# Are Britax carseats really all that?



## srain (Nov 26, 2001)

Does research exist that demonstrates that Britax carseats perform better than other correctly-used carseats of the same style? I understand that they have harnessed carseats for older kids, which is an obvious safety improvement, but is there real research showing that they're a better choice for smaller kids too?


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

i believe so yes... besides that i truly believe they are the most cost efficient. With dd1 we bought an infant seat, a convertible seat that sucked (alpha omega), and a 5 point harness booster (evenflo comet, she is in this now). Unfortunately i think we are going to have to get her yet another carseat because most 5 point harness boosters (including hers) only harness to 40 lbs. My dd is 4.5 and 38 lbs but is completely not ready for just a seat belt and booster... she still needs a harness. So I have to find a carseat that will harness her for another year









I bought dd2 (13 months) a britax marathon and that is the only seat we have purchased for her. Just for kicks I let my dd1 get into it and she still has one more height slot to go. If I had just gotten her the britax as an infant instead of all the other seats that would have truly been the only seat she needed until a seatbelt booster.


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## Spring Sun (Jul 30, 2005)

I also have a Britax and am interested in hearing more...


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

I just aquired a used Britax so I'm interested in what people say. While we're at it, can someone please tell me the correct way to pronounce Britax? I just can't find a way to say it that sounds right.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I've heard that the correct pronuciation is brI-tax with a long I. As in Brian drop the an and add tax.

Among other safety issues, britax (companion, wizard and decathalon) are some of the only seats on the market with side impact protection. There may be one or two others....

-Angela


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

I prefer Britax because I feel as a company they are committed to my child's safety. I had a Graco car seat for DD when she was an infant and during the time I was using that they had a recall becuase they *forgot* to put an essential piece on thousands of the seats - mine wasn't missing it, but it made me look closer as Graco as a company - I added myself to the CPSC list and saw the announcements that said Graco was being fined millions of dollars because they failed to reveal problems with their products, etc.

Britax has had a recall on the Marathon child seat which is what I have - they sent us a new adjuster strap because in a small number of seats the old strap might let the child slip millimeters beyond the allowed amount - they determined this through further testing, which tells me they have a continued commitment to my child's safety even after I've purchased the seat.

But you originally asked about data - If you look at consumer reports - the Britax Companion (the infant seat) is the highest rated infant seat and the Britax Roundabout is their second highest rated Convertible seat.


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## kerc (May 9, 2002)

i have zero research on the issue. my own personal experience and your mileage may vary:

I own a graco bucket-style infant carseat. The straps are forever getting twisted within the chest clip. I have to consistently untangle them and readjust said straps. The car seat clinic person told me for the seat to be fastened correctly the straps can't be twisted or bunched up.

I own two britax seats (roundabout and some other forward only version of the roundabout for our second car). I have had to untangle the straps on my britax seats a grand total of one time in the 2+ years I have owned them. My child is in and out of my car probably 2 times a day. That would likely be 700+ times I would have either had to say "screw it" and buckle the twisted straps or untwisted the straps had I bought the same graco brand. My own personal feeling is spending an extra 50 bucks on each seat (I bought my seats on super sale) averaged over at least 3 years: $50/900 days averages out to about 5 cents extra per day. I feel 5 cents is worth it.

I did not replace my graco infant seat for dd2 as I felt the payoff wasn't as great and the britax seat was just too darn big for me to even consider carrying to/from the house. I live in northern minnesota, carrying the baby in and out in the seat is important to me.


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

I would say "Yes, definatly!"

They are much easier to install (in seconds really). And very easy to use. We were recently given a carseat for this new baby, and it was brand new in the box. Dh and I took it out and tried to figure it out. Lets just say it wasn't pretty, and it involved a LOT of swearing. I kept saying over and over, "OMG, my Britax is NOTHING compared to this!" The other carseat got returned, as we do plan on getting another Britax Marathon.

We bought our first one when my dd was a year old. She rode rearfacing it in for close to another year. (and could STILL ride rearfacing, which is far safer than forward facing) She is now getting close to 3 years old, and has more than enough room to grow in it. Her sister is 7 years old, and still fits well within both height and weight restrictions for it. (and she says it really comfortable!







)

They say that once you go with a Britax, you can't settle for anything less and I'd have to agree. They are cozy, cute (awesome patterns and colors), and very user friendly. Built in lock offs. Straps that don't twist. Velcro to hold the straps in place. Very soft, plush padding that you can remove quickly and WASH in the washing machine. Not all carseat covers are washable. (the new one wasn't







) I can't imagine having to spot clean a carseat. An adjuster strap that is easily located so you can tighten quickly.

All in all, I love mine! They also are really really sturdy. Compared to other seats they are very heavy, but its a good feeling for a carseat I think.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

All car seats must pass the same safety tests, so all car seats are safe provided they are appropriate for the child's age and size and are installed and used correctly. Car seat manufacturers are responsible for their own testing and very few, if any, release there figures. Britax do not, so we don't have much to go on.

What sets Britax and some other car seat manufacturers apart is their ease of use features. Britax has built-in lock-offs, easier to use LATCH connectors, EPS foam, non-twist straps and higher weight limits that make their seats easier to use correctly every time, then they may well have an edge over competitors. Britax also have seats that have side impact protection and have been tested for side impacts. The new SafeGuard seat manufactured by IMMI also has these features and has been more forthcoming with their research results. They even have their crash test videos on their website:

http://www.safeguardseat.com/child/index.htm

All car seats do a wonderful job at protecting babies and children. Children that are killed in crashes are more than likely not in a car seat or in an inappropriately used car seat. Of course there are some crashes that are just not survivable whatever car seat a child is in Britax or not.

So the answer to your question is no, there is no research that shows Britax perform better for smaller kids or any kid for that matter.

FWIW, here is my best practice:

RF for as long as possible, ideally until two years old, three or four even better:

http://kpho.static.worldnow.com/imag...safetyseat.pdf

Page 5 is quite compelling...it really shows that every step UP in car seats is a step DOWN in safety. So if you all ever feel we car seat geeks are harping on about RF being so important or not putting kids in boosters till at least age 5+, well, at least there is proof now>

Of course, this study only shows rearfacing and booster seats, not forward harnessed seats...but taken together with this study from Australia, which finds top tethering to be a huge safety advantage in harnessed FF seats, I think we can put together a pretty good 'best practice' scenario for all our children:

http://www.aaa.asn.au/issinfo/crs_ef...eness_13pg.pdf

1. Rearface to the limits of a good convertible seat (at least 30 pounds, depending on the seat, and top of head roughly even with the top of the seat shell... should be age 2-3 for most kids)

2. Harness to the limits of a forward facing seat (40-80 pounds, depending on the seat, shoulders not above the top slots, ideally seats with short slots (14-15 inches) should be replaced with taller seat (17-20 inches) for kids younger than 5).

3. A good highback booster (why highback? They reduce head injury by 70% in side impact crashes compared to no-back boosters http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-htb090905.php) until the child is too tall or heavy (57-60 inches, 80-100 pounds, depending on the seat, usually at least age 10-12 before a child fits properly in an adult seatbelt, depending on the car and the child).

4. Sitting in back till at least age 13, preferably older, because airbags are hazardous to kids throughout the early teens http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice/n...bag%20Injuries


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## shelbean91 (May 11, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uccomama*
easier to use LATCH connectors,

How do LATCH connectors vary? Mine just have 2 clips that attach to the carseat, and one behind the seat? How does that from seat to seat?


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## miziki (Mar 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uccomama*
The new http://www.safeguardseat.com seat manufactured by IMMI also has these features and has been more forthcoming with their research results. They even have their crash test videos on their website: http://www.safeguardseat.com/child/index.htm

Ah, we are currently in the thick of the "Choosing A Car Seat" Dilemma since DD (38" tall & 34 lbs @ 34 months old) is very close to outgrowing her Britax Advantage (maxes out at 40 lbs) which has served us *very* well up to this point. She's been in this seat since birth! We've decided to move DD to a ff harnessed seat w/ a higher weight limit (we were choosing between the Britax Boulevard and the Safeguard seat), which means rf wee-babe(due this week!!!) will be on the driver or passenger side, so don't I want something with better side impact protection than our Advantage offers for the newborn? Or am I just being uber-pregnantly paranoid?

For DD, we finally chose Safeguard over Britax because we found a sale today ($50 bucks off the Safeguard seat for the next 2 days through Jan 5, 2005 -- promo code "12DAYS") AND because I'm hoping the Safeguard is more comfortable for her long legs (we're tall monkey-folk) than the Britax. Aggggh, it feels like there are so many things to take into account, esp. now that we will have a newborn AND a tall toddler!

Sorry, getting off track here... so is Britax really the best? All I can say is that DH and I are big fans of the nicer side impact protection, and Britax seems like one of the few makers that offers this. In fact, I am hesitant to pass down our Britax Advantage (last seat they made before Wizard came out w/ SIP) to our newborn because I'd rather have one of the Britax seats WITH side impact protection - like the Boulevard or the infant Companion.

Begging uccomama or dallaschildren or any other CPS tech mamas out there... HELP!









I know CPS techs can't recommend a specific seat, but is there any info/opinion/data on the safety of infant car seats vs convertible car seats for newborns/infants? When dd was born, she was long 21" and 8 lb 5 oz, and so I'm thinking babe #2 will likely be long and a minimum of 7 lbs but wouldn't be surprised to have a 9+ lb-er either... Do you think it's worth it, safety wise, to have an infant car seat (we're looking at Companion or Compass I-400 ) rather than starting immediately into a convertible seat (we're looking at Boulevard )?

Can you tell that this very, VERY pregnant mama's nesting urges are likely taking the form of obsessing over car seats?







Should probably go off and start a new thread for that infant vs convertible seat question...


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

some seats are just better than others. The britax latch connectors are kind of like seat belts... they have a slot and they click, then a button that releases them. My dd1s booster on the other hand just has hard metal hook/clip things... the britax are MUCH easier.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I agree that once you use a britax, nothing less will do







I think they are really well made and seem comfortable. Like a pp said all car seats have to pass the same safety tests but the biggest mistake is how they are installed. Britax makes it very easy to get a good tight fit in the car and a snug safe harness around your precious child. With three kids I've used over 10 different car seats and none compare with Britax. It is well worth the extra money IMO. Some of their seats have side impact protection and all but the companion and roundabout have high weight limits.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shelbean91*
How do LATCH connectors vary? Mine just have 2 clips that attach to the carseat, and one behind the seat? How does that from seat to seat?

In my experience, Britax latch system is really easy to use, my mom has a graco and evenflo in her car and the latch is not even comparable. The hooks are much harder to attach and you have to really adjust the strap to get it tight, also it's hard to unlatch them.. both are easier to install with the seatbelts.


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## shelbean91 (May 11, 2002)

I don't really understand, but I think I'll take a peek at a Britax next time I see one in person- I'm sure I'll get it then. All of the LATCH seats I've had have been almost identical as far as connecting into the car.


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shelbean91*
I don't really understand, but I think I'll take a peek at a Britax next time I see one in person- I'm sure I'll get it then. All of the LATCH seats I've had have been almost identical as far as connecting into the car.

I found some pics....

for example my dds booster seat has the latch clips on the far right of this picture:
http://www.pbase.com/carseat/image/2495807

The britax latch clips look like this:
http://www.pbase.com/image/13343391/large


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## shelbean91 (May 11, 2002)

Oh, now I get it. Thanks for the picture. So, instead of fishing around for the hook in the seat, you just need to line it up. That is a nice feature.

Ours are like the ones in your first link. I don't find them terribly difficult (loosen it up first to get out, put my knee in the seat and pull to put them in), but dh has a VERY hard time getting them in and out.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

I know they are better in regards to side-impact crashes. The side area around the childs head is made of the same thing that motorcycle helmets are made of. The other car seats we looked at did not have this.

I have heard that they are safer because they conform to European standards, which are more strict than ours. But I don't know if that's true.


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Yes, the Britax seats are so much easier to use correctly EVERY TIME, which is key, that IMO they are worth it. We have used a number of seats between our cars and relatives' cars--Graco, Evenflo, Century, and Britax. It is possible to properly install and harness the child for maximum safety in any of them, but it's more difficult to do so particularly in the Graco seats we've used. "Twisting straps" sounds like such a minor thing--just untwist them, right? But picture yourself leaning into the car to buckle in your child...it's after dark on a cold night, you're shivering, freezing rain is falling on your butt sticking out of the car door, the stupid strap is all twisted up, you can't get it untwisted with your gloves on so you have to take off your gloves and now you're REALLY cold, and now your kid is screaming that he wants to DO IT HIMSELF and is trying to get the still-twisted strap out of your hands while bucking and writhing in the seat...you start to rationalize to yourself that it's not a very long trip back home and the strap is PROBABLY tight enough even if it's twisted a little









It is WORTH IT to get a car seat that can be rapidly, easily buckled up every time. The Britax we have is SO EASY to loosen or tighten the harness, so much easier than the other seats. So if DS is wearing a sweater in the morning, but takes it off later in the day, I can tighten up the harness appropriately every single time he gets in the car. It is so much harder in the other seats we've used to loosen/tighten the harness that, while I am vigilant about it, I know DH only does it sometimes, and the other relatives who transport my son and his cousins don't pay the least bit of attention to it, unfortunately.


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## Jilian (Jun 16, 2003)

I bought a Britax Marathon a few months ago and really like it. I started using the evenflow bucket when DS was a baby, then went to a Cosco Alpha Omega (which we returned because we didn't like it), then to a Triumph, then to a Marathon when DS outgrew the Triumph. I was put off by the price of the Britax to begin with, now $380 later I'm wishing I had just bought a Marathon w/ a newborn insert to begin with! Oh well, live and learn I guess.

The Britax Marathon has been the most "user friendly" car seat I've owned. The LATCH connectors are easier to use, the harness strap adjuster is very easy to use, and the recline is way easier to use than any other car seat I've owned. I also like that it is easy to tighten the LATCH straps, and I can do it on my own, with other car seats I would need help because I could never get it tight enough myself.

I'm a big fan of Britax now, I can't see myself ever buying another brand of carseat now.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

It is my understanding that the research shows that there are other carseats which test equivalently in the "safety" rating, but fall behind in "ease of use"
This is why we purchased our Evenflo Triumph. It had the exact same safety rating but was slightly lower in Ease of use.
We have found the Triumphs to be incredibly easy to use after our previous carseats though , so much so that it is hard to imagine seats which are easier. (but I do believe that they exist I am sure)
This seat is rated from birth to 40 lbs and costs half as much as a britax.
Since it is a convertible seat we avoided the cost of infant seats altogether.
The only way I can see the price advantage of Britax is if I made the commitment to keep my child in a 5pt harness until 65 lbs.
I for one am not really convinced. My 3 1/2 year old still fits in the triumph just fine. I Imagine he will be older than 4 when he reaches 40 lbs and goes into a booster. I am satisfied with my child using a booster after 40 lbs, but that is just me. If I was not. One Britax from birth would have saved money I am sure.
Joline


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## dharmamama (Sep 19, 2004)

Yes, they are.

When we were buying a seat for my daughter, we did research and generated a list of all the safety features we were looking for. Only Britax had them all.

The seat has been extremely comfortable for Ramona and very easy for us to use.

We were given a seat for Efram. It's not a Britax.

It's NOT a Britax.

Namaste!


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## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

We also got the Triumpth because it was ranked second in safety for convertible seats, but much less money than the Britax. Johub, did you not find the Triumph difficult to tighten while rear-facing? In both of our cars the knob is nearly wedged in the seat and it is very difficult to tighten. We had one ff in each car for my toddler, and now that my baby is out of the infant seat (we had the Graco snugride and I liked it pretty well) and in the triumpth too, we have the two in one car. But I hate tightening it so much while it's rear-facing, I want to get another carseat for him. I can't afford it really, but I feel like it would be worth it anyway because I'm not always confident that it's tight enough, and he's going to be rear-facing for a long time yet.

Can I ask without hijacking the thread which convertible seat some of you would recommend for a baby who is in a convertible but is still just 20-21 pounds? Are the larger weight max seats as safe for smaller babies? I don't want to get the Roundabout or another seat that is just a 40 lb max, because I have that already, I just hate it. If I'm going to get another, I want it to last longer.


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hazelnut*
We also got the Triumpth because it was ranked second in safety for convertible seats, but much less money than the Britax. Johub, did you not find the Triumph difficult to tighten while rear-facing? In both of our cars the knob is nearly wedged in the seat and it is very difficult to tighten. We had one ff in each car for my toddler, and now that my baby is out of the infant seat (we had the Graco snugride and I liked it pretty well) and in the triumpth too, we have the two in one car. But I hate tightening it so much while it's rear-facing, I want to get another carseat for him. I can't afford it really, but I feel like it would be worth it anyway because I'm not always confident that it's tight enough, and he's going to be rear-facing for a long time yet.

Can I ask without hijacking the thread which convertible seat some of you would recommend for a baby who is in a convertible but is still just 20-21 pounds? Are the larger weight max seats as safe for smaller babies? I don't want to get the Roundabout or another seat that is just a 40 lb max, because I have that already, I just hate it. If I'm going to get another, I want it to last longer.

i would get a marathon







DD has been in hers from about 15 lbs... would have been fine in it from birth but I had an infant seat from older dd so we used it for convenience.


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## Kirsten (Mar 19, 2002)

We bought two Britax Wizards (for dd2 and dd3). FABULOUS car seats!!!! Love the side impact protection - not just for what it was made for but also because it keeps their heads from hanging down when they fall asleep!!!!!!! Best thing ever!

I don't have any research links but have used other brands and now Britax. I'd never buy anything but Britax again. It is like slamming the door on a Geo Metro, then slamming the door on a Volvo. You just can feel the difference (no offense to Metro owners! My good friend had one that got us all over the place in college)

IMO Britax (I agree with previous poster on pronounciation - Br-eye-tax) is well worth the money. One of ours was a gift from MIL - she asked what to get the baby and we had so many toys and all the girl clothes (this was dd3) so I asked for the car seat. Much better than more toys to clutter up the place!


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## happymomma (Jun 27, 2004)

From what I understand Britax and Evenflo Triumph are both rated the same except the Evenflo was rated higher in one area and Britax a little higher in ease of use. We were in a terrible head on accident when ds2 was 6 months old. A suburban hit the driver side and his passenger side door when we were each going about 50mph. It knocked my dh unconscious. My ds was right behind him in the Triumph and was perfectly fine minus glass from the window scarring him and various bruises. Here is what it looked like.

After the accident we replaced the seats with 2 more Triumphs. I have seen first hand how great the seats are. They are rock solid seats. They too have the same motorcycle helmet cushion stuff that Britax does. All that said, I think Britax are great as well but I just do not have first hand experience with them. And, I do not think that they are the 'end all be all' of car seats.


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## kristenburgess (Sep 15, 2002)

We have a Marathon for DD and a Wizard for DS1. I've been extremely pleased with the seats. They are very easy to use and have gone into each and every car that we've transferred them around in (a lot with family and such!) They've even fit securely in an old 15 passenger van.

We were rear ended in an accident. The impact was so hard that it bent the frame of my van and I couldn't open the sliding door (the driver never even hit the brakes). Both of our kids were totally okay - in much better shape than me. We made the insurance company overnight us two new seats since you can't get them here and I've been confident with our Britax since then.

Our baby is in a Graco Snugride right now. We're moving him up into one of the Britax seats soon. We're getting our 4yo DD a Recaro Young Sport, which also get excellent ratings. She's very petite so she'll be able to harness in it for quite awhile before we use it as a belt positioning booster:

http://www.recarochildseats.com/index.html

I have also seen crash test videos with Britax seats, but I can't remember where.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hazelnut*
We also got the Triumpth because it was ranked second in safety for convertible seats, but much less money than the Britax. Johub, did you not find the Triumph difficult to tighten while rear-facing? In both of our cars the knob is nearly wedged in the seat and it is very difficult to tighten. We had one ff in each car for my toddler, and now that my baby is out of the infant seat (we had the Graco snugride and I liked it pretty well) and in the triumpth too, we have the two in one car. But I hate tightening it so much while it's rear-facing, I want to get another carseat for him. I can't afford it really, but I feel like it would be worth it anyway because I'm not always confident that it's tight enough, and he's going to be rear-facing for a long time yet.

.

I didnt have this problem at all, but I think this is problem is related to the shape of the back of the seat the carseat rests against as well as the positioning of the knobs.


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## Birth Junky (Jun 14, 2004)

DH and I just went to check out a Britax yesterday, to make sure it would fit into our car. While we were at the store, though, we came across the Cosco and the SafetyFirst--both convertible carseats that go up to 100lbs max, instead of the Britax 65lb limit. AND they are far less expensive ($140-$160, vs. $300).

Anyone have any recommendations? I have no problem with spending the extra $$$ on a carseat IF it is worth it, but DH is now leaning towards one of the seats with a higher max weight limit.








:


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Birth Junky*
DH and I just went to check out a Britax yesterday, to make sure it would fit into our car. While we were at the store, though, we came across the Cosco and the SafetyFirst--both convertible carseats that go up to 100lbs max, instead of the Britax 65lb limit. AND they are far less expensive ($140-$160, vs. $300).

Anyone have any recommendations? I have no problem with spending the extra $$$ on a carseat IF it is worth it, but DH is now leaning towards one of the seats with a higher max weight limit.








:

Keep in mind that the Britax 65lbs limit is for the 5 point harness and not as a booster.
The chairs with the 100lb limit are boosters and this is for car seat belt probably from 40 lbs to 100 lbs.
The benefit of the Britax is that from 40-65 lbs kids can stay in a 5 pt harness, and only after 65 lbs to they use the car seat belt


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Birth Junky*
DH and I just went to check out a Britax yesterday, to make sure it would fit into our car. While we were at the store, though, we came across the Cosco and the SafetyFirst--both convertible carseats that go up to 100lbs max, instead of the Britax 65lb limit. AND they are far less expensive ($140-$160, vs. $300).

Anyone have any recommendations? I have no problem with spending the extra $$$ on a carseat IF it is worth it, but DH is now leaning towards one of the seats with a higher max weight limit.








:


Neither the Cosco or Safety 1st seats harness to 100 lbs, they are used as harnessed seats to 40 lbs and then convert to boosters until 100 lbs. They have low harness slots and most children outgrow them way before they hit 40 lbs or 4 years old, when they are ready to use a booster. They don't have EPS foam, absolutely non-twist straps or built-in lock-offs. With car seats as with most things, you get what you pay for.

Also, the sale is for the SafeGuard seat, a FF only seat rated to 65 lbs.


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

many of the cosco seats also do not work well for tall children... The harness slots are too short I believe. I read something about not being able touse the highest harness position as a booster, I can't remember the specifics of it tho but I think its printed on the seat itself.


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## trini (Sep 20, 2005)

:


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

At first glance I see that the only cosco seat I can find that goes up to 100lbs (Alpha Omega® Elite 5-Point) is only a BOOSTER after 30lbs. The higher limit britax seats remain full car-seats with 5 point harness until 65lbs. I can't find the safetyfirst seats at a quick google, but I expect it's the same story.

-Angela


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## Birth Junky (Jun 14, 2004)

Thanks for the info, mamas! Now I am armed with the necessary information to convince DH that the Britax IS the right carseat for us . . . which is what I've been thinking all along! (*grin*)


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

So is Britax the only brand of carseats that manufacturs harnesses for kids over 40 lbs? I'm driving a 1993 Honda Civic and it only has a lap belt in the rear center seat. When DS outgrows his current carseat, I'll need to either get him a carseat that doesn't require a shoulder strap, get a shoulder strap retrofitted into my vehicle, or replace my vehicle.


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## PatchyMama (Dec 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla*
So is Britax the only brand of carseats that manufacturs harnesses for kids over 40 lbs? I'm driving a 1993 Honda Civic and it only has a lap belt in the rear center seat. When DS outgrows his current carseat, I'll need to either get him a carseat that doesn't require a shoulder strap, get a shoulder strap retrofitted into my vehicle, or replace my vehicle.

I am interested to know this too as even if dd was ready for a seat belt at 4.5 I wouldnt do it cause I know the harness is safer, lol. I thought there was a new seat coming out that harnessed longer and wasnt a britax but I dont know the name. As much as I love my britax I am having a hard to spending another 200-300 on another one for my 4.5 year old LOL


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## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

hhm that evenflo knob thing was jammed up against the seat in our nissan sentra, subaru forester, and in bil's honda pilot. i asked the car tech at the time, but he couldn't make it any easier. Maybe I need to take another look or ask another tech if it works for you.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hazelnut*
hhm that evenflo knob thing was jammed up against the seat in our nissan sentra, subaru forester, and in bil's honda pilot. i asked the car tech at the time, but he couldn't make it any easier. Maybe I need to take another look or ask another tech if it works for you.

You know the seat in my van was tipped in such a way as we had to do the whole rolled up towel trick to get the seats to the right angle. This might have been the thing that made the difference in my van. I dont know.
Also my van seat is a bench seat with a flat back. It doesnt curve forwards at the sides like the front passenger seat does for instance.


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## midstreammama (Feb 8, 2005)

I haven't read all the pp but, I have to say that Britax is all that.

We purchased a Britax Marathon for dd2 and we loved it! The straps never tangle and that seat does NOT move when installed. It is solid! I like the fact that it goes to 65 pounds so she will be in i for a while.

We liked it so much that when dd3 grew out of her SnugRide we purchased another Britax Marathon for her. This one was installed rear facing and I love it. It is easy to make tighter or more loose according to what dd is wearing. The straps never get tangled rear facing either. Her head doesn't bobble around when she falls asleep, and even rear facing the seat doesn't budge when installed. I can't say enough about these wonderful seats....well worth the money if you ask me.

We have a Nissan Quest minivan so space really wasn't an issue for us. The are really BIG seats. I really don'e see how we could fit two Marathons and a booster for dd1 in one row of seating if we had too. They are heavy too so I wouldn't plan on lugging it thru the airport or anything involving carring it too far. That sucker's heavy!


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## sabrinat (Jul 21, 2005)

I have a Combi Avatar and it rocks. It has the same safety and ease of use features as the britax for about $100 less. In fact I bought one for each car. The straps don't seem to get tangled either and they are super easy to readjust based on if she's in a coat or not. Plus...and this is so cool. You install it once and when you go from rearfacing to forward facing you just hit a button and it pivots in the base. Rock On! That's cool.


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## srain (Nov 26, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uccomama*
So the answer to your question is no, there is no research that shows Britax perform better for smaller kids or any kid for that matter.

Thanks so much; that's the information I was looking for! Since we can use our current carseats correctly, we're all set. I understand some folks find the Britax's easier to use, but some folks on these boards make out like buying any other carseat is somehow an irresponsible decision, and I wanted to know if there were valid reasons for that which I was unaware of.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla*
So is Britax the only brand of carseats that manufacturs harnesses for kids over 40 lbs? I'm driving a 1993 Honda Civic and it only has a lap belt in the rear center seat. When DS outgrows his current carseat, I'll need to either get him a carseat that doesn't require a shoulder strap, get a shoulder strap retrofitted into my vehicle, or replace my vehicle.

No there are several other seats new to the market.

There is the Radian, the Apex, and the SafeGuard.

Your other option is the E-Z-On 86 Y harness and Ride Ryte booster.

You can't retrofit shoulder belts in the middle seating position as far as I know.


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## aja-belly (Oct 7, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hazelnut*
hhm that evenflo knob thing was jammed up against the seat in our nissan sentra, subaru forester, and in bil's honda pilot. i asked the car tech at the time, but he couldn't make it any easier. Maybe I need to take another look or ask another tech if it works for you.

i have the triumph and a ford taurus wagon (also with a flat beck bench seat) and we haven't had that problem. when jet was a newborn we used it in my husband's subaru wrx wagon. we didn't have that problem there, but like the previous poster we had to use the rolled up towel.

i am very happy with the triumph and i have used the britax seats before. i knew i would be taking the time to install it correctly every time, so ease of use was just a convenience issue and not worth twice the price to me.


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## toddlermama16 (Jun 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uccomama*
All car seats must pass the same safety tests, so all car seats are safe provided they are appropriate for the child's age and size and are installed and used correctly.

RF for as long as possible, ideally until two years old, three or four even better:]



I completely agree! I am also, a carseat nerd.


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## toddlermama16 (Jun 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
Yes, the Britax seats are so much easier to use correctly EVERY TIME, which is key, that IMO they are worth it.

Totally agree with this, too.









Kelli


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## Dechen (Apr 3, 2004)

Are there any advantages of the Safeguard as opposed to the Regent? The Safeguard site claims a taller height limit, but the tallest harness slot is only .5 inches taller than the Regent.

I have a tall dd who carries her height in her torso, and if I want to keep her in a 5 point harness until she's 4 or 5 I need something big. (She is 37 inches tall but only has about an inch left in her Roundabout). I'd rather not spend the extra money on the Safeguard (ouch!!!) but if there were a compelling reason I could see making that painful choice.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Dechen*
Are there any advantages of the Safeguard as opposed to the Regent? The Safeguard site claims a taller height limit, but the tallest harness slot is only .5 inches taller than the Regent.

I have a tall dd who carries her height in her torso, and if I want to keep her in a 5 point harness until she's 4 or 5 I need something big. (She is 37 inches tall but only has about an inch left in her Roundabout). I'd rather not spend the extra money on the Safeguard (ouch!!!) but if there were a compelling reason I could see making that painful choice.

For me yes, the SafeGuard is a much better choice. The Regent (actually Husky) didn't install well enough for me in my car -- 97 Volvo 850 Wagon, no LATCH (obviously) and the seat belts aren't long enough to use the serpentine belt path, and the short belt bath even tethered just wasn't good enough IMO. It took up too much space -- I have three kids and sometimes my teen needs to ride in the back and at 5' 7" and 130 lbs she can't squeeze inbetween the Husky and another booster on the other side. My DS hated the Husky. He inherited it from DD who loved it. He was previously in a Britax Wizard and was used to the sidewings and he felt too exposed in the Husky and couldn't sleep comfortably. He doesn't have any of those issues with the SafeGuard. It installs like a dream in my car and he has plenty of growing room. Here are some photos of my SafeGuard included are some photos of both of my "car seat" kids in the seat. DS is 46.5 tall he is using the second to top harness postion with plenty of growing room. He would probably be okay in the lower slots, but prefers the higher ones. I also have photos of my 8 year old in it, she is 54 lbs and 52 inches tall and she is still below the top harness slots and way below the top of the seat shell.

I can assure your DD would last way beyond 4 or 5 in the SafeGuard provided she doesn't hit 65 lbs.

If the SafeGuard is too pricey, and you need a seat that will fit on airplanes have you considered the Radian? The manufacturer claims top harness slots of 19". I know a friend's 8 year old was well below the top harness slots. The problem was the harness was to short to do up. Sunshine Kids have addressed this issue and all seats manufacturered after 2/1/06 will have the longer harness. They are also bringing out a 80 lb rated seat, I believe in the spring.


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## Kincaid (Feb 12, 2004)

Just ecchoing what Happymomma and AJABelly were saying. The Evenflow Triumph has consistently been rated equivalent to the Britax in third-party product safety testing. The Britax does get higher marks in ease of installation. But we installed our car seat once, professionally, and don't touch it. I guess if you were moving your car seat from car to car then it would make sense to go with the Britax - you would be paying more for the ability to move the carseat easily.

Since our Triumph was installed by a CPS tech, and we have the install double-checked every 6 months (paranoid moms) we feel we have the "best" choice. I liked the Triumph's memory harness straps system - once set to the correct tension against the body, they stay that way till they need to be re-set for growth.

*There should be no reason to need to get to the tightness knob on the Triumph on a regular basis, only for growth adjustments, as it was not designed to be tightened every time. However in our Toyota Rav4 and in my Jetta I had no trouble getting to the adjustment knob. Different seat shapes play into this of course.


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## SomedayMom (May 9, 2002)

For me, yes. They are "all that". All carseats meet the safety requirements, so that's not what it's about to me.

For me, it's the added extras.

-I'm keeping DS rearfacing for a while and I like that a Britax can be tethered RF (only seats that can).
-It was EXTREMELY easy for me to install it correctly
-It is EXTREMELY comfy for DS
-The Boulevard and Wizard (which are the ones we use) have the extra side impact protection. My son rides outboard (both cars have no middle seating position) and I feel better with that added safety feature.
-The additional size for extended use with a 5 point harness


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## TranscendentalMom (Jun 28, 2002)

I love my Britax Advantage (like the RA but with moveable headrest like the wizard). I do wish I bought ds a Marathon tho. I'm thinking about getting him one still and passing on the Advantage to dd. I'm deciding between the Marathon and a Husky. I love Britax so much I can barely even consider other brands.


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## famousmockngbrd (Feb 7, 2003)

Kincaid, your post cracks me up because I am the same way about my carseats. DS's Alpha Omega is solid as a rock, that thing does not budge, and nothing will convince me to mess with it. It was so hard to get it tight enough, I'm not touching it now that it's in there right!

I just put our new (to us) Britax in my mom's car and I am now a Britax believer. It took me 15 minutes to get DD's infant seat in tight enough (an Evenflo) and it took 30 seconds with the Britax. I'd get another one if they weren't so pricey.


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Need to post a follow-up...just noticed this morning that DS (27 months) has basically outgrown his Evenflo Triumph because his shoulders are getting to be above the top harness slots. I've been so fixated on overall height that this took me by surprise. The Evenflo Triumph top harness slots height is 15.5". So I've been researching car seats all morning, and turns out most of the other seats on the market, including several mentioned in this thread as good choices based on WEIGHT limit, also top out with harness slots at 16" or so. The Britax Marathon (18") and Britax Regent (19") seem to be my only choices at this point, since DS is too young and too light (27 lbs.) to even think about putting him in a booster without a harness.

And just FTR...I don't have a totally Goliath kid... I mean he is tall but he is around 90th %ile for height, so other people could easily have this same dilemma with even an average size boy, before the third birthday.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
Need to post a follow-up...just noticed this morning that DS (27 months) has basically outgrown his Evenflo Triumph because his shoulders are getting to be above the top harness slots. I've been so fixated on overall height that this took me by surprise. The Evenflo Triumph top harness slots height is 15.5". So I've been researching car seats all morning, and turns out most of the other seats on the market, including several mentioned in this thread as good choices based on WEIGHT limit, also top out with harness slots at 16" or so. The Britax Marathon (18") and Britax Regent (19") seem to be my only choices at this point, since DS is too young and too light (27 lbs.) to even think about putting him in a booster without a harness.

And just FTR...I don't have a totally Goliath kid... I mean he is tall but he is around 90th %ile for height, so other people could easily have this same dilemma with even an average size boy, before the third birthday.

Well if his head is below the top of the seat shell, turn him RF! The measurement for the Marathon is with the cover off, with the cover on you are going to get a measurement of around 17"

If I were you I would get the Boulevard you will have a tad more harness height and they are currently on sale at BRU online in the Park Ave cover so it works out cheaper than a Marathon. The Regent is a great seat, but your child is going to "swim" in it, and it would be nearly as comfy for him to sleep in, and as he is only 27" and 27 lbs you will have at least three maybe four years in the Boulevard.

Here's the link to the BRU sale, it is listed as $229 plus there is a $10 off code, so that makes it $219 plus tax and shipping.

The BRU sale.

I also answered your post on the other board!


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *uccomama*
Well if his head is below the top of the seat shell, turn him RF!

Oh no, his head is well above.

Quote:

as he is only 27" and 27 lbs you will have at least three maybe four years in the Boulevard.
Actually he is 36", maybe a little taller. I haven't measured him in a few months ... do you still think the Regent is too big for him? The Boulevard looks so bulky and I really worry how it will fit with the other seats I have across the back. And I'm still trying to weigh the issue of--do I buy a seat that is just for him, so it turns into a booster, or do I buy a convertible that our next child can grow into? I'm so confused!


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*

Actually he is 36", maybe a little taller. I haven't measured him in a few months ... do you still think the Regent is too big for him? The Boulevard looks so bulky and I really worry how it will fit with the other seats I have across the back. And I'm still trying to weigh the issue of--do I buy a seat that is just for him, so it turns into a booster, or do I buy a convertible that our next child can grow into? I'm so confused!

Personally, I don't like to see younger kids in Regents because they look so tiny in them and they have so much open space at the sides and no side wings to speak of. The Regent is way bulkier than the Boulevard IMO. The Boulevard (MA or DC for that matter) sits high on a base so tends to mesh well with other seats. It is the only seat I have that has worked with two reasonable large boosters in the back of my Volvo wagon which has a very narrow middle seat. I love the Recaro, but you won't need the booster for at least three years, who knows what will be available then.

I have to say that by 5 my DS while he fit the Boulevard, he looked much better in the Recaro because it sits lower on the seat and is less of a baby seat. However, it didn't fit in the middle of my car, it had to go outboard.

Here is my three in a row page with the BV in the middle of various boosters (scroll down):

http://members.tripod.com/uccomama-ivil/id6.html


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Okay, thanks for the feedback and those pictures! I should post a picture of my back seat! You are right about the high base. The Roundabout I have now does kind of "overlap" on the seats next to it but because it is higher it works. Like your FP booster, the booster I have only fits because it's armless. I think it is most likely over 5 years old as well







but it's what his mom said to use for him and honestly I don't think anything else on the market would fit next to the other two seats. Do BPB seats "expire" the way full-harness seats do?

I wish I could find a really GOOD car seat tech where I live. I have been to several different fire depts and keep getting people who are perfectly nice, but the car seat installation role is just one of their job duties, and I haven't gotten one who seemed really DEDICATED iykwim. Like you!

Quote:

I have to say that by 5 my DS while he fit the Boulevard, he looked much better in the Recaro because it sits lower on the seat and is less of a baby seat.
The Recaro really does LOOK pretty cool, doesn't it?


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

Because I have very tall and heavy girls who have long torsos the Britax really are best for us.

One major advantage is that they are much more comfortable than our Graco. No fussing the whole trip and they usually fall asleep.

I also like the side impact protection.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
I haven't gotten one who seemed really DEDICATED iykwim. Like you!

Don't you mean OBSESSED?









Quote:

The Recaro really does LOOK pretty cool, doesn't it?
It is a way cool looking seat. Did you know Recaro is working on a higher weight combo seat? It may be out by the summer.


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Let me see if I have this straight...you think both the Boulevard and the Recaro will work as far as height, but you think the booster aspect of the Recaro is irrelevant for now and that the Boulevard will fit better in the center position of my car. Is that a correct summary of your opinion?

Maybe DH would like the Recaro for his car. We have never had "matching" car seats and I don't really see any reason we should need to. I would like, however, for DS' feet to be not quite so high as they are in DH's car (in the Triumph). We have a problem with his kicking the front seats right around shoulder level.


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## Mirzam (Sep 9, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
Let me see if I have this straight...you think both the Boulevard and the Recaro will work as far as height, but you think the booster aspect of the Recaro is irrelevant for now and that the Boulevard will fit better in the center position of my car. Is that a correct summary of your opinion?

Correct!

Quote:

Maybe DH would like the Recaro for his car. We have never had "matching" car seats and I don't really see any reason we should need to. I would like, however, for DS' feet to be not quite so high as they are in DH's car (in the Triumph). We have a problem with his kicking the front seats right around shoulder level.
What is it with DH's and Recaros?! Oh the joys of being kicked in the back! I have lived with this for years.









Not to put more spanners in the works, but your DS could easily still be RF in the Boulevard and he wouldn't kick you in the back. My DS loved being RF (turned one month before he hit four), he would sit cross legged or have his feet up on the back of the seat.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
Need to post a follow-up...just noticed this morning that DS (27 months) has basically outgrown his Evenflo Triumph because his shoulders are getting to be above the top harness slots. I've been so fixated on overall height that this took me by surprise. The Evenflo Triumph top harness slots height is 15.5". So I've been researching car seats all morning, and turns out most of the other seats on the market, including several mentioned in this thread as good choices based on WEIGHT limit, also top out with harness slots at 16" or so. The Britax Marathon (18") and Britax Regent (19") seem to be my only choices at this point, since DS is too young and too light (27 lbs.) to even think about putting him in a booster without a harness.

And just FTR...I don't have a totally Goliath kid... I mean he is tall but he is around 90th %ile for height, so other people could easily have this same dilemma with even an average size boy, before the third birthday.

This seems like a silly question, but are you sure the cover hasnt slipped, making the slots look much lower than they are? I always have to feel with my fingers because the cover slots arent always exactly in the same place as the slots in the seat itself.
My 38" 37lb 3 1/2 year old still fits beautifully in our Triumphs with a little (though not a lot) room to grow.


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *johub*
This seems like a silly question, but are you sure the cover hasnt slipped, making the slots look much lower than they are? I always have to feel with my fingers because the cover slots arent always exactly in the same place as the slots in the seat itself.

I didn't think of that--I will check!


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## Rainbowbird (Jul 26, 2004)

I absolutely love our Britax Marathon for all the reasons listed above, but unfortunately my son is outgrowing it heightwise, he is only 38 lbs. so lots of room left for weight, since it goes to 65 lbs. But he is on the top slots and they are now below his shoulders. I called the company and they said the slot can only be 2 or 3 inches below the shoulders, otherwise it is not safe. So now I don't know what to do! He isn't heavy enough to use a high backed booster, what's more, his sister needs to go into his marathon as she has just outgrown her infant carseat! Guess I'll be staying home alot until I get this figured out...


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *johub*
This seems like a silly question, but are you sure the cover hasnt slipped, making the slots look much lower than they are? I always have to feel with my fingers because the cover slots arent always exactly in the same place as the slots in the seat itself.

I checked last night and you were right! The cushion had slipped down lower than the actual openings in the plastic shell. He has about an inch to go. So I can relax a little and budget for new seats in a few months.


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## johub (Feb 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday*
I checked last night and you were right! The cushion had slipped down lower than the actual openings in the plastic shell. He has about an inch to go. So I can relax a little and budget for new seats in a few months.

I am glad!


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## Past_VNE (Dec 13, 2003)

We have a Marathon, and adore it. I get the opportunity to use all sorts of other seats, as we travel and rent cars with child seats frequently. All of the others have totally sucked in many ways.

My last trip, my son was 12 months and three weeks old, weighed 22.8 lbs, our rental gave us a Cosco conv't with the padded bar that comes down in front of him, with the 3 point harness. It was VERY easy to get him in and out and he liked the bar. That said, we actually installed it FORWARD facing, because no matter what we tried, we couldn't get it to be safe rear-facing.

After using probably 10 different seats on the market, I have to say, the Britaxs are definitely "all that."


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## Rainbow (Nov 19, 2001)

Honestly, I liked the cow print enough to pay the extra money. lol. j/k

We have three kids [4.5, 2.5, 8mo] and we have a triumph for the baby, and two marathons for hte older two. I figure when the baby outgrows the triumph she can go into her oldest sister's britax and big sister will be about harness size.

I LOVE my triumph, we use it when our kids are younger... it fits them so cozy and snug. Perfect incline, perfect everything. But they grow out of it before three [long torsos] and I just didn't feel right putting a not quite 3 year old, 32ish lbs into a booster of buying another combination seat to only last to 40 lbs. I figured if I was buying a seat for an older child I would get one they can be harnessed in until 65 lbs. My oldest went over 40 lbs right around 4 and I'm thankfull we can keep her in it awhile yet.

I figure right as she is outgrowing the britax my youngest will be outgrowing the triumph. Then from there we can buy a booster for my oldest. I'll probably buy the britax booster because we've beenr eally pleased.

My husband was the most hesitant to buy a britax, we went through a bunch of various seats we bought and disliked before we finally putt he money into the britax... but when he installed them he was so impressed he vows to never buy another brand again. He was really impressed with teh design and safety of the product. He hates to take the kids anywhere in his car because he doesn't liek the seats in his car. lol.


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## katerkat (Aug 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hazelnut*
hhm that evenflo knob thing was jammed up against the seat in our nissan sentra, subaru forester, and in bil's honda pilot. i asked the car tech at the time, but he couldn't make it any easier. Maybe I need to take another look or ask another tech if it works for you.

We have a Honda Pilot and the knob is against the seat, but not jammed up. DH loosens it every time he puts DS in with no problem.

We have the Triumph and my parents have a Marathon in their car. Personally, I like the Triumph better in ease of use. We don't move the carseat and had it installed by a professional. And I read a lot of studies and the Triumph is about equilavant in safety.


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## bananahands (Jan 11, 2006)

Not entirely germane to the OP, but we have a Britax (Decathalon or Marathon, can't remember) and agree with the ease-of-installation compliments.

One thing I don't like, however, is the way the belt sliders connect to the buckle when I strap the kids in. They just don't make a real definitive "click" sound when they latch. I know they are in securely, because I always pull to see if they have caught properly, but early on I found this annoying. Thought it might be the one unit we purchased for our son, but we bought a second soon after for his twin sister and noticed the same thing.


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## lasciate (May 4, 2005)

The buckle on Britax seats is designed to click only when the second piece is securely fastened, so you just may be missing it. The first piece won't click, but the second one always should, regardless of what order you fasten them.


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