s/o car seats

emschmeid

Have you shopped yet for your next car seat? My LO is long, and I would like to keep him rear-facing as long as possible. Thoughts on a great convertible?

ASmallWonder

The Graco Size4Me/Headwise/MySize/Fit4Me are the tallest seats on the market so if your little is tall, go for one of those.  The NextFit is also one of the tallest.  Next up would be a Radian.  Don't get a Britax if you're looking for RFing as long as possible.  They're fine seats but have short shells, compared to the others.  They'll get even tall kids rear facing to 2 but after that you're on borrowed time.  Recaros (since I saw them mentioned above) are notorious for lack of leg room.

WasNotWas

I love my Radian!!

emschmeid

You all rock! We are in the KeyFit now but know it's just a matter of time before he outgrows it. Thanks for the advice!

ASmallWonder

ChicagoChic82 said:

The Graco Size4Me/Headwise/MySize/Fit4Me are the tallest seats on the market so if your little is tall, go for one of those.  The NextFit is also one of the tallest.  Next up would be a Radian.  Don't get a Britax if you're looking for RFing as long as possible.  They're fine seats but have short shells, compared to the others.  They'll get even tall kids rear facing to 2 but after that you're on borrowed time.  Recaros (since I saw them mentioned above) are notorious for lack of leg room.

@elmoali when I was at bbb looking at convertibles, I told the guy I was considering the Nextfit. He said he likes that one, but also recommended a Peg Perego one. In general, what do you think of PP?

The Peg rear faces for 5 pounds more than the Gracos or the NextFit but is outgrown several inches shorter.  The Gracos can rear face until there is 1" of headrest left which, when fully extended is a rump to head length of 28".  For the NextFit it's 26" and for the Peg it's 24".

ASmallWonder

ChicagoChic82 said:

Also @ChicagoChic82 I had a Peg Perrego infant seat and I hated it. It was rated to 30 pounds and 30 inches and by the time he was 26 inches and 20 pounds it was impossible to put him in it, it was heavy and awkward to carry. And it was hot! The heavy thing doesn't matter in a convertible but it just wore on me to drag it around with my chunky kid in it. I was relieved to get a convertible.

Thanks for the feedback! I mentioned the 'hot' factor when I was talking to him and he acted like I was crazy and nobody had ever talked about their kid getting sweaty in a car seat before..!

I have a feeling the Nextfit may get hot too but not like the all black PP did.

Along these lines... I am dying to put the convertible behind me (driver's side) in the car instead of in the middle. I'm sure DH won't let me (he's a real cool, "is that the safest position?" while already knowing the answer, guy). I'm going to ruin my back plunking him in the middle seat.

This really comes down to parental preference and later with multiple kids sometimes it forces your hand because side by side installs can be tough.  I kept  my oldest in the middle until the baby was born but we have a CRV and I'm only 4'10 so I just climbed in and buckled him.  Now I have a kiddo on each side.  Middle is safest, yes but sides aren't unsafe.  We all ride on a side, kwim?

kari.sandall

elmoali said:

ChicagoChic82 said:

Also @ChicagoChic82 I had a Peg Perrego infant seat and I hated it. It was rated to 30 pounds and 30 inches and by the time he was 26 inches and 20 pounds it was impossible to put him in it, it was heavy and awkward to carry. And it was hot! The heavy thing doesn't matter in a convertible but it just wore on me to drag it around with my chunky kid in it. I was relieved to get a convertible.

Thanks for the feedback! I mentioned the 'hot' factor when I was talking to him and he acted like I was crazy and nobody had ever talked about their kid getting sweaty in a car seat before..!

I have a feeling the Nextfit may get hot too but not like the all black PP did.

Along these lines... I am dying to put the convertible behind me (driver's side) in the car instead of in the middle. I'm sure DH won't let me (he's a real cool, "is that the safest position?" while already knowing the answer, guy). I'm going to ruin my back plunking him in the middle seat.

This really comes down to parental preference and later with multiple kids sometimes it forces your hand because side by side installs can be tough.  I kept  my oldest in the middle until the baby was born but we have a CRV and I'm only 4'10 so I just climbed in and buckled him.  Now I have a kiddo on each side.  Middle is safest, yes but sides aren't unsafe.  We all ride on a side, kwim?

I agree with this. With the twins I never really had the choice to put them in the middle. We've always had a kid on each side.

kanga1622Wed220857

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smpeachey said:

Along these lines... I am dying to put the convertible behind me (driver's side) in the car instead of in the middle. I'm sure DH won't let me (he's a real cool, "is that the safest position?" while already knowing the answer, guy). I'm going to ruin my back plunking him in the middle seat.

I found it easier to buckle the convertible when it was in the middle. I could get in the car and shut the cold/wind out while getting him settled. It is a lot more awkward for me now that we have two seats on the sides.