Can we talk about convertible car seats?

eturp · June 2011

I thought that DS's car seat went up to 25lbs but I was wrong and noticed the other day that it only goes up to 22lbs Tongue Tied

So seeing as DS is already 16lbs I think we need to start looking at convertible car seats. Anyone have one picked out or are using one already?

BunintheOven311 · June 2011

We have Britex Boulevard-it was ranked the highest (when we bought it) in consumer reports. She's still in the bucket seat now but we use it for my husbands car and when my SIL has her. SO easy to take in and out and install!

MrsChelseaP09 · June 2011

I am going to go with Britax Boulevard 70

https://www.amazon.com/Britax-Boulevard-Convertible-Seat-Cowmooflage/dp/B003OUWIMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1309195293&sr=8-2

Twinkz · June 2011

We're also already looking into convertible. DS is just barely 12lbs but pushing pushing 25 inches at only 3 months old so we know he'll hit the 30 inch length limit in no time. He grew 2 inches between his 1 month appointment and his 2 month appointment. We expect he'll be 30 inches by Christmas. We have the chicco and I want another high saftey rated seat so we'll probably go with the britax as well

mrswright2006 · June 2011

We went with a Sunshine Kids Radian, because of it's insanely high weight and height limits. DS was born at 11 pounds and is super tall for his age, so we know he will bust through the height and weight limits way too quickly (his big sister is has always been at the top of the height/weight range, and grew out of her convertible carseat at 3.5, which is sooner than I wanted). We switched DS to a convertible seat at 2 months, because he was already almost too tall for his infant seat, and I already like the Radian more than I did DD's Britax. It isn't nearly as wide, and is as easy (if not easier) to install in our cars. My only issue with it is that is VERY long, so it is a tight fit in our car (no one can ride in the passenger seat with the seat installed, but that is generally not a big problem).

elle980 · June 2011

MrsChelseaP09:

I am going to go with Britax Boulevard 70

https://www.amazon.com/Britax-Boulevard-Convertible-Seat-Cowmooflage/dp/B003OUWIMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1309195293&sr=8-2

We got DS this but aren't using it yet.

LifetimeOfLove · June 2011

We have this one. https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4232164&fromRegistryNumber=46143762&product_skn=503558

We have it in my husband's truck. You do need roomy car for it to be rear facing but I love it!

tistampsup · June 2011

DH has a 2 door. How are these going to work rear facing?

jayellekay · June 2011

We also have the Britax Boulevard. We're not using yet, but it sure does seem like a nice seat!

We bought an Evenflo Triumph (much cheaper) for my parents to use, and ya know? For a $40 seat, I really like it. It is very well-padded, seems sturdy, and installs very securely...and it's not nearly as humongous as the Britax. It's also easier to get Zoey in and out of than her Graco infant seat. When she outgrows the infant seat, the Triumph will go to my DH's car (my parents will be finished watching her by then and she'll be in daycare), and the Boulevard in my car.

tistampsup · June 2011

We can't afford $200 + on a car seat.

bre87 · June 2011

wait. what's the deal on the rear facing though. i thought they changed the laws and they're supposed to be one year AND the weight requirements? remember when we were pregnant and would research everything? well i had the kid and now i just want people to tell me what they learned lol. but seriously, i'm using that infant seat till the last drop. we got 3 bases and the damn stroller. and i drive a mini cooper and i haven't even looked at big kid seats.

eturp · June 2011

tistampsup:
DH has a 2 door. How are these going to work rear facing?

I'm also cringing about the price but I definitely want to do more research about convertibles than I did for our infant (i looked it up for recalls and that was about it and it sucks!). I found this site: carseatdata.org you can search which seats have been reviewed for your car (including the year). We have a ford escape and it is kind of a pain to install in but the Sunshine Radian was reviewed as fitting well in our car plus it goes up to 80lbs forward facing. I think if will hold DS that long it is worth $200--although I'm kind of kicking myself for not getting a convertible from the start Tongue Tied

tistampsup · June 2011

I thought they changed the laws where they have to be rear facing for 2 years?

jayellekay · June 2011

tistampsup:
We can't afford $200 + on a car seat.

Seriously, look into the Evenflo Tribute 5. (I incorrectly called it the Evenflo Triumph in my post above.) I got it on Amazon for $40, and it's a perfectly fine seat. It feels a lot sturdier and cushier than the cheaper Cosco convertible seats you see on the market. It gets outstanding safety reviews.

BeetleLinz1125 · June 2011

tistampsup:

I thought they changed the laws where they have to be rear facing for 2 years?

I don't think it's the law....just a recomendation.

I have no clue what I am going to do for DD. We both drive 2 door cars, and started out with a convertible seat and ended up returning it. It was way too hard to keep taking her in and out. We LOVE her infant seat. But she is Sooo long I honestly think she's already reached the height limit with 15 lbs to go before reaching the weight limit. Grr. I guess I REALLY have to get a new car now, even though I don't wanna give it up. :-(

Brit242 · June 2011

Does anyone know anything about this one: https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Triumph-Convertible-Seat-Santee/dp/B004G8QT5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1309206790&sr=1-1

I have to buy something that can be shipped to an APO address and this one seems to have good ratings and isn't too expensive. I drive a Kia Sportage and this sounds like it will fit just fine. My husband drives a Ford Mustang and I'm pretty sure that NO convertible carseat will fit. Am I wrong? Will we only be able to use my car until LO is in a booster? Ugh...this is by far the hardest baby item to buy so far. I feel so lost. LO only has 4 inches to go until she can't use her infant seat anymore (and she grew 3 inches the last two months so...) and it takes 6-10 weeks to get things in the mail. Guess I better really research and make a decision asap!

jayellekay · June 2011

I've seen a Mustang with THREE car seats across the back seat--those people are nuts! lol But yeah, I'm sure it can be done, it will just be a really tight fit while the convertible is RF.

I don't know much about the Triumph, but we got the Evenflo Tribute 5 on Amazon as a secondary seat, and we really like it. It's a way nicer seat than I expected, and it installs so securely. I actually feel better with her in that than her Graco infant seat.

Phillychickadee · June 2011

I have a Britax for DS, and the rear facing limit is 35 lbs. He is only 2 and a few months and he is already 32 lbs. I would really like to keep him RF until closer to 3, so that is a major thing that we are looking for in our next seat.

erin.m · June 2011

Brit242:

Does anyone know anything about this one: https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Triumph-Convertible-Seat-Santee/dp/B004G8QT5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1309206790&sr=1-1

I have to buy something that can be shipped to an APO address and this one seems to have good ratings and isn't too expensive. I drive a Kia Sportage and this sounds like it will fit just fine. My husband drives a Ford Mustang and I'm pretty sure that NO convertible carseat will fit. Am I wrong? Will we only be able to use my car until LO is in a booster? Ugh...this is by far the hardest baby item to buy so far. I feel so lost. LO only has 4 inches to go until she can't use her infant seat anymore (and she grew 3 inches the last two months so...) and it takes 6-10 weeks to get things in the mail. Guess I better really research and make a decision asap!

Yep that's a great seat. DS1 was in it from 6 months until just a few weeks ago when we switched to his Britax marathon. DS2 will be switched into it very shortly. It is a very wide seat and takes up a buch of room rear facing. I called it his lazy boy recliner in the back seat.

Just a little note: I know all kids are different but here are DS1's stat's just for some perpective: Their growth slows a bit after 6mo. I hope this helps.

birth: 7lbs 4oz 19.5in

1mo. 8lbs 14oz 21in

2mo. 12lbs 14oz 23in

4mo 16lbs 12oz 25.5in

6mo 18lbs 12oz 27in

9mo-don't have his weight off hand but he was 29in.

1yr 24lbs7oz 31in

skio · June 2011

Yeah, C is already 26 inches and our seat only goes to 30, so we've started looking also. We'd like a Britax and have decided on the Marathon 70 because its smaller than the Boulevard and Advocate but still rated super well. We have to try it in our car, though. We had a hard time fitting the infant seat (in a Honda Pilot - what gives?), so we may have an ever harder time with a convertible.

Brit242 · June 2011

jayellekay:

I've seen a Mustang with THREE car seats across the back seat--those people are nuts! lol But yeah, I'm sure it can be done, it will just be a really tight fit while the convertible is RF.

I don't know much about the Triumph, but we got the Evenflo Tribute 5 on Amazon as a secondary seat, and we really like it. It's a way nicer seat than I expected, and it installs so securely. I actually feel better with her in that than her Graco infant seat.

I don't know about all Mustangs, but ours definitely only has TWO backseats lol. They're bucket seats with a hump in the middle. Hopefully we can find something that will be usable.

Thanks everyone!

wilabeth · June 2011

What? Seriously? This post just made me feel sick. I swear we were pregnant just a few months ago, and now we're discussing big boy/girl car seats

Wow! I'm going to have to look again at our car seat requirements. I just can't remember the limits. My LO weighed 16lbs 11oz at his doctor's appt 2 weeks ago. AHHH I wish things would just slow down a bit.

MrsCarroll.6-10-07 · June 2011

We have the Britax Boulevard 70 for my older DD. She is RFing and will be until she's at least 2 but probably until she's 3. The weight limit is 40 pounds RFing and 70 pounds FFing. Diapers.com had a sale on the Britax car seats a month or so ago. They were 25% off and I had another coupon code to get another 15% off or something, so I got another one for DD#2 for $195. So now I have 2 of the same car seat.

The good thing about this seat is that the height and top harnesses are adjustable by pushing a button instead of having to remove all the straps. It is so easy to adjust. I had my DD #1 in her infant seat until 9months or so when it was just too difficult to get her in and out of the seat. She was 22 pounds or so at that time.

stamperbride · June 2011

For DD we used the evenflo titan elites in the grandparents cars. In our car we had a roundabout (the old one with the 40lb 40inches limit). DD outgrew that in the height department at about 3.5years old. That roundabout is expired now so we will most likely be getting DS the Roundabout 55. DD now has the Britax Frontier. Im a huge Britax fan for safety reasons and how easy they are to install. But if I was not going to get DS a Britax, I would seriously consdier the Evenflo that we use in the grandparents cars.

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