second carseat

I have a 13month old who is long and lean (barely over 20# and last checked at 37")-- we use an evenflo triumph now for our main seat, but we need a second for DH's truck (the infant carrier is way too short now). We went to BRU last night (and since DH doesn't like to dilly dally) ended up with an evenflo traditions. I have been reviewing postings here and am not certain we made the right choice?
We still want to harness but I'd rather not turn into a collector of car seats (I have no space for storage!) so if the second seat could last or become the primary once DS finally outgrows the weight limit on the triumph, I would be very happy. I've seen a few postings about the touriva but the book rates it as a 'C'... needless to say I have joined the ranks of the perpetually confused.
any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you in advance.

Julie (joolsplus2) posted the other day about the Safety 1st Intera. The base and seat detach so you have a booster when it's time. It will go both RF & FF.

The traditions appears to only go FF. Since your DS is 13 months, perhaps you want him FF? It is safer to stay RF as long as possible, particularly since he just barely meets the weight requirement. My DS is over a year, 24 lbs, 32 inches and still RF and will be for some time, I'm in no hurry to switch him (after seeing some crash test video).

The thing about the weight limit, though, is that almost every convertible except the Britax MA & Wizard only go to 40 lbs FF. The Touriva (I have one in DH's car and one in MIL's car so I'm a fan) is among those that have the same weight limit. Having seen the Intera, I might have gone for that for MIL's car since it is used SO infrequently it would be nice to buy just one thing that would work until he is big enough to be out of any kind of seat/booster.

OTOH your DS is skinny so you need to worry more about the height than the weight.

Hopefully someone can weigh in specifically about the Evenflo traditions.

Marilee
mommy to James
http://lilypie.com/baby1/050120/1/0/1/-5/.png

[Joolsplus2]

For a part time seat, it's less risky to be forward facing so young (in terms of miles traveled...you're always at the same risk of a crash, pretty much, but if you are in the car less, it's ok to still go with accepted guidelines). I'd get tether anchors installed at your local dealer (whatever brand it is) as that will add to the safety of a forward facing seat tremendously, if you don't have them already.
Anywho...I like the Traditions :) It's just a Chase with better padding. It has tall top slots, good padding, a front harness adjuster, and I dig those armrests. He'll be able to use it a long time! As a booster, it's so-so...so in a few years, see what is good out there in boosters (and we are getting new seats with higher weight limits, too, soon-ish, so there's a lot to look forward to in 4 years when he's too tall for the harness on the Traditions :) )
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

Thanks for the input. It really helps to hear real experiences, the websites seem more interested in making the sale. I think I'll go to see an Intera in person and perhaps the fit will make the choice easier.
Thanks again,
nicole
mom to Robby

http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...8.birthday.png

Should I get the tether for the triumph too, once DS is forward facing? My suv has latch, but i've not looked into tether attachment yet.
You've made DH very happy! :)I was starting to freak about the choices and the features, and now he has backup. I did wonder though about the Platinum Cargo and that special memory padding- Do you think it's better? I saw a few posts about twisted straps etc.so was having difficulty weighing pros and cons.
thank you so much for being the resident expert!
Nicole
mommy to Robby


http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...8.birthday.png

[Joolsplus2]

If you have LATCH, you must use the top tether, and you have it...so check out your manual to find it (some SUV's are very obscure about where they are). Of course, if he still fits rearfacing, I'd do that (more than one inch of seatback above the top of his head).

In fact, did you know that LATCH is an acronym for Lower Anchors And Tethers for CHildren (isn't our government clever? LOL). Remember you can't use it in the middle though, you must use a seatbelt to install the seat in the middle...unless your manual specifically says you may use LATCH in the center?

Oh, I DO love the Platinum Cargo...the straps aren't that twisty...it's all a matter of what your dh will use properly every time, though, so make sure he can use it and likes it, too.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

We go to the ped tomorrow so I can finally know where he fits as far as weight limit and height- he seems cramped in leg room rear-facing so I was looking forward to FF- but after reading all the other postings and accessing your weblink, I think I want rear facing longer, if only for my suv- DH's car is only 2-door and a tight fit for rearfacing (and DS is only in DH's car 20min total a week)
thanks for the heads up on tethers- I had mistakenly thought they were different not companion methods.
Nicole
Mommy to Robby

http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...8.birthday.png

[Joolsplus2]

thanks for the heads up on tethers- I had mistakenly thought they were different not companion methods>>

Don't worry, you aren't alone in finding that part confusing. Would you believe, one guy read the Britax manual from start to finish, and yet still thought his 6 month old dd should be forward facing, and TOOK THE TETHER OFF THE SEAT because he could only find reference to "Australian" and "Swedish" tethering (for the unique britax feature of tethering rearfacing seats) and thought the instructions didn't apply to installation in a US car?

When stuff like this happens, I can only blame the really, really poor manual writing that parents have to try to decipher... :(
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx