Question Which infant seat is easiest and fastest to install without base?

[melinstar]

I am expecting baby #3 in early February, and the Graco SafeSeat, along with two extra bases, I used with other two kiddos will expire soon. I want to upgrade to a new infant seat, but was hoping to avoid the expense of the extra bases (for DH and grandparent cars). So, I was wondering whether certain infant seats are easy and quick to install without a base (compared to other infant seats).

Extra consideration, baby will probably be small, so need one that fits a small infant as well (under 7 lbs). And, I'm hoping for a much lighter seat than my old Graco.

Thank you for your help!

 

[xursusmaritimusx]

the chicco keyfit 30 is light and extremely easy to install without a base.
it fits small babies very well

the graco sungride 30's are lighter than the old safe seat/snugride 35 you are familiar with. they fit small babies and are also easy to install without the base.

 

[Nedra]

I find installing my car seat without the base to be weirdly satisfying and I actually take a strange joy in the opportunity to use the baseless install when I take my daughter in our secondary vehicle.

My friends have commented on how much they dislike doing the baseless installs, though, and it seems that the difference between my seat (Aton 2) and theirs (B-Safe, Keyfit) is that mine has a European belt path. I have heard this elsewhere too -- that the European belt path helps to get a tighter baseless install.

So my advice would be to get a seat with a European belt path. I don't have a list of them at the moment, but someone recently asked for that list on here so you may be able to find it. I think there were maybe 5 car seats that have it?

I have heard that the Aton and Aton 2 don't fit small babies very well, though, so for that reason I am hesitant to recommend my own seat to you (although I love it!)

 

[melinstar]

These are good tips. Thank you! Prior to my post I had read the recent blog post on the new Peg Perego Primo and was intrigued by the European belt pathway baseless install. That seat also gave a decent initial impression for fitting small babies and being lightweight. I was also wondering about the Nuna Pipa.

Is a baseless install any more disruptive to a sleeping baby than using base (where my Graco made a super loud click--annoying!)

 

[Cryssy Jane]

I find the chicco keyfit 30 and the britax b safe just about the same in terms of easy baseless install. Both are quick to do, although I despise the elastic bands on the b safe that cover the belt path.

 

[ngs215]

I did not find the baseless install difficult with a sleeping baby, but the baseless uninstall was awkward. I locked the seatbelt, so to get the seat out, I had to retract through all the clicks. I got pretty good at it, but it was a pain and took longer to do quietly. Also DS had the annoying habit of falling asleep holding on to the seatbelt since it was right there. So I had to take the time to gently remove his hands before I could get the seat out. That being said, I found the baseless install really easy, and I'm terrible at installing carseats.