Convertible Car Seats

Desiree - posted on 02/10/2009

I'm glad that somebody else finally has the same view as me about keeping their children rear facing as long as possible! Yes, it is more convenient to have a car seat forward facing, but it is more important that your child is safe. 

Thank you for your post. It really did help out a lot. I've been researching it forever now. 

Jena - posted on 02/10/2009

This was very informative and useful. Thanks!

Cynthia - posted on 02/08/2009

Hi Desiree,

I can relate, there's a lot of info our there. 

I did a TON of research on the convertible car seat including web reviews, Consumer Reports, and advice from moms.  I ended up choosing the Evenflo Triumph LX.  There is a DLX which has fancier fabric, but the is the ONLY difference and it was worth the cost savings to get the LX.  We got one on amazon.com with free shipping for $125 plus tax.  It arrived in under a week.  Not too bad considering you can pay over double that.  The LX goes to 50 lbs and is rear-facing to 35 lbs.  It seems that rear-facing is the safest and it's best to have them rear-facing as long as possible.  The only real review concern on this one is that many say the straps get twisted easier.  I did notice this today after my husband put Leopold in the carseat, but it's easily fixed, not a huge deal.  I found that no review of any carseat was free of some possible improvement.  I really like this carseat, it is VERY easy to adjust the straps - great for us in the winter because of snow suits, etc.  Leopold seems much more comfortable in this than the infant seat and it's nice for him to be higher up.  The main drawback is there's no sun shade, so we need to get some screens for the windows.

My second choice was the Britax Roundabout.  It costs over $100 more.  The fabrics are nicer.  I was concerned with reviews about a short crotch strap on these and there were reviews that said some little ones were able to undo the straps.  My guy is very inquisitive and smart, so I didn't want to take that chance.  My step-brother has that one, though, and hasn't had that problem with his little one who is now 1 1/2.  The Roundabout goes to 40 lbs.  The Britax Marathon was also on our short list (although just a bit lower rating from Consumer Reports) and it goes to 65 lb.    I almost bought this one despite the cost because it goes to 65 lbs.  However, my stepsister reminded me that they can go to a booster seat at 40 lbs and that most older kids don't want to be in a carseat anymore, so it seemed that the 50 lb limit of the Triumph was plenty.  

My stepsister has 2 of the Triumphs (for a 3.5 year old and a 1.5 year old) and is very happy with them. 

The bottom line is that all the seats sold pass safety ratings, so that's not a concern.  No seat is absolutely perfect, so you should decide what's more important.  And it appears that a lot of the cost difference is based on brand and fabric - cushier and more fashionable fabrics can bump the price up significantly.  My guy is comfy in what we've got, so we're very happy. 

A lot of folks also recommend taking your baby into a store where you can put him/her in the different models and see how you like them.  Also, you can see how they fit in your car.  We've got a Subaru Legacy hatchback and a Honda Accord sedan and the seat we have fits no problem.  Some of the Britax seats are supposed to be pretty big relative to others.

Good luck!

Cynthia