How do I decide? Too many choices! (Update in #12)

[gymnbomb]

So I am looking for a new seat for DS. He is 15 months and somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 lbs and 30 inches I think? Plan to rear face until somewhere between 2-3. Original thought was to get a cheap lightweight travel seat that would double as seat in DH's car. He doesn't like the color choices in the scenera next so I went to BRU today to put an Evenflo Tribute in the car and see how it looked. It was ok. But there were so many other seats I wanted!

Now I am considering the possibility of getting a new seat for my car and moving the NextFit back to DH's car. It was there before when I had an infant seat in my car. I don't hate it at all, I just saw all the pretty new seats


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[gymnbomb]

Ok, that posted before I was finished. So I am now considering the following options.

1) just get the tribute as planned and be done with it unless DH complains about the install. He will move it in and out of his Escape somewhat frequently.

2) get either a Graco Milestone or 4Ever for my car, move NextFit to DH's car, and pick up either a scenera next or tribute for travel. Obviously this is the most $$ option which is a negative but I can afford to do it with my personal splurge funds.

3) get a Britax Roundabout for DH's car and try it out for travel this summer. Not as light as other travel seats I am considering, but definitely lighter than what we already have. If it is too aweful on our first plane trip (just me and DS and he has a seat on 3 of the 4 flight segments) I will get a cheap seat before our next trip. We fly 3-4 times a year.

Any thoughts or other options I didn't think of yet?


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[Philly Mom]

I love the Scenera Next for both travel and DH's car. So easy to install and incredibly light. We used to travel with a Marathon and the Scenera was life changing. I don't care about colors or styles though. Car seats aren't attractive. I look for functionality and ease of use.

[Simon]

I love the Roundabout. Its my all time favorite seat, though mine was an older model. We flew with ours regularly and it always installed like a dream, in any car, so that was nice to not have to worry about installation at our destination. We've had a Scenera (still do I think), but I dislike using it regularly. The straps don't adjust as nicely and it installs okay, but not without some effort at times.

Unless the Tribute has changed, I think it has fairly low top straps so its outgrown quicker than other seats. The MyRide lasts a good long time and is good for RFing older kids.

Personally, I am pretty anti- one car seat for all stages (the Graco 4ever, etc.). Puking happens, melted treats or spilled milk happens. Newer, nicer, prettier happens. Britax seat covers wash up well, the Graco I washed showed wear right away. Its just not worth it, IMO, to get a car seat and expect it to stay in great condition for the entire lifespan that a kid will need a car seat.

[gymnbomb]

Personally, I am pretty anti- one car seat for all stages (the Graco 4ever, etc.). Puking happens, melted treats or spilled milk happens. Newer, nicer, prettier happens. Britax seat covers wash up well, the Graco I washed showed wear right away. Its just not worth it, IMO, to get a car seat and expect it to stay in great condition for the entire lifespan that a kid will need a car seat.

Yeah, I have already experienced the puking in both of our seats within 24 hours thing!! If I got one of the Gracos it would be because it is nice and pretty as a convertible seat and fits into our smaller cars well, not because I cared if it lasted as a booster.

Wishing I could see a Roundabout, but haven't managed to locate one in person. I did put a Marathon into my car at BRU and figured that if it fit well the Roundabout would also be fine.


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[meljc]

Honestly... I'd still get the NEXT even if he doesn't like the color choices. Has he seen the solids or only the prints? They gray one isn't too offensive. The reviews make it seem like a slam dunk in the "cheap and light" category.

[Zukini]

I've heard great things about the Scenera Next seat on some other travel with baby / baby forums. No Btdt with any of the other seats listed except for the Britax.

Our travel seat is also a Britax Roundabout G4 which we scored for $129 on a diapers.com sale and we chose it because it is considerably lighter than our main seat (Blvd Clicktight) but has built in lockoffs and also the option of premium latch clips. We've been very impressed with it, and if budget were more of an issue would probably have been very happy with two of these for everyday use. I'm not sure which regions you travel to, but for us, we deal with extended family and rental vehicles that may come from different manufacturers / are way older model-wise (eg Peugeot, Opel, etc) that may / may not have locking seat belts. The Roundabout crosses that issue right off the list. Install is extremely simple with lockoff and we get it rock solid with no issue . I also like that the harness is smooth to operate and doesn't really twist (get more twisties in the Clicktight seat). Depending on the recline of the back seat, you may need to roll a towel or blanket to help the angle rear facing as there is only one seat position allowed rear facing and some seats will tip the car seat too much even for an older baby/toddler.

The one concern for travel that was pointed out to me on another forum was that when DS eventually forward faces on the plane, he may not be able to use this tray table to eat or play with his toys because of how high Britax seats tend to sit. Just something to consider depending on how long haul your flights will be. For me, ease of use on the ground in a foreign country especially, is more of an issue than the potential tray table which I can figure out a workaround. Also no issue with it fitting rear facing on the planes we've been on (American, Jet Blue). Person in front may not be able to recline but that's an issue with most car seats rear facing honestly. Lugging it through airport solo with baby hasn't been too bad either. We've done 8 flights with this thing so far, some international, and it fits nice and snug into the stroller seat (city mini) and also Britax allows the use of the tether as a carry handle so I clip it up and hang it off the back of the stroller with baby in the stroller to counter balance. (Removing the baby with this setup will tip the stroller but it is pretty stable when little one needs a place to nap on a layover etc.). We like the install and ease of use, and DS likes it - he stays comfortably and sleeps happily in this seat just like the other.

[flashy09]

I traveled with a Safety 1st Guide 65. People say it can be hard to install without noodles, but I watched the video on Youtube about a noodleless install and found it easy. Also the Evenflo Sureride is a great, light travel seat that lasts a very long time.

[trales]

I just got the Graco Mysize 65 for DD2. I really like it. I took the britax marathon and the graco out to the car of babies r us. We have only ever had britaxs. I could not get the britax to fit rear facing without pushing the passenger seat so far forward it was unusable. The graco fit perfectly, was easy to install, nice fabric and padding, and it was almost $150 cheaper. It has the same easy latch things graco has, has the head wings.

BTW, we have a '14 forester and a '13 impreza.

[gymnbomb]

Honestly... I'd still get the NEXT even if he doesn't like the color choices. Has he seen the solids or only the prints? They gray one isn't too offensive. The reviews make it seem like a slam dunk in the "cheap and light" category.

I think it looks fine too, but DH doesn't give his opinion on many baby things, so I am willing to listen to it when he does, especially for something we have choices about and that he will be using regularly. Also I don't want him to end up using it as an excuse to not drop off/pick up DS from daycare when I want him too


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