Recommend your convertible car seat

PinkDahLia44 · September 2014

I know, it's probably been done, but please humor me.

My mom bought a great car seat, but then we found out it was ff only. She thinks this is "fine" bc she "won't be driving him that much anyway." I told her no and I will buy him a new one.

So we have a Graco one, but I figured this is our chance to try something different. I'd like something a little less bulky if that exists.

TIA!

PinkDahLia44 · September 2014

Thanks @baconface! Space will not be an issue, as we bought an Outback when DS was born. I drove a ford focus before that. Can't imagine having to put a car seat in there!

megs1409 · September 2014

We have the Chicco Nextfit and I do really like the seat for safety, etc. However, it can be a PITA to tighten the straps and generally get DS in and out of in our SUV. It's easier to get him in and out of our car, so this has more to do with me being vertically challenged than anything related to the seat. All in all, we're happy with our NextFit purchases (we have one in each car).

#shortpeopleproblems

sweettooth87 · September 2014

Love the nextfit. Easiest install around which was my biggest reasoning for wanting it. Supposedly nearly 75% off car seats are installed wrong so the easier the better for me. On the older versions, the straps are hard to tighten. The newer ones don't have that issue.

I think the diono radian had relatively low profile sides so it's easy to get LO in and out of. A lot of mamas on here love there's. @crunchymama11‌ comes to mind.

[Deleted User] · September 2014

The user and all related content has been deleted.

dovetail223 · September 2014

I have the safety first one in my car and love it. It's rf, ff, and goes to a booster seat. It was about $160 and I used a 20% off coupon. DD is tall and I have found that the safety first brand generally has a higher height limit than other brands.

shelley1002 · September 2014

sweettooth87 said:

Love the nextfit. Easiest install around which was my biggest reasoning for wanting it. Supposedly nearly 75% off car seats are installed wrong so the easier the better for me. On the older versions, the straps are hard to tighten. The newer ones don't have that issue. I think the diono radian had relatively low profile sides so it's easy to get LO in and out of. A lot of mamas on here love there's. @crunchymama11‌ comes to mind.

I have a Diono Radian and absolutely love it. I highly recommend it. I wish I had gotten one for DS1 instead of his Britax Marathon (which I love too) because it would last him so much longer.

sweettooth87 · September 2014

Just a comment about the safety first alpha omega. It's one of the least recommended car seats by car seat technicians due to being extremely difficult to get a good install. https://csftl.org/the-alpha-omega-why-its-neither-the-first-nor-the-last-nor-the-elite-car-seat/ . Also, it's one of only TWO boosters (it converts down the line) one IIHS “not recommended” booster list.

Also, @dovetail223, it actually has pretty low RFing limits (35inches). Most now are 40, w/ the nextfit being 50.

NatesCupcake47 · September 2014

We have the nextfit, install was hard at first but we've got it down now. Just got the Britax Roundabout for DH's car and my mom's car and we LOVE it. Installation was a cinch, and it's not overly huge. This is the carseat we'll be taking to Ireland with us this fall :-)

[Deleted User] · September 2014

We have the Britax Marathon and Chicco NextFit as a backup seat...the installation is definitely easier with the Chicco, but I love our Marathon so much more! It doesn't last as long rear-facing which is why I went with the Chicco for our other seat just in case DS outgrows the Marathon too soon.

Britax just came out with all new seats with their ClickTight installation, I've been drooling over them!!! why couldn't they come out a year earlier??! You basically just buckle the seatbelt and then press the seat back down and your install is done! it looks amaaaaazing

https://www.britaxusa.com/clicktight-convertibles?hpg=convertibles

[Deleted User] · September 2014

basically the new Britax seats look like the old Britax seat had a baby with the Chicco Nextfit lol

[Deleted User] · September 2014

baconface said:

sweettooth87 said:

Just a comment about the safety first alpha omega. It's one of the least recommended car seats by car seat technicians due to being extremely difficult to get a good install. https://csftl.org/the-alpha-omega-why-its-neither-the-first-nor-the-last-nor-the-elite-car-seat/ . Also, it's one of only TWO boosters (it converts down the line) one IIHS “not recommended” booster list.

Also, @dovetail223, it actually has pretty low RFing limits (35inches). Most now are 40, w/ the nextfit being 50.

Except I think the Nextfit RF limit is 40? There are only 1 or 2 with a 50 lb RFing limit - I think the Foonf and maybe 1 other.

yea Chicco is 40lbs rear-facing limit...no specified inches for rear-facing, just one inch below the fully extended head rest...for front-facing the standing height limit is 49" (top of ears below the top of the head rest)

I'm a nerd and keep a PDF of all the manuals on my computer lol

bkeane619 · September 2014

I have an evenflo symphony dlx for O in my car an sure ride in DHs car. I'm thinking I might just go for the sure ride it's pretty easy to deal with.

sweettooth87 · September 2014

TaterTat3 said:

baconface said:

sweettooth87 said:

Just a comment about the safety first alpha omega. It's one of the least recommended car seats by car seat technicians due to being extremely difficult to get a good install. https://csftl.org/the-alpha-omega-why-its-neither-the-first-nor-the-last-nor-the-elite-car-seat/ . Also, it's one of only TWO boosters (it converts down the line) one IIHS “not recommended” booster list.

Also, @dovetail223, it actually has pretty low RFing limits (35inches). Most now are 40, w/ the nextfit being 50.

Except I think the Nextfit RF limit is 40? There are only 1 or 2 with a 50 lb RFing limit - I think the Foonf and maybe 1 other.

yea Chicco is 40lbs rear-facing limit...no specified inches for rear-facing, just one inch below the fully extended head rest...for front-facing the standing height limit is 49" (top of ears below the top of the head rest)

I'm a nerd and keep a PDF of all the manuals on my computer lol

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Yup, was talking about height, not weight, since she was saying the alpha had high height limits. I wish it was 50 weight.

mancila60 · September 2014

Nextfit for sure. H usually is the one who installs the seat if we need to move it but it is really easy for me if I need to do it. We have no complaints about ours. We have a Ford Explorer and our second row has bucket seats so no space concerns for us. @PinkDahLia44‌ my mom also has a FF seat which she uses for my niece when she has her and she tried to tell me it would be ok to put DS in there for the short times she needs it too. We refused of course and we usually just put our seat in her car. My niece will be 3 next month so it's not like they are super close in age. Good luck with that!

sweettooth87 · September 2014

TaterTat3 said:
basically the new Britax seats look like the old Britax seat had a baby with the Chicco Nextfit lol

Hahaha I love this!! Who would have thought that one day we'd drool over car seats??

[Deleted User] · September 2014

sweettooth87 said:

basically the new Britax seats look like the old Britax seat had a baby with the Chicco Nextfit lol
Hahaha I love this!! Who would have thought that one day we'd drool over car seats??

hahah I kinda wanna be a car seat tech just so I could play with all the seats and go to all these fun conventions where they unveil the new seats!!!

muffyvonmuff · September 2014

Add me to the not super in love with the next fit. Its a pita to get him in about out. I also have to be aware to not squish his leg flub buckling him in if he's wearing shorts. I guess Im just used to the infant seat that has a material flap under the buckle. Ill be looking into a different conv for my car soon since the next fit is in DHs car.

TREDgirl · September 2014

We have the Britax Adovate and also have an Outback and it fits well. The install wasn't difficult but I'm really picky so it probably took me longer than it should have-we used the LATCH install. BUt that new ClickTight seatbelt install looks awesome!

OK I want to return my Advocates and get the new ones! They also seem to have the neoprene type material that the Nextfit has. Overall it looks like a tight new design. Interesting though that the ClickTight looks to have removed the LATCH option.

[Deleted User] · September 2014

@sweettooth87 I keep meaning to ask you...can you post that trick you had with tightening the straps in the NextFit again? I forget exactly what you do...move the strap cushions down, tighten and then move back up? seems like it's working for a bunch of people!

sweettooth87 · September 2014

TaterTat3 said:
@sweettooth87 I keep meaning to ask you...can you post that trick you had with tightening the straps in the NextFit again? I forget exactly what you do...move the strap cushions down, tighten and then move back up? seems like it's working for a bunch of people!

Yes! That's exactly what I do! The key is moving those strap covers down. You can also take them off - makes tightening a breeze.

Also, we had to replace one of ours and it came with new strap covers. They make it much easier to tighten. They're more flexible and much easier to remove (Velcro).

kimbo1216 · September 2014

We got dd2 a Graco MySize and love it. it's one of the clones and much less bulky than dd1's MyRide.

lawyerlindsay · September 2014

Graco 4Ever. Love! I bought 2.

MissLauraPants · September 2014

I super dislike the chico nextfit. For safty it is awesome, for everything else it is not.

alimama33 · September 2014

Just bought and installed the britax marathon last week. It was a fairly simple install and ds seems to like it! Also I think they're still on sale at Target.

sooner1981 · September 2014

We have britax advocates (for after they outgrow the infant seat to about two) and then radian RXTs (starting around two until as long as possible rear-facing). I spent some formative years in Sweden and buy 100 percent into their philosophy of rear facing until 4 or so.

Unfortunately, I have mega-tall kiddos, so we may not be able to get all the way to four. But she still fits great into the RXT at over 2.5.

We love both car seats. I am a big believer in head wings for side impact protection, and also like the low sides of the RXT for older toddlers. She can open the door and climb into her car seat by herself, which makes my job easier with two kids so close in age!

Lee81 · September 2014

We have the Safety 1st Elite Air and for the most part, I like it. Rear facing limits are 40 pounds/40 inches, so it's comparable to most of the ones we compared. It was very easy to install in my car using the seatbelt (I don't have LATCH). I think dh had a harder time in his because he used the LATCH (shouldn't have bothered, I guess). It has head wing, it converts to a booster, she seems comfy in it, and I don't have a problem getting her in or out. The one thing I don't like is that it is very hard to tighten the straps. I have to pull with all my might for the to budge.

chelseyestelle · September 2014

Chicco nextfit.

dovetail223 · September 2014

sweettooth87 said:
Just a comment about the safety first alpha omega. It's one of the least recommended car seats by car seat technicians due to being extremely difficult to get a good install. https://csftl.org/the-alpha-omega-why-its-neither-the-first-nor-the-last-nor-the-elite-car-seat/ . Also, it's one of only TWO boosters (it converts down the line) one IIHS “not recommended” booster list.

Also, @dovetail223, it actually has pretty low RFing limits (35inches). Most now are 40, w/ the nextfit being 50.

I didn't have any issues installing it securely. Honestly, $250-400 was just not in our budget for car seats.

But I did have the safety first infant seat and it was one of the only more moderate priced ones that went to 35". That was where my height comment was based - but I wasn't clear in my previous post. So DD was able to stay in the infant car seat until 11 months. We just switched her over. And I was really happy with that car seat so I just stuck with the same brand.

Foutzie44 · September 2014

I can't say enough about how much I love my Diono radion rxt! Had a Britax for ds1, which I liked, but just love the ease and safety of Diono!

PinkDahLia44 · September 2014

Gosh, these 40" height limits are scaring me. I feel like he's already 32ish"...he'll be out of the rf by next year!!! X_X

Although I'm sure their growth slows dramatically. I just have no experience.

SweetCFly · September 2014

We have a NextFit in my car and a Diono Radian in DHs. Love them both, but there are qualities about each that are annoying too lol.

NextFit pros:
Easy install
Very compact
Long lasting RF
Cons:
Difficult to get baby in and out
Difficult to tighten straps (we have older 2nd generation)

Radian pros:
Easy to get baby in and out
Can fit 3 across
Baby likes it better
Cons:
More difficult install
Tall, takes up an INSANE amt of room
(We don't have an angle adjuster which I have heard helps but it is almost touching our seat backs in DHs Xterra- not small car- installed in center seat)

I am with @TaterTat3‌ ... Wish they had come out with those new Britax seats sooner!!!

txmom13 · September 2014

bkeane619 said:
I have an evenflo symphony dlx for O in my car an sure ride in DHs car. I'm thinking I might just go for the sure ride it's pretty easy to deal with.

We just installed the evenflo symphony dlx yesterday. I chose it based on the fact it can be used up to 110 pounds and it has the body temp fabric which should help in the Texas heat. We need to get a second one and I was just going to get another dlx... Do you feel like the sure ride is comparable @bkeane619‌ ?

bkeane619 · September 2014

txmom13 said:

bkeane619 said:
I have an evenflo symphony dlx for O in my car an sure ride in DHs car. I'm thinking I might just go for the sure ride it's pretty easy to deal with.
We just installed the evenflo symphony dlx yesterday. I chose it based on the fact it can be used up to 110 pounds and it has the body temp fabric which should help in the Texas heat. We need to get a second one and I was just going to get another dlx... Do you feel like the sure ride is comparable @bkeane619‌ ?

I just find it a pain to get O in and out of the car in the symphony. It also had to have like 3 or more towels under it to get level. Not sure how sure ride is rear facing because we got it when O was older. He doesn't seem to get hot in it. It doesn't have all the cushioning the symphony has but for a budget seat it seems like has a decent amount on the bottom to be comfortable for long trips compared to others.