Why not 3 in 1s??

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Pepse

New member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #1

I know there was a reason but couldn't think of it during a conversation with a friend today that is going to start looking for a new Car Seat

Her dd is 6 months old, 20lbs and 28.5 inches.

She drives a 2007 or 2008 Honda Civic.

She has a $100 g/c at Sears so thought she would use it to buy a car seat.

 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #2

They are great for RF, but will be outgrown early FF. They have low top slots, and even though they only harness to 40 pounds they are usually outgrown by height well before that, and way before they are ready for boosters. The topmost headrest setting is for booster mode only, but it's not very clearly marked and many parents unknowingly use that top slot for harness mode.

For the price, you can get a much nicer seat like the EFTA that will last much longer.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jun 24, 2008

• #3

I think the 'Elite' models have much taller top slots than the regular ones (like closer to 16 inches versus barely 14.5?), but that unusable top headrest position has been used, and has killed kids, and so in general I tend to give these a thumbs down (it's true THIS parent might use it right, but what if it gets given to a friend? All the advocates in the world warning people not to use the top slots can't make up for Dorel not labeling the danger clearly enough, so the fewer seats 'out there', the better the world is). And they are incredibly bad as boosters (cause the lapbelt to ride too high, hold the shoulderbelt away from the chest and shoulder).
Is she in the US or Canada? I know Canada has fewer reasonably priced choices, and if there's the requisite education about this seat to be used only as a convertible, then it's one of the better choices up there. In the US, there are better choices for only a little more (sometimes less...) (PS, sometimes people with new babies don't realize how long a convertible lasts... infant seats are so expensive and last such a short time they are skeptical that a good convertible can last 5+ years, but if you tell them that, they somehow find a little more money in the budget )

 

abacus2

Well-known member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #4

And they make terrible boosters.

Four good seats available for purchase at sears.com include the Recaro Signo, the Recaro Como, the Britax Marathon, and the EFTA.

 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jun 24, 2008

• #5

For convertibles at Sears there's not a ton of choice, but they do have the EFTA & it's even on sale for $124.99 during baby days this week, so I'd steer her straight to it. Sears also carries the Titan (shorter top harness height than the 3in1 seats,) and the Comfort Sport (again, shorter top harness height than the 3in1 seats.)

The not very tall top harness height I feel can't honestly be applied to the 3in1 seats anymore because it is more like 15.25 to 15.5" even in the regular seats now. No, it won't last as long as a MA, Radian, TF, or EFTA, but it will last longer than a Roundabout, Comfortsport or Titan. As long as she is aware of the limitation of the topmost headrest position, and doesn't plan to use it as a booster, it's not the worst seat in the world. Certainly not on my list of favorites because there are seats that cost the same or less & will last longer, but it's not horrible provided she uses it right & knows that it will NOT be the last seat she ever needs. If I had a $1 for every parents who has gotten mad at seat checks about the 3in1's not being the last seat they'd need, I'd have a pretty good savings account going.

 

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SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #6

Also Sears probably doesn't do a lot of car seat sales...so their stock may be older. So she could be paying full price for a seat that's short on life.

Susan

 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jun 24, 2008

• #7

abacus2 said:

And they make terrible boosters.

Four good seats available for purchase at sears.com include the Recaro Signo, the Recaro Como, the Britax Marathon, and the EFTA.

Click to expand...

Recaro seats aren't available in Canada & the MA isn't sold at Sears in Canada. I'm pretty sure that the OP friend is in Canada since the OP is in Canada. :thumbsup:

(I am leaving this in the main carseat forum at present due to the question about 3in1 seats being more general and more people will see it and respond here. OP just LMK if you want it moved to the CDN forum.)

 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jun 24, 2008

• #8

SusanMae said:

Also Sears probably doesn't do a lot of car seat sales...so their stock may be older. So she could be paying full price for a seat that's short on life.

Susan

Click to expand...

I can't speak for everywhere, but our Sears here does sell a good # of carseats. The selection of convertible seats isn't huge, so turnover isn't usually a problem since lots of people do use their gift cards to buy carseats there. :thumbsup:

 

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SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #9

Thanks for that tidbit...I never see people looking at carseats at my sears...so maybe it is different at in different regions.

Susan

 

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Unregistered1

Guest

• Jun 24, 2008

• #10

I also find some of the 3 in 1s next to impossible to install RF. Some of them push the head forward, you have to use pool noodles to recline, and sometimes that isn't even enough, we had the hardest time with one of these that came through a check I was working... brand new, too, 5 month old baby girl. Took three techs and two instructors to get that thing in so that we were all happy with it.

 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor

• Jun 24, 2008

• #11

MissKatie said:

I also find some of the 3 in 1s next to impossible to install RF. Some of them push the head forward, you have to use pool noodles to recline, and sometimes that isn't even enough, we had the hardest time with one of these that came through a check I was working... brand new, too, 5 month old baby girl. Took three techs and two instructors to get that thing in so that we were all happy with it.

Click to expand...

The 3in1's have a learning curve I'd say - if you're familiar with them they're not really any harder to install than any other seat. Centuries easier than the Radian, that's for sure, and less confusing than a rf'ing MA installed with seatbelt.

You do almost always need noodles for them when installing rf'ing, and removing the base makes them tons easier to install. I typically have parents bring a rolled towel to seat checks and take the base off right from the start.

But for the most part, with a rolled towel and the base off they install pretty easily. 95% of convertible seats seen at checks around here are 3in1 seats, so I've gotten pretty accustomed to seeing them.

 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #12

snowbird25ca said:

The 3in1's have a learning curve I'd say - if you're familiar with them they're not really any harder to install than any other seat. Centuries easier than the Radian, that's for sure, and less confusing than a rf'ing MA installed with seatbelt.

Click to expand...

See, I totally disagree with this. If you know the tricks to the Radian, it's pretty simple to install in pretty much any vehicle. Same goes for the Marathon... pretty easy install.

I almost never install a 3 in 1 using the base, remove it immediately. It's not too bad to install that way, as long as you know the tricks.

I think the Radian got a bad rep for being difficult to install because it was a new seat where no one knew which tricks to use to install it. As time goes on and people use the tricks, fewer and fewer people are having issues with installing it.

The theme here is that if you know the tricks to installing seats, then it's really not that difficult... it's just knowing those tricks.

I'd personally skip the 3 in 1 because I know it won't last to booster age and there are plenty of nice seats in a better price range/value that *will* last to a good booster age ( 5 - 6 years old) for me to choose from.

 

tjham

New member

• Jun 24, 2008

• #13

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=49878