If you could have any infant seat...

and money wasn't an option, which one would you pick, and why?

I'm leaning towards the Peg 30/30 It's on sale right now on albee for $249, and I'm wondering if I should "snatch it up" or if I should wait until it gets closer to the baby being born and *hoping* it goes on sale again before then. We're going to set aside tax refund money for the baby's infant seat, so I'm kind going into shopping for infant seats with the "money is no option" but I really don't think I can justify $289 (normal price) But I do think I can handle paying $249 for it.

I also want to add that I know I'll get LONG use out of it. My daughter didn't outgrow her Snugride till 18 months, and now at 2 yrs old (almost) she still fits in a SafeSeat. Yea, I know.

OR, if there is a much better infant seat out there, and this one is only expensive because of the name, I wanna know that too.

I know that I've heard the Chicco Keyfit recommended a lot, can anyone tell me why? All I really know about it is that I had one HELLUVA time trying to install it during my car seat tech training. I can honestly say it was the only seat I had trouble with the whole day, and I even eventually ended up just giving up and waiting for a different infant seat to become available to get my bucket install. Granted, I only tried it in one vehicle (the vehicle I was assigned to) but OMG I just remember hating that thing with a passion.

BUT I'm willing to accept that I may just have had an incredibly rare incompatible install in that one vehicle.

The other thing that makes this decision hard for me, is that none of the stores around here carry a decent selection of car seats. The only seats they have available include: Snugride, SafeSeat, Discovery. :thumbsdown:

Oh yea, SafeSeat isn't an option. I just don't like it and don't want it.

Any input is welcome, I'm mostly just panicking right now that I better get this Viaggio right now before the sale ends and I haven't done enough research getting to know the various infant seats available now to really make my decision in such a hurry. So if you know if this seat often goes on sale, or goes on sale for a better price, etc etc I'd love to know!

TIA!

When we bought our infant seat, cost was not a factor. I had the Peg SIP seat though I returned it right away. It was the 2nd seat I bought in preparation for DS's arrival (Companion, Peg SIP, then SS1). I ordered each seat and then spent a lot of time using each seat trying to decide which one I would keep. I really didn't like much about the Peg which is why I returned it. It just seemed so heavy and confining. Also one of the SIP EPS foam wings broke off when I barely even touched it. I've heard they've changed the foam now... but at that time, that sealed the deal for me. I figured I'd knock the foam again at some point and didn't want to be getting it replaced all the time.

We ended up really liking our SS1. I know you said you don't want done but I figured I give you the info about ours anyway. It installed so easily wherever we went. To me, the seat just seemed more comfy. Ours has the Gracopedic luxury foam. Also, the cover we picked out (G Collection) seemed the nicest of all the different seat we tried. DS still outgrew the SS1 at 10 months by height but I'm assuming he would have grown out of the Peg even sooner.

If I had to get something other than the SS1 I would probably get a Keyfit 30 but I don't think DS would be able to use it as long as the SS1.

Money no object? Then I would choose the Orbit Infant System. It has a deep seat, EPS all around, anti-rebound and it rotates. A bit more realistically I would choose either the Britax Companion or the Combi Shuttle, I like the anti-rebound. The Peg 30/30 is a nice looking seat and I like the 30/30 part but personally I wouldn't use it for long, I would probably switch at about 6-8 months. But since both my dds were around 6lbs at birth, they were at the 20lbs mark by six months and well that's too heavy.

Money no option I would probably get a peg. I just really like the sip wings plus the covers. Of course I'm somewhat of a rebel, I won't buy a seat in a certain pattern just because everyone else has it so to me at least around here very few people have any kind of peg product. The chicco and combi seats all have really ucky patterns and I just don't like them. And the orbit just seems weird to me.

I'm not a big fan of the Peg Perego, but it is mostly because of the handle (which may have been changed on the newer Pegs. I haven't used one in a few years). I found the handle to be incredibly uncomfortable. A child I used to babysit had one and I just left it installed in my vehicle, seat and all, since I found carrying it to be so uncomfortable.

I like the Graco Sungride, Graco SafeSeat 1, and Chicco KeyFit. I find all three of those seats to be (generally) user-friendly. They also appear to be comfy for babies.

When I was at BRU the other day, I swear the 30/30 was $249.99. Now I will have to go check. Anyhow, my sister and I played with it because she fell in love with it. Umm, I HATED it. The handle is stiff and gets stuck on the canopy. The buckle is now a puzzle buckle like the Baby Trend has, read: hard to buckle. I also don't see that it is much bigger than the orginal PP TSIP. It's heavy, too. I just don't think it's worth the price. Now, the Chicco Keyfit was NICE. The harness is like butter and the base is very nice. It's also much lighter than any of the other seats we tried. I installed it in no time in my Escape. We're going back to practice install it in my sisters 02 Beetle.

So, IMO, I would not get the Peg, but you won't know until you try it. I personally like the Keyfit, but then again you may not. So, get what you want. Now, wasn't that helpful? LOL! Kidding!

CPS_obsessed_EMT said:

and money wasn't an option, which one would you pick, and why?

I'm leaning towards the Peg 30/30 It's on sale right now on albee for $249, and I'm wondering if I should "snatch it up" or if I should wait until it gets closer to the baby being born and *hoping* it goes on sale again before then.

TIA!

Click to expand...

Here are my thoughts: If you are the type to resell a seat when you are done will 6-8 months worth of depreciation make a diff on an expensive seat like this? Maybe paying more for a newer dom would make up for it.
Also, isn't Britax looking to repace the companion with a 30 lb jobbie? Theoretically it could be out before your baby is born and you might want to consider it.
ALSO, there probably will be another sale.
I'm not a big fan of the peg though so my choice to wait might reflect that:twocents:

At this point, I'm happier with my Graco snugride than the keyfit22. But you caught me on a bad keyfit day...

*one side of the harness is longer than the other so the one side is never tight enough. (waiting for a replacement harness)
*the canopy isn't much of a canopy
*it's near impossible to use without the base because you have to take the cover sides off (This isn't the case with the keyfit30s though)
*I'm on my 3rd base because funky crap kept growing in the level devices

I've never even played with or used a peg so I can't offer an opinion on that.

Puzzle buckle?!?! Oh my! I think that definitely makes a huge difference.

Gosh, maybe I might be swayed to like a SafeSeat... I don't really have any reason not to like it, but for some reason I just despise the thing!

I really REALLY wish I could play with all of the seats, it makes me so sad I have to make my decision based on a 4 inch picture and short description

CPS_obsessed_EMT said:

Puzzle buckle?!?! Oh my! I think that definitely makes a huge difference.

Gosh, maybe I might be swayed to like a SafeSeat... I don't really have any reason not to like it, but for some reason I just despise the thing!

I really REALLY wish I could play with all of the seats, it makes me so sad I have to make my decision based on a 4 inch picture and short description

Click to expand...

Hmmm. I have the SS1 and for some reason I don't love it. I think that infant only seats are kinda wasteful. I know you said money is no object in theory, but unless you'd move a kid strait from a 30lb infant only seat to a Regent it just seems unnecessary to me. Most people move to a convertable after the infant seat so what's the point when the convertable would have done just fine from birth?? Plus the evenflo and britax convertables are more comfortable than any infant only seat.
And I'm in the camp that believes it's OK for the britax convertable harness to be higher than the newborn's shoulders for a little while. But I have gigantos and you have peanuts so maybe an infant seat isn't as wasteful to you.

Well this was a pointless post

lol, the biggest reason for me to want an infant seat is that I live in the frozen tundra of North Dakota. Winter Travel is just SO much easier if you can just throw the blanket over the top of the infant seat. Especially now that I will have 2...right now I feel like I have my hands full removing coat layers to get buckled and and then putting them back on again on exiting with only ONE child. The baby will be born in late Sept/early Oct so the itsy bitsy baby stage will be during the winter time. By the time the baby outgrows the infant seat it will be summer time and I won't have to deal with the coat hassle so a convertible is fine then.

Here is my very humble opinion:

I hate the SS1. I have a strong personal adversion to the Graco chest clips. They do have cute covers.

I love the Keyfit. We had one in our class and I was in love with that thing. Super easy to install, super light, and it's cute.

Peg...not a big fan. I have heard they redesigned the shell, and I haven't had any experience with the new style, but the old style was just so overpriced for what it was.

That said...I am in love with my Combi. I have long-torsoed girls and my almost-1 yr old can still fit in it quite comfortably. It's super light, super easy to install, and they have very cute colors. Of course, it has a 22 lb limit, but my peanut is still not quite 18 pounds so that doesn't bother me too much.

I love my KeyFit. It's by far, my fav infant seat.

What was giving you a hard time with it?

Susan

WELL, Melissa, that makes a lot of sense. i have to say that some of my aversion to Peg comes from the fact that every baby I've seen (here in FL) gets overheated and sweaty in the viaggo. That wouldn't be much of an issue to you

Anna, it's funny you say that-- I was just agonizing how much I HATE the SafeSeat cover choices. I was on the Graco website, trying to find a cover I could even TOLERATE, and only found a couple that were barely acceptable to me

The SnugRides on the other hand-- OMG I am practically drooling over so many covers they have for that. Why can't they make the same patterns for the SS??

Oh yea, and I wanted to mention-- It doesn't HAVE to have a 30lbs weight limit. My 2 yr old is only 25lbs...she didn't hit 22lbs until she was a good 18 months I think.

CPS_obsessed_EMT said:

Oh yea, and I wanted to mention-- It doesn't HAVE to have a 30lbs weight limit. My 2 yr old is only 25lbs...she didn't hit 22lbs until she was a good 18 months I think.

Click to expand...

And you'll be moving baby to a convertable after ANYway so good. Save the extra dough and go the 22lb route. Is there any reason you Don't want a snugride? Is your daughter in a diplomat in your sig???

Susan- I'm trying to remember what specifically it was that was giving me trouble. This was a year ago, and I've never had one come through a check, so my memory is a little fuzzy.
It seems like, there was something on the base in the belt path that was interfering with the seatbelt? Gosh, why can't I remember. I fought for like half an hour with that seat. For some reason I'm thinking there was a dial knob or something (that you used to adjust the recline) It just wasn't working with the seatbelt. Kind of the same thing as like how sometimes the Britax lockoffs interfere with the seatbelt (before they changed the direction of the lockoffs). However, the one I was working with was a 22, and now when I watched a demo of the chicco 30, that dial knob wasn't there. Oh, and I guess I do have latch in my vehicle so I wouldn't have to deal with the seatbelt issue..at least no regularly..

Ok, so how about the Compass seats? I'm reading a description, and I'm really liking these features:

Product Features:
• Rated 4 – 22 lbs and 30”. Larger inside yet same size outside really fits a baby.
• Lightweight shell design keeps this as light as other seats, yet is larger inside.
• Fully lined with the same energy absorbing EPS foam used in bicycle helmets to provide superior protection.
• Liner keeps the seat area smooth to add comfort for baby.
• Triple-layer padding provides superior comfort and contentment.
• One hand adjustment for the shoulder harness makes changing to the proper position quick and easy! Avoids misuse.
• Two separate LATCH attachment points, one on each side of the base, reduce dangerous lateral movement in side impact crashes.
• Deep 7” side wings help contain the child in a crash.
• Strong metal-to-metal seat to base attachment.
• Metal-to-metal handle hub hardware prevents inadvertent handle position change.
• Built-in lock off system means no confusing locking clip is needed.
• Proper seat angle is achieved by an adjuster located in the rear, which is the accessible portion of a rear facing seat.
• 5-Point harness, premium SafeGuard® LATCH hardware, premium A-Lok® adjuster.


Anyone have any experience with the compass?

Synchro246 said:

And you'll be moving baby to a convertable after ANYway so good. Save the extra dough and go the 22lb route. Is there any reason you Don't want a snugride? Is your daughter in a diplomat in your sig???

Click to expand...

I already have a SnugRide from my first daughter, and hate/d it.

I hate the latch connector hooks, hate the belt path, hate the way the recline adjusts (and that you only have 3 options) plus the complete lack of SIP, and it just didn't seem comfy at all. The only thing I like about it is the GORGEOUS cover options it comes in

And yes, that's a Diplomat in my siggy

oh and holy cow! albee has it (the compass) on sale for $79 right now!