infant car seats - snug ride? safe seat? I'm confused

[riostoker]

I had been reading posts on this board and pretty much decided on the Safe Seat for an infant car seat. Then, I was in a book store over the weekend and picked up the Fields' book, and the Safe Seat got a lousy rating... I think a C+ or something. So now I'm confused... is it a good seat? Or not?

Now I'm wondering if I'm better off getting the snugride and just outgrowing it really quickly. (My kids both outgrew the PP Primo Viaggio in about 4 months).

[SnuggleBuggles]

Personally I'm not sure I understand the appeal of the Safe Seat. I hated lugging that infant carrier around even with a newborn. I can't imagine I would use it up to the weight limit. Now, if it is truly a safer seat for an infant than a Snugride followed by something like an MA I'm interested to hear it. If it is a convenience thing, not a safety thing, then I would personally go with the SNugride (and if your's hasn't been recalled, is in good shape, has a 5pt harness and hasn't expired I would use that).

Curious about this one too. :)

Beth

[riostoker]

Oh believe me... I have NO interest in lugging around a heavy 1 year old in an infant carseat! After a while, it will definitely just stay in the car. I do like the idea of being able to use the car seat longer than 4 months though! This is our last kid, and I hate buying a carseat only to have it used for 4 months!!

[bensmom]

I have a Snugride that I used for both kids (the Safe Seat wasn't out when DS1 was born) and I think it's a great seat. If I was buying a new seat today, though, I would buy the Safe Seat or the Chicco Key Fit because they are much easier to install with a seatbelt. They have built in lock offs, which would eliminate the need for a locking clip if you are installing with a seatbelt.

Any seat that you buy now should last longer than your old seat because over the past few years, all seats got slightly bigger (minimum 22 pound weight limit compared to the old 20 pound weight limit and similar height increases).


Ilana

CPS Tech and mom

[o_mom]

The appeal to me was the ability to transfer a car napping child until 18+ mo and the easy install.

All last summer when DS2 would fall asleep in the car on the way home I was just dying to get him in the house asleep to extend the nap even 15-20 min and it was too hot to let him sleep in the car. He woiuld never transfer asleeep and then would not nap the rest of the day because he had slept for 10 min in the car. I just couldn't always time activities so we could get home without falling asleep. I have no intention of using it to lug around into restaruants and stores once DS3 can sit up, but certainly to get from car to house is reasonable. I even tried DS2 in it at 20 months to see and I could easily lift it even being 5 months pregnant.

Our second car does not have LATCH and the Snugride was a total PITB to install with a lap-shoulder belt. The SafeSeat installs easier than my Britax seats in that car.

Last but not least, if this is our last child, we will likely not have to buy another convertible seat since DS3 can stay in the SafeSeat so long.

[o_mom]

The SafeSeat is not much more than a decent Snugride (one with front adjuster) and much nicer and easier to use, IMO. I had a Snugride for the first two and a SafeSeat for this one. The only issue I may have with the SafeSeat is that the size of the buckle and chest clip are larger so they overwhelm a very small newborn. At one month it fits great now, but that first 2 weeks it was quite a bit of hardware to fit on a small babe.

The Fields' book relied on the Consumer Reports testing that has since been retracted because it was done completely wrong. That is why the SafeSeat got a lower rating. Unfortunately the book went to print with those ratings.

[Joolsplus2]

The Fields' book relied on the Consumer Reports testing that has since been retracted because it was done completely wrong. That is why the SafeSeat got a lower rating. Unfortunately the book went to print with those ratings.>>
I LOVE the Safeseat... absolutely a dream to install, so much better than the Snugride. My dd is too big to be hauled around in it anymore, but she still fits at 23 pounds and 32 inches, and IF she's napping I can leave her in it while I'm trying to put groceries away, it's a godsend.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[riostoker]

Fantastic! Thanks for all the great info! That's all I needed to hear. I am no longer confused. Now I just need to find a good price on a Safe Seat!! :)

[Joolsplus2]

www.albeebaby.com has them as low as $94, someone scored one at Babies R Us for $89 once... not sure if those deals are available right now, but it gives you something to shoot for!

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

[codex57]

I know CR retracted their test, but "flawed" is just one word to describe. I'd say "overly tough" is a better description of the problems with the original test than "flawed". Basically, the seats were tested at 70 mph. That's insane. However, the SnugRide survived.

If you can afford it, there's no reason why you can't get the SnugRide and then move onto something else. I mean, your baby is gonna be SAFE in the SnugRide. Apparently, it's kinda tough to install the SnugRide with a seatbelt. I'm inclined to agree. However, if you have Latch, it's very easy. Luckily, both my cars have Latch. I like the light weight of the SnugRide.

Maybe it's just a mental thing, but I just feel more comfortable with my kid in a seat that can survive a 70 mph crash and then just move on to a bigger seat later. I'm blessed enough to be able to afford to go that route so I see no reason why I shouldn't go that route if it helps put my mind at ease.

[Joolsplus2]

The Safeseat is perfectly safe, it really is. The problem with carseats is not that they don't perform well in crashes, even severe ones, it's that people use them wrong. The safeseat is easier to install properly in more cars, thus it is a statistically safer choice.

Not saying the snugride is bad, I just hope you got the model with the front harness adjuster :) (I'm more consumer advocate than anything, and it makes me sick that graco sells these things without front adjusters, it should be illegal, so parents have to vote for safety with their dollars).

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

[KTARS]

I thought I read somewhere that not ALL of the seats were tested at 70 mph and that most of the ones that "passed" the original test were tested at much lower speeds.
Plus, I wouldn't rely on a single word CR says - bad or good ...


I personally never recommend the Snugride anymore since much nicer options are available these days.
The Snugride is so much easier to "mess up" on while using it. Harder to install, a lot of them still have the back harness adjuster, little no no infant padding (so *most* people go ahead and add all kinds of unsafe extras like head rolls and snuzzlers).

[o_mom]

Yes, it is a mental thing.

At 70 mph, the CAR will not survive. It does not matter if the seat can take it as that kind of crash is virtually unsurvivable in real life. The testing they did was very poor and they have since admitted that there were installation issues (IOW, they didn't install the seats correctly) in addition to the incorrect sled speed.

There is nothing wrong with the Snugride except for it is not user friendly. That means it is more likely to be used incorrectly and therefore is not as safe for many people.

I think it is a shame that CR has waited this long to print corrected results since so many people are still relying on their flawed data.

[codex57]

>>Not saying the snugride is bad, I just hope you got the model
>with the front harness adjuster :) (I'm more consumer advocate
>than anything, and it makes me sick that graco sells these
>things without front adjusters, it should be illegal, so
>parents have to vote for safety with their dollars).

And we really appreciate your help, Julie! Thanks! It's great to be able to ask an actual person instead of trying to dig up info written somewhere.

How do you know if it has a front harness adjuster? I looked at mine. It's got this grey plastic piece that looks like it could be a front adjuster. It's a 2007 model in the Lotus pattern.

I'm really confused by Graco. You'd think that each model is basically the same, with just a different change in fabric. However, I'm not sure that's the case anymore. I'm starting to suspect Graco makes a different seat for each major store it sells to. Even if the pattern is the same.

I first tested out the SR at a store called Goore's. I believe it's one of those fancy pants baby stores. The SR felt pretty darn cheap. Then, I checked Target, Walmart, and Babys R Us. The SRs there felt even cheaper than the Goores one. We ended up getting ours at a store called Lullaby Lane. Based on what I've read on this website, I guess it's another upscale baby store. Wife wanted this exact model (to match our stroller), and it's actually kind of hard to find in a B&M store so I had to pay the price I did. For some strange reason, the materials feel a lot nicer than the other SR models I tried. It also cost a bit more. I assumed the extra cost was for this piece that covers the feet, but now I'm not so sure.

[Joolsplus2]

LOL! I used to work at Lullaby Lane... I was the resident weekend cps tech :). Last I checked, they wouldn't dare sell a Snugride with a rear adjuster...it's that little strap down where the babies feet will be, there's a cloth flap and under it is a metal flap you have to push or lift (I forget which, lol) to make the shoulder straps loosen (Yeah, you're right, the 'cheaper' ones are at walmart, no padding, no 'boots', no front adjusters :P

When you go for that Britax or Recaro, the quality will be the same on every model, the covers will just have a different look and feel, so those are easier to buy.

:)


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

[codex57]

No padding? No front adjusters? Wow, so they are different. I dunno, seems kinda wrong to me. I don't mind giving exclusive designs to a store, but I just feel the quality should be the same. Kind of how like Britax and Recaro are apparently.