Jools-Are there any carseat mats you like?

[whome?]

What do you think of the Sunshine Kids mat? I have an old style Prince Lionheart mat (the kind that is all one piece purchased in 2003) under my DD's MA but when I went to buy a mat for my DS when he was going into a MA they only sold the two piece Prince Lionheart which my DH said did not work well under the MA. So he put a towel under my DD's MA which I am thinking is not supposed to be done. There is no slippage, but still, I have never heard of a towel being used. Now I am going to buy 2 Frontiers for my DD and put her MA (not expired yet) into my DH's truck for my DS. Both our vehicles have leather seats so I was interested in 3 carseat mats to prevent permanent indentations. Are there any brands/styles you think are acceptable? Do you know if carseats actually do leave damage on leather if they are installed directly on top of leather?

[Joolsplus2]

I've been using carseats right on my 2003 Ody seats for, well, 5 years now (and some of the old prince lionhearts, i LOVED those!), and there are no permanent dents in my seats at all (the chocolate milk stains in the carpet and the mouse that ate my seatbelt were my main problems :p ). I'd use a towel... splurge on a nice one that matches your interior, maybe? Or just a thin mat... really anything with foam or that claims to prevent dents will be too thick, I'd avoid it :)

[kijip]

IME as a parent and a tech, I have not seen permanent damage to leather seats due to carseats. If anything the higher quality leather seat bounce back better than the cheaper cloth seats (due the superior filling of the leather seats). My Corolla's seat were in fact permanently indented from carseats but a small price to pay, eh?

[Davids-Coco]

I think the key is not to prevent dents, but to prevent cuts in the leather... which means that a thin liner of some sort which will make the edges of the seat blunt enough to not pierce your leather (if they happen to be).

But that is just an IMO...

[maestramommy]

We just use a towel folded over underneath our RA. It's works pretty well. Ours is an old ratty discard:p but you can always do like Jools suggested and get one that goes better with your seats.

[kijip]

I think the key is not to prevent dents, but to prevent cuts in the leather... which means that a thin liner of some sort which will make the edges of the seat blunt enough to not pierce your leather (if they happen to be).

But that is just an IMO...

I have never seen that happen, though I suppose it is possible. Most parents I have talked to are concerns about marks or dents. One concern I have heard of with a towel/mat on leather is that it can dry it out over time, which can discolor the spot that the towel/mat was on.

[vonfirmath]

Perhaps most of the concerns about dents are because the mats are advertised to PREVENT dents? and people see their marks on carpet from furniture so assume it is a problem.

[Joolsplus2]

Perhaps most of the concerns about dents are because the mats are advertised to PREVENT dents? and people see their marks on carpet from furniture so assume it is a problem.

I think you are totally right... they can create a fear and then come to the rescue with a product that makes them money.

I could imagine a Cosco (their seat bottoms appear to have been designed by Ginsu) actually cutting leather seats, but I still haven't seen it actually happen. By the time a seat does get any kind of permanent dents, it's most likely not the one single issue that's lowering your bluebook value, really, it's just normal wear and tear, I think.

[801kelle]

I have always used the ones from Babies R Us.. believe they are made by Safety First.. they are called the carseat grabber.. never have interfered with the install and can always get a better install actually using them than not. I use for two reasons.. so I don't get such big indentations on my seats but also to get better install on leather seats.

[Tanya]

I had the one piece Prince Lionheart with my first daughter. So, when I had my second child, I just did a search online until I was able to find those same one piece ones again...and bought two (one for my new daughter's carseat...and one just in case I decide to have a third child). My mom has the two piece kind and I don't like it at all, but I did eventually get her new Nautilus in tight enough on her cloth seats with that mat.

Anyway, my point was that you *might* still be able to find the one piece ones online. I did this back in 2006 and I believe they even had various colors then. I think there were a couple places that had them, but one was clearly less expensive. I do not remember the website though, sorry.

Tanya

[August Mom]

I had the Prince Lionheart 1-piece with DS and couldn't find it for DD, so I went with the Safety 1st Car Seat Grabber from BRU. I like it. It really is like the rubbery shelf-liner that has been recommended to put under carseats in lieu of a mat - this is just shaped like a car seat mat.

[Davids-Coco]

I could imagine a Cosco (their seat bottoms appear to have been designed by Ginsu) actually cutting leather seats, but I still haven't seen it actually happen.

Lol, I hate to say i have seen my leather pierced by things duller than the car seat base. Its really frustrating! And, it made a huge difference in my blue book trade in on my last car. So while not car seat created, I have seen the value effect and it was really not good. I don't take chances now.

But as someone else noted, those sticky pads (for like under dishes) are really wonder and seem like they are enough.

[o_mom]

never have interfered with the install and can always get a better install actually using them than not.

If you get a "better" install using the mat, then it is interfering with the install ;)

IOW, the mat is making a not so great install seem better than it is. You need to be able to install the seat tightly (less than 1" movement) w/o the mat, then install with the mat without changing anything.

[Joolsplus2]

Lol, I hate to say i have seen my leather pierced by things duller than the car seat base. Its really frustrating! And, it made a huge difference in my blue book trade in on my last car. So while not car seat created, I have seen the value effect and it was really not good. I don't take chances now.

But as someone else noted, those sticky pads (for like under dishes) are really wonder and seem like they are enough.


Oh, that's the pits! (I know...dh ripped the seam out of our third row when he put bags of concrete on it...I haven't gotten it fixed yet but I know it's going to be a major ding in my van's value if I don't :p )

[Davids-Coco]

Oh, that's the pits! (I know...dh ripped the seam out of our third row when he put bags of concrete on it...I haven't gotten it fixed yet but I know it's going to be a major ding in my van's value if I don't :p )

Don't you love it. My husband actually did it too only with a key... To a vw. As in, no teeth and not a "real" key. I have no idea how he did it with something so bunt. Ugh men.

/tangent

[801kelle]

yes I do get it installed with less than 1 inch of movement without the mat but when I put the mat in it seems better?

[vwh99]

People mention using car mats to prevent dents, but what I have found is that they have totally saved my car when my kids have had 'accidents.' Once when my 4yo totally emptied her bladder out while taking a nap and another when my baby had a bad case of diarrhea. I have the Lionheart where the edges turn upwards and somehow it was able to contain everything so that it wasn't all over the seat! Those instances alone made them worth it for me. My installation for both of those seats are rock-solid. When I brought them in for the car seat check, the tech did remark on that but he made me take them out anyway! I ended up putting them back in when I had to remove the seats at a later date and again, rock-solid.

Val

[stefani]

When I took my carseat for a check, I was told that it is not recommended to put those mat under the seat. It was up to me whether I want to keep it or not, and I decided to keep it (I think mine is the one piece Prince Lionhart). Furthermore DH installed it and it was rather impossible to actually uninstall it anyway.

FYI.

[Joolsplus2]

I've put my old prince lionheart upside down once and installed the seat so tightly on it that the little embossed teddy bear transfered into my leather :ROTFLMAO: (yes, it came out...)