SafeGuard (pic-heavy)

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
I've been taking pics of the SafeGuard for a couple weeks now but haven't had a chance to share them yet. So here ya' go. :D

First off, I have to say I'm in love with the self-installing LATCH. :love: IN LOVE! :love: Every carseat should have this feature. Gypsy and I have decided that when they finally make us queens, all carseats will install themselves with LATCH just like the SafeGuard. This won't be an issue because we will also have all vehicles retrofitted with no-upper-limit LATCH anchors in every rear seating position. :D

My only complaints (keeping in mind I didn't actually PAY for this seat!) are the harness-adjust knobs and the buckle tongues. There's nothing really wrong with the knobs, they're just not my cup of tea. The buckle tongues fall down the straps and wind up under my child's rear, so we have to dig for them. They should fix that. :twocents:

Here's my friend's dd in it. She's a tall-torso'd 2yo, about 35lbs. She's on the second-lowest harness adjustment.
IMG_2138.jpg



Here's harness slot comparison pics. DD's torso height is about 16-16.5".

SafeGuard, highest harness setting:
IMG_2151.jpg


Marathon, highest harness slot:
IMG_1868.jpg


Husky, second-to-top slot:
IMG_0745.jpg


Nautilus, second-to-top slot:
IMG_2107.jpg


Radian, highest harness slot:
IMG_1872.jpg


More pics/comments in my next post...
 
ADS

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
We've installed it in a Kia Sedona, a Mazda5, and a VW Golf. What can I say? They were all a breeze. The only incompatibility was the 3rd row of the Mazda5, and it would have been fine except that the SG doesn't allow any overhang. If it allowed 20% of the seat to overhang like most other carseats, it would have been fine, too.

Seriously - my 13yo with HFA installed it. All by himself. He can't quite manage other carseats, though he's still better than a lot of parents. This is the second row of the Mazda5.

Step 1: Hang the tether over the back of the vehicle seat so it will be accessible later.
IMG_2166.jpg


Step 2: Push the LATCH release button on the front of the SG with one hand and pull out the LATCH hook with the other hand.
IMG_2167.jpg


Step 3: Hold the LATCH strap with one hand to keep it pulled out, attach the LATCH hook to the LATCH anchor with the other hand.
IMG_2168.jpg


Step 4: Go to the other side, and repeat steps 2 and 3.
IMG_2169.jpg

IMG_2170.jpg


Step 5: Compress. (He only weighs 100lbs, so climbing into the seat was necessary. Most adults could install this seat simply by leaning on it with their hands.)
IMG_2171.jpg


Step 6: Check for movement at the belt path - less than an inch!
IMG_2174.jpg


Step 7: Hook and tighten the top tether.
IMG_2176.jpg


Still more pics/comments...
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Installing with the seat belt is a little tricky. You can't fit your hand into the belt path, so you have to turn it sideways like this to thread the seat belt. You can see the red lock-offs; I routed the seat belt behind it because I wasn't ready to use the lock-off until after I buckled the seat belt and tightened it. The seat belt automatically tries to slide into the lock-off.
IMG_2164.jpg


The pull-tabs for the LATCH straps get in the way a little bit when installing with the seat belt:
IMG_2162.jpg


This probably isn't a safety issue, but it bugged me, so I pulled the LATCH straps out and attached them to the outboard anchors while installing with the seatbelt, then of course released them when I was done with the seat belt:
IMG_2154.jpg


IMG_2156.jpg
 

MomToEliEm

Moderator
Was your picture in the safeguard and the radian taken at about the same time? If so, it looks like she has more room in the radian then the safeguard on it's highest slot, which doesn't make sense with the safeguard supposedly having a 19" harness height and the radian having an 18" harness height. What is the harness height you get for your safeguard seat?
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Okay, so my final thoughts:

The SafeGuard is a fantastic carseat - all the other manufacturers should take note! However, I don't think it's worth the $450 price for most parents. Besides the ease-of-install, all the other features that make it a great carseat are available on other seats for less cost. I just can't see myself paying an additional $150 or more simply for ease-of-install.

I can only see myself purchasing it if, say, I had a FF 2 year old, and I were active-duty military and I was being deployed, and my clueless, carseat-disabled parents were going to be caring for my child full-time while I was gone. Perhaps if it was going into my dh's car because he picked my child up from school every day, but re-installed the carseat at least once a week because he had other people riding with him sometimes.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Was your picture in the safeguard and the radian taken at about the same time? If so, it looks like she has more room in the radian then the safeguard on it's highest slot, which doesn't make sense with the safeguard supposedly having a 19" harness height and the radian having an 18" harness height. What is the harness height you get for your safeguard seat?

The angles in the two pics are very different, I think that's affecting it. There's only a couple months difference in the timing of the pics, and she hasn't had a growth spurt. Her shirt collar is flipped up in the SG pic, too, so it makes it look like her shoulder's a bit higher.

Also, the SG pic was taken in the Golf, while the Radian pic was in the Mazda, so it could be an installation difference. It's back in the Mazda, so let me go check...

ETA: No, I had her sit in it and there's not really a difference now that it's back in the Mazda. I measured the slot on the SG at 18+ inches. I don't have the Radian available to try her out in it again, but I just re-measured her torso and it hasn't changed, either. I think the only explanation is the angle of the pictures. I would say the Radian and the SG are very close to being the same in harness heights.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
Wow, thanks for the pics! For some reason, I thought that the SG had slots comparable with the Regent. My DD is exactly where yours is in the Radian--on the top slots, but just barely over the 2nd-to-top. I was considering the SG in leiu of the Regent but I can cross it off now :thumbsup:.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Wow, thanks for the pics! For some reason, I thought that the SG had slots comparable with the Regent. My DD is exactly where yours is in the Radian--on the top slots, but just barely over the 2nd-to-top. I was considering the SG in leiu of the Regent but I can cross it off now :thumbsup:.

They're pretty close, but the Regent is higher. Keep in mind the Regent's slots are reportedly a bit lower than the Husky's, so while my dd has a LOT more growing room over the SG in her Husky, the Regent wouldn't have as much of a difference.

You've got a tall-torso'd dd, right? In that case, I think you're right about the Regent. My dd is so tiny, the difference she'd get between a SG and a Regent would be ridiculous - as in "Oh dear, she's outgrown the SG at age 11, when she could have been harnessed to age 12 in a Regent!" :rolleyes:
 

steph

New member
So how is the LATCH self installing? I'm kinda confused about that.

Thanks for the pics!!!
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
So how is the LATCH self installing? I'm kinda confused about that.

Thanks for the pics!!!

It's really very basic. You know how when you pull out a seat belt it automatically retracts back in? It's very similar to that, only with a stronger pull. You push the button on the front and the LATCH strap slides freely; then after you connect the LATCH hook to the anchor, you release the button and that engages the retractor. Once you've got both sides hooked and the buttons released, the retractor is pulling the strap just like a locked seat belt (switchable retractor). All you do is compress the carseat and click click click - it's done!
 

steph

New member
It's really very basic. You know how when you pull out a seat belt it automatically retracts back in? It's very similar to that, only with a stronger pull. You push the button on the front and the LATCH strap slides freely; then after you connect the LATCH hook to the anchor, you release the button and that engages the retractor. Once you've got both sides hooked and the buttons released, the retractor is pulling the strap just like a locked seat belt (switchable retractor). All you do is compress the carseat and click click click - it's done!

Wow that's cool!!!
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
You've got a tall-torso'd dd, right? In that case, I think you're right about the Regent. My dd is so tiny, the difference she'd get between a SG and a Regent would be ridiculous - as in "Oh dear, she's outgrown the SG at age 11, when she could have been harnessed to age 12 in a Regent!" :rolleyes:

Yes, otherwise I wouldn't be too concerned. I think her growth has slowed down though-she just gained 4 pounds instead of getting taller!

Very cool about the self-installing LATCH! :thumbsup:
 

niccig

New member
I've been using the Safeguard since February with DS. It took me a while to get used to the self-retracting Latch, but I like it now. I'm with Defrost on the knob to tighten the harness, I'm still not a fan. I only loosen the harness enough to get DS out and in, so I don't have to turn it much. DH though loosens it all the way and then complains about turning the knob. He has a Como in his car and that harness adjuster is sooo smooth. Oh well, can't get all the features I like in one seat. I got the Safeguard on a closeout sale, it was $240 - I agree that $450 is a lot for people to pay, especially as more and more seats are coming out with similar features. It is the nicest seat we've had (other seats are Britax and Recaro), and DS calls it his fancy seat. It's also the heaviest seat we've had. We're car shopping, and I've been installing it in cars - carrying it through the parking lot reminds me why I never move it around.
 

sixmaybemore

New member
Great pics!

The only problem I have with my Safeguard is installing the LATCH. The LATCH bars are hard to reach in my '05 Astro. I have to literally pull up on the fabric while pushing on the LATCH hook at the same time. Haven't had any difficulty installing it in any other vehicles, so it's simply the Astro and the way this one has the fabric pulled over the bars.

The knob - bugged me at first, but I've had the seats for a bit now and I'm over it.
 

Jacks

New member
We also have the SG and Graco Nautilus. Jack is using the second to top harness slots on the SG and the top slots of the GN so the SG seems to have a little more growing room for him. At first, the SG was our main seat installed in the center position of my Passat Wagon. The seat is so darn high that it was nearly impossible to see out of the rear window. No LATCH in the center position either so it was installed with the seatbelt. At first it was difficult because the seat is so big but now with lots of practice even seatbelt install is easy.

The SG could not be installed outboard of my Passat Wagaon because the headwings actually touched the side airbags of my car. We have moved it outboard to my hubby's car as the spare seat and use the GN full time now. Even at the top slots the GN is shorter and I can see out the window much better. We aren't sure that we will even be able to use the SG at the top harness height because it is also very close to touching DH's side airbag.

The SG is a great seat if you have the room for it. LATCH install is a breeze...seriously less than a minute. Infinite adjust and the padding on the seat is also very nice. The harness straps are nice and heavy and don't twist but the buckles do fall down to the bottom of the seat and Jack sits on them so I have to dig them out. UGH! With the Nautilus you can kind of place the harness straps under the arm rests while your child sits in the seat so they stay out of the way until you are ready to buckle.

Hope this helps someone. :)
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top