Newbie to car seats,

[bnm11220]

currently my 14 month daughter is in a Graco Snugride Betsey, hopefully she will be outgrowing it soon. I would like her to be rear facing as long as possible.
I'm looking for a car seat that is easy to install, we have to take out everything from the car every time we use it because my husband uses it for work. However eventually we hope to get our own car and I would leave it installed there most of the time.

My daughter isn't even on the charts at 17 pounds and 27 1/4 inches. My husband is driving an rental Avalon but in a few weeks his boss is getting a Lexus SUV so he will be driving that.

I've been looking at the Britaxes, can't make heads or tails what the differences between the models are, and a friend recommended the Graco 65.

What would you recommend?

[mom2binsd]

From my own experience-

Although the Britax Marathon/Boulevard seats don't have the higher rearfacing weight limits (they Rearface/RF) to 35 lbs and are just about the easiest seats to install in a few minutes, I've got my MA install down to about 2 min, with tethering. The reason the install is so easy is that they have "alligator" latch connectors that are super easy to use and the seats tend to be easy as far as getting the correct angle every time. I bet with a few practice runs you and your DH could do the install really quickly, even with rearfacing tethering.

I was able to rearface my kids who tend to be about 50-75% for height to age 3 years 3 months/33lbs at which point I was totally comfortable turning them forward.

[arivecchi]

Easiest to install IMO: Britax Marathon. RA50 or Boulevard.

Highest Rear Facing Limits: Graco MyRide (40 pounds), Radian 65 (40 pounds), Radian 80 SL (45 pounds), Radian XT SL (45 pounds), Complete Air (40 pounds). SL stands for Super Latch. Can be used with LATCH to 80 pounds if your car was manufactured after Sept. of 05 (I think).

[bnm11220]

I went to look at the suggested car seats at Babies R Us and they all looked like they where big heavy klutzes that would be a pain to shlep each time to the car and to store in between.

I didn't get to see the Radians though, are they lighter? Online I saw a picture of it being fordable which would be wonderful for us. Is there anywhere I would be able to get a discount on one of them or did I just miss all the sales?

[KrisM]

I went to look at the suggested car seats at Babies R Us and they all looked like they where big heavy klutzes that would be a pain to shlep each time to the car and to store in between.

I didn't get to see the Radians though, are they lighter? Online I saw a picture of it being fordable which would be wonderful for us. Is there anywhere I would be able to get a discount on one of them or did I just miss all the sales?

Radians have a steel frame and are really heavy. They can also be more difficult to install.

Britax seats are really easy to install. They are big, but not too heavy.

Yesterday, I installed a Britax Boulevard, Radian, and a Safeseat in my car in about 10 minutes and the Radian took half of it, probably.

[GraceH]

I went to look at the suggested car seats at Babies R Us and they all looked like they where big heavy klutzes that would be a pain to shlep each time to the car and to store in between.

I didn't get to see the Radians though, are they lighter? Online I saw a picture of it being fordable which would be wonderful for us. Is there anywhere I would be able to get a discount on one of them or did I just miss all the sales?

Although Radians are wonderful, the RF install can be a pain and with possible vehicle changes in which the fit may be questionable, I don't think I would recommend a Radian for your situation.

I found the seatbelt install on the Graco MyRide65 fairly simple, but I don't know that you would need the high weight limit

The Complete Air has that odd angle that may not take well to RF installs.

The TrueFit is rather large and cumbersome

The Evenflo Triumph Advance is pretty compact, so that could be good, but look at the harness mechanism, as some have a love/hate with the adjustment knobs.

[AnnieW625]

My DD didn't care for her Marathon at all from about 12 mos. old until she was almost 2/1/2. She never once complained about her Evenflo Triumph 5 (now the Triumph Advance). We really liked the tension knobs on the Evenflo seat. I will say that fabric and construction wise the Britaxes are awesome.

Britax Roundabout 50---same size at the Britax Marathon, but lighter because it doesn't have the latch bar, it's only rated to 50lbs (vs. the Marathon's 65), but most kids will outgrow the seat by height first than weight, it's $100 or so less than the Marathon, it doesn't have the HUGS harness system that the Marathon has, and it doesn't have as many cute fabric options, but honestly for the price it's a great seat.

In your case I might look at the regular Britax Roundabout too, it's only good until 40lbs (also 35lbs rear facing, and until less than 1" from the top of the seat), but since your daughter is quite small you might be able to make it past 2 rear facing. It's also one of the lightest seats on the market. If you still want to rear face once she has outgrown that seat, and maybe you have your own car then you might be in a better position to look for something else.

Good Luck!

[Joolsplus2]

I really do have to put in a vote for the Roundabout 50, it was the one in Cowmooflage at BRU, but Target has a nice neutral cover called Stonehenge. Pretty much any seat is going to just seem huge after the infant seat, but you'll get used to it. The main thing that's going to make it getting in and out easy is to have the nice push-on LATCH connectors, I think.
The My Ride is a little lighter but still bulky, but it has the hook on connectors that are really more of a pain to get out of the car than the push on ones.
The Radian is 42 tons and three and a half pains to install, it's not a good seat for this use. :tongue5:

[jjordan]

I was going to say, the roundabout50 sounds like a good seat for you... and then I saw that Jools just said that so I am feeling good about my carseat-recommending skills now. :) I second her recommendation. :)