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jbradybean
07-15-2001, 06:19 PM
We have a 9 month old who will be out of her infant car seat in a few months. Looking for recommendations of brands for the next size car she will need.

tobymc
07-16-2001, 02:00 PM
You'll be looking for a convertible carseat. That will hold your child rear facing until the minimum of one year and 20 pounds, and awhile beyond. It will last forward facing until 40 pounds or the height limit.

Make sure you choose one that has a 5 point harness and has a rear facing weight limit of at least 30 pounds.

Choose one that fits well in your car. That means that when it is installed, it doesn't move side to side more than an inch, when shoved. Check the seat before you buy it (many stores let you try floor models). You can get some ideas of what fits from the carseat compatibility database, www.carseatdata.org.

Check also that you can get the harness to tighten and loosen easily, even with the seat is installed in your car. Check out what changes are needed when your child grows.

I love the Britax Roundabout for fit in my car, and ease of use, and for its "extras" that increase ease of use and safety. It is expensive, $200. I like the Fisher Price Safe Embrace I, at $100, though it is getting hard to find (FP is no longer making carseats). The Cosco Touriva, Century Accel, Evenflo Odyssey, Evenflo Horizon/Conquest V, Century Bravo and Cosco Alpha Omega are other good choices, listed in ascending price order. The cheaper seats take a little more work to use right EVERY time. They also have fewer "extras" like the eps foam, no-twist straps, easy to use harness adjuster, and built in locking clips.

The Alpha Omega also converts into a booster seat for use with an older child. Other than this feature, this is a largish seat that may have fit problems. Some parents love it, others hate it.

I hope this gives you some direction.

Toby, CPS tech

kzallison
07-19-2001, 12:44 PM
I am also a fan of the Britax Roundabout, which we began using in the RF position in an Acura TL when my daughter was about 9 months old. My only complaint is that since my husband is rather tall, he moves the driver's seat back quite a bit farther than I do, where it pushes into the Roundabout in the RF position; however, this is not a problem now that the seat faces forward. That said, the RA does have a lot of features I really like: incline adjuster, tether system, built-in locking clips, and removable cover (it gets washed a lot!) And, it is really easy to install this seat securely in our car.

Some parents in other sections of this forum have complained that the RA does not fit well in plane seats, but I have not found that to be the case, and we fly United frequently. (Note: make sure that you always install your seat in the window position to prevent obstructing your exit in an emergency. I once sat on a plane for 20 extra minutes while the flight crew argued with a parent about this! Arrghhh!) The RA can be heavy and awkward to carry through an airport, but I think this would be the case no matter what seat you choose. Overall, I'm very happy with the RA, and I would buy one again.