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  1. #1
    SFmomto2 Guest

    Default I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Hi,

    I need to get new carseats for my children :

    DS is 3yrs old : 30# and 37inches (average/thin build)
    DD is 1.5 yrs old : 24# and 30inches (average build)

    Other notes :
    I drive a 2003 Passat wagon - it has lots of airbags including side curtain.

    I was considering the following (but am open to other suggestions): Marathon, Graco Platinum or Radian65.

    Radians seem a good choice if we decide to have another baby (3 carseats in the backseat) - but are they as safe as the Marathon?
    Graco Platinum seems fine too but again, is the Marathon safer?
    How soon to children outgrow the Marathon?

    thanks in advance for your help!


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
    Posts
    20,018

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Yeah, I'd think the Radian is as safe as the Marathon...they have equal safety features and ease of use (the Marathon is easier to install rearfacing, however). The Cargo is even as safe, I love that seat for the price and features. SF? San Francisco? Have you been down to Lullaby Lane to try out seats there?
    Why do you need new seats? Just curious..what seats do you have now?
    Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
    http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

  3. #3
    SFmomto2 Guest

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    I am embarrased to say that we do not have the greatest seats :
    In my car, I have an old hand-me-down seat (Evenflo Medallion) from my sister (it's never been in an accident but I should have replaced it LAST year. The other seat is the Graco ComfortSport which we take with us on the plane.
    We also have a spare Evenflo seat that is also way too old and is a hand-me-down from sis. This seat resides in my husband's car. He was in an accident 2 weeks ago. He's fine, but it prompted me to replace all our car seats for the safest available.

    Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it.

    BTW - Yes, I do live in SF, and we saw the all the seats down at Lullaby Lane last weekend, but the kids melted down before we could try them out. I think we'll make another trip down there to see which is the best fit. Thanks for the tip!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
    Posts
    20,018

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Oh, I had a super deluxe medallion for my first baby...LOVED that seat! Darn low top slots, though (my 2 yo's were too tall for it forward facing...sigh...).

    It's so hard to seat shop with toddlers, good luck (maybe a pair of matching Marathons?)

    :)
    Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
    http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

  5. #5
    SFmomto2 Guest

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Hi Julie and everyone else viewing,

    I went to Lullaby Lane to check out the seats...

    1) Radian - I really liked this seat because it installed very easily in my car. It has a small footprint, so I can easily see someone sitting in between the 2 carseats if needed. BUT the buckle between the legs comes up TOO CLOSE between my son's legs. I just can't see this being very comfortable. THIS ONE'S OFF MY LIST.

    2) The Marathon was nice but pretty bulky and although the buckle was a better position, I just felt that in the next year or 2 it would be too uncomfortable (between the legs). It fit my 1.5yr old great. But I found that the :"Cheapie" Graco ComfortSport gives her a bit more room. But the extra cushioning might be great for her. I may get this seat for her. But it does seem to just "take over" the back seat.

    3) The Graco Platinum was OK, but again the buckle comes up close between my son's legs. Both my old seats seemed more comfortable in terms of the buckle positioning.

    While we were there, we also tried the Regent. Buckle position was great and the seat was roomy but IT IS BIG.....

    They also had the Graco ComfortSport - super deluxe model. That was my favorite because of the roomy buckle and the not so large size.
    .....but the 5pt harness only goes to 40lbs. I guess that is another option for my DD, but I'm afraid DS will only get a year or so out of it....but it is pretty inexpensive so I could always get that for now, and see what new seats may come out in the future....hmmm

    I hate to be so picky but DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS???
    thank you !!!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
    Posts
    20,018

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    The crotch strap moves out on the Radian, do you think an extra inch of space would be enough? I could measure, it might be more than an inch, but my 6 yo dd has no complaints about that at all. If it was in the closest in position, yeah, that's too tight for even my newborn (when I got the seat 9 months ago).
    Same with the Cargo, I'm pretty sure it moves out, I'll have to check the manual at www.gracobaby.com to make sure, though.
    I'd skip the Comfortsport, because the top slots are abysmally low (maybe a little higher than the Medallion, but not much).
    The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe is 'the same as' the Marathon, but has a few features missing (the most important feature to me is the nice harness, which it has :) ). The Cosco Scenera is my favorite bargain seat (at walmart and target and Babies R Us for the 'deluxe' model, which really sucks eggs for the extra 30 bucks they want for an infant head pad :P )...but I do love that seat for ease of use and installation. Is your 18 mo forward facing or rearfacing? Rearfacing is safest, but 18 months isn't bad for FF, so no point buying a small convertible like the Comfortsport or Scenera at all.

    Sorry for the stream of consciousness post, I'll try to get a more coherent answer together later (dog, roomba, baby, blue's clues...you know how it can be, lol)
    Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
    http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    CA, USA.
    Posts
    691

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Julie, Do you know when the 50 pound version of the SafeSeat 2 is coming out? It might be a good option for the 3yo and even for the 1.5yo, if FF.
    Melinda - mom to 3 beautiful girls and an awesome boy

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
    Posts
    20,018

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Oh yeah... Um... soon? lol....I think January?
    Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
    http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    CA, USA.
    Posts
    691

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Darn! I guess that won't work since the seats are needed now. I had hoped it would be a decent choice.
    Melinda - mom to 3 beautiful girls and an awesome boy

  10. #10
    SFmomto2 Guest

    Default RE: I need advice on new carseats for 3 yr old and 1.5 yr old

    Hi everyone,

    Thanks for the all the advice!

    Julie - Thanks for the info on the Radian. In light of the crotch strap adustability - I love the carseat! I get a great rock-solid installation in my car - but I don't think DS will be happy in it because it sits so low (He can't see out the windows as well). (If I end up getting the Marathon for DD, he might be bummed out since she will be sitting considerable higher than he)

    I went to Babies R Us today and saw EVENFLO TRADITIONS and EVENFLO GENERATIONS seats - Any feedback (safety, ease of use,etc) on those (I couldn't find any info in BABY/TODDLER BARGAIN books)?? I like the fact that they have armrests which I think DS will think is cool. But since I didn't have DS with me, I couldn't check the harness height.

    Currently, I am thinking the following : Get a Marathon for DD. And get Evenflo or Graco Platinum for DS. Once he gets 1-2yrs older I will get the Radian.

    Will the "new" Safeseat (50lb harness) be approx. same size as the current one?? Maybe I'll check out that option. I can wait since I really urgently need to replace ONE seat.

    thanks again everyone.


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