2nd carseat

[Ona]

Like many on this board, I am looking for an inexpernsive carsreat for the car my dc will only be riding in once in awhile. Currently my dc who is 3 months old and 15 lbs is in the Graco Safeseat step 1. I need a carseat for my dh's car. Should I buy an extra base for my current infant seat to place in his car or should I buy an inxpesnive convertible sat such as a Graco Comfort Sport or Envenflo Tribute that will last up to 40 lbs?

Some things I need to consider are that my son may outgrow his infant seat by 9 months old if he is like dc #1 who is tall. I will be placing this 2nd seat in the ourboard position in an ECHO. I know that the ComfortSport and Evenflo seats fit well in gthe center position in the ECHO but am unsure how they will fit in the other positions. The car is latch compatible.

Thanks for your opinion.

[bubbaray]

Its unlikely your DS will outgrow the SS1 by 9m -- it goes up to 30lbs and is much bigger than most other infant buckets. That seat can be installed via belts, so if you aren't using it in the 2nd car often, I'd just install it via belts.

If you don't want to do belts, you could get a second base.

Or you could get a convertible seat. Do NOT get the Graco ComfortSport. It has really low top slots and is a PITA to install.

You could get a Scenara or a Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the regular Triumph) or a TrueFit.

If you can fit whatever seat you choose in the center (along side another seat outboard for your other child?), remember you can only use LATCH in the outboard positions unless your vehicle manual specifically allows LATCH anchors to be shared. And, two seats can't share a set of LATCH anchors -- so even if your vehicle manual did allow a center install using outboard LATCH anchors, if you already have a seat outboard via LATCH, you can't use the LATCH anchor that that seat is using for your 2nd seats LATCH install.

If you want to try a center install with another seat outboard, you might have an easier time installing the outboard seat via belts -- LATCH might push it over to the center.

HTH

[Joolsplus2]

Can I ask, how old is your older child and what seats is he in? I'm just trying to get the full picture, like if maybe something can be handed down or what we are trying to fit a seat next to, exactly.
And yeah, even tall kids tend to fit in the SS1 for quite a long time...there have been a very few that outgrow it at 10 months, but way more kids kids are closer to age 2 before they are 30 pounds or till their head is within an inch of the top of the seatback :)

[Ona]

My other child is 6 years old. I forget the model name of his booster seat but I know it is also a Graco.

I do realize that dc #2 will not reach 30 lbs beforehe is one. My concern is the height limitations. DC #1 was 32 inches tall by the time he was 9 months old. I know that each child is different, but so far dc #2 is also tall.

Because ds #1 is dignificantly older, I gave away all of his former seats and am prepared to buy new ones for my 2nd baby. I know that the SS1 can be used with a seatbelt and am willing to do that, but I am considering other options such as a 2nd base or another seat to make life easier for my husband.

In the ECHO dc#1 uses his booster in the outboard position. I assume dc#2's seat will not fit in the center with the booster already in the back. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you so much for all the advice and insight.


Can I ask, how old is your older child and what seats is he in? I'm just trying to get the full picture, like if maybe something can be handed down or what we are trying to fit a seat next to, exactly.
And yeah, even tall kids tend to fit in the SS1 for quite a long time...there have been a very few that outgrow it at 10 months, but way more kids kids are closer to age 2 before they are 30 pounds or till their head is within an inch of the top of the seatback :)

[Joolsplus2]

Gotcha, you seem to have done a lot of legwork, I just wanted the full picture :).
I'd look for a tall convertible, then. Comfortsport and Tribute are exceptionally short convertibles, so skip those. The Safety 1st Uptown is fantastic...it is sometimes a little hard to find (Some Big Lots! have them for $65, usually they are at walmart for $99), it's got a very tall (but doesn't eat up space in your car, it's very well designed) seatback and very tall top slots for a convertible (16 inches, Comfortsport is under 14, Scenera, another decent budget choice, is just under 15). The Learning Curve True Fit might also be a great choice, but may be one you'd want to use as your main seat later. It's got a removeable headrest so you can recline it a lot for a young baby, but put the headrest on for older kiddos, and it has about 18 inch top slots.