# Best Affordable Convertible Seat?



## FreedMama (Feb 13, 2009)

I am preparing to move our son into a convertible seat. He is 2 lbs away from the weight limit on our bucket.

Any recommendations?


----------



## dkenagy (Jun 25, 2004)

I don't have a specific suggestion, but I would definitely recommend you go ahead and get a seat that also has the seatbelt paths on it so you don't have to buy yet another seat when your babe gets to be a big kid and needs a seatbelt booster.


----------



## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dkenagy* 
I don't have a specific suggestion, but I would definitely recommend you go ahead and get a seat that also has the seatbelt paths on it so you don't have to buy yet another seat when your babe gets to be a big kid and needs a seatbelt booster.

Actually- there are no good seats that do that.

OP- I suggest the truefit.

-Angela


----------



## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

You should be looking at a high rear facing weight limit and a high forward facing weight limit. It would help if you defined what your spending limit is. There are decent recomendations from the $50 to the $180 range. There are some great deals on the Britax seats right now too, that might make them more affordable for you. Bear in mind that cheaper seats will have 40lb limits and will need to be replaced sooner. There are no seats that truly make good boosters, you are much better off focusing on how long the harness can be used and saving up for the appropriate seat for that stage later.


----------



## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dkenagy* 
I don't have a specific suggestion, but I would definitely recommend you go ahead and get a seat that also has the seatbelt paths on it so you don't have to buy yet another seat when your babe gets to be a big kid and needs a seatbelt booster.

Actually, from a safety perspective, this is an absolutely inappropriate recommendation.
I want to explain why, so the poster who suggested it isn't confused as to why everyone jumps on her I'm sure well-intended, yet unacceptable recommendation.

What you need, OP, is a seat that rear faces and forward faces, called a convertible. Because you asked for convertible recomendations, I assume you know this.
The reason A seat that has booster belt guides on it is going to be a bad choice for one of 2 reasons. 1 - if it is a convertible seat that also has belt guides, the reason it is a bad choice is because there are only 2 seats that do this, the dorel 3 in 1 seats( sometimes called alpha omega or eddie bauer) and the evenflo symphony, and these seats do NOT make good boosters when it is booster time, so they are not recommended for that purpose. also, the symphony only harnesses to 40 pounds, which does not get some kids to an appropriate booster age, so it fails on 2 levels.
or 2 - you are talking about a combination seat, which is a seat that only forward faces, and then converts to a booster. While there are a number of good combination seats on the market, they are abssolutely a bad choice for a child just outgrowing an infant bucket, because that child still has hopefully several years of rear-facing left to do, which they can obviously not do in a FF-only combination seat.

So...what you need is a good convertible seat. i need to ask you to clarify what you mean by affordable, since that can have a wide variation in meaning. In the under $50 range, you have the cosco scenera, which RF to 35 and ff to 40, and is the cheapest seat available. under $100 range, the avenue is usually recommended, because even though it is only a 40 lb seat, it rear faces to 35, and has a tall enought shell to last kids longer than most other 40 lb seats. The uptown is a similar seat on sale at big lots for $65.
In the $100-150 ish range, the Evenflo triumph advance, and safety 1st 3 in 1 seat are great options for harnessing all the way to 50 pounds. And closer to $180-200, you get the Truefit, 50-lb alpha omega and the Radian 65, and until Sunday, the Britax marathon on sale,...after Sunday, it goes back to it's normal price of $280.

The convertible seats you will absolutely want to stay away from, due to low rear facing limits and shells, are the tribute, titan and comfortsport.


----------



## MissE (May 12, 2007)

I just wanted to add about the comfort sport. I absolutelly love it as a 2nd car seat. Even though it has a weight limit of 40lbs forward facing, most kids are probably going to outgrow it before they reach that weight. DS got real tall, real fast and was at the top of the headrest by 16 months.

ETA: For DD I got the Britax Marathon (just ordered it when I saw here that it was on sale) and hopefully she'll be in it for a little longer than a year.


----------



## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

I have two Marathons and a TrueFit. While I love love love Britax, the TF is probably the best value for the money. I can totally see most children making it to an appropriate age for a dedicated booster in the TF. It's not cheap, but considerably cheaper than the Britax seats (and I got ours on sale for $123 from Amazon... but that was a couple months ago, and the sale was gone in the blink of an eye).


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

If you need something cheaper, get a Costco Scenera for now, and start saving to get something like the nautilus when the Scenera is outgrown around age 3.

If you can afford more, you can get a true fit or radian which will last most kids until 6, maybe longer. With these seats you can go from them to a cheaper belt positioning booster. You can also look at the Britax Marathon or Boulevard which has slightly lower shell and harness straps, but would last most kids until 4 or 5 (my 4 yo is too big for a MA, but he is big for his age). Or the Evenflo Triump ADVANCE.


----------



## soxthecatrules (Oct 20, 2008)

I know people on this board have a love hate relationship with the ComfortSport. But, IMHO, you have to consider the stature of your children. What is a bad carseat recommendation for one family could be an excellent choice for another. For our children (and budget) the ComfortSport is an excellent option. Both children are petite in stature. DS is almost 2 1/2 and weighs 28lbs. and is far from outgrowing his CS heightwise. DD (so far) is even more petite than her older brother. We plan to buy a CS for her also. I would LOVE to purchase Britax carseats but its just not an option on our budget.


----------



## LeighB (Jan 17, 2008)

If you something really inexpensive, the Cosco Scenera is good. That's what we are using until we can afford the Truefit or Marathon.


----------



## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *soxthecatrules* 
I know people on this board have a love hate relationship with the ComfortSport. I would LOVE to purchase Britax carseats but its just not an option on our budget.

I think there are many seats that are a much better option than the ComfortSport that are a comparable price (or less) but let you rear face to 35lbs and have taller slots FFing. You are absolutely right that every parent has to find the seat that works for them! This seat just isn't the best bang for the buck. For instance, your 28lb 2 1/2 year old could still be RFing in a Scenera in two pounds, but will have to forward face very soon the ComfortSport.


----------



## soccermama (Jul 2, 2008)

We used a Graco Triumph for DS when he was in that stage. It worked well for us and we'll use it for when we have another child. We used it for 2 1/2 years and it's still in great condition!


----------



## soxthecatrules (Oct 20, 2008)

"For instance, your 28lb 2 1/2 year old could still be RFing in a Scenera in two pounds, but will have to forward face very soon the ComfortSport."

I'm putting on the flame suit....we turned DS around at the general 1 year and 20lbs. I didn't know people did extended RF until a couple of months ago! I looked at our ComfortSport yesterday and I'm now pretty certain that height-wise he is definitely too tall to be RF in it. And, unfortunately, I think he may be getting too tall FF. There doesn't appear to be much room left at the top.


----------



## ScarletBegonias (Aug 24, 2005)

i personally don't recommend the cosco scenara. i tried it both rf and ff for each of my dc. i could not get a tight install, and when i did finally achieve one, both of my dc's *hated* it. this doesn't mean much for dd, who is used to her marathon but doesn't care to be in a carseat in general, but ds, who likes his carseat, screamed in the cosco scenara.









i ended up returning it and forking over the $ for a britax. ds is almost too big for his current britax, and we couldn't afford another one, even with the great sale, so i am looking at the seats under $150. the titan seemed good, but after reading this thread, i'm not so sure! if we could just afford a britax, i wouldn't be so confused!


----------



## ScarletBegonias (Aug 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bobandjess99* 
So...what you need is a good convertible seat. i need to ask you to clarify what you mean by affordable, since that can have a wide variation in meaning. In the under $50 range, you have the cosco scenera, which RF to 35 and ff to 40, and is the cheapest seat available. under $100 range, the avenue is usually recommended, because even though it is only a 40 lb seat, it rear faces to 35, and has a tall enought shell to last kids longer than most other 40 lb seats. The uptown is a similar seat on sale at big lots for $65.
In the $100-150 ish range, the Evenflo triumph advance, and safety 1st 3 in 1 seat are great options for harnessing all the way to 50 pounds. And closer to $180-200, you get the Truefit, 50-lb alpha omega and the Radian 65, and until Sunday, the Britax marathon on sale,...after Sunday, it goes back to it's normal price of $280.

The convertible seats you will absolutely want to stay away from, due to low rear facing limits and shells, are the tribute, titan and comfortsport.

thank you for this insightful and very helpful post!


----------



## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bobandjess99* 
Actually, from a safety perspective, this is an absolutely inappropriate recommendation.
I want to explain why, so the poster who suggested it isn't confused as to why everyone jumps on her I'm sure well-intended, yet unacceptable recommendation.

What you need, OP, is a seat that rear faces and forward faces, called a convertible. Because you asked for convertible recomendations, I assume you know this.
The reason A seat that has booster belt guides on it is going to be a bad choice for one of 2 reasons. 1 - if it is a convertible seat that also has belt guides, the reason it is a bad choice is because there are only 2 seats that do this, the dorel 3 in 1 seats( sometimes called alpha omega or eddie bauer) and the evenflo symphony, and these seats do NOT make good boosters when it is booster time, so they are not recommended for that purpose. also, the symphony only harnesses to 40 pounds, which does not get some kids to an appropriate booster age, so it fails on 2 levels.
or 2 - you are talking about a combination seat, which is a seat that only forward faces, and then converts to a booster. While there are a number of good combination seats on the market, they are abssolutely a bad choice for a child just outgrowing an infant bucket, because that child still has hopefully several years of rear-facing left to do, which they can obviously not do in a FF-only combination seat.

So...what you need is a good convertible seat. i need to ask you to clarify what you mean by affordable, since that can have a wide variation in meaning. In the under $50 range, you have the cosco scenera, which RF to 35 and ff to 40, and is the cheapest seat available. under $100 range, the avenue is usually recommended, because even though it is only a 40 lb seat, it rear faces to 35, and has a tall enought shell to last kids longer than most other 40 lb seats. The uptown is a similar seat on sale at big lots for $65.
In the $100-150 ish range, the Evenflo triumph advance, and safety 1st 3 in 1 seat are great options for harnessing all the way to 50 pounds. And closer to $180-200, you get the Truefit, 50-lb alpha omega and the Radian 65, and until Sunday, the Britax marathon on sale,...after Sunday, it goes back to it's normal price of $280.

The convertible seats you will absolutely want to stay away from, due to low rear facing limits and shells, are the tribute, titan and comfortsport.

Aren't there convertibles that RF, FF and act as a booster??


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *claddaghmom* 
Aren't there convertibles that RF, FF and act as a booster??

There are no convertibles that rf, ff, and make good boosters. The Cosco AO does all that, but makes a terrible booster (no adjustable headrest and puts the seatbelt too high on the child's abdomen). I would never use one as a booster, it's just not as safe as other options.


----------



## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *soxthecatrules* 
"For instance, your 28lb 2 1/2 year old could still be RFing in a Scenera in two pounds, but will have to forward face very soon the ComfortSport."

I'm putting on the flame suit....we turned DS around at the general 1 year and 20lbs. I didn't know people did extended RF until a couple of months ago! I looked at our ComfortSport yesterday and I'm now pretty certain that height-wise he is definitely too tall to be RF in it. And, unfortunately, I think he may be getting too tall FF. There doesn't appear to be much room left at the top.

RF is 500% safer. If your child is under 35lbs, I'd get a new seat and rf again.

-Angela


----------



## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
There are no convertibles that rf, ff, and make good boosters. The Cosco AO does all that, but makes a terrible booster (no adjustable headrest and puts the seatbelt too high on the child's abdomen). I would never use one as a booster, it's just not as safe as other options.

Oh, I see what you're saying. Okay!


----------



## TefferTWH (May 13, 2008)

I think that buying a good covertible that works until 65 pounds (or the child outgrows by height) is a much better option than the Scenera, even financially. For example, my dad got the Scenera for my son for $40, and it lasted literally one year, and then he had to replace it for a Nautilus $150. He's in $190 for two carseats, which is nearly what I paid for my Britax Blvd on sale, and the Britax is much more comfortable (his opinions) and rfs longer. I borrowed a bucket from a trusted relative, then bought the Blvd, which will most likely last him as long as the Nautilus because he's short.

With the baby, I ended up buying a bucket (borrowed a Combi from a trusted friend and HATED it) on sale for $75, and she'll get the TF when the weather breaks. She'll end up with more money in carseats only because everyone I tursted currently had their bucket in use!

FWIW, a decent booster isn't that much money either!


----------



## azmomtoone (Aug 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *soxthecatrules* 
"I looked at our ComfortSport yesterday and I'm now pretty certain that height-wise he is definitely too tall to be RF in it. And, unfortunately, I think he may be getting too tall FF. There doesn't appear to be much room left at the top.

And THAT is exactly why it isn't a highly recommended seat. It's a perfectly safe one and there is absolutely nothing wrong with using it (while your DC still fits of course). But noone is going to recommend that seat to someone looking to buy one, knowing that they will need to buy another new seat when their kid is 2; not when there are other seats in the same price range that'll RF longer and last years longer FF'ing.
If you've got the seat, use it; but if you're buying a new one, might as well spend the money on something that'll last.

ETA: FF, heightwise, the seat is outgrown if the kid's ears are above the shell (Tops of ears can be even w/ top of shell, not above) OR if the kid's shoulders are above the top slot / top harness height.


----------



## Jilian (Jun 16, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
RF is 500% safer. If your child is under 35lbs, I'd get a new seat and rf again.

People have kids RF @ 35 lbs?







DS1 was 35 lbs at 5 years old and he is pretty tall. I couldn't imagine him fitting in a seat RF.


----------



## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
People have kids RF @ 35 lbs?







DS1 was 35 lbs at 5 years old and he is pretty tall. I couldn't imagine him fitting in a seat RF.

Yeah, my siblings were all like that. Tall and super skinny. I'm hoping my kid doesn't follow that pattern b/c I really want to rf to 35lbs.


----------



## BeckC (Nov 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
People have kids RF @ 35 lbs?







DS1 was 35 lbs at 5 years old and he is pretty tall. I couldn't imagine him fitting in a seat RF.

They sure do.







It's so so so much safer.

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
People have kids RF @ 35 lbs?







DS1 was 35 lbs at 5 years old and he is pretty tall. I couldn't imagine him fitting in a seat RF.

My ds1 was too tall before he hit 35 for any seat other than the radian (but ours only had a 33 lb limit). I think most kid end up outgrowing by height before 35 lbs. A tall 35 lb 5 yo is probably too tall.

But I will keep my ds2 rfing until he's too tall or too heavy, whichever comes first.


----------



## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
My ds1 was too tall before he hit 35 for any seat other than the radian (but ours only had a 33 lb limit). I think most kid end up outgrowing by height before 35 lbs. A tall 35 lb 5 yo is probably too tall.

But I will keep my ds2 rfing until he's too tall or too heavy, whichever comes first.

Actually, I'm going to disagree, i think most kids actually outgrow their seats by weight, not height, *IF* they have one of the taller-shelled seats. Some will max out by height though, of course, but in my experience, not nearly as many as by weight. The 35 lb 5 yo is the exception rather than the rule.....
for boys, the 50th percentile is going to hit 35 lbs by age 3.5....at which point, the average height is 38 inches, and unless the child has a seriously proportionally huge torso, nearly all 38 inch tall kids are going to fit by height in the taller seats Rfing.
It really is the very slim, taller, older kid, that is heighting out of seats rather than weighting out.


----------



## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TefferTWH* 
I think that buying a good covertible that works until 65 pounds (or the child outgrows by height) is a much better option than the Scenera, even financially. For example, my dad got the Scenera for my son for $40, and it lasted literally one year, and then he had to replace it for a Nautilus $150. He's in $190 for two carseats, which is nearly what I paid for my Britax Blvd on sale, and the Britax is much more comfortable (his opinions) and rfs longer. I borrowed a bucket from a trusted relative, then bought the Blvd, which will most likely last him as long as the Nautilus because he's short.

With the baby, I ended up buying a bucket (borrowed a Combi from a trusted friend and HATED it) on sale for $75, and she'll get the TF when the weather breaks. She'll end up with more money in carseats only because everyone I tursted currently had their bucket in use!

FWIW, a decent booster isn't that much money either!

Actually, it ends up being about the same, either way.

Let's say you decide to go the long-lasting convertible and then straight into booster route.
At the very cheapest end, you have an EFTA for $130, and then follow it up with a $40 turbobooster or big kid, which is a cheaper booster that is still acceptable. The total is $170.
Go with a Trufit for $190(or radian 65), then a vivo for $70, that option can run you $260.
At the high end, get a marathon for $280, then a monterey for $130, and you have spent $410.

On the other hand, let's say you go with a shorter-lived convertible, and then into a high-weight harness/booster combo.

At the low end, you can do the scenera$40, then nautilus $140, for a total of $180.
Middle range you can do avenue $80, then nautilus $140, for a total of $220.
Higher end, an EFTA $130, then Frontier $280 and it is $410.

So...essentially the exact same costs for either of the options, at different budget levels.
In all of these options, you can extended rearface...possibly not to the absolute maximum, but well past 1, and extended harness, then booster.


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bobandjess99* 
Actually, I'm going to disagree, i think most kids actually outgrow their seats by weight, not height, *IF* they have one of the taller-shelled seats. Some will max out by height though, of course, but in my experience, not nearly as many as by weight. The 35 lb 5 yo is the exception rather than the rule.....
for boys, the 50th percentile is going to hit 35 lbs by age 3.5....at which point, the average height is 38 inches, and unless the child has a seriously proportionally huge torso, nearly all 38 inch tall kids are going to fit by height in the taller seats Rfing.
It really is the very slim, taller, older kid, that is heighting out of seats rather than weighting out.

Probably true, but my point was a 5 yo who is only 35 lbs probably is too tall. My kids do have crazy long torsos and big heads. My oldest outgrew the old triumph by height rfing by a year! The taller shell seats are newer (i.e. the radian and true fit). They weren't out when my ds1 weight was low enough to be rfing in them (he hit 33 lbs before 3 years).


----------



## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bobandjess99* 
Actually, it ends up being about the same, either way.
...
At the high end, get a marathon for $280, then a monterey for $130, and you have spent $410.

On the other hand, let's say you go with a shorter-lived convertible, and then into a high-weight harness/booster combo.
...
Higher end, an EFTA $130, then Frontier $280 and it is $410.

So...essentially the exact same costs for either of the options, at different budget levels.
In all of these options, you can extended rearface...possibly not to the absolute maximum, but well past 1, and extended harness, then booster.

You're not really extended harnessing with the first option, though. The Marathon gets outgrown by height for a lot of kids before they're really booster-ready (age 5 or younger). Replace that with Radian or True Fit, and you're more comparable.


----------



## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

i have a titan elite dlx, and it rear faces to 35 lbs, harnesses ff to 40, and reg. to 50. i was very satisfied with the research i did on the safety of it, and after using it for my son since he was 4 months old, i can say im extremely happy with the way it works. easy to adjust, easy to use, and a good fit for my civic. i found it at walmart.com for about $80.

much as i'd love to be able to buy a britax, there was no way. as ds gets closer to the hight/weight limit on the titan, we'll see.


----------



## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ironica* 
You're not really extended harnessing with the first option, though. The Marathon gets outgrown by height for a lot of kids before they're really booster-ready (age 5 or younger). Replace that with Radian or True Fit, and you're more comparable.

actually, that was my point..the externded harnessing convertible will not ext harness as long as the second option......when you get the marathon, truefit, efta, radian, you can't be "sure" it will get your child to booster age. The marathon in particular..although i woudl say that it certainly meets the definition of "extended harnessing" , it has now fallen from being one of the only options to harness past 40 lbs, to being about the smallest/least long lasting HWH option. Will any of those choices get 99% of kids to 4, the legal/standard minimum for boostering? sure. Will it get them to 5? the radian, very likely..truefit and efta and marathion... probably, but you tsake the chance of maybe not. Will they get your kid to 6? Again..radian likely...TF, efta, ma..possibly, but possibly not, unless your kid is on the smaller side.
Which is why, instead of recommending a HWH convertible, I actually prefer to recommend a non-hwh convertible, followed up with a nautilus. that way, you re SURE to be able to extended harness. As long as the parent gets a taller-shelled non-hwh seat, that combination allows them to max out ERF and EH..the HWH convertible doesn't, necesarily. Even the bigger ones like the truefit or efta, (the radian might, but doesnt work for a lot of parents due to rfing size) and after buying an expensive HWH convertible, many parents are going to be less likely to shell out for the HWH combo seat instead of just a plain booster. But then of course, you run the risk that a parent buying a non-hwh convertible will , instead of following it up with a GN like they were supposed to, will cheap out and just get a plain booster anyway, so....there are just different ways to look at it. If money and vehicle size weren't an option, Id have everyone get a TF or radian, marathion, efta, something sweet as a convertible, and then follow it up wioth a HWH combo....then a sweet SIP booster like a monterey....

But in general, I was just saying, there are a number of ways to look at it, and the HWH convertible is generally a bet, a wager, a gamble..maybe it will,maybe it wont....but since I don't want to chance my convertible being outgrown at 4-5, I personally prefer to get a hwh combo, but I';d have a hard time justifying a $140 nauti after having bought, 3 years prior, a $180 trufit. It becomes much easier to justify when, 3 years earlier, I got an $80 seat. that's me, and I'm really cheap.


----------



## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Ok, that makes more sense now. ;-)

But the TF has a lot more room than the Marathon. My DS1 had already outgrown the Marathon, and was *barely* too close for comfort on the SECOND from the top slot on the TF. He could sit in that seat for another year or two (and is 4.5 now). Of course, he has a Frontier, and the TF is his little brother's seat in the nanny's car ;-) but it'll probably become DS2's main seat in our car when the Marathon he's in now (handed down from DS1) expires, and he'll probably be in it until age 5 or so.... then he can probably inherit the Frontier.


----------



## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
People have kids RF @ 35 lbs?







DS1 was 35 lbs at 5 years old and he is pretty tall. I couldn't imagine him fitting in a seat RF.

Yea, my daughter is 6 1/2 and 34lbs, no way at all could she possible rear face in any seat on the market, she is like 46" tall! But, I think most kids hit 35lbs around 3 or 3 1/2...and I did keep my dd rear facing for a little more than 3 years... I'll be able to keep Travis rearfacing longest, cause he is really short, like he'd need to grow 5" to get on the growth charts right now...but I doubt he'll reach 35lbs before he's outgrown them height wise, he is just barely below 17lbs now at 18 months old.


----------

