Safeguard Go versus Safeguard Child Seat

[AdiMom]

Hello everyone.
My son just turned 4, is about 38" tall and 32lbs. He has outgrown his Britax RA and I need to move him into a youth seat. He is not a heavy kid, so my primary criteria is a seat with a high height limit for the 5-point harness. I want to keep him harnessed as long as possible.

I was initially thinking about the Safeguard childseat until I saw the Safeguard Go seat. I like the idea of the Go because we travel a lot and usually check in the carseat as checkin baggage. This causes a lot of wear and tear on the poor carseat:-( Not to mention, the Go is cheaper than the regular safeguard.

Is the Go just as safe as the regular safeguard child seat? We have a car wih high backs, so that's not an issue. And we have latch and rear tether anchors. Does it matter that my son is at the lower end of the height/weight limits for the Go? Is the Go as comfortable as the regular Safeguard and the Britax Regent?

I was initially leaning towards the Regent, but hubby (who likes all things high tech) liked the look of the safeguard and convinced me it is worth getting because we will use it for a long time:-)He is also the one who discovered the Go.

Thanks a bunch for helping me make this decision.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

the safeguard childseat has the True side impact protection and taller top slots than the go, but the go is a great seat.

the thing is, if you are looking to get it instead of the Regent, the Safeguard Childseat is what to get.

the Go can't be used in a plane... it's really better as a spare seat... or for those who simply can't afford the big price ticket of the Britaxes.

what I would do is get the Go as a spare for travel... I would definitely NOT check a seat that costs 400 dollars.

but get the Safeguard childseat for the main seat.

here's an album of the GO

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/writermomof2/album?.dir=2c93&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/writermomof2/my_photos

and another album of the Safeguard Childseat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39555873@N00/


HTH

[Joolsplus2]

We used the go for a few weeks as our main seat.. my almost 7 yo is 47 pounds, 48 inches, and just *barely* fits in it. The shoulder strap plastic clips kept falling down and had to be adjusted back up quite often. I really wouldn't recommend it for an every day seat.
How about the Radian 65? It folds up into a carry bag, and can be used on an airplane easily (you can even flip down the table in front of it), or checked in the bag, and my dd thinks it's more comfortable than the Go.
Maybe they'd give you a discount if you buy a safeguard seat and a go at the same time? <wink> That'd be expensive, but about as technologically advanced as humanly possible (the Go can be brought on as carry on, it comes with a small, light carry bag).
Our favorite travel 'seat' is the RideSafer Travel Vest, if you think your kiddo might be 35 pounds next time you travel (parents think it looks dorky, kids ADORE wearing it, trust me!)

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

ooh, very good point about the ride safer travel vest... my kids tell me it looks like a space vest.

one asked me if it gave you super powers.

at some point, I'm going to end up with one, after the regent and Husky can't be used, since I never want anyone to sit in a lap-only belt.

Kat

[AdiMom]

Thanks for your insights into the Go. we have a local store that carries the safeguard childseat and it is supposed to carry the Go (according to the info on safeguard website), but we coulnd't find it in the store.

I'll look into the Apex 65 as a secondary seat (we'll need one soon for a second car that we rarely use).

[Kungjo]

Jools,

I was getting ready to place an order for the Safeguard Go till I saw this post. I will be using this as a travel seat and as a second seat in Grandma's van. Anticipate DD to ride it in Grandma's van maybe 15% of the time. Noticed that you mentioned that you had trouble with the straps. Is this seat worth getting?

BTW, DD #1 was 38" and 34lbs at her 4 year appt. She's always been on the petite side so I'm thinking that we may get a few years use out of it if it's a good option.

Thanks,

[hipmaman]

Jools will answer you, but I'll add my 2 cents...

I just recently got one from Comfort 1st too and liked it while we used it for 3 days when on vacation. It was a Grand Caravan rental and we used it in one of the captain chairs (LATCH and removable headrest). My ds is 5 and long torso/tall, so there is about 1" or so of harness height left. I knew this going in and saw it when decided to keep it for the remaining of the vacation trip.

But it definitely has its limitations such as those previously outlined by Jools.

I know my situation is rare though, but here is the story anyway...

I thought to use it at home in our older, secondary car ('92 Honda Accord 2 door coupe). There is the top tether in this car because as a harnessed seat, this is mandatory. But there is no LATCH or self-locking seatbelt. So I had to install it outboard with a locking-clip (older dd is in the other outboard seat). Not a problem for me to get it in tight with the seatbelt installation.

But I was unsure of the use of a locking clip because the very detailed manual didn't say that locking clip would be required but at the same time, it didn't exclude ELR with sliding latch plate. Anyway, it was not explicit in the manual, so I was a bit uneasy.

Then to top it off, the headrest in the car is not removable (just a hump), so the tether/harness straps and adjust buckle actually sit right behind ds's head. The buckle would have either rub his head or bump it everytime he leans his head back into the headrest area. There is not a way that I could cover the buckle off and provide comfort headresting area for him.

Cut the story short, while it worked in a newer car with LATCH, tether and removable headrest that can cover the tether/harness adjustable buckle, it might not work in older or less than 'ideal' situations.

Ended up with him in the SafeGuard carseat and dd to a Parkway booster instead.

[Joolsplus2]

Tam's probably used hers more than I've used mine by now :D.
Yeah, it's way easier to install with LATCH, and if you think Grandma's up for the challenge of pulling two straps to tighten the harness (they are on the lap, not a single pull between the legs) and possibly raising the shoulder adjusters up from time to time (not hard), then it's probably a great choice... certainly lighter than trying to haul the Radian around (though that does install great in a plane, too, and you can use the tray table in front of you).
The Go is just rather strap-intensive, since it's mainly a vest, and definitely not the best choice for a non-latch car.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

I like the look of the adjusters because at least it isn't one long strap threaded under the butt... grandparents never even those out correctly.

and if she doesn't loosen it every time, she likely won't find it much harder to work.

older kids can tighten themselves because of the setup (the album of the GO that I've posted before shows the boy tightening himself)

I just love it for a latch-compatible car that the child is in rarely because the seat is just perfect for someone who would rather not have it in the car when the kid isn't there.

and height adjustments look easy and the clips make it clear when it's time to adjust.

it is basically a vest, but it's easier than the ride safer vest.

[Kungjo]

"The shoulder strap plastic clips kept falling down and had to be adjusted back up quite often. I really wouldn't recommend it for an every day seat."

Hmmmm....are the falling clips just a mild annoyance or is it a safety issue? Guess I'm wondering if it's falling off while DC is in the seat and the car is in motion? Or is it falling off intially when DC gets in to buckle oneself in the seat and clips/straps need to be readjusted to keep them from falling off?

Thanks,

[hipmaman]

It's the kind of annoyance and not a safety issue. The clips can fall off but they cannot fall below the shouders, so no safety issue there, kwim? They are a type of harness height adjuster, but cannot go below the shoulders.

[lpl47]

Kat,
Is that your photo album of the GO seat? If so, I noticed one photo that shows a parent's hand between the harness straps and the child's body with the caption reading: "My hand under the straps. The straps are as tight as I can get them."

I ask because I just received my new GO for my 3 year old son (about 31 pounds and just over 36") as his seat in my husband's car (he generally rides in DH's car once or twice a week and rarely is it for more than a few miles). We also do a lot of traveling across country by plane and it will be great for use at our destinations. Anyway, I got a great install in my husband's Subaru (non-LATCH by the way) but I felt like the harness is a little loose even when tightened as much as possible.

Am I missing anything?

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

sorry I didn't reply sooner... I hadn't seen this post.
No, not my album... found it online.

Kat

[willoL]

If I may add my 2 cents, I just bought a GO for my toddler who is about 36" and 38 pounds. I really wanted it to travel with (highest selling point for me), but it also looked like we would get a lot of use out of it in years to come.

It is in my husband's car, so used a few times per week, not everyday.

Aside from being as easy to install (using LATCH) as the company claims it will be, I have found it to be very easy to adjust, buckle my son into, and just generally use. Now, it is still pretty new for us, but we haven't had any clips falling off or other difficulties like that.

It is the only seat besides our Britax where the straps seem to stay spread out so you don't have to pull them out from behind the kid each time you put them in. I think the dual harness adjuster straps help with that--each strap seems to stay on its own side because they are separate straps.

My son also says this seat is very comfortable, and he seems to think it is "cool". That might be because it is still new & exciting, and it might also be because it is in Papa's car (not boring Mommy's car), but he says he likes it better than his old seat now. (He rides in a Britax Wizard in my car and in my in-law's car; a Sit-N-Stroll during airline travel; a Graco something at my mother's; and I think a Combi in my sister-in-law's car, so he's tried a lot of seats in his short life.)

--willo