Car seat recommendation needed

[Sarahjinlee]

I would greatly appreciate any advice for our situation ...
We have a beautiful 8 month old. She's big for her age: about 19 pounds and 28 inches long.

We own a Subaru Forester 2001.

We are interested in purchasing an infant-to-toddler convertible seat for her. I am wondering what anyone would recommend and if there is one that would also be appropriate to take on the airplane when we travel at the end of the month.

Obviously, this is our first baby and we are trying to figure out car seats! We'd also like to know ... the airline that we are flying (Southwest) has said that the car seat should only be 16 inches wide, but most seats that I've seen are much wider ... am I misunderstanding something? This is all new to us, so I'd very much appreciate guidance. Thank you, Thank you!!

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

[Papooses]

1st make sure that your baby has at least 1" of space between the top of her head & the inside edge of her current carseat's plastic shell/frame. If not, then she needs a new seat immediately even if she hasn't yet reached the weight limit.

What is your budget?

• The Sunshine Kids Radian folds for travel & tethers RF, has nice low bottom harness slots + tall top slots. But it has installation issues in more vehicles than most seats so I'm not sure if it fits yours? Remember that seats cannot move more than 1" at the belt path when correctly installed. I suggest trying this seat out if it's available locally or at least make sure the online retailer has a good return/exchange policy just in case!

• The Britax Marathon/Decathalon/Boulevard also tethers RF & has good weight/height limits. These install correctly in most vehicles quite easily. For travel, you can use a GogoKidz to stroll kiddo around (or carry kiddo & put bags inside the carseat). GogoKidz can stay attached when installing the carseat on a plane, but it must be removed for installing in vehicles.

• Other easy to use, good fitting convertibles are the Cosco Scenera or Safety 1st Uptown. They're lighter for carrying & there may be a GogoKidz attachment for them as well? They have a higher RF weight limit than the Radian or Britaxes, but kiddo might not be mature enough for a booster once the seat is outgrown FF + it cannot be tethered RF. The Scenera is the least expensive option & the Uptown is so very similar except that it has the added energy absorbing foam (like Radian & Britax) as well as more comfort padding.

There are other choices, but Britax & the Scenera/Uptown are generally the easiest to use correctly. Britax & Radian keep kids harnessed longer to help make sure kids don't "graduate" into boosters until they're truly ready.

Subarus are known for having rather long seatbelt buckles (the "female" end in which the lap/shoulder portion clicks & on which is the release button). To help achieve proper install, you may need to twist the buckle, but it is only safe to do so up to 3 full turns. You might actually need a seatbelt extender. I strongly urge you to visit your local CPST when you decide on a seat so that they can make sure you've got it done correctly. 90% of carseats are misused, most with an average of 3 potentially fatal errors....

I just flew Southwest -- they were great about the carseat issue! They had a little checklist form & put a tag on the seat so that the attendants would know I was using it, not storing it.... I had the Cosco Apex for my 5 year old: a very wide seat & it fit just fine so long as 1 of the armrests were adjustable. They can make sure you've got adjustable armrests at the gate & move you if necessary

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.

	Sunshine Kids Radian 80 or 65 - Click for more info If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent. While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.

[Sarahjinlee]

Thank you so much!
I checked our daughter's measurements in her current seat and she is within the limit, lengthwise, but she won't be for long. Thank you for posting that warning!

Thanks also for mentioning that traveling Southwest went well. I was concerned and didn't want to buy a seat that would be too wide for the flight!

I will look into the seats you recommended! I was thinking about Britax already, so I will look into those since you mentioned them. Our budget isn't enormous but we will make sacrifices to get a quality, safe seat for our girl. Thanks so much for responding so quickly and helping people be wise in baby safety!

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

[Papooses]

You're welcome

If Britax is too costly, the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe is also an option: it's based on the Marathon, with the same shell/frame so it installs in most vehicles well.... It has a 55# FF weight limit instead of 65# but only obese kids reach 65# in the Marathon (most outgrow by height 1st) & it also cannot tether RF, nor does it have the built in lock offs -- neither of which are really necessary to achieve proper install, although they're nice added features.

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

[Sarahjinlee]

After reading your initial recommendation, I ended up ordering the Sunshine Kids Radian from elitecarseats.com. (I found that they have a link to this website on theirs!) Anyway, I expect the seat tomorrow and will let you know how it works in a Subaru Forester. If that doesn't work well, we will try the Fisher Price seat. We don't travel in the car every day or for very long at a time, so I don't think we'd need the luxury of the Britax ... we just want the best fit for safety!
Thanks again and I will let you know how the new seat works out for us!

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.

	Sunshine Kids Radian 80 or 65 - Click for more info If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent. While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.

[Papooses]

Best of luck! Feel free to call Sunshine Kids toll free customer service for help and/or your local tech

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.

[Sarahjinlee]

Finally catching up from traveling ... I want to thank you so much for your help. I felt pretty clueless when I started out!

We ended up taking the Sunshine Kids 65 seat to a local technician to have it installed. We put it in my Mom's Subaru Forester (2006) as that was the car that we ended up needing the seat for. (I had a different seat given as a gift for my car before the Sunshine Kids one arrived.) The tech had never installed that seat before but she seemed to do it without too much trouble. She showed us what to do in case we ever switch it into another car.

The only thing was that it didn't fit into the center seat very well. The tech said that Foresters have narrow center seats and she would get a better fit on the side. This made the front passenger seat area a tight squeeze for when it is rear facing.

I ordered the seat from elitecarseats.com and I think that is where I had found the link to this site. The ordering experience went very well.

Thanks again!

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.

[Papooses]

So glad to hear it worked out for you! Thanks for sharing