Need an extra car seat - Alpha Omega Elite?

[Clarity]

I have no idea where to begin. DD is 23 months, rf in a Marathon. (she's almost 30lbs and is 32") Our second car is 2 door so she does not spend much time riding in there but I do need a seat for "just in case" situations.

I would like the same seat to be taken out of our spare vehicle and given to the grandparents when they take her places in their cars, so I rather think that EASY installation is best - I've been thinking it would be easier for them, especially my mom, to use a seatbelt installation rather than latch? (I'm not sure about this, so feel free to educate me here.)

Can anyone recommend a good seat to use in this type of situation? I've seen the Alpha Omega Elite's at Big Lots around here for $80.00 and was thinking that was pretty affordable for a spare, occasional use seat, but I won't skimp on safety and ease of is the secondary priority here so I thought I'd check with our experts. Thanks so much for the 2cents!

[Clarity]

bumping - anyone please?

[Neatfreak]

The Cosco Scenera might be another seat worth considering for the situation that you described above. It costs less than AOE, has a good RFing weight limit, and will keep your DD harnessed for about the same length of time.

[o_mom]

How about an Evenflo Triumph Advance? It would last a long time - much taller than the Alpha Omega and only about $130. If she has growing room in a Scenera, that would be great too - Usually $40-50 at Walmart (in pink ;))

[Clarity]

Hmm...the Scenera might do it, especially for how often it will be used. (Max about once a month, I'd say.) It's not as comfortable looking as the Triumph, but it looks easier to use with a seatbelt.

Thanks so much!
Amy

[Joolsplus2]

I like the Uptown... http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5515915&sourceid=14101783673018987824 (O-mom can attest that my Scenera hates me and makes my life as difficult as possible, so I'm biased and don't always recommend it...but the Uptown has EPS foam, much taller top slots, and is still very light and quite easy to install...a nice midrange between the Scenera and Triumph, I think)

:)

[mom2binsd]

I think you might want to avoid the AOE....it is notorious for most kids outgrowing it as a harnessed seat even before the 40 pound limit..thus putting kids into it's booster mode way too early....and it's also important to check Date of Manufacture dates at close out stores like Big Lots...sometimes the seats can already be a year or two old...I'd go with either the Scenera or Uptown or Triumph Advance.

[proudsahmof3]

Both of my boys (3.5 and 20 mos.) are in a Triumph and I absolutely love it. Our first seat was a Britax Roundabout but I had some usage issues with the seat belt (no LATCH in our car at that time, the plastic lock-off bent and broke off, etc.) so I returned it and got the Triumph instead. I love that the Triumph harness tightens from the hips as opposed to the neck (in the summer with tank tops on, their necks always look pinched by the harness as I was tightening it). Our current vehicle has only one latch placement, so one of the seats is in use with latch, and the other with the seat belt, but I find them both equally easy to use with the Triumph. The Triumph is also quite heavy, so it may not be a great choice if you plan on moving it from car to car very often. I should also mention that the Triumphs we own were purchased before they revamped them (I purposely grabbed the last one on the shelf as they were bringing the new ones out on the floor because I liked my first one so much and didn't want to deal with a new model - I resist change :) ), so the weight limits are different (I think they changed it to RF up to 40 pounds, but don't quote me on that), and they don't have the new red tab things at the top of the harness that I have heard some parents don't care for (and for all I know make the seat completely different from what I now have). Good luck seat shopping!

[Joolsplus2]

Yup, RF to 35, FF to 50, the Triumph Advance is really a nice seat :)