Help me pick a cheaper/affordable secondary/spare seat for DD

[amp]

DD is 5 mos and just about to move out of her snugride into a convertible seat. DS is in a Marathon and I have a Marathon waiting in the garage for DD. However, we semi-regularly transport the kids in another vehicle and we have DS in an Evenflo Triumph, which was the secondary/spare seat of choice when we bought it a couple years ago.

I just need to know if that's still what I should get? I see a lot of talk about Cosco Scenara, but have always steered completely away from Cosco. Should I reconsider just that seat? A Graco convertible? I just want an affordable secondary seat that is the safer, easier, cheaper option, as we are not buying a 3rd MA!

Thanks!

[kellyotn]

Yup, the Cosco Scenera is the #1 affordable seat 'round here. (Cosco's other products notwithstanding.)

Its easy to use, cheap, light and tall. MUCH taller slots than the Graco ComfortSport. My daughter just outgrew her Scenera by height at 3.5. She'd have never lasted in a Triumph or ComfortSport for so long. She outgrew a different seat at around (the discontinued FP Safe Embrace). Cosco may do other things wrong, but this one they did right! If there were are larger (65 lb) version, I'd have it in a heartbeat.

But given your son's age, you could also give DD the Triumph and get a combo harnessed-then-booster seat for him. I'd look into the Evenflo Bolero/Generations. It has the knob adjuster like your Triumph. It harnesses to 40 lbs, then makes a good booster. My 3.5 year old is too close to 40 for me to bother with it as I want to keep her harnessed much longer, but its really nice.

If he's nearing 40, the Cosco Apex is also a combo that makes a good booster. It harnesses until 65 lbs. I considered one for our truck, but you need high-ish seatbacks to support the headrest so it won't work. If it works for your car its a great value at $130.

HTH!

Edited to add - Also check out the Safeguard GO. Harnesses until 60, then a booster that you can use LATCH'd. Seems **really** cool. $179. Very portable. Needs a high back and a top tether.

[momtoB]

Not to contradict the pp but according to http://www.carseatdata.org/csnumbers.html#convertibles
the Comfortsport and the Scenera have the same height top slots (maybe Graco made some modifications recently? I don't know...) but the Scenera's back is about 1" taller than the comfortsport's so it can be used rear-facing longer (since car seats are outgrown by height when the top of the head is w/in an inch of the top of the car seat shell when rear-facing). For the money, it's better to go with the Scenera since you'll be spending a lot less $$ for essentially the same thing. I just wanted to clarify that. My ds is tall for his age and outgrew his Touriva (replaced by the Scenera) by height at 34mos old. But at least I only spent $40 on it so I didn't feel like I had wasted a whole bunch of money.

If you can spend more, Britax is now marketing a seat through Fisher Price called the "Safe Voyage EX" which is the same seat shell as the Marathon, 55lb weight limit, but doesn't tether r/fing or have seatbelt lockoff's, for about $180.

hth.

[o_mom]

I'm not sure where they got their numbers, but they don't seem to match real life.

I had a ComfortSport - DS1 outgrew it by height at 24 mos (he was only 15th percentile height. His shoulders were above the top slots. I got a Scenera and his shoulders were about a half inch below the SECOND TO TOP slots. They are close to the same as in his Decathlon. When DH comes home tonight, I'll measure the Scenera. (I no longer have the ComfortSport, so I can't check that.)

ETA: I measured the top slots on the Scenera at 15" - anyone have a CS to measure? Also, the DC does have two more inches to the top slot (17"), I was missing the very top ones because of the pillow. :-)

[Oregonmother]

Have you looked at the FP Safe Voyage? It's about $170 and is made by Britax. It is basically a Marathon without all the frills. I just ordered one to have a second carseat on hand for DS. I was all set to get a Senera and then realized that the seat only goes to 40# and DS is 35# right now. The FP Safe voyage FF till 55#.

[amp]

At what age can kids switch to a booster? I am assuming it's not until at least age 4, but is there an actual age requirement or height/weight requirement?

Perhaps I should be considering a convertible/booster combo, although I like the pricepoint of the Scenara for the moment.

DS is about 30# and 30+". I'm not totally sure on his stats. Like I said, they both have Marathons for daily use in my car (well, DD does when she moves out of the snugride, which is impending), but these questions are re: the spare seats. DS is currently using the Evenflo Triumph (although I don't think it has a knob adjuster that Kelly referenced) in the 2nd car (which is a truck).

I hadn't looked at the Fisher Price one made by Britax, but must admit that DH (or me, frankly) is really hoping to spend that much on secondary seats. I'm all about safety, but we went all out on their primary seats and want to save some on these.

[kellyotn]

He's still pretty small. I'd say a Scenera would last a long time. :) Go try him out in one and see what you think height-wise. He's how old? My DD stayed at the same torso height for over a year between age 2-3. I've really been impressed with the Scenera for the money.

Then, when he does outgrow it, he can have both MA's and DD the smaller seats. Or, you can look into a combo or a booster for him then. (If the Triumph expires, etc.)

If you do like the combo idea, the Evenflo Bolero is about $80 at Kmart. Compared to the Generations it only lacks a pillow and a very slight recline option, not much for the extra $$. I really like it. It does have the knobs, I assumed that the Triumph you have had them. I don't "get" them, but I've never really tried them out. A friend REALLY loves them. For a secondary car, even if you hate 'em, no biggie. ;)

Or, a Graco Cargo. They have a lot of different models and prices. Just get one with the front adjuster. Down the road, its not the favorite booster, but its a nice harnessed seat.

HTH. :)

[amp]

Yes, Jake is nearly 3 and hasn't grown a lot over the last year or so, which is why I don't have a current height on him. We stopped measuring because it never changed! I guess I'll need to measure him to be sure. I don't expect he's going to grow enough to outgrow the Scenara in the next year, at which point, if he *did* outgrow it, we could move to a booster and if not, then he can stay in till he does. But I'll remeasure and then try him in the seat at the store.

And thanks for the tip on the Bolero at Kmart. I would not have looked at a Kmart as they don't have one right here, but I can get to one in Tulsa if need be. And the one I saw online (Generation) was about $110, so more than the Kmart version.

And thank you for clarifying on the CarGo, because I looked it up briefly online this am and only looked at one page that noted it to be a "booster" and obviously I would need a combo at this point, not just a booster.

Your help does open me up to more options I can consider. Thanks Kelly!

[kellyotn]

The Bolero might be available at other places too. For my area, its only at Kmart. Maybe check Sears since they are merging or whatever. (The Kmart near my house is becoming a "Sears Grand" and has really improved the kid section.)

Its a pretty nice seat. Not as inexpensive as a Scenera, but you'd be set for a long time.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

what I would do is give the Triumph to your baby as the primary seat, buy a cosco scenera as a backup... and put the other Marathon as your older child's backup seat until your dd has to have it.

Kat