Subaru Forester help

Hello,

I have Baby #2 due in December. Baby #1 will be 2.5 years old in Dec, and is about 36" tall and weighs 29 lbs. He is currently in an Evenflo Triumph carseat. I just have a few questions I was hoping to have answered.

First, I drive a 2000 Subaru Forester that does NOT have the LATCH system. The center rear seat has only a lap belt, while the 2 side rear seats have shoulder belts. Currently, the Triumph is in the center backseat of my Forester. My first concern is with the Triumph itself. I have read many reviews touting how unsafe it is, and I am wondering if I need a new carseat for my 2.5 year old?? It was purchased in June of 2007.

Second, I am interested and have been reviewing the Graco SafeSeat for my new baby. Does anyone know if this carseat will fit in a Subaru Forester, and if so, does anyone know if it will fit side-by-side next to the Triumph (with the SS in the center)? Or, will it fit behind the passenger seat, with the Triumph behind the driver? Finally, I have read the SS fits better in smaller cars without the base ... is this really safe to do?

Sorry this is so long, I have been searching everywhere but can't seem to find this info out. Thanks so much!

Your Triumph should be just as safe as any seat, provided you are using it correctly Is it the regular Triumph or the Triumph Advance? Just wondering because I think the regular Triumph has low top slots, so the seat may be outgrown sooner than you think. But as long as your child fits, and you use it correctly, the seat is safe. I have no idea if the Safeseat will fit your car, but I do know that many people like that seat. And yes, you can use it without the base, there is nothing wrong with that. It is just more convenient to pop it onto the base instead of buckling it in every time.

The seat is a Triumph Deluxe, but not the Advance, I believe. It is being used correctly. The reason I am so concerned is that I know current reccs. state children should be rear-facing until 30 lbs. if at all possible. This carseat only stays rear-facing until 20 lbs. I was pretty horrified to learn that I could have had him stay RF for SO much longer, upset that I'd purchased the seat believing children began FF at 20 lbs., and that it was even manufactured and sold if the requirements had changed.

The original Evenflo Triumph model can rear face up to 30 lbs., not 20 lbs. It's outgrown rear facing when the child reaches 30 lbs. or when there is less than 1 inch of plastic shell above the top of the child's head, whichever comes first. 20 lbs. and 1 year old are just the absolute bare minimums for forward facing in the Triumph. The seat's labeling is required to indicate the forward facing minimums that way to comply with federal labeling standards, which lends itself to being more easily misinterpreted as stating the rear facing maximum. The newer version of the Triumph, the Evenflo Triumph Advance, has a rear facing weight limit of 35 lbs. and a taller shell.

Thank you for clarification. I guess that I misinterpreted the manual, then. How embarassing. I certainly feel like a dunce, don't I? And how absolutely horrifying to learn I made this mistake - makes my stomach churn! Thank God my son remained safe!