I went and looked at the new AOE today

mominabigtruck · Feb 13, 2009

And can I say that I am honestly way more impressed then I ever was of the nautilus.

I was looking at the basic safety 1st one at walmart that was right next to the nautilus and the fabrics were just so much nicer, it was easy to adjust and the head wings seemed alot more comfortable. No pics of course because walmart has their seats bolted down and they were freaking packed for 1pm on a weekday but Peyton wasn't even on the top slots yet, he still had a bit of room in the second to top slot. I'll have to take him with me when I go to bru soon so I can try him out there in the fancy eddie bauer one

bobandjess99 · Feb 13, 2009

YAY!
I'm glad people are also loving these seats......I think they rock, they really have resolved most of the earlier issues with the higher slots and weigth limit and thicker untwisty straps......if they would only take the da%$ belt guides off and stop marketing it as a booster, i would have an unequivocal favorite seat.

Gypsy · Feb 13, 2009

bobandjess99 said:
if they would only take the da%$ belt guides off and stop marketing it as a booster, i would have an unequivocal favorite seat.

I absolutely agree with you - the "booster" part of it is why I still hesitate to recommend it.

If they took those off and marketed it as a convertible that would last until about age 6, that would ROCK! Especially if they increased the weight limit to 65 pounds (for the heavier crowd).

Maedze · Feb 13, 2009

it's a nice seat, yup, but i don't think it holds a candle in quality to the Nauti.

bobandjess99 · Feb 13, 2009

Maedze said:
it's a nice seat, yup, but i don't think it holds a candle in quality to the Nauti.

hhmmmm...I'm not sure I agree with you...i mean, I love dd's nauti, but the AOE is a REALLY nice seat, I like everythign about how it is - even if not steel reinforced like the GN, the AOE still strikes me as being a really solid, high-quality seat. And even though I know it doesn't necesarily translate to real-world protection, the fact that the AOE got really good scores in the NHTSA compliance testing, makes me feel better.
But all that aside, even if I agreed with you, in my mind, the AOE and Nauti have completely different..demographics? so I don't really compare them to each other so much..... I mean, the AOe is a great convertible seat that allows for extended Rfing with the highest lb limit in the US and a really big tall shell with good depth for older kids, and then harnesses to 50 with high slots such that most kids can actually get to 50....
And the nauti is a sweet combination seat, with sweet high slots, 65 lb limit, easy installation, moderately deep headwings for SIP, converts to a decent HBbooster for many kids, plus backless, and of course, cool cupholder!

But I do not consider them simlar or competing seats..they each do very different things well.

LOL....this of course is coming from the chick whose dd rides in a nauti, and whose ds rides in an AOE....not a huge surprise I

both of these seats!!!

henrietta · Feb 14, 2009

I still hate how the AOE installs (or doesn't!!!) rearfacing. I've tried to install it in numerous vehicles rearfacing, don't have a problem w/any other seat we've had, and I think it sucks in most cars. It's really difficult to get tight enough and it's almost impossible to get your hand thru the belt path. Every car I've tried it in, the buckle hits the seat.

I love everything else about it since they updated it, but since installs are my deal around here, I don't think I'd get another one.

henrietta

Gypsy · Feb 14, 2009

henrietta said:
I still hate how the AOE installs (or doesn't!!!) rearfacing. I've tried to install it in numerous vehicles rearfacing, don't have a problem w/any other seat we've had, and I think it sucks in most cars. It's really difficult to get tight enough and it's almost impossible to get your hand thru the belt path. Every car I've tried it in, the buckle hits the seat.

I love everything else about it since they updated it, but since installs are my deal around here, I don't think I'd get another one.

henrietta

Have you tried removing the base?

firemomof3 · Feb 14, 2009

Ya, removing that base does help a lot :thumbsup:

snowbird25ca · Feb 14, 2009

firemomof3 said:
Ya, removing that base does help a lot :thumbsup:

Yep, I can't actually think of a vehicle that I haven't been able to get it in to rf'ing due to tightening of the seatbelt. I can think of lack of passenger space in the front seat, but have always gotten it in. Though I think it may be very much a learning curve thing. This is the most common convertible seat at checks around here, so I've seen way more than I could count.

But in the grand scheme of things, take off the base and use a rolled towel or pool noodle if you need help with the angle and it's not any harder than most seats. :shrug-shoulders:

ginny4 · Feb 14, 2009

i was quite impressed with the new AOEs seats too. i had a AO a long long long time ago & i wasn't so carseat savvy at that time so i did ALOT of things wrong with it. Solid it is & i would if it would fit my needs buy one of the new ones. now thta i know how to use & install seats......i think my experience would be great with it. of course skip the booster mode completely

flipper68 · Feb 14, 2009

henrietta said:
I still hate how the AOE installs (or doesn't!!!) rearfacing. I've tried to install it in numerous vehicles rearfacing, don't have a problem w/any other seat we've had, and I think it sucks in most cars. It's really difficult to get tight enough and it's almost impossible to get your hand thru the belt path. Every car I've tried it in, the buckle hits the seat.

I love everything else about it since they updated it, but since installs are my deal around here, I don't think I'd get another one.

henrietta

I agree to a degree - I've never seen one installed with the base on and as a result I think it sets most folks up for frustration and misuse. But, it has always been a sturdy seat, with high RFing limit and tall shell. They have always done a nice job with fabric and inserts for smaller kids and we KNOW lots of folks buy a seat based on color/pattern. [It's a pet peeve that my local Walmarts carry a handful of 3-1s, the Scenera and maybe one non Cosco/Dorel convertible. It appears at first glance that they have a huge selection, but really they only carry 3 seats in 7 colors.]

So maybe the 2nd recommendation (after removing the 'booster' option) is to ditch the base. Heck, maybe they could drop the price $20 bucks because there is less material and assembly when you do that.

I haven't had a new 50lb seat come through a check event so I do LOTS of education whenever I install the 40lb seat. 90% of people still think it goes to 100 lbs, which seems amazonian to most 1st time parents with an infant transitioning from the bucket. ("I bought this one because it goes to 100 lbs! It will last for a long time." - "Yes, it can be used to 100 lbs as a booster. However, with the 40 lb limit and low slots, your child most likely will need another harnessed seat before age 3.)

mominabigtruck · Feb 14, 2009

I've used the base rfing and not had problems although if I did buy one I would probably take the base off just because it would make it lighter for my mom.

The whole booster thing bugs me though because I think it's very innacurate to say it makes a horrible booster. I don't think it fits most kids that great but if you have a very large child like I do it fits great. I might have to stop tommorrow afternoon at the nice walmart with my camera so I can take pics because Dallas has fit great in it as a booster since he was about 3 and I imagine Peyton would pretty well also.

Maedze · Feb 14, 2009

If you can do that, I would be so grateful! I can honestly say that in 100s of checks I've done I've never seen an AOE achieve even a moderately decent booster fit, let alone a good one. I'd really like to see what sort of frame would accomodate that as a decent booster.

mominabigtruck · Feb 14, 2009

Maedze said:
If you can do that, I would be so grateful! I can honestly say that in 100s of checks I've done I've never seen an AOE achieve even a moderately decent booster fit, let alone a good one. I'd really like to see what sort of frame would accomodate that as a decent booster.

I'm going to update my siggy too so I'll take pics in their regular seats so you can see a comparison. Peyton actually fits pretty well in Dallas' b505 even though it's wide. Both of my kids were around 40lbs at 3yo, I think Peyton is 38lbs and Dallas is 59lbs so if that gives you anything to compare to.

Maedze · Feb 14, 2009

Solid boy-chillun

thanks! :thumbsup:

BabyKaykes · Feb 14, 2009

I have to agree, my goddaughter is a solid 90-something poulnds at 8yrs old and I have used our AOE in booster mode for her in a pinch. She fits so muh better in it than her Turbos because thy're too narrow. Her scrawny 5yo brother fits terribly in it as a booster, though.

And I do have love for my AOE, I just hate installing it RF'ing in any car other than my own. My backseat is a totally flat bench with a semi recline, so it installs quick with the lap only belt, but it suck if i have to use a lap/shoulder.

bobandjess99 · Feb 14, 2009

I honestly never considered hwo it might fit a much older or bigger kid, my experience has been mostly with the 3-4 year olds using it as a booster, and I have never heard of any of them getting a good fit. I know the fit on my 35 lb 5 yo grandson is AWFUL, as it is on 4 yo, 40 lb dd, both of whom are the size of the vast majority of kids using this seat as a booster....
But,m I am going to ask my stepson(11) and niece(7) to sit in it, and report back!

Kat_Momof3 · Feb 14, 2009

I agree... the new ones are so nice... a big improvement.

I wouldn't normally compare them to the nautilus, as they are two different types of seats, though... I'd compare it to the EFT or the truefit.

I'm confused, though, to hear someone saying the Nautilus wasn't easy to adjust... I LOVE LOVE LOVE it for it's ease of use... and how easy it is to adjust the tightness of the harness.

And has anyone successfully found a way to get the belt guides off an AOE?? because I wonder... if enough people removed them (or called in asking about removing them, expressing it's inferiority in booster mode, do you think Dorel would realize that the people who do like it don't use it as a booster... and they could save a little money by not adding the guides?

G8r4evr · Feb 14, 2009

My only complaint is that all my favorite AOE patterns are in the 40lbd version. =(

henrietta · Feb 14, 2009

Have you tried removing the base?

Yep--I've NEVER used the base. I tried to install it once w/the base, but I couldn't even get my hand thru the belt path at all, so I gave up. LOL

henrietta

I went and looked at the new AOE today

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