Let's talk convertible carseats.

jcwinsto · August 2014

Are you using one yet? What kind and why did you pick it? What stores will let you try them out? We will have to plan a special trip to a big city to be able to do this. We are 3 hours from the nearest BRU or BBB or any store really. I would like to be able to get a deal on a seat to make it under $200 since I want to buy 2. I figure I can come up with a coupon for either store if I can't find a better deal online. If you know of any other deals please let me know.

I was looking at the Evenflo Symphony DLX on Overstock but the reviews on Amazon say they push the head fairly far forward and with H already having a helmet this just doesn't sound like a good combo. I like the look of the Graco 4ever but not the $$$$ price tag. I'd really like something that will last until the backless booster stage though.

Suggestions?

kiki1978 · August 2014

We are planning on getting the Britax Marathon G4. It had good ratings and isn't too expensive on Amazon (since we will get 2).

jcwinsto · August 2014

@itsmeally I've been looking at that sight over and over! I don't really have a problem with any of the seats over $180 or so. They all meet the safety standards I'm after. It's mostly that I want first hand advice from you guys. I don't really know which stores have the best selection in store and will let you try them in your car. Would you suggest BRU or BBB or elsewhere?

MissMeegs · August 2014

We picked up a Graco Headwise 70 at Target-- we are very close to breaking it out because lugging the infant seat around is getting to be way too hard!

If I'm being honest the only reason we chose that one is that it was on Clearance because the color was being discontinued. It's a $200 seat and between clearance and the sale that was going on we paid $75. Sweeeet. I hope we end up liking it!

NenaMarie84 · August 2014

We just switched a few weeks ago. We went with an Evenflo Triumph based on safety ratings and price. It is a fairly bulky seat but IMO most are. LO seems to be comfy in it and sits comfortably so we are happy with it. Only downside is it takes up a lot of room in our corolla.

amt0312 · August 2014

dumb question: Is there a reason why people don't just leave the infant car seat in the car in its base rather than lugging it out all the time? That's what we've been doing and it seems to work fine. DD is on the small side, so we won't switch probably until baby #2 comes along in February.

BABYROSEJEANS17 · August 2014

We have The First Years True Fit C680 Convertible Car seat. I never saw the sense to get the infant car seat if I'm just going to have to get a convertible anyway. I like it and I've never minded taking DS in/out of the car seat. My cousin got it for me from Diapers.com and if she made a certain dollar purchase she also got a discount. So she spent a little over $150 when this car seat is usually $220. Good luck!

somewierd_person · August 2014

I was gifted a brand new britax advocate we just switched last week. He falls asleep again so fast and his big head isn't flopping all over anymore. Downside my elantra is too small to comfortably accommodate this and the eventual reuse of his carrier seat for the eventual baby #2.

sugarland726 · August 2014

NenaMarie84 said:

We just switched a few weeks ago. We went with an Evenflo Triumph based on safety ratings and price. It is a fairly bulky seat but IMO most are. LO seems to be comfy in it and sits comfortably so we are happy with it. Only downside is it takes up a lot of room in our corolla.

We also have an Evenflo Triumph from DD that DS will go into. We also have a Corolla. Are you living my life @NenaMArie84?

Anyways, we love it. It is a big seat, but I adore the infinity straps which make moving the straps up as he grows a breeze. I love the tightening system too. I love the price tag too.

@jcwinsto, it is highly unlikely that you will find a seat that excels at being a RF convertible, FF convertible, 5 point harness, high back booster, and a no back booster (which are all the stages children will go through before they don't need a car seat anymore). Also, most will expire before LO gets to the minimum age requirements for the NBB. With the exception of the Graco 4ever (I think that's the name?) I have not seen any recommended seat by the CSFTL group to do all those stages. The good news is that HBB and NBB are significantly cheaper than convertibles, so if you need to buy one separately it will not break the bank. When I think of trying to find a car seat that works for all stages I am reminded of the old adage "Jack of all trades, master of none."

NenaMarie84 · August 2014

@sugarland726‌ I guess great minds think alike?

MrsW062610 · August 2014

I have a Corolla as well so it's nice to know that the Evenflo Triumph fits in it.

I know in a previous thread somebody had the Graco Smart Seat which I was looking into. Reviews??

sugarland726 · August 2014

MrsW062610 said:

I have a Corolla as well so it's nice to know that the Evenflo Triumph fits in it.
I know in a previous thread somebody had the Graco Smart Seat which I was looking into. Reviews??

It's not recommended. It's supposed to be huge and a bear to install. There are other, better options within Graco or among other brands in that particular price point.

JennaRaek · August 2014

We got the Graco Contender 65 Convertible from WalMart for about $160. I love it and DS seems to be more comfortable than he was in his infant carrier. It's really light and installs very easily. I switched from the infant carrier because he was getting to heavy for my pregnant self with a bad back to carry. We just left it in the car for a while, but when little girl gets here in a few months we're going to need it for her. Figured we'd just get it now before we had a bunch of expenses for her.

jcwinsto · August 2014

@amt0312 I do usually leave the bucket in the car. I'm just getting a jump start on finding a seat. He's got room to grow in the bucket but we live so far from anywhere other than Walmart that we have to plan a special trip to go try out seats.

@sugarland726 I was looking at the Graco 4ever but it is expensive. I'd be happy with a seat that just does RF, FF, and HBB. I figure backless boosters are cheap so it won't hurt to buy those later.

Thanks for all the suggestions you guys! I think I'm just over thinking it. I do so much better when I can actually look at something in front of me. Time to hit the stores!

TheGreatBeyond · August 2014

When I went back to work we got a convertible carseat for the second car instead of spending the money on a second base. We got the Graco Fit4me 65 from Walmart because we also have no other options nearby. The same seat is sold under slightly different names at BRU and BBB.

Pros:
- Once installed it didn't take up any more space than the infant bucket seat which was important with a small car
- Changing height for shoulder straps is very easy
- Price

Cons:
- I read complaints about the difficulty of adjusting straps while rear facing and completely agree. You have to pull the slack on the straps from the back of the seat and then pull the adjusting strap at the feet. I'm not sure how this will work when she's eventually forward facing.

We are now looking for a second convertible to replace the infant seat and will most likely be choosing a different car seat.

Hope this helps!

TheGreatBeyond · August 2014

BRU did let us take car seats out and try them in the car when we were at the one 2 hours away starting the registry. We had to give our drivers license and could only take one seat per license.

blue_elle · August 2014

Can your lo's see anything in the convertibles? I was debating picking one up before we do a 13 hour trip, but I don't want him to feel like he has blinders on.

Roses87 · August 2014

Great post! This has been on my mind lately. We have a peg perego infant car seat and arent thrilled with it. So I am thinking we will get a different brand. I just don't know which way to go quite yet. I am thinking this fall we will make the switch. So this is definitely something I need to figure out soon.

Mandii385 · August 2014

I bought the chicco nextfit for my car (she's primarily in my car) and an Eddie Bauer convertable car seat for compact cars for my hubby's car. DD loves both, but especially the chicco it's very soft and squishy with lots of padding and it has 9 different incline/recline levels and the seat comes in a bunch of different colors

JennaRaek · August 2014

blue_elle said:

Can your lo's see anything in the convertibles? I was debating picking one up before we do a 13 hour trip, but I don't want him to feel like he has blinders on.

Logan LOVES to look out the windows. He can see out of his Graco Contender 65 Convertible. I got him a mirror so he can see us up front too. He loves to watch everything. With his mirror he was able to watch the movie we watched on the way to the beach too.

jcwinsto · August 2014

@beermelulu How are the recline features on the Graco you have? At the moment we need to recline H a bit more since he's wearing the helmet. It pushes his head forward and he was ending up sleeping with his head on his chest. This is a pretty important feature for me since he still falls asleep for a lot of our rides. Coming home from daycare he always seems to need a nap!

TheBorg7of9 · August 2014

Check out a website called car seats for the littles.

bethughknee · September 2014

Heyooooooh almost month old thread. This is what happens when you never login on TB. @itsmeally I ordered a Britax Boulevard during the Amazon Britax sale in July but that was before I had really started researching convertible seats. I figured I was happy with my Britax B-Safe why not get a Britax convertible.

Turns out, Britax seats are more likely to be grown out of in the height dept for rear facing a little faster. I want to RF as long as possible so we ended up returning it and I got the Graco 4Ever at BRU during their safety sale. I got a free video monitor to keep at my parents' house, too. We used the 4Ever last weekend for a trip OOT and I really like it. Easy install, comfy for LO, and it doesn't take up much room, which is great. IDK how I will clean 10 years worth of stains off of it and make it last through the BPB and NBB phases but I will cross those bridges when I get there. With coupons and the rebate, I still got the seat cheaper than I did the Boulevard and it will RF longer, and is recommended by CSFTL. Money well spent. :-bd

jcwinsto · September 2014

In the spirit of resurrecting an old thread I have info to add! I've decided on the Graco 4ever's. I joined the Carseat Deals facebook page. Right now there is a 20% off coupon for one item at BRU. Some stores will allow you to print 2 coupons and use for 2 seats, apply for a CC and get 15% off, and then 10% for multiple purchase of the same item. If you can get your local BRU to honor this you can get the 4ever for about $159.

Let's talk convertible carseats.

Re: Let's talk convertible carseats.

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