Car Seat Recommendations

lc&jw

I've finally given up on lugging my kids around in their infant car seats and am in the market for convertible car seats (or whatever the next step up would be). Please recommend your LO's carseat if you're happy with it, or feel free to warn against ones you haven't been happy with. Any info about what you like/dislike about it would be great too. I'm considering a Britax Marathon but I'm not sure if it's worth the money.

Also, are cup holders important? I noticed that some of the seats have them. I'm inclined to think that I don't want my kids freely drinking/eating in the car on their own (hello huge messes!), but then again, I'm a FTM, so what do I know. Maybe someday I'll decide that preventing a mess in the car is hopeless and then I'll want cup holders. Any advice from STMs?

jesuisfatiguee

DS has the Safety 1st Guide 65 Sport. I really liked it for the price and it seemed to have better cushioning than some of the other ones I looked at in that price range. 

tamarar5

Love my Graco MySize 70! It's easy to install, easy to use. The seats on the shelf for sale now have all been individually inspected for the buckle defect, and been corrected (that came straight from the Graco Inspector while he was at my local BRU store). They are rebranding the seat to the MySize 65, but they are identical.

nlp1990

I love my Diono Radian RXT. It is one of the easiest I've used (and I've used a lot over the years!).

ericalee27

I have a Britax Marathon in one car and a Britax Roundabout in the other- they are pretty similar seats except the weight limit on the Roundabout is lower, so it's a little cheaper.  I love, love, love Britaxes.  We have a 3rd one when we got a Frontier for DS1 (which I love!!!)  I just find them very easy to install, readjust and get kids in and out; my kids like riding in them too.  Our 4th is a Graco Argos which is just ok in comparison to my Frontier -- I found it harder to install and the buckles are a PITA (part of the Graco recall, which I STILL have not received my replacement parts....)  

Drea926

I also love my Graco My Size 70. Great seat and great price. We have two and have had no buckle trouble.

DublinMama

Drea926 said:

I also love my Graco My Size 70. Great seat and great price. We have two and have had no buckle trouble.

This exactly. We just whip that thing in and out of cars with no problem if we have to, and it was more in our price range.

Drea926

DublinMama said:

Drea926 said:

I also love my Graco My Size 70. Great seat and great price. We have two and have had no buckle trouble.

This exactly. We just whip that thing in and out of cars with no problem if we have to, and it was more in our price range.

Dubs, I think you were the one who recommended that seat to me to begin with!

tamarar5

DublinMama said:

Drea926 said:

I also love my Graco My Size 70. Great seat and great price. We have two and have had no buckle trouble.

This exactly. We just whip that thing in and out of cars with no problem if we have to, and it was more in our price range.


Which is why I love this seat so much! We're going to buy the same one for this baby too.

TarheelMama202

nlp1990 said:

I love my Diono Radian RXT. It is one of the easiest I've used (and I've used a lot over the years!).

Count me as another Diono Radian gal! We LOVE ours. I liked it for its longevity, slim frame, and the fact that it's a steel/aluminum base. He can rear-face up to 40 pounds, forward-face to 65, and use as a booster to 100. (I'm sort of crazy about car seat safety, so I'll probably be that nutjob mom with her kid in a carseat until he's 18). 

ally2011

We have the britax blvd and like it.

jdilorenzo

Diono Radian RXT expensive but love it so far!

kbates85

We're a chicco family. Love the key fit 30 and now we're loving the Nextfit. If you will be switching cars at times and want to avoid buying a second base I highly recommend Chicco. Installation is truly idiot proof and takes 5 min.

BrewerFan86

We have a britax roundabout and a combi cocorro.  I love both of them, but love the cocorro a tiny bit more. (This might be because I like the color better lol)

 

babywisher

Another Britax family here. Love the Marathon. Dd is soon going out of her Chicco Keyfit and into ds's Marathon. We are getting him the Frontier. Worth every penny. Brother has Graco for his dd and I don't like it much. It was more difficult to move in and out than the Marathon and didn't seem as comfortable.

babywisher

Oh also as far a a cup holder. You can always get one to attach. I am not one who allows eating and drinking in the car unless we are on trips. So no need for one for us.

SLGILL1978

I have an Eddie Bauer XRT 65. I love it! It was a little out of my price range but I got it on a great sale at Target during their car seat sale a few months ago. It's very easy install. We also take it out and use in both cars and my parents. It rear faces to 40 lbs and forward faces to 65 lbs.