.
the "safest seat" is:
One that fiTs your child
Fits yout vehicle
Fits your needs
and
you will install and use correctly every single time. ;)

They all have to pass the same standard set of crash tests.

Perfectly said!!!
 

Namegirl

Senior Community Member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

But don't some seats perform better, even way superior, than other seats in crash tests?

Crash tests results are not generally released to the public. So we don't have specifics on any given seat.

What we can tell you is that some carseats offer safety features that can be valuable in a crash (like EPS foam, the ability to rearface for a long time, rearfacing tethers, the ability to harness for a long time, etc.).

But as the previous poster said, a good installation and correct usage each and every time is the most important thing.
 
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Yes, agreed. But don't some seats perform better, even way superior, than other seats in crash tests?

andrea

To be honest, it is debatable, not all companies release their reports and videoes, some testing companies will not even allow "others" to watch the testing procedure.

In all though, seats have a minimum standard to pass, these of course could be made higher, and better but then the costs of seats would be through the roof. When reports are made of seats being "worse" than others, how often is the "real" report given along side? They do not mention the way the seat was used, the condition of the car, the condition of the road, the state of the driver/s, the tighteness of the harness, the quality of the seat belts holding the seat in place etc.

When talking about other countries you need to remember that road rules, car quality and accident types also differ. Therefore seats differ as do standards baed on these "expectations" of accident types.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Crash tests results are not generally released to the public. So we don't have specifics on any given seat.

What we can tell you is that some carseats offer safety features that can be valuable in a crash (like EPS foam, the ability to rearface for a long time, rearfacing tethers, the ability to harness for a long time, etc.).

But as the previous poster said, a good installation and correct usage each and every time is the most important thing.

:yeahthat:
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

To be honest, it is debatable, not all companies release their reports and videoes, some testing companies will not even allow "others" to watch the testing procedure.

In all though, seats have a minimum standard to pass, these of course could be made higher, and better but then the costs of seats would be through the roof. When reports are made of seats being "worse" than others, how often is the "real" report given along side? They do not mention the way the seat was used, the condition of the car, the condition of the road, the state of the driver/s, the tighteness of the harness, the quality of the seat belts holding the seat in place etc.

When talking about other countries you need to remember that road rules, car quality and accident types also differ. Therefore seats differ as do standards baed on these "expectations" of accident types.

:thumbsup:
 

anna's mama

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

To be honest, it is debatable, not all companies release their reports and videoes, some testing companies will not even allow "others" to watch the testing procedure.

In all though, seats have a minimum standard to pass, these of course could be made higher, and better but then the costs of seats would be through the roof. When reports are made of seats being "worse" than others, how often is the "real" report given along side? They do not mention the way the seat was used, the condition of the car, the condition of the road, the state of the driver/s, the tighteness of the harness, the quality of the seat belts holding the seat in place etc.

When talking about other countries you need to remember that road rules, car quality and accident types also differ. Therefore seats differ as do standards baed on these "expectations" of accident types.
Hmmm...ok. Sorry about all these questions, but I am obviously way more naive about carseats than I thought. When I was looking for a carseat last year for my 3 year old I'm pretty sure I kept hearing that Britax had the safest sets (whatever that means), from other mothers around me. It even seemed that it was the preferred carseat on this forum. I just got it in my head that if I were in a crash that this is the seat I would want my kid in. So now I'm confused as to why I spent that extra $100+ on a Marathon if not for safety? I notice too that you both have your kids in Britax's. What was the deciding factor for you? I'm sure it is a combination of many features, but did you feel like your kid would be safer in this seat?

All things being equal then - meaning whichever carseat I buy it is installed and used correctly and my child is in the range for height and weight limits - what features would I look for that might increase it's safety? EPS foam seems to be something to look for I guess?

I guess I really like the price tag on this Nautilus (as opposed to a Britax) and that it seems to have a lot of great features. I just want to be sure I'm not compromising safety for $100 savings. I realize that it needs to fit my child and car and be used correctly etc. But I don't really doubt that it would. I have a 2001 Honda Odyssey that I would think most carseats would fit and I always have them checked by technicians after we install them and I rarely if ever move them once checked.

Again sorry for coming here with a lack of knowledge and sorry for dragging this out. But I really appreciate all your input :)

andrea
 

anna's mama

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Hmmm...ok. Sorry about all these questions, but I am obviously way more naive about carseats than I thought. When I was looking for a carseat last year for my 3 year old I'm pretty sure I kept hearing that Britax had the safest sets (whatever that means), from other mothers around me. It even seemed that it was the preferred carseat on this forum. I just got it in my head that if I were in a crash that this is the seat I would want my kid in. So now I'm confused as to why I spent that extra $100+ on a Marathon if not for safety? I notice too that you both have your kids in Britax's. What was the deciding factor for you? I'm sure it is a combination of many features, but did you feel like your kid would be safer in this seat?

All things being equal then - meaning whichever carseat I buy it is installed and used correctly and my child is in the range for height and weight limits - what features would I look for that might increase it's safety? EPS foam seems to be something to look for I guess?

I guess I really like the price tag on this Nautilus (as opposed to a Britax) and that it seems to have a lot of great features. I just want to be sure I'm not compromising safety for $100 savings. I realize that it needs to fit my child and car and be used correctly etc. But I don't really doubt that it would. I have a 2001 Honda Odyssey that I would think most carseats would fit and I always have them checked by technicians after we install them and I rarely if ever move them once checked.

Again sorry for coming here with a lack of knowledge and sorry for dragging this out. But I really appreciate all your input :)

andrea
Also, doesn't Consumer's Report rate the safety of carseats? Wasn't that the big fiasco last year that the crash testing was somehow flawed or there were misleading conclusions from the tests? I guess that's why I'm thinking the seats are somehow rated for safety.

andrea
 

zactayaus

Well-known member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

I can honestly say I for the most part thought all car seats were pretty much the same until I stumbled upon this site about a week or so ago. I definetely got the impression that britax was a safer seat then most other seats. I did just purchase the Graco Nautilus and it feels a ton safer than the Graco platinum cargo my son has been riding in. Just the weight of the seat alone makes me feel that it is made better and safer.
 

Namegirl

Senior Community Member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

I notice too that you both have your kids in Britax's. What was the deciding factor for you? I'm sure it is a combination of many features, but did you feel like your kid would be safer in this seat?

For me, as a mom and a tech, I was looking for a convertible seat with EPS foam, a high RF weight limit, a high FF weight limit, and a RF tether. When I bought my seat (in 2005) Britax was the only seat with these features (I hadn't heard of the Radian then). I also like the Britax's non-twist straps and lockoffs. There are more options now that fit this bill (for most features), so I'm not sure what I'd buy now. But I do like my Marathon and I do recommend Marathons when people can afford them.

All things being equal then - meaning whichever carseat I buy it is installed and used correctly and my child is in the range for height and weight limits - what features would I look for that might increase it's safety? EPS foam seems to be something to look for I guess?

I generally recommend looking for:
  • EPS Foam
  • High RF and FF weight limits
  • Tall shell
  • Side Impact Protection
  • RF tether (if you're RF-ing your child)
  • FAA Approval

I guess I really like the price tag on this Nautilus (as opposed to a Britax) and that it seems to have a lot of great features. I just want to be sure I'm not compromising safety for $100 savings. I realize that it needs to fit my child and car and be used correctly etc. But I don't really doubt that it would. I have a 2001 Honda Odyssey that I would think most carseats would fit and I always have them checked by technicians after we install them and I rarely if ever move them once checked.

Let me add that I do feel that all carseats are generally safe. I have a Scenera as my backup seat (no EPS foam--no foam at all!, no RF tether) and because I have it installed tightly and I use it correctly, I have great confidence in this seat. Do I prefer a more full-featured seat for my main seat? Yes. But do I fret about using the Scenera? Not one bit.
 

diaperjoys

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Here's my :twocents: as someone who is *not* a car seat tech (though I'd like to be one day).

I know that all the car seats on the market have passed the minimum standards as required by our government. If they hadn't passed the tests, they wouldn't be on the market. And yes, much has to do with correct installation, and correct use.

But, my husband and I feel far more comfortable dealing with a company that specializes in car seats and car seat safety, as opposed to choosing a "baby bottle company" which makes car seats on the side.

Britax passes the minimum standards just like all the rest of the companies. However, they are also clearly concerned with *exceeding* those standards. For example, it is my understanding that they are moving toward including TSIP in all their seats. They don't have to do that. Not required. They aren't required to continualy test and re-test their seats in their own labs.

I like my kids to be riding in seats made by that kind of company. Yes, there is a price difference, but, if with careful shopping and "catching the sales", the difference isn't nearly as much. Then too, their excellent customer service is a money saver too. I've had to throw away seats by other companies because they were unsafe and the company wouldn't stand behind their product.

So we do prefer seats made by Britax, whenever their seats meet our needs. But I wouldn't mind using a seat by Graco or Evenflo if I couldn't find a Britax seat to do the job. For example, if I needed more harness height than a Marathon provides, but couldn't fit a Regent in the vehicle. That sort of thing.

We've got some space issues in our vehicle, and were ready to use a Radian, but it wouldn't install well, so we had to go with another option. So we're not Britax exclusivists, though we do strongly prefer them...
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Hmmm...ok. Sorry about all these questions, but I am obviously way more naive about carseats than I thought. When I was looking for a carseat last year for my 3 year old I'm pretty sure I kept hearing that Britax had the safest sets (whatever that means), from other mothers around me. It even seemed that it was the preferred carseat on this forum. I just got it in my head that if I were in a crash that this is the seat I would want my kid in. So now I'm confused as to why I spent that extra $100+ on a Marathon if not for safety? I notice too that you both have your kids in Britax's. What was the deciding factor for you? I'm sure it is a combination of many features, but did you feel like your kid would be safer in this seat?

All things being equal then - meaning whichever carseat I buy it is installed and used correctly and my child is in the range for height and weight limits - what features would I look for that might increase it's safety? EPS foam seems to be something to look for I guess?

I guess I really like the price tag on this Nautilus (as opposed to a Britax) and that it seems to have a lot of great features. I just want to be sure I'm not compromising safety for $100 savings. I realize that it needs to fit my child and car and be used correctly etc. But I don't really doubt that it would. I have a 2001 Honda Odyssey that I would think most carseats would fit and I always have them checked by technicians after we install them and I rarely if ever move them once checked.

Again sorry for coming here with a lack of knowledge and sorry for dragging this out. But I really appreciate all your input :)

andrea

I am sorry you feel overwhelmed.Choosing a car seat can be very difficult. I undertand you have heard Brtiax is the safest. That is what a lot of people probably believe such as the Mom you were also told this by. I cannot give a personal opion as a tech. I can put it a easier way for you to understand I hope.

Here is my list again from my PP. I am addind one thing to it. I bolded the additon:
wanted to point out that one seat is not safer than another.
the "safest seat" is:
One that fiTs your child
Fits yout vehicle
Fits your needs/wantand
you will install and use correctly every single time

Now with that being said Britax does have many safety features that other car seat do not. They are easy to install. They also do extended testing on thier carseat pat the minimum requirements. It might be considered the "Cadilac" of carseat.

Then there is the Cosco Scenera. Pretty basic carseat. No EPS foam or additional features. Passes the minimum required testing standards to be marketed.
Now you have just a Britax MA. You installed it RF center tether and all in the rear seat. Your childs chest clip was at their belly instead of armpit level and I can pinch a good inch of harness at the shoulder. You were also in a hurry and did not lock the seatbelt at the retractor or use the lock offs when you installed it. A car comes out of nowhere and slams into you. You are not worried you have the "safest" car seat.

I have a Cosco Scenera. I have the exact same vehicle as you and have installed my Scenera in the same location. I locked the seatbelt, HAve less than 1 inch of movement at the beltpath, tightened the harness, and put the chest clip at armpit level.
All od a sudden a car hits me in the same place on my car at the same speed. I am terrified my child has been injured or worse because I could not afford a $$270 car seat.

Your child in the $270 "Cadilac" of car seats rampped right up the back of the carseat and slipped out of the harness and is now on the front floor board after hitting the dash. The seat belt kicked into the emaergency locking mode, but nout until the MA was almost off ot the vehicle seat. Your child id going to the hospital and will hopefully be ok.

My child is still sitting secured in thier $40 car seat. Not a scratch on her. Scenera is still securely installed. EMT's check my child out let her come home with me. They just tell me to watch for anything strange.

So, your $270 carseat was not safer than my $40 one afterall. When used correctly all car seats on the market are safe one is not betterthan the other.

Hope this helps you to understand where I can coming from. You can see what my DD rides in in my signature. Not any safer than any other carseat if I do not use it correctly. ;)
 

ZephyrBlue

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Looking at the way a company handles problems/recalls is a major deciding factor for us, too. When I read the Chicago Tribune article that gave proof that Evenflo and Dorel (maker of Eddie Bauer, Cosco and Safety First seats) were knowingly making seats that they knew were dangerous (children had documented injuries from the seats themselves and at least one child died), that made my car seat decisions even easier. If you cannot trust the ethics of a company, how can you trust their seats?

The NHTSA does not "police" testing- seat companies are required to test their seats to a certain standard, and can put them on the shelves if they pass. NHTSA randomly pulls seats off the shelves and tests some of them, but in the case of the Cosco Touriva and Evenflo On My Way, they were still on the shelves after kids had gotten hurt, and Evenflo and Dorel knew it. There were notches in the Touriva seat that caused at least one documented case of brain damage when a child's head hit the seat shell. It would have cost Dorel $.24 per seat to fix, and they didn't do it. That's why my kids will never ride in a Scenera, even as a back-up. I don't trust a company that will risk lives for 24 cents.

Britax tests their seats beyond the minimum standards and they continue testing their seats even after the initial phase. They have proven their commitment to child safety to me by letting consumers know when their continued testing of the Regent revealed better installation methods. They were not required by law to do so.

Sure all seats pass minimum standards, but if a company is still manufacturing and selling seats that they know are dangerous, well, for those particular seats, the standards don't mean anything. I don't know of any problems with Britax, Sunshine Kids, or Graco, so I'm comfortable using them. I prefer to use Britax as our main seats whenever possible, though.

The Nautilus is a nice seat, and I'm fine with my 7.5yo riding in it; she was uncomfortable in her Regent and hates the Radian. It's safer for her to be harnessed than in a booster, and I don't know how long she'll be able to be harnessed. But for my other kids, who will be harnessed for a long time and are still very young, I would not use the Nautilus as a main seat, long-term.

If we were in a serious accident and one or all of my children were injured while properly buckled into their properly installed "cheaper" seats, I would wonder every day for the rest of my life if they would have been safer in a more well-made seat with higher quality materials and more EPS foam, etc. So for us, the $100-$150 in savings just isn't worth the piece of mind we get from using a product we feel 100% confident in.
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Is one seat safer than another? Probably. Can we prove how well or how poorly a given seat will perform in a crash? Not at all.

All seats must meet minimum federal standards. Beyond that, we have no accurate, independent information about how any seat will perform in a crash or in crash testing. Some manufacturers claim to do more than the minimums. We have to take their word for it.
 

krystin_21a

New member
Re: Graco Nautilus Review (LOTS of pics)

Looking at the way a company handles problems/recalls is a major deciding factor for us, too. When I read the Chicago Tribune article that gave proof that Evenflo and Dorel (maker of Eddie Bauer, Cosco and Safety First seats) were knowingly making seats that they knew were dangerous (children had documented injuries from the seats themselves and at least one child died), that made my car seat decisions even easier. If you cannot trust the ethics of a company, how can you trust their seats?

The NHTSA does not "police" testing- seat companies are required to test their seats to a certain standard, and can put them on the shelves if they pass. NHTSA randomly pulls seats off the shelves and tests some of them, but in the case of the Cosco Touriva and Evenflo On My Way, they were still on the shelves after kids had gotten hurt, and Evenflo and Dorel knew it. There were notches in the Touriva seat that caused at least one documented case of brain damage when a child's head hit the seat shell. It would have cost Dorel $.24 per seat to fix, and they didn't do it. That's why my kids will never ride in a Scenera, even as a back-up. I don't trust a company that will risk lives for 24 cents.

Britax tests their seats beyond the minimum standards and they continue testing their seats even after the initial phase. They have proven their commitment to child safety to me by letting consumers know when their continued testing of the Regent revealed better installation methods. They were not required by law to do so.

Sure all seats pass minimum standards, but if a company is still manufacturing and selling seats that they know are dangerous, well, for those particular seats, the standards don't mean anything. I don't know of any problems with Britax, Sunshine Kids, or Graco, so I'm comfortable using them. I prefer to use Britax as our main seats whenever possible, though.

The Nautilus is a nice seat, and I'm fine with my 7.5yo riding in it; she was uncomfortable in her Regent and hates the Radian. It's safer for her to be harnessed than in a booster, and I don't know how long she'll be able to be harnessed. But for my other kids, who will be harnessed for a long time and are still very young, I would not use the Nautilus as a main seat, long-term.

If we were in a serious accident and one or all of my children were injured while properly buckled into their properly installed "cheaper" seats, I would wonder every day for the rest of my life if they would have been safer in a more well-made seat with higher quality materials and more EPS foam, etc. So for us, the $100-$150 in savings just isn't worth the piece of mind we get from using a product we feel 100% confident in.

It was that article that made me bring back the EFTA. I too have to trust the ethics of the company in order to trust them with my childs life. The reason why I think the Britax are "better seats" is simply because they are super easy to use. I have installed my son's MA in 4 different vehicles and got rock solid installs in all of them. The EFTA I could only get a so-so in stall in all. So, for US the Britax is a safer seat because I can install is properly every time. It also fit him better IMO.
 

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