Compass I420 infant seat

henrietta

Well-known member
We went w/the Compass over the Chicco for our tiny baby for price ($80 on albee), full EPS liner, and weight (light!).

We LOVE how the base installs sooo easily in any vehicle. It occasionally needs a pool noodle or two, even w/the recline foot out all the way, but it goes in rock solid in everything. The lock off is nice and tight, so tight that it's almost impossible to get it back open. Once it's closed, it's closed! With the lower anchors, the base is an absolute breeze to install. The hooks are like Britax and they easily snap back into the base for storage.

The carrier/carseat is nice, too, but I think for our tiny baby I would have liked the Chicco much better. The shoulder harness slots are low enough for our 5.5 lb, 18.5" baby--sitting just below his shoulders. But the crotch strap only has one position, and it's out too far, so it's harder to get the harness straps across his thighs properly. It wouldn't hurt either if the harness straps that go across his thighs came out of the seat further towards the back, so that they set across his thighs properly. It's tough to get the harness adjusted snugly on his body the right way. The retainer clip is pretty wide for a tiny baby, but that's not a big deal. The harness adjusts reasonably well, but sometimes gets hung up in the back on one side, so you have to adjust that.

For a preemie, you can make this seat work, but honestly, even though it has a minimum of 4 lbs, it really isn't a great fit for that small of a baby. Maybe when they get a bit taller 20" or so and over 6-7 lbs, it works really well. I'd prefer the Chicco, but we can make the Compass work.

I'd recommend it definitely for a full term newborn, but if you pay full price for it, you might prefer the Graco SafeSeat 1, so you get more use out of it. The Compass only goes to 22 lbs and only has two harness slots.

Overall, a really nice seat that we will use until baby outgrows it.

henrietta
 
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Kat_Momof3

New member
good info!! I always wondered how it would fit smaller babies.

perhaps you should also email your issues about the crotch and lap straps to first years?
 

henrietta

Well-known member
"perhaps you should also email your issues about the crotch and lap straps to first years?"

I think I will. I'm really disgusted by the fit. For a seat to be rated to fit small babies weight-wise, the harness should fit properly, too. Although, I have to say, my ds is over 5 lbs, and I doubt that most seats that are rated from 5 lbs and up would fit properly either. But I definitely will contact Compass/First Years.

Glad this helps someone!

henrietta
 

Wineaux

New member
We used some rolled up receiving blankets when my DS was first born to make the fit just right. You might want to try one or two of those.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Although, I have to say, my ds is over 5 lbs, and I doubt that most seats that are rated from 5 lbs and up would fit properly either. But I definitely will contact Compass/First Years.

Glad this helps someone!

henrietta

This is true, but it sounded like so much worse to me than most. With a lot of infant seats, you could solve the problem with a rolled washcloth between the infant and the crotch strap. And others have a specific set of loops for smaller babies.

I also just think that they can't improve the seat without feedback, so even if it doesn't solve your problem now, calling them and telling them what's going on with your baby that is supposed to fit may help them improve their product.
 

henrietta

Well-known member
Starlight--

No, haven't had a chance yet. BRU is a little further for me than I felt like the past week (had a c-section 3 weeks ago). But I want to try him in it for comparison's sake. I did play w/it on several occasions before I had the baby, and I'm pretty sure it would fit better.

Wineaux--

I'm using rolled receiving blankets on either side of baby to support him, but they don't improve the fit of the harness or move the crotch strap close enough that the leg straps actually go over the thighs. I wish that would solve the problem, but it won't. For a tiny baby, the crotch strap is just too far out. Maybe the leg straps would be okay if the crotch strap were closer, maybe not. The seat really needs 2 crotch strap positions.

henrietta
 

henrietta

Well-known member
UPDATE:

Baby is now 5 mos old and small for his age at 25" and 13 lbs. He now fits perfectly and has roughly 4-5 inches above his head. Unfortunately, he's been in the second set of harness slots (the top ones) for about 2 mos now! When he has a big growth spurt, they are going to be pretty difficult to access.

My biggest complaint about this seat now is that the wonderful metal to metal connections for snapping the seat into the base are quite painful to me! Every time I carry the seat, I bruise my legs on them. They've also caught on some of my pants and almost torn them.

I still feel that for a full term, typical size newborn, the seat is a good value and has loads of safety features. However, it needs a bit of work in the ease of use dept AND the fit for a 4-7 lb baby. It really shouldn't be used for a preemie, despite it's low minimum weight.

henrietta
 

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