Consumer Reports Rating the Triumph higher than the Britax???

Ok, I just had someone on another forum tell me that Consumer Reports rated the Cosco Triumph higher than the Britax. Is that True? I have also heard some of you on here say to not pay attention to Consumer Reports. Howcome??

Check out the buyers guide info here:
http://www.car-safety.org/guide.html#cr

CandCfam said:

Check out the buyers guide info here:
http://www.car-safety.org/guide.html#cr

Click to expand...

Awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am going to forward that link to her.

Which seat are they rating higher? You said the Cosco Triumph was the one. Cosco doesn't make a seat called the Triumph. Do you mean the Evenflo Triumph? OR do you mean the Cosco Touriva (which I am not sure is still manufactured)?

I love Consumer Reports for a lot of reasons, but I don't pay all that much attention to them for carseats. They are a good starting place for information, but I think their rating of carseats are a little "off."

Patriot20171 said:

Which seat are they rating higher? You said the Cosco Triumph was the one. Cosco doesn't make a seat called the Triumph. Do you mean the Evenflo Triumph? OR do you mean the Cosco Touriva (which I am not sure is still manufactured)?

I love Consumer Reports for a lot of reasons, but I don't pay all that much attention to them for carseats. They are a good starting place for information, but I think their rating of carseats are a little "off."

Click to expand...

Oops, I meant Evenflo Triumph! sorry...

The car seat inspector who checked out my seats actually highly recomended the evenflow so I think it is a decent seat. They said britax is the best but evenflow comes in a close second and the price is right.

I think the Triumph probably is a fine seat. However, I have a few personal issues with it:

1) The harness adjusting knobs. I HATE those things. I find them very difficult to use and sticky. My friend, however, LOVES the knobs. She says she thinks they are easier to use than the "tail" that most other companies use. This is a personal choice/preference.

2) The Velcro on the back. Again, this is a personal preference of mine. The cover has a "flap" that comes down. It is velcroed to the rest of the cover. I have had bad luck with that velcro. It always seems to come undone, which I find annoying. Again, this is a personal preference.

3) The Harness. I can't stand the harness on this seat. In my experience, it gets twisted really easily and is not easy to untwist. I don't like it.

4) The height. I'll admit it-- I got spoiled by Britax (MA, DC, WZ, BV). When I was used to only the Roundabout, I wasn't bothered by the fact that the Triumph has a really low back, so kids outgrow it quickly. Then I got used to the Marathon, Wizard, Boulevard, Decathlon, and a few other seats (Radian, etc.), which have high backs, and I started resenting how low the Triumph's back is. Again, this is a personal reaction since I am spoiled.

5) The weight. Because the seat is compact, it feels like it weighs a bloody ton. IT probably doesn't weigh more than a lot of other seats, but its compactness makes it feel really heavy to me.


As you can see, my dislikes of this seat are numerous, but are all personal. Other people (a couple of my friends included) love this seat.

I have had 3 Triumphs. At one point, all of my kids were in one. I never actually had any problems with the velcro or the straps twisting (really, they never twisted at all for us). I love the adjuster knobs on the side of the seat and I really do think they are easier than the pull strap on some other seats (you have to pull so hard on some of those pull straps to get it tight). With that said, the seat is VERY heavy and bulky to carry around - not one you would want to be switching vehicles with often. And I also have been disappointed by the height. Most kids will grow out of it by height WAY before they hit the 40 lb weight limit. Its definitely a personal preference. I actually did buy my Triumphs because of the Consumer Reports crash test rating. I know CR isn't very highly thought of for their car seat ratings, but unfortunately its all we have to go by. Its all definitely a personal preference, though, and I do love our new Britax BV, and wish I could have them for all my little ones because of their side impact protection!

My cousin LOVED her Triumph, but kiddo likes the Wizard/Boulevard more

It's important to remember that the "best" seat fits the child, fits the vehicle & will be used correctly!

The Triump will not fit many kids nearly as long as a Britax will & some people find Britax easier to use....

I liked my Triumph rf for my dd from 9-17 or so months. I put aftermarket strap pads which stopped the twisting when loose + the cutting into the side of her neck. I thought the system & location of the tightening knobs were great for constant adjustment through an iffy German Fall & Winter. The reclined egg-shape was comfy and supportive for a baby-toddler.


However, once I turned it around for ff, it was TERRIBLE! The knobs would be into the back seat and the wrong direction to turn comfortably. The egg shape just didn't support her when she was sitting up and the straps were above her ears at the Ff setting. (complex story why we turned her around then: the short -- she was around 29 pounds/ 34 1/2" tall and HATED her legs being cramped-- the back was right up against the driver's seat neck area. She could make her seat flex 1-2 inches with her stubbornness )

A Maxi-Cosi Priori was a lifesaver and I love it even though she's on the verge of outgrowing it. The Triumph has been consigned to the Daddy car and used occasionally. Fits better now that she's taller, but it's still not as comfy, esp when sleeping. In his Jetta, the knobs aren't crammed against the back seat since it is a less cushy car. The recline ability is nigh on useless since it loosens up the car belt and you have to re-tighten it before you can re-sit up the child.

I'd use it just like we do now, as a secondary, not primary carseat. It's really not that heavy, (well, at least the older 2004 model -- these newer versions seemed really loaded with padding)...but the hand hold on the back is really small in proportion to the seat. Twists if you try to carry it single handed. It's also pretty bulky, but what carseat of ANY size isn't?

Just to be clear, when I say: She could make her seat flex 1-2 inches.. I mean the actual Triumph carseat back. The seatbelt connection of the car was tight and she did not move the base at all. I hope that kind of clarifies the situation.

I have a evenflo triumph and we have loved it.
We have had it since my son was around 6-9 months.
He is now 4 yrs 1 month and still fits in it.

He is around 38.5" tall and 37 pds.
His shoulders are about 2" from the top slots.
His ears are about 4" from the top of the shell.

It has been a really easy seat for us to install.
We drive a ford focus. And I have put it in a few other cars with no problems.

We really like our Triumph. We've never had any problems with twisty staps and I think the high base and the belt paths make it relatively easy to install. The people who talk about it being outgrown early by height must be talking only about RF or else be spoiled by Britax. Of the 4 FF seats I own (Evenflo Vanguard & Triumph, Cosco Touriva & High Back Booster Combo seat) this is the only one that my daughter still has height growing room in. She's in the 95% for height and weight so it would last most kids well past age 3. For comparison, look at these pictures of her at the limits of our Evenflo Vanguard 5 at 17 months and now with growing room in the Triumph at 34 months:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/lizcarden2000

Yes, I was primarily speaking about rf height limit when I said kids grow out of it sooner than other convertible seats. Actually my older DS didn't grow out of it (FF) until he was 4 1/2 yrs old, 37 lbs, and 41" tall. So, he still grew out of it by height before weight, but we did get a full 4 yrs out of it.