Britax Diplomat or Evenflo Triumph

[lizzard]

We are trying to decide on a new carseat for 10 m.o. DD. We are between the Britax Diplomat and the Evenflo Triumph right now. We need it to fit in my 1998 Toyota Corolla. Any suggestions?

TIA!

	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.

	Britax Diplomat - Click for more info The Britax Diplomat convertible car seat is a smaller version of the Britax Boulevard. It offers the same general features and Side Impact Protection as the deluxe Britax Boulevard convertible seat, but with a lower max weight capacity, seat height, and seat width than the Boulevard. The Diplomat provides top notch Britax safety and comfort for your child, even in the back of a 'lil Mini Cooper.

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[SusanMae]

Both are great seats. The Evenflo one will get you more use in the long run.

As for fit---head over to your local BRU or TRU and see if they have them and if they'll fit in your car RF. They'll be RF for good long time hopefully!

Susan

	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.

[MnMadhouse]

If you are looking at the Evenflo Triumph ADVANCE, you will get more use out of it than the Diplomat. Both seats will Rear face to 35lbs, but the Diplomat will only FF to 40lbs whereas the Advance will harness to 50lbs.

Have you thought about any of these seats?

1--Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathlon. All these seats will RF to 33lbs (as of 12/31/07, they are going to RF to 35lbs) and then FF, IN A HARNESS to 65lbs. These seats run $200-$300. There are small differences between them. The Marathon is the basic model of the 65lb convertibles with a lift lever harness release--with quite a few different covers to choose from! The Boulevard has "wings" called True Side Impact Protection. It also has a harness adjustor that will move the harness without having to uninstall the seat. It is about 1/2" shorter than the Marathon and the Decathlon. The Decathlon has extra padding--the infant insert--and a push button harness release. Britax : Safe for a reason

2--Evenflo Triumph ADVANCE--harness to 35lbs RFing and 50lbs FFing. It has the infinite harness adjustor (no slots), so you can easily lift two red tabs and move them. This seat runs $129-$149, depending on which model. The higher end model, the DLX, has more padding. Toys"R"Us/Babies"R"Us

3--Compass TrueFit---BRAND NEW and will be released Jan 15. It will RF to 33lbs (with the headrest on and 22lbs without the headrest on) and FF to 65lbs. Not a lot of information out on this seat, but I anticipate it to be a really nice one! Runs about $179-$189. They have several covers available. Amazon.com: Compass True Fit Convertible Car Seat...
4--Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe--Made by Britax, but has been discontinued due to low sales, so you will likely get an older date of manufacture. Harness to 33lbs RF and 55lbs FF. The only place I have seen it is at this website runs $129. It just doesn't have all the 'bells and whistles' that the Britax seats have. Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible Car Seat in Black

5--Sunshine Kids Radian 65 or 80--These seats will RF to 33lbs and FF to either 65lbs or 80lbs, depending on the seat. These are the narrowest seats on the market, but have the highest incompatability with vehicles due to the low FF belt path. Runs $180-$300. Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products

6--Recaro Signo or Como--RF to 35lbs and FF to 70lbs. These seats come in a variety of microfiber covers. They have true side impact protection, but the Como is VERY oddly shaped. The shoulder area is 9" of space and the butt area is 11" of space, so unless you have a tall beanpole, this seat may be awkward for some children. I haven't played with the Signo, so I don't know the measurements off the top of my head. They are supposed to go to 59 or 60" tall---I dont' see it. Runs $250. .: RECARO :.

	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.

	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.

	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.

	Britax Decathlon - Click for more info Like its predecessors the Britax Roundabout and the Britax Marathon, the Britax Decathlon is built around two core ideals: safety and comfort. Its easy to see that the Decathlon is comfortable: it's loaded with a 3-position crotch strap, patented HUGS harness system, plush (and washable!) seat cover, belly pad, removable toddler head pillow, and an infant positioning system for newborn babies. These features provide a comfortable, adjustable fit as your child grows - all the way from 5 to 65 pounds.

	Britax Diplomat - Click for more info The Britax Diplomat convertible car seat is a smaller version of the Britax Boulevard. It offers the same general features and Side Impact Protection as the deluxe Britax Boulevard convertible seat, but with a lower max weight capacity, seat height, and seat width than the Boulevard. The Diplomat provides top notch Britax safety and comfort for your child, even in the back of a 'lil Mini Cooper.

	RECARO - Click for more info With over 100 years of company history and long standing experience in vehicle seat construction RECARO knows how to make long journeys a pleasure for the whole family. Materials, design and technical highlights ensure a pleasant journey for adults and children alike. RECARO uses its strength as the premier mobile seat manufacturer to engineer an innovative line of products for your children. No other manufacturer can apply experience from production vehicles, commercial vehicles, and race cars to design toward the comfort and safety of children.

	the First Years formerly Compass - Click for more info Compass was founded by a group of fathers who had spent years in the corporate world developing child care products. Disillusioned with the slew of problems that come with working for a giant conglomerate, this group set out the make their own mark on the child care industry in 2003. Compass' first innovative booster seat, the B500, started shipping in January of 2004. This was the first foldable belt-positioning booster on the market, and its design was so praised by the industry that Compass received a Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (JPMA) Innovation Award 5 months after its release. The great minds at Compass have now taken the next step with their success by releasing some fantastic infant car seats and compatible strollers, all of which are designed with the same innovative simplicity that make Compass Boosters such a sought after product. No longer just "The Booster People", Compass is making a serious run at the competition by offering the I-410 and I-420 Infant Car Seats , as well as the Magnesium S330 Stroller and Magnesium T730 Travel System.

	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.

	RECARO Como - Click for more info The RECARO Como convertible car seat is an excellent choice for parents who want a high quality, long lasting car seat for their growing child. Thanks to its 5-70 lbs weight capacity, forward or rear-facing convertibility, and adjustable harness and headrest, the RECARO Como may be the only carseat you will ever need. The Como convertible child seat is a safe and comfortable seat that features RECARO Side Impact Protection (SIP), plush microfiber fabrics, and a thick adjustable headrest.

	RECARO Signo - Click for more info The RECARO Signo car seat is the premier convertible child seat RECARO produces. With its 5-70 lbs weight capacity, adjustable harness, and forward or rear-facing convertibility, the deluxe RECARO Signo may be the only car seat you will ever need. The Signo offers the same basic features and specifications as the RECARO Como convertible, but adds a few features - such as double wall head support and infinite harness adjustment settings.

[lizzard]

I have thought about the bigger Britax seats, but I'm not sure they are going to fit well in my car. As it is, we have a Peg Perego for DD. It is a very tight squeeze and doesn't work at all if my husband tries to drive. He has to move the seat back so far that her car seat ends up being lifted up off the seat.

I just want something that will fit well in my car and will be safe. I know that there are other seats that we could use longer, but we are planning on having more kids and we figure that by the time we would reach the 40-50lb limit, we would probably have a new kid ready to move into that seat. Buying a booster later isn't a big deal.

Thanks!

	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.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

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	Peg Perego - Click for more info Founded by Italian designer Guiseppe Pérego all the way back in 1949, Peg Pérego quickly branched out from traditional prams to strollers, high chairs, car seats, toys and accessories. Internationally renowned for innovative products and a supreme sense of style, Peg Pérego creates some of the most enjoyable and eye-catching transportation and safety options for children all over the world. With factories and offices in Italy, Germany, Canada, and the U.S., Peg Pérego is a truly international entity, blending technology and history to create lines that are reputable and safe. Peg Pérego professes a "dedication to original and innovative products designed for discriminating consumers who demand fashion, individuality, quality and safety in the products they purchase for their babies and young."

[JPS911]

Having just gone through all sorts of hell trying to figure out a seat to fit my Celica convertible, your only real option is to try them both out.

I read up on installation, including watching some videos (people actually sit or stand on the seats as they install them to get them snug enough, which I never realized). I was CONVINCED the Radian was going to fit. I took my car to Albee Baby (Manhattan) and parked out front for 2-3 hours while I went back and forth trying seats. The Radian was cool in that it folded, had a steel alloy frame, and fit to 80 lbs. But it didn't fit rear facing AT ALL in my car.

I ended up picking (delivered tomorrow, so will have to verify the install) the Britax Diplomat. I started by fitting the Boulevard, and when I discoverd to my VERY GREAT SURPRISE that it fit, also tried the Diplomat for the side impact protection. Ironically, I had tried to fit the Diplomat a couple of months ago before I had done any research at all, but didn't understand how seats were installed so I thought it didn't fit.

I would never have bet in a million years it turned out the way it did. You can only try them out. Each seat reclines differently, which is especially important in rear facing. Luckily my wife is short and she can ride with the passenger seat all the way forward, so there is room. Otherwise I'm not sure what we would have ended up doing.

	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.

	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.

	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.

	Britax Diplomat - Click for more info The Britax Diplomat convertible car seat is a smaller version of the Britax Boulevard. It offers the same general features and Side Impact Protection as the deluxe Britax Boulevard convertible seat, but with a lower max weight capacity, seat height, and seat width than the Boulevard. The Diplomat provides top notch Britax safety and comfort for your child, even in the back of a 'lil Mini Cooper.

	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.