Evenflo chase vs generations

[ppshah]

Looking for feedback for these 2 seats for DS- who just turned, 3 weighs 29 lb. and is 37.5 inches tall. I'm expecting to keep DS harnessed in this seat for 2 more years.

The seat will be used mainly for travel, so lightweight, easy to install in multiple vehicles, able to use on airplane would be nice. Don't really care about frills ie. padding, cupholder etc. My pet peeve is twisty straps! Our babysitter will also be using this seat once a week to pick DS up from preschool.

I'm leaning towards the chase since it's less expensive ( and lighter?)

Also, how ae these seats as a booster?

Thanks!

[tjham]

I have both! We are planning a trip soon to Disneyland and I will take the Chase for the rental car. Granddaughter is almost 5, so we will not use it on the plane.

My thoughts on each:

Chase: light (9 lbs.), easy to use, nice looking, has weird harness adjustment on the strap, not on the lower front, but it works fine. Some people say it is the perfect solution for kids who try to slide their chest clips down all the time. It is very upright so my GD's head flops when she sleeps. That seems to bother us more than it does her *sigh*. I've heard it does not make a great booster. It has 16.8" top slots. I hook the tether strap to the base and carry it like a one shouldered back pack.

Generations: Actually I have the Bolero (13 lbs.). Nice looking seat, A little less padded and no recline bar, but I've seen the recline bar on the G. and it's only about an inch so I can't see how it would help much. Top slot is 16.5" Her head flops in this also unless she is outboard and I can slightly recline the vehicle seat. (That also works with the Chase, BTW) It also has a weird harness adjuster, handles on the sides like the Triumph. They say you either love it or hate it. I haven't decided yet. I've heard it makes a great booster.

My GD's mom doesn't like either one because GD can buckle herself in and her mom likes to be able to reach back and pull the strap to tighten. You can't do that with either one of these.

So for what you want, I'd go for the Chase!

[Scatterbunny]

The Chase is a tad narrower than the Generations, but the main benefit of the Generations is that it makes a really good long-term booster(good long-term, meaning, it should get the majority of kids to 4'9" and has open shoulderbelt guides) AND a really good harnessed seat.

Unfortunately most combination seats (harnessed boosters) don't do well with both functions.

The Cosco/Eddie Bauer/Safey 1st combos have really low top slots (except the Apex), so almost no one recommends these simply because most kids outgrow them in height (shoulders above top slots) before 40 pounds.

Graco, Evenflo and Recaro combos are all good in harnessed mode, they all have tall top slots to ensure almost every child can get to 40 pounds without getting too tall first. Graco and Recaro has EPS foam and deep side wings. The Recaro is highly padded and the covers are like micro-suede. the Graco combos don't make great long-term boosters because they don't adjust taller in booster mode. The deep sidewings can also sometimes hold the belt too far away from the child in booster mode. The Graco is the narrowest of these, a plus, but on airplanes the lapbelt's latchplate is usually in the child's back. Of the Evenflo combos, only the Bolero/Generations makes a good long-term booster because it adjusts taller in booster mode and has shoulderbelt guides that keep the belt positioned against the child at all times, and allows the shoulderbelt to slide freely. The Recaro combo (called the Sport, I guess I should mention that, LOL) has ultra-deep sidewings and EPS foam, but have a shoulderbelt guide that allows it to sit close to the child and move freely. It also adjusts tall enough in booster mode to last most kids to at least 4'9".

So, of the two you are considering, the Chase and Generations, I'd lean towards the Generations if you plan to use it as a booster later.

If, in the future, you think you'd like your son to have a booster with EPS foam and deeper sidewings than the Generations offers, I'd either go with a Recaro Young Sport now(pricey at $250, but saves a dedicated booster purchase later), or go with a cheaper combo (either Graco CarGo or cheaper Evenflo seat like Vision or Chase) and use it harnessed, then plan on a dedicated booster purchase later.

[ppshah]

Thank you for the replies...they were very helpful. I think I will probably go with the generation since it makes a good booster.

I would go with the recaro if it were for our vehicles- but this seat won't get used very much so I can't really justify the extra cost. Luckily he's very happy in the marathon and roundabout we have in our vehicles right now!

[bubbaray]

FWIW, I checked out the Chase/Vision seat vs the Generations about a month ago or so ago. I got the Vision (liked the cover better than the Chase, they seemed otherwise similar) over the Generations because the top slot was definitely higher on the Vision (DD has a long torso). I also didn't like the top "pillow" part of the Generations, it seemed flimsy to me.

DD is using the Vision seat at DC and our DCP is very happy with the seat. It is lightweight and easy to install.

HTH
Melissa

Maya Papaya!
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