Rec on an inexpensive car seat, less than $100

[Dream]

We'll ve visiting my inlaws in Asia in couple of months. Car seats are not required. Usually kids travel in the seats or if small on the lap. But I would like to take an inexpensive car seat to leave it behind when I return to be used the next time we visit. DH wanted to buy a used car seat in craigslist but I've heard its best not to use second hand car seats.

Any recomendations on an inexpensive car seat would be great. My DD will be 18mo then and forward facing. Its a very hot country so we do want the fabric to be comfortable.

[arivecchi]

Hi Dream. Question: what car seat do you currently have?

[Dream]

Hi Dream. Question: what car seat do you currently have?

I have a Britax Boulevard.

[elektra]

The two seats I've had under $100 are the Cosco Scenera and the Saftey 1st Avenue. I like the Avenue better but it's also about $20-$30 more than a Scenera. It just installed better in the cars I was using it in, and it has extra EPS foam that the Scenera doesn't have. The harness adjuster also seems to work better than the Scenera's did.

Also, do you happen to have a Snugride32 or 35 as an infant seat? If so, that might actually work with an 18mo, depending on their size. Infant seats work out better for travel in a lot of cases.

Your 18mo will also likely still be able to be RF, as long as she is not over the RF weight limit of the seat.

[Dream]

I don't have a Snugrider, I have a Chicco kF30. I can't take her rear facing, she throws a fit after 10-15 minutes. I will look into the Saftey 1st Avenue. Thank you for the recomendation.

[arivecchi]

Ah, I understand. The Boulevard is to much to travel with IMO. I used to have one and hated travelling with it. We have a Scenera for travel. Not the greatest seat out there but I like it for travel because it is so light and it is inexpensive. If you buy it at a B&M store it comes with a plastic bag that is great for travel.

Have you heard that the new recommendation is for kiddos to stay rearfacing until at least 2? RFing is much safer for your LO, so I encourage you to keep her RFing. You can have her RFing in the Blvd until she weighs 33 pounds! Let us know if you have other questions.

[arivecchi]

I don't have a Snugrider, I have a Chicco kF30. I can't take her rear facing, she throws a fit after 10-15 minutes.
Oh no! Any idea why?

[Dream]

I know RF is much safer, believe me I would love to have her RF but she just wouldn't go like that. We only switched her seats recently as she met the weight limit recently. Before that she would cry and scream to the point she'll throw up and we have to remove her from the seat. We limited our travels to 10% of what it used to be since she wouldn't go in the seat. Since FF thankfully she's happier as she can see things. So I felt FF is better than having to remove her from the seat and she would be on someone's lap.

[arivecchi]

What a nightmare. I wonder what bothered her.

[Tondi G]

I know RF is much safer, believe me I would love to have her RF but she just wouldn't go like that. We only switched her seats recently as she met the weight limit recently. Before that she would cry and scream to the point she'll throw up and we have to remove her from the seat. We limited our travels to 10% of what it used to be since she wouldn't go in the seat. Since FF thankfully she's happier as she can see things. So I felt FF is better than having to remove her from the seat and she would be on someone's lap.

I don't blame you for turning her around. My older DS was miserable rear facing and when we turned him around it made a HUGE difference for us all.

You got 2 good recommendations for seats to look at! Hope one works for you! You don't want to buy a second hand car seat, you never know the history of the seat and it is not worth taking the risk just to save a few dollars!

[Dream]

Thanks. So far we like the Saftey 1st Avenue-Geo Squares, which is $74.99 at diapers.com. They also have an Evenflo Tribute for $69.99.

Anyone know which one has comfortable material? I would like to avoid plastic type material. I don't think she liked the material in the KF30 either. She usually likes plush material.

[GraceH]

Actually, the MyRide65 in Deco has been $129.99 at BRU lately -- couple this with the 20%off coupons currently out and you have a great convertible seat for $100...
If you're absolutely sure about FF, I would also look at the Evenflo Maestro ($70-$80, consider getting it at BBB coupled with a 20%off coupon there)

[Joolsplus2]

Whatever seat you get, practice installing it at home properly with a locking clip on the seatbelt. It's very likely that the country you are visiting (because, pretty much most cars outside of the US and Canada are like this, lol) will have non locking seatbelts and a locking clip will be necessary to hold the lap belt portion of the belt tight and the seat properly installed.
And as for your car seat now, DO be sure it's top tethered, that's the most important safety precaution you can take for such a young baby forward facing :).

[christiedavid3]

We have the Safety First Uptown and really like it for an inexpensive travel seat. I got it at Big Lots for $65.

[Dream]

Sears is advertising Evenflo Triumph for $49.99, I just received the flyers. Anyone have experience with the Evenflo?

[GraceH]

Sears is advertising Evenflo Triumph for $49.99, I just received the flyers. Anyone have experience with the Evenflo?

If it is the Triumph with a 50 pound harness (not the Tribute or something), they are pretty decent seats... although, as I said previously, if you're already forward facing, any convertible seat is going to being paying for features you don't use on a seat that's outgrown more quickly.

[stefani]

Sears is advertising Evenflo Triumph for $49.99, I just received the flyers. Anyone have experience with the Evenflo?

I have the old Evenflo Triumph and the new Evenflo Triumph Advance with 50 lb weight limit. It is an excellent seat for FF, but big and heavy. My travel seat for DS was Cosco RegalRide, which is be the Cosco Scenera now.

$50 is an excellent price, I bought the EFTA for ~$130, 2 years ago.
GL!

[Dream]

Thanks, my only concern is the material. Material in Triumph is like the plastic material in the KF30 which might be hot in tropical weather. If the Safety 1st Geo Squares has plush material I still might go for that even though its more $$. Does anyone know whether the center part of the Geo Squares is plush material or plastic type material?
Thank you.

[westgre]

Whatever seat you get, practice installing it at home properly with a locking clip on the seatbelt. It's very likely that the country you are visiting (because, pretty much most cars outside of the US and Canada are like this, lol) will have non locking seatbelts and a locking clip will be necessary to hold the lap belt portion of the belt tight and the seat properly installed.
And as for your car seat now, DO be sure it's top tethered, that's the most important safety precaution you can take for such a young baby forward facing :).

If it were me, I would just take your Boulevard there and bring it back. Or buy another seat with locking clips. Have you ever installed using a separate locking clip? I will never do that again. What a PITA!