Chicco Keyfit

I mentioned on another board I'm on that one of the infant seats I'm considering (TTC in a month!) is the Chicco Keyfit. Someone replied that this seat failed the CR testing - that it broke off of the base.
Now, I searched the CR site and couldn't find the keyfit on there at all, but I know that the combi avatar is one that tested poorly at first due to the latch and they've recalled that and fixed the problem.
But whats up with the Chicco? Is it a good one or not? I like that one, and the Britax... my mind is going blank, but the one that doesn't cost a fortune.
What are some other great infant seats? And I'm not concerned with getting one that will fit on a stroller or anything like that - probably the only time we'd even get it out of the car would be for restaurants, because it does get tiring to always eat with just one hand - though I did it for all of MIkayla's infancy. I never use strollers anyway, I sling them.
Oh yeah, except in the winter I'd probably bring the seat inside so its warmer. (though, here in NC in mid November, its was in the low 80s 2 days ago. 60s now. i'm not sure winter is ever coming.)

While I don't put a lot of stock in Consumer Reports car-seat ratings, they have not tested the Chicco KeyFit. It was an Evenflo seat that came off its base. Sorry I don't have too much recent experience with infant seats, so I can't help you there. Have you considered just getting a Boulevard since you live in a warmer climate and wouldn't be using the seat much as a carrier anyway?

Julie

Yeah, I posted the other day - i'm debating getting an infant seat and then the Boulevard, or a Roundabout and then Husky, or JUST the Boulevard and then a booster.
And honestly, right now I think about the climate I'm in - but we'll probably be moving in a year or so, and don't know where to. I've got plenty of time to decide, - at least 10 months! LOL But I like to plan ahead and it would be nice to watch for good deals.

BTW, can someone explain whats wrong with CR? I saw another post about that on here, and wondered. the other ratings i've seen just base it on ease of use, which is important, but also very relative - I know a lot of people (regular people, not techs) who have a hard time with the seat I have but its super easy for me. I can tell for myself which is the easiest for me to use - i want to know which is safer, which CR seems to test for. I don't see them as the absolute best source, but who else rates seats safety wise?

Also - what is it about the Britax Baby Safe that makes it worth over $100 more than the Companion? (and what does Britax have against pretty colors on an infant seat? LOL)

One more - what about the compass?

The Baby Safe base has a foot prop. I've heard it breaks really easily, and it's been discontinued. I wouldn't consider it, if I were you. The seat/carrier itself is nice and large, but the base is a huge convenience that most people WANT in an infant seat.

Hopefully someone else can explain why CR's ratings should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm not very good at it.

okay, i found the article here on the site about CR and NHTSA ratings. I get it now. I take it with a grain of salt anyway, but i figure its a good starting point.
Once I'm actually seriously shopping, I'll head into BRU and actually try some seats out in the van.

http://www.car-safety.org/faq.html#Q30

You can see NHTSA's test results at
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/comply/fmvss213/index.html
Of course, you have to interpret them yourself. (What's most important to you safety-wise? For me it's head excursion since there is the most variation there, but I also get nervous about higher HIC's.)

For infant seats NHTSA only reports degree of rotation. It sounds like CR also adds a judgment on rebound which may be useful. Certainly I would hesitate to buy a seat that came off its base in CR testing, but since rear-facing seats all provide excellent crash protection, I'm not sure how useful safety ratings are.

Of course, CR also rates ease of use and fit to vehicle. As you brought out, ease of use depends on the person using it. Some people love the knob adjuster on some Evenflo harnesses, others hate it. So it really doesn't matter what CR thinks about it. Fit to vehicle is meaningless. It doesn't matter one iota how a seat fits on CR's test bench. What matters is how it fits in your car. The Baby Trend LatchLoc gets an empty circle for fit with LATCH, but if it works in your car the rigid LATCH would likely give a better installation. So to score fit to vehicle just seems irresponsible to me.

I also really wish they'd add information in their discussion about how seat-back height often determines how long an infant restraint can be used, and harness-slot height how long a forward-facing seat can be used. I think if more people knew that there even was a difference, it would allow them to make better decisions. If you assume all convertibles are the same then you'd likely put your kid in a booster when he outgrew the car seat, even if he wasn't really ready.

When I know nothing about a product, CR is useful background information about what to look for. But I don't think in any area their recommendations would match that of a connoisseur. It certainly doesn't in car seats or cars or computers, so I would guess that would be true in other areas as well.

Julie

j4m4d8 said:

I also really wish they'd add information in their discussion about how seat-back height often determines how long an infant restraint can be used, and harness-slot height how long a forward-facing seat can be used. I think if more people knew that there even was a difference, it would allow them to make better decisions. If you assume all convertibles are the same then you'd likely put your kid in a booster when he outgrew the car seat, even if he wasn't really ready.

When I know nothing about a product, CR is useful background information about what to look for. But I don't think in any area their recommendations would match that of a connoisseur. It certainly doesn't in car seats or cars or computers, so I would guess that would be true in other areas as well.

Julie

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I totally agree, great post.

I don't know if I'm overthinking or actually confused LOL.

I also really wish they'd add information in their discussion about how seat-back height often determines how long an infant restraint can be used

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Are you talking about how a seat that says its good for up to 30 inches will last you longer than one that only goes to 26?
Can you explain the head excursion issue? I think I know what you're talking about, but my brain's a bit fuzzy today LOL.
I feel so dumb when it comes to infant seats. I've been dealing with FF so much, that I obviously need to read up more on the RF info. I know I'll keep the next baby RF for much longer than I did in the past.
I'm also confused on the RF top tethers. Where do they hook in to?
Is there a good place to read up on all about this stuff? I looked at the stuff on this site already. Sorry I'm so full of questions today - I'm impatiently waiting on my Husky. Its on a UPS truck somewhere in my town at the moment LOL.

Seatback height really determines how long it will last. Stated height limits on carseats are not set in stone, because kids are built differently. Some carry height in their torso, and will outgrow carseats BEFORE reaching the stated height limit. Some carry height in their legs, and will be able to use seats PAST the stated height limit.

What matters with infant seats is that there is at least one inch of hard seat shell above baby's head and that baby is still below the weight limit.

With rear-facing convertibles, a child isn't too tall until the head is even with the top of the seat shell, at least for Graco and Evenflo convertibles (Cosco actually says there must be one inch of seat shell above child's head even in a convertible seat; Britax says the tips of the ears can be even with the seat shell before a child is too tall to rear-face).

Britax seats can be tethered when rear-facing. Usually the top tether is attached to a non-moveable point under a front seat (like the part that bolts the front seat down to the frame of the car). It must be a point attached to the frame of the car, though.

This page is an awesome example of RF tethering (but disregard the stuff about tethering underneath the seat that the carseat is on; Britax now says this is not acceptable): http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/isakswings/ratetherrf.html

Oh thanks!! Good, I knew that about the one inch above the head. I think having their ears even with the top of the shell would bug me. I'll check out the link. Thanks!

www.carseat.org under 'technical' is a *major* resource for lots of 'hey, what about....?' questions...give it a little read over, and you'll be thinking "ah, this is what everyone's talking about!" (or blatantly paraphrasing...<blush>)

got that link saved now, thanks!