Second car seat recommendations?

[Dream]

When I was looking for a 2nd car seat Britax frontier was recommended. Although we were able to manage with one we're at a point that we have to get the second seat to make our life easier. And I see that the Britax Roundabout 55($199-20%) is cheaper than the frontier. Is there a reason the frontier is better than the Roundabout? Is the Roundabout better for air travel compared to the Boulevard CS?

DD's 2 yrs and 7 months, 28lb and 36" height. The only way she'll travel in the car seat is forward facing so although I would love to have her RF its not going to work. She's currently riding in a Britax Boulevard.

Thank you

[AnnieW625]

The Roundabout 55 will be better for air travel because it's lighter, however I think I might consider the Frontier for your DD1 as her main seat in the car you drive in most because that seat is going to last until she is 12 yrs. old and it could potentially be the last car seat you would need to buy (before buying a low back booster) for both of your girls. We moved our DD1 to the Frontier from a smaller Evenflo seat at just shy of 3 yrs. old and she was about the same size as your daughter. My DD1 seems very comfortable in the seat and loves the headwings (but she is a big car seat sleeper).

Any way you look at it though you are going to need another seat for your DD2 once she is out of her infant seat so if you are going to be doing more traveling now before that happens then you can get the Roundabout 55 now for your DD1 to use and then get her a Frontier once DD2 is ready for the Roundabout 55.

A much cheaper travel option is the Cosco Scenera but it can be a pain to install, but it's only $50 w/a carry bag at Target so that might be a good option too to use as a travel seat and just get your DD1 a Frontier now.

[Dream]

Thank you Annie. Roundabout weight limit says RF from 5lb onwards, DD2 is over 8lb now. How about instead of a second base for DD2's KF30 I RF her in a Roundabout and get a frontier for DD1. Would this work? A second base is $70 and the Roundabout will be around $159, it seems worth it to go for the Roundabout for DD2 as her second seat.

This way down the road I'll probably be able to move DD1 to a backless booster(if she fits) and move DD2 to the Frontier?

[AnnieW625]

Originally Posted by Dream

Thank you Annie. Roundabout weight limit says RF from 5lb onwards, DD2 is over 8lb now. How about instead of a second base for DD2's KF30 I RF her in a Roundabout and get a frontier for DD1. Would this work? A second base is $70 and the Roundabout will be around $159, it seems worth it to go for the Roundabout for DD2 as her second seat.

This way down the road I'll probably be able to move DD1 to a backless booster(if she fits) and move DD2 to the Frontier?

That sounds like a good plan. We never even got a second base for our Graco Safeseat, we just put it in the backseat belted in, as long as the seat belt locks it's safe.

We have the same plan with DD2 also in regards to the Frontiers.

[Dream]

Originally Posted by AnnieW625

We never even got a second base for our Graco Safeseat, we just put it in the backseat belted in, as long as the seat belt locks it's safe.

I didn't know that, I thought you always need the base.

[BabyBearsMom]

Originally Posted by Dream

I didn't know that, I thought you always need the base.

Nope you don't need the base, we did it a lot with our KF30. It is super easy and it worked out great when we were going somewhere with another mommy and baby. I do think it is nice to have something permanent and easy in your own cars though, so we had two bases as well.

[vonfirmath]

If you want to get a second FF-only seat, the Evenflo Maestro is a cheap seat that works well (we've had it as our primary FF seat for our son for nearly a year now. His secondary seat is the Britax Marathon/Roundabout 55 put FF in the secondary car.)

Our second child will be using our Safeseat (which expires at just about the time she will outgrow it/at the least be old enough to move up to the Roundabout55)

By the time she is big enough/old enough for the Maestro, we expect our oldest to be in a booster. We are going to get a secondary convertible probably instead of reusing the Marathon since the Marathon expires before we'd be ready for her to be done using it RFing.