Can't decide...need to move up from the Orbit...traveling?

[jaxmama]

Here's our car seat story.

We started out in a borrowed snugride. My inlaws bought us the orbit system and i have been in love with it from day #1.
DS is now 8mo, 19lbs, 28". He still fits in the infant orbit carseat but it's time to move up soon.
I've been spoiled by the orbit, I love it's rock solid feel. The Orbit Toddler Car Seat was a no-brainer, except we just found out that we're expecting again, so I don't want to invest any more money in this pricey system since I'm going to have to buck up for a double stroller soon. Our plan is to sell the orbit system to finance the double stroller.
To complicate things, we're traveling to India in a couple weeks and I need a car seat for the plane and the trip. The Orbit travels like a dream, securely installs anywhere in a snap, and since he still fits in it, I considered taking it. But the airlines are so rough on strollers, so I don't want to bring the orbit chassis and gate-check it and risk them ruining it. And although he's snug as a bug in the orbit and naps it in easily, I think for a 15 hour plane ride, I'd like him in something with a little more breathing room.

SO, what I'm looking for is a recommendation for the next carseat. Because I'm such a fan of the orbit's feel, I figured the Radian would be the closest thing with it's steel alloy frame rather than plastic. Plus, if it really is the last carseat I'll have to buy for my little guy, that is really really appealing. But since I'd like to keep DS rearfacing for as long as I can, I'm concerned the radian isn't going to fit rearfacing in the teeny cars in India, and I'm assuming the cars in India aren't going to have LATCH and I've read that the radian can be difficult to install. And obviously for a seat to be safe, I need to be able to install it correctly!

So, I can either try to find a carseat that will be both our travel seat and our regular seat. Or I can just get the radian as our regular seat, and go with something else for travel (and also use it as a backup seat for my mom's car). A friend of mine has been nice enough to offer me her graco comfortsport for the trip, but even if I do that, I'll still need to settle on a seat for myself and a backup for my mom's car. Am I making any sense?

Any recommendations? thank you so much...i'm feeling very overwhelmed by this decision!

 

[Judi]

Wow! Do you have any pictures of your orbit installed? It is a system tat has interested me. What kind of car do you have? The Radian can be difficult, but I find latch to make it much easier.

 

[NZ Child Restraints]

yep lots of the ladies on here would love to see the orbit - from every angle - as they are not all that common. I have only ever seen them online/sale sites.

 

[wendytthomas]

The Radian doesn't fit rear facing on a plane, so that's out. Plus it has a removable foot that must be used rear facing, and I wouldn't want to find myself in India having lost it. So I'd say no for now on the Radian.

The big Britaxes install well in nearly any situation, as well as install easily rear facing on planes. You can get a Traveling Toddler (http://www.travelingtoddler.com/) or buy a luggage cart to use the Britax in the airport, or if you're taking a stroller you can put the Marathon up on that. Though then baby would have to be carried elsewhere. Are you going to be using the stroller in India? If not then the luggage trolley or the Traveling Toddler would be idea.

You can borrow the Comfortsport for now, it's not a bad seat for a short run. Just make sure you have the locking clip with you, in case you need it.

I like the Evenflo Triumph Advance, but I don't know that I'd want to travel such a long distance with one, or sit next to one on a plane. That's a WIDE seat. But if you borrow the Comfortsport that might be something you look into when you get back.

When are you leaving? Britaxes go on sale at the end of the month.

I would also love to see orbit pictures.

Wendy

 

[unityco]

The Scenera might be a good option for a travel seat for now. It has a high rear-facing limit (35lbs,) is lightweight and, from reports, installs relatively easily. It has a shorter shell than the Radian, so should fit easier in smaller back seats, and it's only one piece... the Radian has a separate "boot" required for rear-facing use.

The Scenera is also quite cheap, so it may fit your budget to buy it for travel and then something more substantial, like the Radian, for home use.

HTH!

 

[minismom]

I wouldn't take the radian to India. It's just too risky, as it can be incompatible with a lot of cars and compatible but really hard to install in others, specially without latch. And it's pretty much stuck at a 45 degree angle when RF so it takes up a ton of space front to back.
I also agree it's risky to gate check the orbit frame, specially if you're couting on selling it!
I'll leave it to others to make some suggestions, cause I don't know as much.

 

[jaxmama]

We now have a lexus rx400h and the orbit is installed in the center. I've installed the infant seat in 3 or 4 other seats with the belts and it's so easy and doesn't budge. I'm really going to be sad to see it go!
I'd be happy to take pictures, is there anything in particular I should be trying to get in the photos? The only pictures I have of my DS in the seat is from the day we brought him home! Here was our little guy when he was just a 6 pound peanut. The second picture shows the carseat turned the side.

Wendythomas, I hadn't planned on putting him rearfacing in a plane, is there a reason I should? Obviously in a car it's safer on impact but I had been told that frontfacing was safer in a plane because in an emergency evacuation situation, it takes fewer seconds to get a child out of a front facing seat, and in a burning plane crash, seconds matter. I was told that a front facing seat is more annoying because you have to constantly try to prevent your kid from kicking the poeple in front of you, but that it's safer for the child. You girls are obviously much more knowledgeable than I in this department, so if it's safer for him to rearface in a plane, then please let me know!

I didn't know that about the radian, that it has an extra piece when rearfacing. So that's definitely out for India. But still may be in the running for our regular seat.

Pardon my ignorance, but what's the locking clip for the comfortsport for?

The scenera...is it really only $44? Is this the seat you are talking about? /

Thank you so very much for your help. I'm driving my husband crazy because I've been talking about carseats for weeks! We're leaving on the 21st of February, so I don't think I'll catch the Britax sale unfortunately.

 

[scatterbunny]

Bumping up because it took hours to get this post approved.

 

[Judi]

Yes, the one from Target. You can find it at Wal-mart, or baby Depot, for about $45. Rear facing is safer, even on a plane. The comfort sport would be find, for the plane, then just research another seat for when you get back.

Your pictures are very interesting, thanks!

 

[minismom]

It's safer to RF on the plane too. Maybe in case of a crash landing? I'm not sure why. But I don't think it would take any longer to get a child out of a RF seat. I think it'd actually be faster as you'd be FF and so looking at your child the whole time and he's right in front of you, so to speak.
I also heard in case of impact if FF the child'd head would probably hit the seat in front, since there isn't that much room between the child on the carseat and the seat in front.

 

[AdventureMom]

My first recommendation for a seat for the long run would be Britax, probably along the Marathon/Boulevard line. But they're quite heavy to lug around, so I might go for a Safety 1st Uptown for travelling rather than a Scenera. It has EPP/EPS foam (Scenera doesn't) and it is very padded and cushy (the Scenera isn't).

Wow! Have fun in India!

 

[Synchro246]

There are some good sale prices at target.com on the Britaxes right now.
Thanks for sharing your pics! I hope to see more
What seat do you think you want to get for your new baby when s/he comes?

 

[AdventureMom]

It's safer to RF on the plane too. Maybe in case of a crash landing? I'm not sure why.

The same laws of physics apply to a plane crash as to a car crash...

 

[jen_nah]

Looking at your pictures I noticed you have your Orbit installed in the center position using the lower anchors/LATCH system. In your vehicle (Lexus RX400h) you do not have lower anchors/LATCH in the center seating position. Using the inner anchors from the outboard position is not allow with your vehicle as it has not been crash tested that way and could cause failure in a crash. You need to install the Orbit via the vehicle seatbelt for the center position. It will be this way for any car seat you want to install in the center positon.

I have a good friend that has a RX400h and the Britax Boulevard installs beautifully rearfacing in the center position using the vehicle seatbelt.

For traveling I would look at the Cosco Scenera that other suggested.

I myself have installed several Orbits that have come through our fitting station. While a unique seat I wasn't overly impressed just for the pure fact the cost of the system to what you get. For the price for the infant seat, stroller & toddler seat which only goes to 40lbs plus you still have to buy a booster. You can get a KeyFit 30, Britax 65lb convertible, Britax Regent, Britax Monarch & a good single stroller for less plus you get longer use out of all of them. We had to tell 1 parent that the $900 system they just bought was not compatible with their vehicle. They were not very happy to hear us say that.

 

[amyg530]

what about getting the Graco SS1? it'll still fit your 8 mo for a while since it goes to 30# and then you can use it for the new baby, you'll still want to get a convertable soon but the convience of the carrier might be nice while you're in india. albeebaby has the SS1 for $99 http://www.albeebaby.com/graco-infant-safeseat-step-1-8a05rxy-roxy.html

 

[hkmomof5]

Welcome to the board Jaxmom. It's Holli. I love the SS1 idea. That would be great for you. It will fit your big boy now just perfect and be there for the new one. It's super easy to install and you can get a graco snap n go type stroller for India. Great size basket and easy to store and fold for plane travel. They have some great prints now too. Then get a Marathon/BV for home for Jax once the babe is born. The cowmoo print at Target is so cool. I would love that. We have the Tan All Star. The girls here have the best advice and knowledge. Good Luck. You can play with my SS1 if need be, to help decide. I can bring it to try anytime. That way you can see it install in the car. Let me know.

Holli

 

[steph]

If you are renting a car in India (and the carseat can stay installed) then I would use your Orbit as the carseat and buy a cheap umbrella stroller for when you are out and about.

If you are going to be using taxi's,etc and have to take the carseat in and out then I would get the SS1 with the snap n go.

As for a seat after the Orbit, I'm a Britax snob so I would suggest the Marathon or Boulevard.

HTH and have fun in India!!

 

[minismom]

Amy, you're a genious! I need to spread the love but I owe you rep! The SS1 is a great idea, since she's selling the orbit and will need another infant seat for the new baby anyway.

Jaxmama: if you don't mind I have a question about the Orbit. Does it take up a lot of room front to back? It looks like the seat sits far from the back of the vehicle's seat back, I guess so that you're able to turn it around. In your second picture, the seat is sideways and it doesn't look like you could flip it RF without moving the passenger seat out of the way. Could you? It looks like such a neat seat but I've never seen it installed!

 

[jaxmama]

Using the inner anchors from the outboard position is not allow with your vehicle as it has not been crash tested that way and could cause failure in a crash. You need to install the Orbit via the vehicle seatbelt for the center position.

Uggh! This makes me crazy. I even took it to the monthly thing at the hospital where the CPSTs install it for you. Thank you so much! You mentioned the britax installs nicely in the 400h using the seatbelts. Do you think I should veer away from the radian because of the car i have, since it's tough to install non-latch?

I myself have installed several Orbits that have come through our fitting station. While a unique seat I wasn't overly impressed just for the pure fact the cost of the system to what you get.

Oh I know...the price is ridic! And with the bassinet, and the toddler stroller seat, and all the other goodies, it's even crazier. But I'm definitely going to shed a tear when I have to go from the orbit stroller to a bulky double. We've moved back to the suburbs last month, but when we were living on the cobblestone streets of the city, it was so great. It's totally made for city life. We were able to bring our baby into any teeny cafe with that stroller and prolong our 'cool' city life for a little while. But now that seems like a lifetime ago...

Hi Holli! I had been lurking on this board on a while, but thanks to you I actually posted and I've learned so much already! (like the fact that my dear little boy is not safe in the center position right now!!!). And thanks also for letting us borrow the comfortsport. We're going to florida on sunday, so i was thinking of taking it on that trip as sort of a 'trial run' for india.

So I have a question about the SS1...Will the SS1 be compatible with strollers like the snugride is? Most people I know have snugrides. I was looking at the baby jogger city series double and I know the snugride can snap into that one. So what's the deal with the SS1? It goes up to 30lbs? Then why do people buy snugrides? I feel like that higher weight limit makes it so much better. I think all my friends have snugrides because 'baby bargains' gave the safeseat a "C" (if i remember correctly) and the snugride an "A". Obviously, all you girls would not be recommending the safeseat if it wasn't as good if not better than the snugride...so it's time for me to go and read about the safeseat now i guess! I'm SO confused!

And do you think he'll be comfy in a safeseat for 15 hours? It looks cozy like the orbit, but I was thinking maybe for such a long haul i should put him in something with some room for him to stretch.

Minismom: The orbit definitely took up too much room front-to-back in my mini cooper convertible (which we no longer have :crying. But in this car, we've never had to move the passenger seat to flip it around or anything. There's enough room between the carseat and the backs of the front seats that even when I put my dogs in the back, they manage to jump up front with us!

 

[amyg530]

So I have a question about the SS1...Will the SS1 be compatible with strollers like the snugride is? Most people I know have snugrides. I was looking at the baby jogger city series double and I know the snugride can snap into that one. So what's the deal with the SS1? It goes up to 30lbs? Then why do people buy snugrides? I feel like that higher weight limit makes it so much better. I think all my friends have snugrides because 'baby bargains' gave the safeseat a "C" (if i remember correctly) and the snugride an "A". Obviously, all you girls would not be recommending the safeseat if it wasn't as good if not better than the snugride...so it's time for me to go and read about the safeseat now i guess! I'm SO confused!

And do you think he'll be comfy in a safeseat for 15 hours? It looks cozy like the orbit, but I was thinking maybe for such a long haul i should put him in something with some room for him to stretch.

i have the graco quattro stroller and it came with the snugride but the SS1 fits it as well. its definatly bigger than the snugride but it will fit child much longer. i have them both and tomorrow i can put the baby (omg hes gonna be 3mo on friday) in them both and take pictures for you to compare the two if you like. i think most people buy the snugride b/c they either dont know about the SS1, dont see the need for a 30 infant seat, or dont want to spend the extra money, however the one i linked to is on sale for pennys more that a snugride