Car Seat Suggestions Needed - Encino,CA

I have the Britax Marathon and absolutely love it. It is easy to install in the car, place my daughter in and out and she can see very well. I have washed the cover several time and it hasn't faded one bit. We liked it so much we bought a 2nd for my husbands truck. I would highly recommend it!

I love the Britax Roundabout, we have two! You will find that it also has a bit more narrow base that fits in the center better than some others, another advantage is that it is one of the few FAA (Airline) approved seats. ~~L.

I don't know about sizes, but get one that would be easier for the child to buckle themselves when they reach 2 or three. They love being able to buckle up themselves (although there is no way they can unbuckle, and with good reason) and it is easier for you, too!

Oh yeah, and try taking off the cover to wash it - remember potty training is coming before you outgrow this one - and I have one that requires an engineering degree to put it back together after those necessary washes!

Another thing that I don't like the one that I bought as a rookie mom - the straps are rather pliable, so they get twisted easily. Straps are supposed to stay flat, but my cosco alpha omega is the worst - I would not recommend this seat at all for the ease of use component.

Britax is the BEST. My son is 4-1/2 and is in a Britax 5-Point harness Booster Seat after having a Britax Round-about. It's easy, comfortable and the safest according to reports.

My husband drives a Honda Civic Hybrid and the Britax fits just fine. It is actually a bit better than some because it sits higher and she likes to see more. I would consider though ... something like the decathalon by Britax - it lasts longer as it is good until seats are no longer required. Also you may consider checking on ebay for new carseats - I saved 80$ on my carseat. Good luck shopping.

Get a Britax Marathon instead of the Roundabout. You can use the Marathon much longer than the Roundabout. Do a side by side comparison if you wish. I love how the EPS foam on the Marathon really hugs and supports the body.

Their booklet instructions are great. I have not had any problems with ease of use. My husband has a Sunshine Radian 80 folding car seat in his car for my 4 yr old and it's OK, but again, it does not hug and support her body like the Marathon does.

I had a Roundabout for my son (born in 2000). My daughter was born in 2004 and I got a Marathon for her. She is 4 now and still rides in the Marathon comfortably and can use it for many more months. If she were in a RA, I would have had to purchase another one by now.

My son rode in a Britax Husky (renamed the Regent) until he was 8 years old (5-pt-harness). Also another great seat.

This is a discussion board with parents who are car safety techs answering your questions. It's a great resource.
http://www.car-seat.org/

Do you know that experts are recommending rear-facing for longer than the MINIMUM of 20lbs and 1 year? Just FYI.... you can find all the info and data on why on that site. Notice what happens in an accident when the child is rear-facing (almost NO movement or trauma to the child.) You cannot say the same if they are FF. Some parents are keeping their kids RF up to 3-4 years (like in Europe). Again, just so you know... you can read more on that website - car-seat.org.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62Ea8Fs4ng&feature=re...

And, the above poster is right about the Radian 80. If you need to fit 3 across, get that. I did not, so I'm fine with the Britax.

You are smart to consider that having a smaller car may need to be kept in mind when purchasing a car seat. I am a car seat tech and instructor and see imcompatibility issues often. My suggestion is that you go to a store where they will allow you to take the seat out to your car before you buy it so you can make sure it fits properly. I know several places will allow you to do this...one is Babies R Us. Good luck!

We also have a Prius and use a Britax Boulevard for our daughter. It is the largest of the Britax models and still fits just fine in the Prius. With any carseat the additional passenger seats on either side of the car seat (assuming a middle seat placement) will be a bit tight. Britax offers the safest car seats around and is well worth the price. Check consumer reports for a rating of convertible car seats. Note that the website listed by a different reader rates the ease of use, not necessarily the safety. I recommend that regardless of the type of car seat you buy that you have your installation checked by a safety expert. Check your local children's hospital or fire station for this service.

good luck. this is a big purchase.

Alison

R.,

This is what I look at now when I purchase a carseat.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/nhtsa_eou/info.jsp?type=conve...

I think the most important category is of course securing the child and I have noticed that for the price of the Britax seat the rating isn't as high as it should be. I personally would look for a seat that has a high rating in this area. Most of the Britax are rated about a 3 out of 5 for safety.

We have the Britax Diplomat (in our car) and Britax Boulevard (in our SUV). Both have a safety feature for side impact, which was important to us. The Diplomat is smaller and we plan to use take it on flights when we travel. It's also slightly easier to use. The release button seems to be hard to push on the Boulevard and the buckle wants to rest directly in the seat where my sons butt should go. I don't know how to explain it, but I'm constantly wrestling with the seat buckle of the Boulevard. It lasts to a higher weight limit (65 pounds), but I don't see how there will be enough space between the seat and the buckle as he grows. I LOVE the Diplomat, though. Wish I'd gotten 2 of those.

Hi,
I also drive a Prius and we have a Britax Roundabout. It works just great!

Good luck,
A.

Hi R.,
I have a Prius as well and we have my almost 3 yr old in a Britax and my 5 month old in the Graco infant seat and it works well, despite not much room left for anyone else back there! Before the baby came tho, we got a Britax for our older kid when he was 10months old. I forget what model it's called but I know Britax to be one of the best carseats for safty and comfort. Anyway it fits just great in there and he loves the seat and so do we. Great job with you little girl! And pretty nice getting 46 MPG, eh?!

hi! R. - Check out the Radian 80 - it has a very small footprint, takes 80 lbs and I totally love it. It folds flat for easy travel and my son seems to enjoy being in there. The only disadvantage is that it sits low, so the view from the car (for the kid) is limited.

Hi there! We have a prius and the marathon and decathalon fit just fine. The decathalon is the same as the marathon except that it has inserts to use with an infant. Right Start will let you take seats out to your car and test them out.

I have the Britax Decathalon and love it. It's not horribly big, but it will hold a kiddo up to 65 lbs!! Thought it the economical purchase for the long haul. Adjustable straps, travels well on an airplane, very easy to get in and out of vehicles, pretty easy to clean. Worth the cost since it will last so long.

We are Britax all the way. We have a copy as a friend, as well as other friends in law enforcement, and they all say Britax is the number one car seat for keeping children safe. However, they have all said that if the car seat is not properly installed, it really doesn't matter what brand it is. So, while they were quick to tell us to go Britax (which we did absolutely), they did emphasize that the proper installation of any quality car seat is the most important thing.

We did take our car seat to the traffic division of the police and had them show us how to install it properly, which was a HUGE help. The guy that helped us said that he also preferred Britax when it came to his children.

Hope that's helpful! Cheers, C.

Hi R.,
We loved our Britax Roundabout. Check out Consumer Reports.com to see which models get the best safety rating. The Baby Bargain book may also help you make your decision. They give good advice on which kind of seats are best.

Good luck!

We have the Britax roundabout, Marathon and Regent. Love them all!

M.

Another Britax fan here! We have a roundabout, marathon, and decathlon and like them all!

I did stray from Britax with my son as we moved my daughter into his seats. I got a Graco Nautilus for him http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber...
It was recommended by a friend who is a car seat tech (and a huge Britax fan!). It can only be used forward facing, but it converts to a high back booster and then a booster so it is the last seat we will ever have to buy for him! And the cup holder is a nice bonus.

Britax is amazing! For my 2 year old son, I have the Marathon in my Jetta. Not a big car inside, but the Marathon still fits great. I have a friend who drives a Beetle and uses the same seat and she really doesn't mind the lack of room for passengers.

Hi there
Take a look at the Radian Carseat made by Sunshine Kids. It's known for being more streamlined without sacrificing safety. I believe it is also FAA approved, and it folds up when you need to lug it around when you travel or store it. They make a seat that goes up to 60lbs or 80 lbs. Its the only seat that will fit 3 across a small honda civic. At least that is what I have read. I have Britax car seats (one for each child), which I love, but we are about to have our 3rd child, and the britax seats are too bulky to allow us to fit 3 across. So we either have to get new car seats or a new car. Had I known about it when I was upgrading my daughter to a larger car seat, I would have bought it. Regardless of which carseat you decide to go with, go with at least one that will take up to 60lbs, or more. Its not that much more money, and it will last them longer. You would be surprised how fast they will outgrow a carseat that holds up to 40lbs. Plus the longer you can keep them in a car seat (vs. a booster seat) the better. It's much safer. Good Luck!

I have one daughter and two Britax Marathons. We chose the Marathon over the Roundabout because it goes up to 60-65 pounds. The Roundabout only goes to 40-45. Then you would have to buy another. I know everyone has ranted and raved, but also my girlfriend was recently plowed into when stopped by a moving car. Her son was in a Marathon and didn't even notice (even though her mini van was totaled). Both the CHP officer and insurance claims person, carried on about how glad they were that she had the Britax. That says a lot that the CHP officer even noticed.

yes i also hear that britax are the best. are yo looking for a car seat that goes until they dont need one anymore? or just one till your baby reaches the right weight for a backless booster?. i use 3 different car seats with my daughter. the main 2 are the cosco alpha omega (which would be too bulky for your car) and then i have a evenflo high back booster in my car (which isnt too bulky at all i have a honda civic). my aunt has a cheaper cosco serena (it only goes to 40lbs). i like the other 2 best because they go up to 100lbs and the 5 point harnes goes up to 50lbs. good luck with your decision i hope you find one that your daughter fits in well.

R.,

I have two boys and I have a Chevy Cobalt. So it is a smaller car. I have a very good car seat. I have 2 Evenflo Triumphs. They are at Babies R Us. They are very comparable to to Britax buy they are much more affordable. They have a couple of kinds if the Triumph series. The one that I have is forward facing and rear facing. They have the same seat that only forward faces for ten dollars less.
The forward facing seat is $50 and the other kind is $60. You can find the seats at Babies R Us and the forward facing only you can find at WalMart. The seats have NOT had any recalls and they are extremely easy to use and set up. If you have to transfer it to anther car it is really easy to do. I hope this helps!!

S.

Hi R.,

I don't know if you have a Babies R Us near you, but our nearest one (Oxnard) allowed people to try out the seats in their car before purchasing them not too long ago. I had chosen one for our son and found that it wouldn't work in my Camry so it's definitely worth the time to ask. When I did it, they had an employee take the seat out for me to try it in our car. It saves a lot of trouble having to buy and return a seat. Good luck.

M.

PS We always had our seat installed by the highway patrol too. They'll get it in there so it's going NOWHERE!!! :>)

Britax marathon. up to 65 lbs. My 7 yr old STILL uses his.