Car Seat Recommendations - 2Nd Car Seat

I have 3 kid 3 and under. All 3 are in a Britax Boulevard, 2 are rear facing (2 yr and 7 mth old). I just decided I never wanted to be put in the position of having to think, "What if?" Especially when it came to car seats. So in my opinion, I went with the best, we love the seats and would never use anything else! Please watch these videos!! SO important!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

http://youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8

3 in 1 seats are definitely not worth it. Like someone else mentioned they have very low harness slots and do not work well as boosters. My oldest outgrew his Alpha Omega Elite in height long before he reached the 35lb rear facing limit (he's still nowhere near 35lbs, only 23lbs at 3 years old). I absolutely would recommend a Britax. We have a Marathon and it was totally worth the money. The Marathon will rear face to 35lbs (the AAP recommends to keep children rear facing until the reach the maximum weight limit of their carseat) and has very high harness slots to actually accomodate extended rear facing.

My husband and I just went to Walmart and got a Cosco convertable car seat and It works great and it wasn't the cheapest but it was only 50 dollars I think. Here is the link...http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8054497. It is the Cosco Scenera 5 point convertible car seat and it is 4 1/3 stars out of 5.

I completely agree with the response that says you get what you pay for! We had our Britax Roundabout installed by the Fire Department (they do safety checks to make sure the carseats are installed correctly) and their stance on car seats: you don't skimp on the safety of your own car, why would you then skimp on the safety of your child? Yes, the Britax car seats are more expensive, but they are more than worth the money you pay for them. Our daughter has been very comfortable in her seat and I have the peace of mind knowing that her carseat is top of the line and has the highest safety rating. I will say that my husband and I are planning on upgrading to a Marathon when our new baby grows into the Roundabout because having the larger weight limit will be nice. But I definitely recommend the Britax line of car seats!

I disagree that you are just paying for the brand name. I have owned both Cosco, Evenflo, and Britax seats, and I will NEVER buy anything but Britax again. The quality is outstanding, the harness doesn't twist, and the seat will accomidate a child up to at least age 5/6 in the 5pt harness. Sure, you can purchase a $40 seat that is just as safe, but chances are your child will outgrow it in height around age 3, long before your child can safely move to a booster, meaning you have to purchase another higher harness weight seat anyway.

That happened to us. We purchased the Cosco Alpha Omega under the guise that it was the 'only seat we'd ever need'.... yeah right! He outgrew it in height by his 3rd b-day, and no 3yr old is mature enough, either physically or mentally, to sit in a belted booster. So we neded up shelling out another $200 for a Britax Marathon to keep him in a 5pt harness. He rode in that seat until he was 4, and our youngest son outgrew the infant seat, and we purchasd yet another Britax, the Regent, for our oldest. He's now 6.5 and still in the Britax Regent, and our 3yr old just went forward facing in the Marathon not long ago.

My point is, you get what you pay for. Yes, the $40 Cosco Scenera is a great cheap seat, but its not padded at all, and it will be outgrown before your child reaches 40lbs, and most likely long before he/she is ready for a belted booster. The higher harness weight seats are more expensive, but you'll be able to use them at least 3yrs beyond the cheaper lower weight seats.... and keeping your child in a 5pt harness is the most important!

Spend the money now, purchase a higher harness weight seat like the Britax Marathon, Sunshine Kids Radian65, Evenflo Triumph ADVANCE. You'll spend $200-$250 now, but your child will be in this seat until he's 6yrs old, meaning you will get the full 6yr life out of the seat before it expires, and then you can purchase a simple booster until your child is 8yrs/80lbs and can sit in the adult seatbelt without a carseat/booster.

My daughter also outgrew the infant seat at 6 months, and we bought two Alpha Omega Elites (one for each car since I drop off and my husband picks up from daycare). We bought them when Toys R Us was having a buy one/get one half off sale. They are great and totally worth the price.

I had bought a fairly expensive 5 in 1 and it is the best thing I have ever done. You may pay more now but in the end your saving money, not to mention head ache of having to go out look and ponder on another one. The one I bought reclines has a pillow it's pretty neat. It is a Intera Convertible Car Seat. Weight of 5-100 lbs. Heights of 19-57 inc. Now granted it is 3 years old but it comes apart easy to wash it goes back together easy, very light weight! Has cup holders and best of all he wasn't able to unbuckle it!

We went with the evenflo Titan. My son likes it. He is 7 months old and pretty tall. It fits him well. It is rear facing to 35 lbs and forward facing to 50 lbs. It is pretty good size but it did fit on our 98 Jetta, and was not that difficult to install. We checked it out in store (target kmart walmart) then ended up ordering the color we wanted online. It was free shipping on Amazon so it cost actually a little less then it did instore. it is about 85 dollars. good luck!

3-1 carseats are junk and have a short harness height which means most kids outgrow it by height well before 4 years old. They don't work well as boosters either they hold the seatbelt funny on their hips and lap.

Go with a Evenflo,Britax, or the Cosco Scenera seats. They are my favorite, worry about a booster later on.

I really like the Britax Marathon, it's a 5pt.harnessed seat that Rearfaces and Forwardfaces. It goes up to 65lbs. eliminating a need for a booster for a very long time.

I'll try not to repeat what the other posters have said. We have a Britax Marathon in one car (love it) and an Evenflo Triumph in the other. The Evenflo was less than half the price and we do like it. It's not quite as nice as the Britax and I know it doesn't meet the same high standards that the Britax does but we are still happy with it. The two major differences that we have noticed is that the Marathon would never have fit in our car rear-facing (maybe the Roundabout would??). When we were looking for our first convertable seat, we had a Stratus, an Impala and an Envoy. We started with a 3 in 1 (like the Alpha Omega or Eddie Bauer one) it didn't fit in any of the cars behind a seat...so we tried in the middle of the back seat and it fit until my husband was in the car and then it didn't fit anywhere because he's 6'3" and had to move the seat back. So we were stuck with the smallest convertable that we could find. But like I said, we are please with the Evenflo. Once my daughter was front-facing, we decided we wanted a second carseat so we each would have one in the car. We splurged (brand new on eBay $220 with shipping) and bought the Marathon. It is heavier and bigger but we like it a lot. Which brings me to the second major difference....when my daughter sleeps in the car in the Evenflo her head droops forward....in the Britax, she is much better supported and can sleep without her head hanging forward.

So I guess I would suggest that you buy the carseat that fits in your car the best and that has safety features that you are comfortable with. Good luck.

We have the Britax Roundabout and are very happy with it. We have smaller cars so other seats like the Britax Marathon were not good options for us. If you have a larger vehicle that fits the Marathon (and it doesn't block the back window), I would recommend getting it as it goes up to a higher height and weight limit than the Roundabout. We used the Book, Baby Bargains (there is also a website) and Consumer Reports to narrow the choices. We also tested the car seats we were interested in in our vehicles before purchasing them.

Our son is one now, and since he was 5 months he has been in the Britax Marathon. We love it, and so does he! We bought one for each car...well worth every dollar since I feel so safe with him in it, he is comfy and it will last until he is 65 pounds!

You have already received some very good info but I want to add some things. We have two different seats. The Britax Marathon and a Graco. We all LOVE the Britax. We take some linger trips and my son is comfortable for up to 4 1/2 hours in it. We still have one more adjustment spot available or the shoulder straps and we still have room for groath in the curreent spot. It was rather expensive, about $300.
We purchased the Graco as a 2nd seat for the lesser used vehicle (mine). It is very easy to install and it is only comfortable for shorter trips, less than 1 1/2 hours. The bad thing about it is that my son has almost outgrown it in height. When front facing, the straps are supposed to be above his shoulders and right now they are right at the top of his shoulders. He turned 2 yesterday and is 35.5" tall. I am going to have to purchase another seat for my car, probably in the next couple months. It was significantly less costly, about $140.
With that info in mind, I almost wish we would have purchase 2 Britax seats because now I have to find another seat that fits in my car that has shoulder straps that are more adjustable. I think in the long run I would have been even or farther ahead spending the money on 2 Britax seats.

Definitely echo the recommendations for the Britax. I found the best deals via internet (with free shipping) and happen to lucky enough to purchase one which was on closeout because of the fabric (denim) which didn't seem to be too popular a choice among moms. we love it and my son is extremely comfortable in it for very long rides.

C.,
I love my Alpha Omega Elite. Both of my kids are in them. DD (3 in Dec) was too tall at 6 months for her carrier, and was rear facing until 18 months. DS (1 in Jan) was too tall at 3 months and is rear facing until Jan. Check out www.albeebaby.com for cheaper prices than stores. I spent $170 for each seat. Good luck!
S.

C.,

When you pay for a high end car seat, you pay for a brand name. The cheaper brands are just as safe and adhere to the same federal standards. So don't ever feel like you have to fork out over $100 to keep your child safe.

What your child needs now is a reversable car seat with a 5 point harness. You can keep him rear facing up to 22-30 lbs depending on the one you buy. Legally, he has to stay rear facing up to 1 year old and 20 lbs. When he is big enough, you flip the car seat around and he can ride in it forward facing.

If you plan not to have any more kids, you may want to consider the one that goes rear facing, forward facing and booster up to 80 lbs. It is true that you won't have to buy another one (unless your child eats in the car or puts a lot of wear and tear on it.)

I have 4 kids close in age and until recently, all were in car seats at the same time. In my case, it makes much more sense to buy lots of cheap ones for the different stages and let them all rotate to the next car seat as they get older. I got a reversable to last until they are 3-4, then boosters for age 4-7. The back comes off and I also have a backless booster for age 6-7 when they really start to complain about having to be in a car seat, but they aren't anywhere near 60 lbs yet.

If you haven't been shown how to properly install one, it would be a good idea to go to the police department and have them demonstrate. 85% of car seats are improperly installed and they won't protect your child no matter how much you pay for them if they aren't installed correctly.

Good luck,
S.

I did ALOT of homework on a 2nd seat for my daughter and I ended up choosing the Evenflo Triumph Advance LX (about $140 @ Walmart). It's got some awesome features, including the LATCH system, the 5-50lbs weight limit, etc (look for it on walmart.com to get more info). My sister went and bought it for her daughter too! GOOD LUCK!

we love and recommend Britax. very high quality, but with it comes expense. we are on a very tight budget, but i will never regret working in the extra $100 dollars or so per seat into our budget for the peace of mind and protection. once they were installed and the quality was so obvious, my husband was greatful for spending the extra money, too (i concluded, even though he didn't say it.ha) we have the Marathons for our 10 mo. old(rear facing) and 3 year old, and the Regent for our 5 and a half year old. (if the regent can be rear facing, i'd go with that one, for your little one. it will secure your baby all the way through booster size with a 5 point harness.

I totally agree with Becky! I am a Child Passenger Safety Technician and you get what you pay for! There are many differences between the cheap ones and the expensive ones not the name! I personally like the Marathon but like the Boulevard better it also has True Side Impact Protection and still goes to 65 lbs.! Even the most expensive Britax cost only .12 cents a day with a six year life. You can google it on-line and can find a much better price on-line and you do not pay tax on the seat or shipping charges (shipping is free on most sites) and they deliver it to your front door! If you want some of those sites just e-mail me because they are having sales on Britax Seats!! I hope this helps you on your search for a GREAT car seat!!

Also please keep your son rear-facing as long as you can as this is why:

Rear-facing is safest for both adults and children, but especially for babies, who would face a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.

Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a baby's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.

Rear-facing carseats may not be quite as effective in a rear end crash, but severe frontal and frontal offset crashes are far more frequent and far more severe than severe rear end crashes.

Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a baby's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.

Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatricians NOT 1 years old like most people think, and can reduce injuries and deaths. Motor Vehicle Crashes are the #1 overall cause of death for children 14 and under.

I feel that the 3 in one are very worth it. Especially if you're going to have more kids. We have 2 car seats. One is a britax that is rear or front facing up to I think 90#s. (Don't quote me) The other is a graco that is rear, front, a high back booster and then a small booster. This one was like $180. The Britax was closer to 300 (It was a gift thank god!) The Britax is more cushiony but the graco has a cup holder. I bought the 2nd carseat after he grew out of the carrier...I got tired of flip flopping the britax because it is a little heavy.

Hope this helps a little.

I just got First Years True Fit seat for my 10 month old daughter last month. Yes, it was a bit higher priced, $189 from Target, but it had good safety reviews and will last until she is ready for a booster. I figure some sanity is worth a bit of money. Most parent reviews I read were good, although a few indicated difficulty with installation and strap positioning. I read the manual step by step with the seat in my living room, got everything adjusted for my daughter, and then put it in the car with no problems. We have a car with the Latch system and I love these hooks (much easier to take seat in and out than the hooks that were on the base for our infant carrier. Hope this is helpful.
Another first time mom!!

I too recommend the Britax Marathon. When I bought mine (6 months ago) it was rated #1 for safety. It is rather large, but very very sturdy. I bought mine off Amazon for 50 dollars cheaper, brand new! It can be used up to age 6, but I think it may be a bit bulky for that. Spending the money is worth it, especially if it will be used for more than one child.

Please also keep in mind that car seats expire after about 6 years. So by the time your kid will be ready for the booster the car seat might no longer be good to use. We use the Britax Boulevard as well and I still love it after 4 years of use.

I know I am late on the response to your car seat question, but we have the Britax Boulevard, and love it - we got it online, from www.albeebaby.com - our fabric pattern was going out, so it was on sale for $219, and no tax and free shipping - they had fast service, too.

Hope you find one you like!

Jessie

There is a posting in a few of the local stores, just s Wal-Mart, Big Lots and some furniture stores that show recalls and defects for baby seats. Before buying aything new search for infant or child recall or defecrted car seats, there are also some toys that will supprise you on the list.

Britax are the best. I bought the Marathon and the Roundabout for both vehicles and we have been very very happy with them. Worth every penny. If you can not afford the full price, try to find one on Craigslist BUT make sure it is not expired. They expire SIX years from date of manufacture which can be found on the side of all these seats right under the fabric. If you can only afford one, than at least get it and you can switch it between more than one car as they are very easy to install and uninstall. Good luck.

I read that the 3 in 1 is not great... We have the Britax Marathon which is on of the few that go up to 65 pounds. We have been very happy with it...