Product Spotlight: Car Seats

hestia-is-wearie

(copied from March 23)

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Car Seats!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For S+TMs: 

• Vehicle factors that might influence your choice:
• Favorite car seat:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• What you like about it:
• What you don't like about it, if anything:
• Are you considering a specific car seat that goes with a travel system? Why?:
• Is there a car seat you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: 
• Additional thoughts?:

For FTMs:

• Lifestyle factors that might influence your choice:
• Car seats you're interested in:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Any questions for S+TMs?:

hestia-is-wearie

For S+TMs: 

• Vehicle factors that might influence your choice: DH and I both have our own cars, so we wanted a car seat that could easily be switched from one car to the other. 
• Favorite car seat: Chicco KeyFit 30
• Link/picture: Amazon link
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): The car seat alone is $229, but if you get the Chicco Bravo travel system (stroller + car seat), it's $450. An extra base is $109. 
• What you like about it: I love that it has a base that you secure into your car. You simply pop the car seat out and click it into the stroller, or another car that has the same base. It also feels soft and comfy, where some other brands felt like they were made with cheap fabric.
• What you don't like about it, if anything: I wish it had holders for the straps when they're not in use. Sometimes they get wedged under the baby and it's hard to dig them out to buckle them in, especially if they're being squirmy. It also takes a little practice to align the car seat into the stroller. 
• Are you considering a specific car seat that goes with a travel system? Why?: This one goes with the Chicco Travel system.
• Is there a car seat you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: Nope
• Additional thoughts?: Make sure when you're shopping for car seat covers, that you get one that has an open middle! Babies can overheat if you just throw a blanket over the car seat. We also got roller shades for the back windows and a mirror to go in front of the seat so we can see DD while we drive. 

BourbonBiscuits

UGHHHHH I think our infant bucket seat expires this winter. Following for recs I guess 

ashleyp625

BourbonBiscuits said:

UGHHHHH I think our infant bucket seat expires this winter. Following for recs I guess 

I saved all of my son’s seats and they each expire six months before we’ll need them 🙄

BourbonBiscuits

@ashleyp625 it's literally so rude. All 3 of my kids have used this bucket. I'm irrationally salty about this.

caroduke

For S+TMs: 

Vehicle factors that might influence your choice:

we have a small SUV and a truck, so size wasn't a super big issue with the infant seat, but I highly recommend going to a store that you can try them out and see how they fit in your car. When we moved to the all in one seat, how it fit in the suv vehicle narrowed down some of our choices. 

Favorite car seat: we have the clek liing for our infant seat and when we moved up in size we have the Nuna rava in my car and one of the diono radian ones in my husband's truck

Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): Umm I think they've gone up quite a bit since we bought it, but I got mine on sale about 2 years ago and it was around $375cad

What you like about it: the clek is fairly light and the base has the load leg for extra safety. The base also was super easy to adjust to the right angle for baby as they grow and had a level and adjustable area built right into the base, so once that's all set, you just have to click the seat into it and you're ready to go. It also clicks right into our stroller with the appropriate adapters. It has an extended canopy as well for extra shade for kiddo when used in the stroller. 

What you don't like about it, if anything: the built in canopy has a hard time staying down in the fully extended position. Minor and literally the only thing I can think of that isn't ideal. 

Are you considering a specific car seat that goes with a travel system? Why?: Nope, we have the adaptors that let us use our car seat with our stroller. There's usually a list to see which strollers are compatible with various car seats and what adapters will be needed to do so. 

Is there a car seat you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: not a huge fan of the safety first one that comes in its travel system. Not great padding and seems a little flimsy. 

Additional thoughts?: We didn't buy an extra base as ours took less than a minute to swap between vehicles when needed as the latch system is soo fast. Maybe try yours out for a bit and see if you need the extra base before spending the extra money on it. 

gingermama46

I have no advice because we are now looking to change with 3, so TTM+ if you do 3 across what car seats do you use? We have a Honda Pilot.