1st Time Clueless Mom Carseat ?

[FieryOne1231]

Hi all! This is my first post ever so I'm hoping you guys can help a first time clueless mom =) I'm looking for a convertible car seat for my 9 month old as he will soon outgrow his Graco Snugride. I've looked at several car seats, but I have information overload and am now more confused than ever. I was looking at the Graco Nautilus since I wouldn't have to purchase another one with its 100 lb. weight limit. But I've heard some complaints about the fabric and other issues that I can't recall rt. now. My son sweats a lot in his Snugride so I'm thinking I should maybe get something with more plush fabric? Thoughts? Reviews? I've heard good things about Britax overall, but they are a bit pricey for our budget. I was also looking at The First Years - Premiere True Fit Convertible Car Seat with Anti Rebound Bar in Cranberry. But I think this is a new model & have not heard many reviews on it. I don't have the most recent copy of BB so I don't know if it's been reviewed. Also, it doesn't have a cup holder. Are cupholders really a must? What should I be looking for besides the obvious higher RF limit? Also, considering the Graco My Ride 65. It will be going in a 2009 Acura TSX so size is a factor. Any info would be greatly appreciated! TIA!!

[bubbaray]

Definitely NOT the Nautilus. Your DS should remain RFg for years to come. 1yr/20lbs is the bare minimum and even the AAP recommends RFg to the limits of your seat.

Either the TF or the MR are fine choices. If your SR fits, so will most convertible seats.... They look a lot bigger, but aren't really when installed.

You should also consider the Britax seats or the Radian. If I were purchasing a new seat right now, I'd probably wait just a bit for the RN that will have a 45lb RFg weight limit.

HTH

[KrisM]

The Nautilus is not a convertible seat. It is forward-facing only. So, take that off the list.

Cupholders are not necessary. We have them on the seat in DH's car, but they don't get used because they interfer with the seat next to it. My kids just put their cups between their legs and are fine. I wouldn't let that affect my decision, especially at 9 months old.

[OKKiddo]

Hi all! This is my first post ever so I'm hoping you guys can help a first time clueless mom =) I'm looking for a convertible car seat for my 9 month old as he will soon outgrow his Graco Snugride. I've looked at several car seats, but I have information overload and am now more confused than ever. I was looking at the Graco Nautilus since I wouldn't have to purchase another one with its 100 lb. weight limit. But I've heard some complaints about the fabric and other issues that I can't recall rt. now. My son sweats a lot in his Snugride so I'm thinking I should maybe get something with more plush fabric? Thoughts? Reviews? I've heard good things about Britax overall, but they are a bit pricey for our budget. I was also looking at The First Years - Premiere True Fit Convertible Car Seat with Anti Rebound Bar in Cranberry. But I think this is a new model & have not heard many reviews on it. I don't have the most recent copy of BB so I don't know if it's been reviewed. Also, it doesn't have a cup holder. Are cupholders really a must? What should I be looking for besides the obvious higher RF limit? Also, considering the Graco My Ride 65. It will be going in a 2009 Acura TSX so size is a factor. Any info would be greatly appreciated! TIA!!

Just wanted to let you know that the reason that size of the convertible didn't matter much is because at 9 months old your sons carseat can be installed more upright and that takes up much less front to back space than the infant seat when it's reclined to the 45 degree angle. But, you can also raise up the infant seat just a bit now and have it be more upright and less reclined as well.

Don't let the price of a Britax deter you too badly. These ladies on here are absolute pros at finding them at good prices with lots of discounts! ;) Same for the truefit and the my ride and radian. All you have to do is ask. :)

[arivecchi]

If you want the car seat with the highest rear facing weight limit, get a Radian XT SL. It rear faces to 45 pounds and just started shipping this October. I can help you find deals if you are interested. I got mine for $226 and that car seat can take your kiddo to booster age.

[jjordan]

The TrueFit premier is a good seat, but not really any cheaper than the more expensive Britax seats. (Someone just posted a link on the bargain subforum for a BV for $206-ish.)

If I were buying a convertible right now, I'd get a Radian XTSL. Just be sure it will fit in your car first (which, by the way, i have no idea what an acura TSX even looks like!). If you order from a place that has free return shipping OR will sell you return shipping insurance (about $5), that's a good idea just in case you need to return it.

[FieryOne1231]

Testing testing....first reply did not post!

[FieryOne1231]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I found a Premiere True Fit for $237.78. So the Britax ones aren't much more? Is it worth spending the extra money for these versus the MyRide 65? I definitely want to look into the Radian with 45 lb. RFing. May I also ask what kind you all have used/use? The MyRide is more economical, but will I be sacrificing quality for the price? Thanks again!

[FieryOne1231]

ariveraz: The Radian XT SL sounds very promising. Where did you find such an awesome deal?! When I googled it, it was like $300! Yikes! How long have you used it? Any complaints or all raves? The only thing is that the fabric doesn't look very soft/plush in the pic versus some others I've seen. Does your little one nap well in it? I only ask because DS sweats in his Snugride due to the plastic like material so I want something soft for him. Thanks so much.

[FieryOne1231]

Oops, nvm...I was looking at the 2 with the breathable mesh material, but I see the others have softer fabrics =)

[jjordan]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I found a Premiere True Fit for $237.78. So the Britax ones aren't much more? Is it worth spending the extra money for these versus the MyRide 65? I definitely want to look into the Radian with 45 lb. RFing. May I also ask what kind you all have used/use? The MyRide is more economical, but will I be sacrificing quality for the price? Thanks again!

Deals on Britax... Britax marathons are regularly on sale for around $200 from travelingtikes.com and albeebaby.com. The roundabout50 has a $199 MSRP and can often be found for much less if you have a coupon. I think the Boulevard for $206 (details on the bargain subforum) is from diapers.com with a coupon. Hipmonkey.com has a 15% coupon code for regularly-priced items. Bed Bath& Beyond will price match any other store AND take a 20% off coupon, and if you find a nice manager, they might waive the shipping. (Order in store to get the BB&B price match, bring a printout of the price you're matching.)

I haven't personally tried the MyRide, but I've heard that the shell isn't as tall as the Britax, Radian, and Truefit seats, so it won't last quite as long (ie kids outgrow it sooner). Also it doesn't have as many nice "extras" as the more expensive seats. Considering whatever seat you get will probably last your child for 4-5 years or more, I think it is worth it to spend a little more unless you really need to stick to a strict budget.

[FieryOne1231]

jjordan: Thank you for all that great info! That definitely helps :thumbsup:

[GraceH]

Just wanted to quick jump in and mention that the Radians can be beasts space-wise, and I believe you said you were short on space... same with the TrueFit, once the headrest is on (over 22lbs - although not as bad as the Radian)... although ordering online will get you some great deals, be sure to take a trip to the local BRU or whatnot to try a seat out in your vehicle for a good fit.

[Joolsplus2]

I quite like my True Fit Premier :). It fit fine rearfacing in my smallish Ford Escape, and fits great forward facing just about everywhere. It's only a problem if you have to put it next to other seats, because it's quite wide, but I don't think that's your issue right now ;).
I still owe carseatblog my longterm review, but here was a good initial article on it... http://carseatblog.com/?p=3054

[arivecchi]

ariveraz: The Radian XT SL sounds very promising. Where did you find such an awesome deal?! When I googled it, it was like $300! Yikes! How long have you used it? Any complaints or all raves? The only thing is that the fabric doesn't look very soft/plush in the pic versus some others I've seen. Does your little one nap well in it? I only ask because DS sweats in his Snugride due to the plastic like material so I want something soft for him. Thanks so much. I haven't received mine yet. The Radians that rear face to 45 pounds are brand new in the market and are starting to ship out this month. I got mine from babycatalog. They have a 20% offer right now. When I bought it, it was on sale for $254 and I used a 15% off coupon on top of that. Unfortunately, they had such high demand, they upped the price again to $299. Hipmonkey.com has them too and they have various coupons right now (15OFF, 10OFF and 30OFF). They have return insurance. You can also get Radians that rear face to 40 pounds at diapers.com. They have them on sale. You get another 10% off if you are a first time customer. They have awesome next day shipping and FREE car seat returns w/in 30 days. I have a Britax Boulevard for my DS2 and love it, but would get two Radians XT SLs if I were to do it all over again. The Radians take more space in terms of how tall they are but are much more narrow, so you actually gain more space in your backseat.

[AnnieW625]

As an owner of a small car I feel your pain about getting good convertable seats in a small car. I have heard really good things about the True Fit Premier from Jools and others on Car-seat.org so I think that's a good seat and it will last you a long time. However if either you or your husband are tall you definitely need to check the legroom for you both before buying the seat (my DH and I tried to get our Marathon rear facing in our Corolla and it was really tight because DH is 6'0 and needed the seat all the way back). If legroom ends up being an issue then you'll most likely need something smaller like a Britax Roundabout (not the 50), Britax Diplomat, or the Combi Cocorro. Both seats will get your child rear facing until at least two like the AAP recommends, and will last till around 3 or maybe longer forward facing and then your baby would be ready for a Graco Nautilus. Compared to the Combi, True Fit, and Britax seats the Graco My Ride feels really cheap.
Combi Cocorro, http://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Item.aspx?Item=12
Britax Roundabout, http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/roundabout/fabric-options (there are usually more fabrics available for the seat, just check BRUS or other baby stores)
Britax Diplomat, http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/diplomat/fabric-options

[FieryOne1231]

I haven't received mine yet. The Radians that rear face to 45 pounds are brand new in the market and are starting to ship out this month. I got mine from babycatalog. They have a 20% offer right now. When I bought it, it was on sale for $254 and I used a 15% off coupon on top of that. Unfortunately, they had such high demand, they upped the price again to $299. Hipmonkey.com has them too and they have various coupons right now (15OFF, 10OFF and 30OFF). They have return insurance. You can also get Radians that rear face to 40 pounds at diapers.com. They have them on sale. You get another 10% off if you are a first time customer. They have awesome next day shipping and FREE car seat returns w/in 30 days. I have a Britax Boulevard for my DS2 and love it, but would get two Radians XT SLs if I were to do it all over again. The Radians take more space in terms of how tall they are but are much more narrow, so you actually gain more space in your backseat.
I only see a 15% coupon on babycatalog not 20%. Am I missing it? I'm torn between a True Fit Premiere and Radian. My husband doesn't really want to spend the extra $$ for the XT SL, but another feature I like about the Radians are the straps so you can carry it like a backpack. Is there much difference between the Radian80, XT, and XT SL? Also, they don't have cupholders, correct? I was mistaken earlier about the Premiere...they DO have a cupholder according to a review I read on it, but I don't see it in the pictures. Decisions...decisions...:dizzy:

[FieryOne1231]

As an owner of a small car I feel your pain about getting good convertable seats in a small car. I have heard really good things about the True Fit Premier from Jools and others on Car-seat.org so I think that's a good seat and it will last you a long time. However if either you or your husband are tall you definitely need to check the legroom for you both before buying the seat (my DH and I tried to get our Marathon rear facing in our Corolla and it was really tight because DH is 6'0 and needed the seat all the way back). If legroom ends up being an issue then you'll most likely need something smaller like a Britax Roundabout (not the 50), Britax Diplomat, or the Combi Cocorro. Both seats will get your child rear facing until at least two like the AAP recommends, and will last till around 3 or maybe longer forward facing and then your baby would be ready for a Graco Nautilus. Compared to the Combi, True Fit, and Britax seats the Graco My Ride feels really cheap.
Combi Cocorro, http://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Item.aspx?Item=12
Britax Roundabout, http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/roundabout/fabric-options (there are usually more fabrics available for the seat, just check BRUS or other baby stores)
Britax Diplomat, http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/diplomat/fabric-options

Thanks for your input :) We currently have the car seat installed in the middle. My husband is tall though 6'1 1/2", but I'm short 5'1 3/4." I'm trying to decide between the Premiere True Fit and Radian. On one hand, the RN is narrower at 17" (same as his current Snugride) whereas the TF is 19" wide. But I'm worried that the RN will be too tall at over 28"?

[arivecchi]

I only see a 15% coupon on babycatalog not 20%. Am I missing it? I'm torn between a True Fit Premiere and Radian. My husband doesn't really want to spend the extra $$ for the XT SL, but another feature I like about the Radians are the straps so you can carry it like a backpack. Is there much difference between the Radian80, XT, and XT SL? Also, they don't have cupholders, correct? I was mistaken earlier about the Premiere...they DO have a cupholder according to a review I read on it, but I don't see it in the pictures. Decisions...decisions...:dizzy: Yes, the Radian folds flat and should fit your child longer than the True Fit. The 20% off at babycatalog applied to the whole website (http://www.babycatalog.com/) and will show up when you add the item to the cart. The cupholders are not important to me, so to be honest, I did not care that my Boulevard or the Radian XT SL I ordered do not have them. You can also get the existing Radians at diapers.com which has them on sale. You can find additional discount codes for diapers.com.

[arivecchi]

Thanks for your input :) We currently have the car seat installed in the middle. My husband is tall though 6'1 1/2", but I'm short 5'1 3/4." I'm trying to decide between the Premiere True Fit and Radian. On one hand, the RN is narrower at 17" (same as his current Snugride) whereas the TF is 19" wide. But I'm worried that the RN will be too tall at over 28"? If you are worried about it being too tall, I would order one from diapers.com as they have free car seat returns. The Radian does not fit rear facing in my car behind the front seats, but does fit in the middle.
http://www.diapers.com/Product/SearchResults.aspx?FreeText=radian&QueryFrom=Search


http://www.retailmenot.com/view/diapers.com

[mommylamb]

I haven't received mine yet. The Radians that rear face to 45 pounds are brand new in the market and are starting to ship out this month. I got mine from babycatalog. They have a 20% offer right now. When I bought it, it was on sale for $254 and I used a 15% off coupon on top of that. Unfortunately, they had such high demand, they upped the price again to $299. Hipmonkey.com has them too and they have various coupons right now (15OFF, 10OFF and 30OFF). They have return insurance. You can also get Radians that rear face to 40 pounds at diapers.com. They have them on sale. You get another 10% off if you are a first time customer. They have awesome next day shipping and FREE car seat returns w/in 30 days. I have a Britax Boulevard for my DS2 and love it, but would get two Radians XT SLs if I were to do it all over again. The Radians take more space in terms of how tall they are but are much more narrow, so you actually gain more space in your backseat.

I apologize for hijacking this post, but question for you,ariveraz- Is the Radian XT SL easier to install than the old Radian65? I have the Radian 65, which I love, but I could not install it in my car that doesn't have Latch. Even a certified car seat install tech couldn't do it. I'm hoping they can fix this, as I might buy the new one for my parents' car for DS to use.

[arivecchi]

I don't have the XT SL yet (it ships in Nov) but can report back when I get it. I did not have any problems installing a 65 in my car with seatbelt in the center position. Diapers.com will getthe new Radians in soon (late Oct). You can order from them and they have free car seat returns!

[FieryOne1231]

Thanks for the links ariveraz! I tried adding both the Premiere TF and the Radian XT SL to the shopping cart at babycatalog.com, but it still doesn't give me the 20% off. It only gave me 15% off on the XT SL, but nothing on the TF.

[arivecchi]

Thanks for the links ariveraz! I tried adding both the Premiere TF and the Radian XT SL to the shopping cart at babycatalog.com, but it still doesn't give me the 20% off. It only gave me 15% off on the XT SL, but nothing on the TF.
Why don't you call them? Their website home page advertises 20% off everything. You can also buy a membership and bring the number down even further. The one thing I don't like about them is that they do not have return insurance.

[FieryOne1231]

Ok, thanks so much!

[AnnieW625]

I personally would not buy a Radian for any car without return insurance unless you have tried it in the car first. It's a great seat, but yes it is really tall and the recline takes up a lot of room. Friends of mine have theirs RFing in the center of thier Lexus RX 350 and it works for them they are both over 5'9" but I think they have more space than the TSX. Good luck!

[arivecchi]

I personally would not buy a Radian for any car without return insurance unless you have tried it in the car first. It's a great seat, but yes it is really tall and the recline takes up a lot of room. Friends of mine have theirs RFing in the center of thier Lexus RX 350 and it works for them they are both over 5'9" but I think they have more space than the TSX. Good luck! I agree. Hipmonkey hast the XT SLs and they do have return insurance and discount codes 15OFF, 10OFF and 30OFF. Diapers.com has next day shipping and FREE car seat returns. I've heard that returning an XT costs about $15, but I have not tried myself so I have no idea.

[FieryOne1231]

Annie & ariveraz: You guys are right so no worries...I won't be purchasing from babycatalog or anywhere that doesn't have return insurance. I'm a very indecisive person so I'm still debating between the two :tongue5: I also called babycatalog, and it's not 20% off everything. It's UP TO 20%. So it's 15% off the XT SL and the $249.99 was the sale price already on the Premiere TF, which is why it wasn't reflected in the shopping cart (but not really a sale anyways because I found that price at a lot of other sites as the regular price). DS was 19 lbs. 5 oz. & 27.5" tall at his 9 month dr.'s appt. 10/1 so I still have some time till he reaches the 22 lbs./29" height max for his Snugride. :signthankspin:

[GraceH]

...... DS was 19 lbs. 5 oz. & 27.5" tall at his 9 month dr.'s appt. 10/1 so I still have some time till he reaches the 22 lbs./29" height max for his Snugride....

Just to be sure... the 22lb max is set in stone, but the 29" is a guideline for when the seat is usually outgrown by height (when less than 1" of shell above head)
From car-seat.org:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/jewelleegeake/carseat/image.jpg
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=30201

[mom2binsd]

FieryOne....your original title of "clueless" is now inaccurate...you know a lot now!!!!

I wouldn't worry about a cupholder, my kids just put their sippy cups beside their hips/between legs.

[arivecchi]

By the way, I like Britax and Radians because they can be rear tethered. I don't think any other brands offer that.

I can update you when I get my XT SL! Good luck!