Joolsplus2
09-14-2005, 08:16 AM
I've stolen this report from Heather (Murphydog77) who went to the Expo and was kind enough to write it up and share (BIG THANKS TO YOU, HEATHER! <worship, worship>
;)
Britax
There are 5 really cool, fabulous, exclusive, new
MA covers. You'll have to buy the whole seat
for $275 since they're not just making the covers. They're making only 850 or so of each cover and they will only be sold at specialty
stores. As soon as they're sold out, a different set of covers will be
made and sold at specialty stores and so on. This is to bring the
exclusivity back to the specialty stores since you can buy Britax
everywhere now. They're calling the line "Britax Couture." The fabric is upholstery
material and is nice and should wear quite well. I really like the
Barnum, Dragon Fly, and Sand Dollar :). They'll be available the week
of Oct. 15.
They're also coming out with university logo/color seats in a limited
selection of teams. Very bright, very plush, very soft! Look for them
in the RA, MA, and PW. Available in Oct.
The Bodyguard is slowly being phased out in favor of the Parkway.
The Tiffany cover on the DC is gorgeous and very soft and plush.
The Fisher Price line is there and is actually pretty cheap feeling.
No lockoffs and a lot less padding in the cover. They only had
prototypes, so they weren't actual working models, but I was actually
afraid of breaking the bases (I was trying to figure out how to recline
the seats when I realized they couldn't, again because they were
prototypes and weren't done yet). The MA-based seat is certified to 55
lbs. (MSRP $179.99) and the RA-based seat is certified to 40 lbs. (MSRP
$159.99). The line is called "Safe Voyage." The booster is based on
the Starriser Comfy (MSRP $79.99). The infant seat is based on the
Companion (MSRP $119.99). Available in Dec.
********************
Chicco
The KeyFit has arrived at BRU, but only in a travel system :(. It will
be hitting specialty stores later this month without a stroller. It
really is a great seat. All the pieces, chest clip, harness pads,
etc., are designed to fit small infants. It can be used without a
base. The notches in the seat are hidden by the cover and they did
that intentionally: they want people to use the base since it cuts down
on misinstalled seats. An extra base will only set you back $49.95, so
they're encouraging parents to buy extra bases. The infant pad insert
is only certified for use for 4-11 lbs., but there's no label on it
stating that. Julie Robbins (helped design the seat, wrote the manual, is a tech instructor, etc.) said she's been encouraging people to contact the company with feedback about that. She's concerned parents will use the insert for much longer than that, even though it states in the user manual not to.
I also talked to Julie Robbins about the Sunshine Kids foldable seat and she
said it's an overengineered seat. She thinks it's got great potential
and is really impressed by it. It's designed by the same guy who
designed the Pioneered Infant Seat and she said he's very meticulous
and tests everything over and over again.
********************
Compass
There's no anti-rebound feature on the infant seat. The handle must be
down and in the locked position when in the car. The base sits up
really high and it's designed that way to fit in those cars that have
belts forward of the bight, so that may be a good seat to recommend in
those situations. They are redesigning the base, though.
********************
Peg Perego
The Primo Viaggio isn't dead, it's greatly improved! It now has SIP!
I couldn't judge just how big the seat actually is, but it had the SIP
that Britax has started. It has 5 harness positions and I measured the
lowest at roughly 6.75" and the highest at roughly 9". The total
height limit for the seat is 30". Handle must be down when in the
vehicle. I didn't get a price point for the seat because I guess I
didn't look important enough for someone to pay attention to me :D.
********************
Graco
Oh golly, where to begin here. Change is in the air.
Beginning in January, Graco is changing to a Step 1-3 program to
simplify their car seats for parents.
Step 1 is the infant seat. This is a true infant seat, but it goes to
30 lbs. and age 1. The height limit is 32". The seat appears to be a
little bit longer at the feet and it's certainly deeper. The way the
seat fits on the base, it's actually away from the vehicle seat a
little bit, so there's more room for baby's feet. It's got a closed
loop belt path, but, get this--there's a fabulous built-in locking clip
in the center of the belt path!!!!!!!! It's really exciting! The
recline angle adjuster is a knob instead of those push button things
that are always snapping your fingernails off (what, can you tell the
Snug is not my favorite seat, lol). The buckle is also a little
different, but just in appearance. It still goes in one side at a
time. This seat will be in production in a couple of weeks and should
be out in early January.
Step 2 is the forward-facing only seat, 20-40 lbs. Um, can you say
Maxi Cosi Priori?! That's pretty much it, an MCP with a cup holder.
They are working on getting this certified to 50 lbs. No release date
yet.
Step 3 is the TurboBooster, 30+ lbs. with the back, 40+ lbs. backless.
********************
Combi
The Combi Centre is the new infant seat for them. Again, it has the
SIP, but only on the DX version. The ST version is just a basic infant
seat, but it does have EPS foam. The base is an anti-rebound base and
the LATCH anchors are stored inside of the base. The DX will retail
for $129 and the ST will retail for $109 beginning in Dec.
********************
Sunshine Kids
I walked over there skeptically, but walked away really impressed by
this seat. Do I seriously think my 52 lb. kid will fit in it? No.
But, it will work fabulously in 3 across situations and I think it will
find a niche in ambulances since it folds so compactly. They're
marketing it as a travel seat, but it's super heavy at 20 lbs. and even
though it comes with a backpack case, still, that's quite a load to
haul through an airport
;)
Britax
There are 5 really cool, fabulous, exclusive, new
MA covers. You'll have to buy the whole seat
for $275 since they're not just making the covers. They're making only 850 or so of each cover and they will only be sold at specialty
stores. As soon as they're sold out, a different set of covers will be
made and sold at specialty stores and so on. This is to bring the
exclusivity back to the specialty stores since you can buy Britax
everywhere now. They're calling the line "Britax Couture." The fabric is upholstery
material and is nice and should wear quite well. I really like the
Barnum, Dragon Fly, and Sand Dollar :). They'll be available the week
of Oct. 15.
They're also coming out with university logo/color seats in a limited
selection of teams. Very bright, very plush, very soft! Look for them
in the RA, MA, and PW. Available in Oct.
The Bodyguard is slowly being phased out in favor of the Parkway.
The Tiffany cover on the DC is gorgeous and very soft and plush.
The Fisher Price line is there and is actually pretty cheap feeling.
No lockoffs and a lot less padding in the cover. They only had
prototypes, so they weren't actual working models, but I was actually
afraid of breaking the bases (I was trying to figure out how to recline
the seats when I realized they couldn't, again because they were
prototypes and weren't done yet). The MA-based seat is certified to 55
lbs. (MSRP $179.99) and the RA-based seat is certified to 40 lbs. (MSRP
$159.99). The line is called "Safe Voyage." The booster is based on
the Starriser Comfy (MSRP $79.99). The infant seat is based on the
Companion (MSRP $119.99). Available in Dec.
********************
Chicco
The KeyFit has arrived at BRU, but only in a travel system :(. It will
be hitting specialty stores later this month without a stroller. It
really is a great seat. All the pieces, chest clip, harness pads,
etc., are designed to fit small infants. It can be used without a
base. The notches in the seat are hidden by the cover and they did
that intentionally: they want people to use the base since it cuts down
on misinstalled seats. An extra base will only set you back $49.95, so
they're encouraging parents to buy extra bases. The infant pad insert
is only certified for use for 4-11 lbs., but there's no label on it
stating that. Julie Robbins (helped design the seat, wrote the manual, is a tech instructor, etc.) said she's been encouraging people to contact the company with feedback about that. She's concerned parents will use the insert for much longer than that, even though it states in the user manual not to.
I also talked to Julie Robbins about the Sunshine Kids foldable seat and she
said it's an overengineered seat. She thinks it's got great potential
and is really impressed by it. It's designed by the same guy who
designed the Pioneered Infant Seat and she said he's very meticulous
and tests everything over and over again.
********************
Compass
There's no anti-rebound feature on the infant seat. The handle must be
down and in the locked position when in the car. The base sits up
really high and it's designed that way to fit in those cars that have
belts forward of the bight, so that may be a good seat to recommend in
those situations. They are redesigning the base, though.
********************
Peg Perego
The Primo Viaggio isn't dead, it's greatly improved! It now has SIP!
I couldn't judge just how big the seat actually is, but it had the SIP
that Britax has started. It has 5 harness positions and I measured the
lowest at roughly 6.75" and the highest at roughly 9". The total
height limit for the seat is 30". Handle must be down when in the
vehicle. I didn't get a price point for the seat because I guess I
didn't look important enough for someone to pay attention to me :D.
********************
Graco
Oh golly, where to begin here. Change is in the air.
Beginning in January, Graco is changing to a Step 1-3 program to
simplify their car seats for parents.
Step 1 is the infant seat. This is a true infant seat, but it goes to
30 lbs. and age 1. The height limit is 32". The seat appears to be a
little bit longer at the feet and it's certainly deeper. The way the
seat fits on the base, it's actually away from the vehicle seat a
little bit, so there's more room for baby's feet. It's got a closed
loop belt path, but, get this--there's a fabulous built-in locking clip
in the center of the belt path!!!!!!!! It's really exciting! The
recline angle adjuster is a knob instead of those push button things
that are always snapping your fingernails off (what, can you tell the
Snug is not my favorite seat, lol). The buckle is also a little
different, but just in appearance. It still goes in one side at a
time. This seat will be in production in a couple of weeks and should
be out in early January.
Step 2 is the forward-facing only seat, 20-40 lbs. Um, can you say
Maxi Cosi Priori?! That's pretty much it, an MCP with a cup holder.
They are working on getting this certified to 50 lbs. No release date
yet.
Step 3 is the TurboBooster, 30+ lbs. with the back, 40+ lbs. backless.
********************
Combi
The Combi Centre is the new infant seat for them. Again, it has the
SIP, but only on the DX version. The ST version is just a basic infant
seat, but it does have EPS foam. The base is an anti-rebound base and
the LATCH anchors are stored inside of the base. The DX will retail
for $129 and the ST will retail for $109 beginning in Dec.
********************
Sunshine Kids
I walked over there skeptically, but walked away really impressed by
this seat. Do I seriously think my 52 lb. kid will fit in it? No.
But, it will work fabulously in 3 across situations and I think it will
find a niche in ambulances since it folds so compactly. They're
marketing it as a travel seat, but it's super heavy at 20 lbs. and even
though it comes with a backpack case, still, that's quite a load to
haul through an airport