# Baby buckets



## Cheshire (Dec 14, 2004)

It's been a number of years since we purchased a baby bucket. We had used the Baby Trend Latch Loc (I think that's what they were called). At the time it seemed to have the best safety rating.

Five years later, what are the best infant seats on the market?


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

I will not use a bucket other than the Britax Companion. Compared to the other popular seats, it is sturdy and solid and the base has a rebound bar. The SIP was better constructed as well.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

I am less than impressed with the Companion, and they aren't currently making it anyway. I would look at the Chicco Keyfit and the Graco Snugride/Safeseat as my top two right now. One of my close girlfriends has a Companion and after wrestling with that thing the last few weeks, I would not recomend that seat! Keep in mind what you need.... I would look for seats with a front harness adjuster, built in lock offs if you need them, weight limits if you like using them longer, fit for little babies if you tend to have small ones (chicco is good here, safeseat not so much), etc.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

I'm also not a fan of the Companion. It's way too much money for something that doesn't last that long. I absolutely LOVE my Keyfit, it installs very easily with the seat belt or LATCH. It's very easy to use, the fabric is nice, I couldn't be happier. Prior to that I had a Graco Snugride and I hated that thing so much I didn't want to see another bucket for as long as I lived. So I was beyond thrilled that the Keyfit changed my mind. My brother has the Safe seat and it's pretty nice too, but I still slightly prefer my Keyfit.


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

If I have any more babies, I will get an infant carseat that goes up to 30 pounds. That's one thing for sure.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ilovemyavery* 
I am less than impressed with the Companion, and they aren't currently making it anyway. I would look at the Chicco Keyfit and the Graco Snugride/Safeseat as my top two right now. One of my close girlfriends has a Companion and after wrestling with that thing the last few weeks, I would not recomend that seat! Keep in mind what you need.... I would look for seats with a front harness adjuster, built in lock offs if you need them, weight limits if you like using them longer, fit for little babies if you tend to have small ones (chicco is good here, safeseat not so much), etc.

Where did you learn that Britax is no longer making the Companion?

We never wrestled with our Companion and I had to carry mine up a flight of stairs if I had a lot of items to carry inside.

The SIP prevented my DS head from leaning to the side when he slept, which I think is important with small babies. I did not really care about the top weight on the seat because I knew that I had to purchase a convertible seat. Some might care bout having to make the purchase sooner, but in my mind I would have to purchase a convertible seat anyway so the difference between 2 or 3 pounds was not going to make a difference.


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

I heard britax is coming out with a new infant seat next year?

Anyway, my top two choices if I were buying one in the near future are the Chicco Keyfit 30 and Graco's Safeseat (soon to be called snugride 32?)


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
Where did you learn that Britax is no longer making the Companion?


I've also heard that it's been discontinued. The Companion has been clearanced out at a lot of stores. I've heard of people snagging them for $70 at some Targets.

Britax has plans to come out with another seat next year. I've seen pics on another forum (I'm sorry I can't remember where) and it's looking like it might be a 30lb seat.

I also don't care whether or not my infant seat is a 30lb seat. I don't use them long enough for that to matter to me. However, all I was saying is that it's a lot of money to pay for a seat that will only be used for a few months or so. There are other 22lb seats that cost less. If it's what you like then by all means go for it, but some people are on a budget and would rather save up towards having a nice convertible since it will be used a lot longer.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Britax usually pulls seats from their website as soon as they're discontinued and the companion is still there...

-Angela


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

They left the both Parkway and the other booster (brain fart!) up for a bit after they were discontinued.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alysmommy2004* 
I've also heard that it's been discontinued. The Companion has been clearanced out at a lot of stores. I've heard of people snagging them for $70 at some Targets.

Britax has plans to come out with another seat next year. I've seen pics on another forum (I'm sorry I can't remember where) and it's looking like it might be a 30lb seat.

I also don't care whether or not my infant seat is a 30lb seat. I don't use them long enough for that to matter to me. However, all I was saying is that it's a lot of money to pay for a seat that will only be used for a few months or so. There are other 22lb seats that cost less. If it's what you like then by all means go for it, but some people are on a budget and would rather save up towards having a nice convertible since it will be used a lot longer.

Oh I know about budgets. I guess that I understand what you mean, I just find it hard to put a price tag on safety.

I think that Target and Babies R Us discontinued the Companion because most(not all) parents who shop at those stores are looking for a bargain and nothing more. (i have overheard parents choosing a seat based on price and color) The only brick and mortar stores that I carry the Companion in my area are small specialty stores.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
I think that Target and Babies R Us discontinued the Companion because most(not all) parents who shop at those stores are looking for a bargain and nothing more. (i have overheard parents choosing a seat based on price and color) The only brick and mortar stores that I carry the Companion in my area are small specialty stores.











Target carried the companion for a really short window of time...

-Angela


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## Ruthie's momma (May 2, 2008)

You could forgo an infant car seat and try a convertible car seat. A Britax is always money well spent! A Roundabout or Diplomat would work from 5 to 40 lbs. While a Decathlon, Boulevard, or Marathon will work from 5 to 65.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthie's momma* 
You could forgo an infant car seat and try a convertible car seat. A Britax is always money well spent! A Roundabout or Diplomat would work from 5 to 40 lbs. While a Decathlon, Boulevard, or Marathon will work from 5 to 65.

None of those work well for newborns. The bottom strap slots are too high.

And the roundabout and diplomat are nearly never money well spent







With the small size and low weight limit they are a waste of money.

-Angela


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
None of those work well for newborns. The bottom strap slots are too high.

And the roundabout and diplomat are nearly never money well spent







With the small size and low weight limit they are a waste of money.

-Angela

Yup, even my super long babies couldn't have used a Britax from day one (I think that my youngest was big enough for the MA around 2 months). The Radian and True Fit are good for newborns, if you want a convertible.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndrewsMother* 
Oh I know about budgets. I guess that I understand what you mean, I just find it hard to put a price tag on safety.


I will not dispute that at all.







I do think it's possible to get a safe seat that doesn't cost as much as the companion. I know you mentioned liking the side impact pillow because it kept your LO's head still. My Keyfit pillow also worked very well at that, even though it doesn't look like it would. On the flip side my DD's head flopped around non stop in the SR, so much that I almost bought an aftermarket head rest (before I knew not to).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
None of those work well for newborns. The bottom strap slots are too high.

And the roundabout and diplomat are nearly never money well spent







With the small size and low weight limit they are a waste of money.

-Angela









:


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## soxthecatrules (Oct 20, 2008)

We like our Graco Snugride. We also have a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio and as much as I love Peg Perego products I feel that this carseat is a serious waste of money. Now ours is an 05 model and I think they have redesigned them in the last year or so. But, to me, now worth the extra $$$$.


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## russsk (Aug 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
None of those work well for newborns. The bottom strap slots are too high.

And the roundabout and diplomat are nearly never money well spent







With the small size and low weight limit they are a waste of money.

-Angela

We have a Diplomat, and I think it was a good purchase. I'm aware that some babies outgrow the height before the weight, but that's not likely to happen with my stocky ds. We have a small backseat, and the extra two inches we get with the Diplomat vs. the Boulevard is worth A LOT to me. When we were using the bucket, riding with two adults just plain sucked.

Since it does have a low ff weight limit, I figure when he outgrows that we can switch to a ff with an 80-lb limit and be set for a while.

ok, not about buckets, I know. sorry.


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## Cheshire (Dec 14, 2004)

Thanks, everyone!

We have a Britax Regent to move into after the bucket and then a SafeGuard Child Seat after that.

I'm going to go look at the suggestions and appreciate any other insight.

Oh, if it makes a difference, we tend to have large babies. Our first was 10lb 11oz 20 inches and our second was 9lbs 14oz 22 inches (he probably would have weighed over 10lbs if the vasa previa had been diagnosed and he hadn't lost over half of his blood before he was born, he died 12 hours later and we miss him dearly).

After he died we donated our BabyTrend buckets and Evenflo Triumphs to the local high school for pregnant/mothering teens. During the first month after his death we didn't think we'd be ready to try again so soon but we decided another pregnancy will be hard no matter when it happens and we aren't getting any younger so we started trying and, wow, it happened the first month.

So, we're bucket shopping. You guys are the best!


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

A Regent probably is not going to work. They're FFing only seats and little kids just swim in them. Your LO should move to a RFing convertible when the bucket is outgrown.


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## Cheshire (Dec 14, 2004)

Lisa, thank you. I do that everytime I write about our Britax. It isn't a Regent - it is the Boulevard.

Geez, you'd think after all these years I could get it straight but I guess I just have a mental block on it. What would Freud say???


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Oh good! I was actually wondering (and hoping!) if you wrote the wrong seat.


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## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

The Boulevard is an excellent seat!

My 2.5 year old uses the Regent as a back up seat and he is lost in it at well over 33 pounds.


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