# evenflo triumph car seat anyone???



## elf (Nov 2, 2006)

gosh...they are all do expensive!!!

any thoughts on convertible car seats?


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## XanaduMama (May 19, 2006)

You might want to do some browsing over in the Family Safety forum...but be warned: it's a whole world of research you're getting into!

We got a Radian 65 for dd, and love, love it! It will last for many many years and was totally worth the $. http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-.../dp/B000GEC71U (Looks like the price went up: we paid about $190 for ours last year, I believe.)


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## soccermama (Jul 2, 2008)

For DS' transition from the pumpkin car seat to a convertible, we went with the Evenflo Triumph and he used it until he was a few months past being 2 1/2. I got it as a baby shower gift, but I believe the retail price was $119.


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

If you are getting it for a new baby, be forewarned that a lot of the seats don't have slots low enough for newborns unless you have a really big baby. You're better off borrowing a bucket car seat that you know the history on (say from a sister or cousin or friend) until the baby hits 12-15 lbs.

That being said, the car-seat.org ladies recommend these convertible car seats because they last the longest and all RF up to 35 lbs.

Britax Marathon -
Cons - one of the more expensive, outgrown the soonest out of this list heightwise
Pros - Lots of cute covers and Britax guarantees their car seats - they had been setting the standards for car seats up until a few years ago when others started catching up.

Radian65 - Cons - very long RFing for younger children until you can tilt it more upright.
Pros - has the highest top slots for straps - great if you have long torsoed or tall kids.
if you are buying for a NB, you can get the Radian 80 - it RF to 35 lbs. FF to 80 lbs (but the majority of kids will outgrow it by height before weight) and the 80 comes with the infant padding. If you are getting it for an older child, I would get the 65 or the XT - the 65 is cheaper, the XT is newer (not sure what they did to improve it as we aren't getting it). The radian is also really narrow which is great if you are trying to puzzle 3 seats in a row.

Learning Curve/The First Years True Fit - Cons - crotch strap is pretty far in even on the farthest away slot - annoying if you cloth diaper.
Pros - Cheap (170ish) and works well in small cars because you can take off the head rest until they are 22 lbs. Has close to the same top slots as the Radian65.

Evenflo Triumph Advance - don't know much on this one, it seems to be 4th in the list of seats that get referred, I think it doesn't have as high of top slots as the others and it only FF to 50 lbs. so it won't last as long. I do know it's cheaper than the others.

FisherPrice Safe Voyage - this is basically a Marathon but it only FF to 55 and RF to 33 lbs. It is a lot cheaper than the Marathon though it has been discontinued so it is harder to find. Albeebaby.com had some a few weeks ago afaik.

Hope that helps!


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Moving to Family Safety


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

What about even flow triumph?

Its rated 2nd on Consumer reports


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
What about even flow triumph?

Its rated 2nd on Consumer reports

The Evenflo Triumph only rearfaces to 30 lbs. and forward faces to 40 lbs. It also has short top strap slots. IMO, you are not going to get your money's worth out of this seat because it will be outgrown in record time.

The Evenflo Triumph Advance is better because it at least rearfaces to 35 lbs. and forward faces to 50. If you have skinny, lightweight kids, this might be an option.


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## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

As XanaduMama pointed out, the Family Safety forum is an excellent resource here at MDC. (In fact, your post might get moved over there.)

From the research I did, I decided to get a True Fit convertible carseat. The tall shell will allow for more kids to reach the weight limits of the seat. The removeable headrest allows it to take up less space rfing than many others. The nonthreading harness is a plus of the seat. I also think it's a pretty attractive seat. (Hey, I'm going to be looking at it for a bunch of years!)

For a more budet minded seat, I'd consider the Evenflo Triumph Advance. It's not a "cheap" seat but since it's also a tall seat and has higher than 40 lbs ff weight limit, it will be useful for longer. (I wasn't a fan of the chest clip when I looked at it in Babies R Us.)

I discounted the Britax family not because they are not good seats but because of the price and less legroom than the True Fit when doing extended rearfacing (keeping your LO rearfacing beyond the minimum requirements).

Radians I ruled out because of the space they take while rfing. Also I don't really like the look of them (although I've only seen them online).

To add to the con for the FisherPrice Safe Voyage: the fact that it's discontinued means that you are getting a seat with a shorter lifespan. Carseats have expiration dates and since these seats were discontinued a while back, their life is reduced.

Phew, who knew that carseats are so complicated?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Personally I don't trust the evenflo brand. Search chicago tribune and carseats to see why.

The true fit is a great seat that's not as expensive as some others.

-Angela


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

I dont know why i said that i meant the Cosco Alpha Omega

http://www.babyage.com/products/22-1...campaign=61301


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Consumer reports is not a good source of carseat info.

-Angela


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## RockStarMom (Sep 11, 2005)

I got one(Evenflo Triumph) and loved it but ended up having to get a new one once my daughter neared 30 lbs(came sooner than I anticipated!). I then got the Britax with the headwing things, which RF to 33 lbs. I should have just gotten the Britax in the first place. I know they're expensive, but it's worth it. And there are websites that ship for free.


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## angelamariebee (Jun 20, 2008)

I didn't like the Triumph- I thought it was a pain to adjust the straps.


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## goodheartedmama (Feb 1, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Consumer reports is not a good source of carseat info.

-Angela

ditto.

In response to the price of the seat, a higher harnessing seat such as the true fit, sunshine kids radian, or a higher weight britax seat will last almost all kids until at least 5.

Sunshine kids radian $199--about $40/year, or $3/month.
True fit $249--about $50/year, or $4 month
Britax--same as true fit

It seems worth it to me to buy a higher weight seat for a little bit more money, because they're going to last longer. I went through several cheaper seats before I started buying britax, and when it came down to it, I spent a lot more on those seats than if I had just started with a britax.


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Consumer reports is not a good source of carseat info.

-Angela

Why is that?


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *angelamariebee* 
I didn't like the Triumph- I thought it was a pain to adjust the straps.

The EFTA, otoh, has infinite adjust straps. Having tried both types of straps, I think all carseat manufacturers should do infinite adjust straps.

My 7.5lb, 20.5" long newborn fit just fine in the EFTA, and the straps weren't even at the lowest possible setting.

A very tiny baby might need an infant seat, but at least for us we had several non-expired, never in a crash, infant seats offered to us. We just told people we were getting the convertible seat installed and would call them up if the baby was too small for the convertible.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Why is that?

Because they give price too much weight compared to safety.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goodheartedmama* 
ditto.

In response to the price of the seat, a higher harnessing seat such as the true fit, sunshine kids radian, or a higher weight britax seat will last almost all kids until at least 5.

Sunshine kids radian $199--about $40/year, or $3/month.
True fit $249--about $50/year, or $4 month
Britax--same as true fit

It seems worth it to me to buy a higher weight seat for a little bit more money, because they're going to last longer. I went through several cheaper seats before I started buying britax, and when it came down to it, I spent a lot more on those seats than if I had just started with a britax.

Amazon has several true fits for $185 or so now (or they did recently). So you can get them cheaper than $249.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan* 
Because they give price too much weight compared to safety.









:

AND their safety data is unreliable as it is not released and can not be duplicated. The last round they withdrew the whole thing because it was so flawed.

-Angela


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
Amazon has several true fits for $185 or so now (or they did recently). So you can get them cheaper than $249.

Um, they are $179 at Target


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Um, they are $179 at Target









Ours hasn't had them in stock forever.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Online









Our Target still stocks them, for $199, but everything is more expensive here. The Nauti is $219 and the one time I saw the Uptown it was $169.


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## jeminijad (Mar 27, 2009)

Online is totally the way to go!! Once you know what you want/what works, with a little patience you can save $$ for sure. I got a Marathon online for $179 a couple of months ago


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan* 
Because they give price too much weight compared to safety.

CosumerReports.org?

There is nothing on it about price at all.


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## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

Online for sure. My Target has a TF on the shelf with a date of manufactor of 4/08: already a year of use lost. Of course I'm also a tad annoyed about the lack of a demo seat there.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
CosumerReports.org?

There is nothing on it about price at all.

Yep, they take points away for price. They also did that horrible study a couple years ago that got retracted days later. The ratings are ridiculous--they rate the Triumph and the 3-in-1 seats higher than the Marathon, when both will be outgrown by height MUCH sooner than the MA. They also rate the Roundabout really high which is ridiculous since it is outgrown so early as well. They really need to take into consideration the longevity of a seat--the weight limits and the top strap heights--instead of just "hey this one is cheap and it looks cool".


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Hm...well im looking at it right now, and it shows the prices of the seats, but it they are put in 1st-5th because of their crash testing outcomes aswell as the ease of use of the seats and the fit to vehicles. The ratings are not which seat is the best one for my money, its which has the best safty features, with the least likley to be misused. There is nothing on there about the way it looks.

Do you have a membership there? Because that is how you get all of the real comparison charts.

So where do you get your information from? I have always gone to consumer reports, i have googles car seat safty a billion times and it always seems to be the only place that comes up,


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Their "crash testing" is extremely unreliable.

I don't have a membership, because their reports are worthless, but I have seen them.

The only testing that car seats undergo are from the manufacturers themselves, and random spot testing from NHTSA. Either they pass, and are available for sale to the public, or they fail and aren't released. There is no way of knowing the crash test results since only one company (Sunshine Kids) releases that data. That's why when people say one seat has "better crash test results" it's a bunch of hooey, since they ALL undergo the same test, on a pass/fail scale.


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *goodheartedmama* 
True fit $249--about $50/year, or $4 month
Britax--same as true fit

Never seen a True Fit that pricey; Amazon has them for $160-189 (depending on color) right now. "List price" is $189 there.

The Britax Marathon is actually more like $280 unless you get it on sale, and the Boulevard is even more. I love my Britax seats (we own three in total; two Marathons and a Frontier) but it's really hard to argue for them over the True Fit, especially considering the price (the True Fit will also fit much taller kids, and has a longer lifespan).


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ironica* 
Never seen a True Fit that pricey; Amazon has them for $160-189 (depending on color) right now. "List price" is $189 there.

The Britax Marathon is actually more like $280 unless you get it on sale, and the Boulevard is even more. I love my Britax seats (we own three in total; two Marathons and a Frontier) but it's really hard to argue for them over the True Fit, especially considering the price (the True Fit will also fit much taller kids, and has a longer lifespan).

I had a True Fit for 1 day and i returned it for my Britax. They have these weird tabs on the straps that dug into my dds shoulders! I guess they are there so you dont have to relace the straps to make them taller, but i found them super uncomfortable, pluss here in Texas in the summers, boiling hot plastic tabs touching my dds skin would equal alot of screaming and unnecessary drama. But my sister and my mom use them and love them.

But if you are looking for something reasonably priced i do like my Cosco Alpha Omega seat aswell.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Do you mean the EFTA (Evenflo Triumph Advance)? Because the TrueFit does not have tabs on the straps.

The 3-in-1 seats are very expensive for the amount of live you get out of them--all but the brand-nrew 2009 versions are generally outgrown by height by 2.5 or so


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Do you mean the EFTA (Evenflo Triumph Advance)? Because the TrueFit does not have tabs on the straps.

The 3-in-1 seats are very expensive for the amount of live you get out of them--all but the brand-nrew 2009 versions are generally outgrown by height by 2.5 or so









Ah...yes your right. Why cant i get my car seats strait?

Well i bought it because it was the most reasonably priced and got good reviews on CR (now i guess that doesnt matter). My dd is pretty tall and is 27 months and there is no way she is going to out grow that seat any time soon.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Ah...yes your right. Why cant i get my car seats strait?

Well i bought it because it was the most reasonably priced and got good reviews on CR (now i guess that doesnt matter). My dd is pretty tall and is 27 months and there is no way she is going to out grow that seat any time soon.

Just remember that the top harness setting is only for use in booster mode, so you can't use it with the harness


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Just remember that the top harness setting is only for use in booster mode, so you can't use it with the harness










Wait huh?


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Yep, the top adjustment is for booster mode only, so you can't use it for the harness. It's not marked clearly at all, and most people aren't aware, but if you turn the seat over it's stamped in the plastic.


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Wait wait wait....im confused.

What harness? The 5pt one? If you cant use it with the harness then what do you use it with?

Do you mean you have to take the "carseat" part off so that you can use it as a booster?


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Wait wait wait....im confused.

What harness? The 5pt one? If you cant use it with the harness then what do you use it with?

Do you mean you have to take the "carseat" part off so that you can use it as a booster?

The 5-point harness, yes. The 3-in-1 seats have that adjustment that slides up and down, and the top setting is just for booster more. In order to use that top setting, you have to take the harness straps out. So, when your child is even with the second-to-top setting, it's outgrown.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

The whole Consumer's Reports thing is very confusing. I understand that they CAN be a reliable source of information on other things, but for car seats, please do not rely on them. The other posters have listed good info, but the one thing I don't see is that their info is consistently different from what we see in the field. Those 3 in 1 seats are terrible in booster mode, difficult to install rear facing, and outgrown pretty early on. Now, the new 3 in 1's are much better, with a higher harness weight, but still crappy in booster mode and hard to use rear facing.

Consumer's will not release how they test their seats, so we don't know what it is they are doing to lend such different results to what we see in real life. And sometimes, they end up just pulling everything because it was all wrong. It's frustrating for parents, but there is no "best car seat " rating.

Your best bet is to go to store that will let you take them out to your car and play with them. See what you like, and what you don't, what works in your car and what doesn't. All of that will make a huge impact on what works best.

It's not fun as a car seat tech to have to tell parents that this "great" seat that was rated so good on Consumers, is extremely difficult to install in their vehicle, or that their two year old has outgrown it, or that it fits their 5 year old very poorly as a booster, and now they need a new seat. I've yet to meet a parent who was happy in the end with their 3 in 1.

The bigger convertibles need to be marketed better, they really will last most children until 5 or even older, when you truly could just buy a booster. Or you could get a decent, cheaper covertible, like the Cosco Scenera, and then a bigger forward facing only seat, like the Graco Nautilus.


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## Labyrinth (Apr 14, 2008)

I would totally go with the Evenflo Triumph Advance (EFTA) if that's in your budget if you like it after checking it out- a lot of parents, including car seat technicians who would never place their child in an "unsafe seat", love it. It is the most affordable high weight convertible you will find, and the top slots are just as high as the britax 65 lb convertibles slots. All car seats pass the same tests, and no one here can tell you that one brand is superior in _safety_ to another. There are no car crash tests released that are reliable.

ALL car seat companies INCLUDING britax have skeletons in their closets. The EFTA is a well made, SAFE seat at a very affordable price point- I would put a child in it with no worries. I would, though, make sure to get my installation checked by a car seat technician- car seats are only safe if used 100% properly.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Actually, the EFTA's top slots are higher than the Britax seats







The TrueFit's slots are taller still, and it's a little more expensive $150-$180.


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
The 5-point harness, yes. The 3-in-1 seats have that adjustment that slides up and down, and the top setting is just for booster more. In order to use that top setting, you have to take the harness straps out. So, when your child is even with the second-to-top setting, it's outgrown.

Wait wait, I am totally confused. I went and looked in my DHs car, and the seat only has 1 slot for the straps. What thing that slides up and down?


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Actually, the EFTA's top slots are higher than the Britax seats







The TrueFit's slots are taller still, and it's a little more expensive $150-$180.

The only downside to the EFTA is that it is only rated to 50 lbs. FFing. If you have heavier kids, you might want to look at the TF or the Radian bc they are rated to 65 lbs. FFing.


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Wait wait, I am totally confused. I went and looked in my DHs car, and the seat only has 1 slot for the straps. What thing that slides up and down?

Are you talking about this:
http://www0.epinions.com/review/Even...t_134183620228

or this seat?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5933974

The second seat only has one slot but the straps slide up and down the slot. Is that what yours looks like?


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Wait wait, I am totally confused. I went and looked in my DHs car, and the seat only has 1 slot for the straps. What thing that slides up and down?

Ok, here is a picture of the seat you have.

It only has one "slot" and that slot slides up and down, clicking into different settings for the harness. See those red tabs on either side of the headrest? You squeeze those together, and slide the headrest up to change the harness height. If you slide it up all the way, that's the setting that's for booster mode only. Click it into the next-highest setting, and when the kiddo's shoulders reach that level, the seat is outgrown.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kalamos23* 
Are you talking about this:
http://www0.epinions.com/review/Even...t_134183620228

or this seat?
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5933974

The second seat only has one slot but the straps slide up and down the slot. Is that what yours looks like?

Neither--she has a 3-in-1 seat.


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## tinyblackdot (Aug 31, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Ok, here is a picture of the seat you have.

It only has one "slot" and that slot slides up and down, clicking into different settings for the harness. See those red tabs on either side of the headrest? You squeeze those together, and slide the headrest up to change the harness height. If you slide it up all the way, that's the setting that's for booster mode only. Click it into the next-highest setting, and when the kiddo's shoulders reach that level, the seat is outgrown.

Ah....i see. Thanks









Well its our extra seat, that DH keeps in his car. We have a Britax in the main car.............but i do see the issues with it. What is the age/weight for a child to be in a booster?


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Four years old and forty pounds is the minimum for booster use


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