Car Seats?

[ArizonaKevin]

Where the hell do I start?

Also, there seems to be a rather annoying industry built around trying to convince you that your kid is going to die.

 

[Rondog4405]

The wife handles that shit.. got enough crap to worry about..

 

[JayBreww]

We have some sweet rotating one, I’ll find out.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Where the hell do I start?

Also, there seems to be a rather annoying industry built around trying to convince you that your kid is going to die.

Ahh you noticed that. Everyone is gonna try to scare you that the kid will suffer and/or die if you don’t buy the top of the line everything.

Buy a seat with a snap in cradle deal for a newborn. That will be good for about 6-9 months. Then buy a convertible car seat that will grow with the kid. That will last until 5-6 when they need a booster.

I flipped my kids around front facing at 18 months or so. It was miserable in the car. If you still have your full size truck you’ll probably be ok for longer with rear facing seats.

 

[DLow]

Where the hell do I start?

Also, there seems to be a rather annoying industry built around trying to convince you that your kid is going to die.

No one gets out of this show alive. Coming from a father of three, you definitely have to balance safety with enjoying life. We always bought what we thought was the best when it came to seats, as I have personally seen many car seats literally save kids lives. The best isn’t necessarily the most expensive. The best is what we thought would protect our kids while using common sense on our budget. Accident avoidance is just as important as having a good seat to protect the kiddos butts. It’s not just you and mama any more. Pay attention and put the phone down.(Not specifically you)

 

[JayBreww]

Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotating Convertible Car Seat - Moonstone

Read reviews and buy Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotating Convertible Car Seat - Moonstone at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotating Convertible Car Seat - Moonstone

Read reviews and buy Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Rotating Convertible Car Seat - Moonstone at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

That is cool. It looks like it takes up a ton of space when rear facing though. I say this because I know Kevin is tall. We tried to find the seat that took up the least space when rear facing because we are tall as well.

 

[ultra26shadow]

We really liked the Recaro’s we had over the years. Very sturdy and comfortable. Unfortunately they are no longer available in the USA due to them having to pay some crazy fee to the NHTSA to be certified. I guess kind of like Lifelines and the Coast Guard. Only now available in the UK. We have a Britax that came with a stroller and all and it’s also good.

 

[Jimmyv]

Not all the higher end sets are more $$ just because of scare tactics. Many of the Recaros / Britax / Dionon brands make a car seat with a base designed specifically for vehicles with sport bucket seats. Grayco and other less expensive seats will either not fit right in, or down right f*ck up your seats.

We’ve gratefully moved from car seats to simple boosters finally.

Next step is getting them JOBS.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Whatever you get, try the seat in your vehicle(s). Some of them are space hogs. We used Graco brand seats and strollers.

 

[BoatCop]

Aren't your kids worth the best?

That said, be leery about buying used seats, either on the internet, Craigs list, Marketplace, etc. or garage sales, or even from a buddy who's kids outgrew them. Child safety seats have a huge recall history, due to strapping issues, burns from buckles, strap failures, choking hazards, etc. that probably wasn't addressed by the previous owner.

Since we all have a computer in our pockets, all it takes is a couple of minutes to check the tag info here:

Recalls | NHTSA

Use our VIN lookup tool to check for recalls on your car, or search by make and model. Also, get recall information on car seats, tires and equipment.

www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov

 

[JayBreww]

That is cool. It looks like it takes up a ton of space when rear facing though. I say this because I know Kevin is tall. We tried to find the seat that took up the least space when rear facing because we are tall as well.

It doesn’t take up much more space then our Graco.
The Graco is cool because we have the stroller and walker it clips into, but this revolver is much nicer. Being able to spin the seat to take him in and out is worth it.

 

[ka0tyk]

Your kids life isn’t worth a couple hundred bucks? Sheesh. Recaro makes safety seats for people going hundred miles an hour in race cars. It was a no brainer for us. We had a few of them so we didn’t have to move em between cars.

 

[mjc]

How did we survive in these?

 

[Roosky01]

In all seriousness, we are programmed, by DNA I think, to spend whatever the cost to get the “best” for our babies and children. We’ve all been there and have spent way more than what we actually needed to.

Buy something that has good ratings and go about your life. In a short time you will be donating it or selling it for pennies on the dollar anyways. Remember, we all didn’t have hardly any of this shit and we survived!

 

[hman442]

View attachment 1092957

How did we survive in these?

Heck we didn't even have those. I remember standing up in the center front seat, red & white 60 Oldsmobile, clear plastic covers on the seats. If Mom had to slam on the brakes, she just put her arm out in front of me to keep me off the red metal dash. I guess we really were lucky !

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Where the hell do I start?

Also, there seems to be a rather annoying industry built around trying to convince you that your kid is going to die.

I have a cybex in my truck, and am happy with it. https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/pr...VpxOtBh35fwKDEAQYAiABEgKdvfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The x5 has a Clek in it... FYI the back seats on x5s don’t accommodate a lot of seats...so keep that in mind

Clek Fllo Compact Convertible Car Seat for Infants and Toddlers |

The Compact Convertible Car Seat The Clek Fllo is one of the safest narrow convertible car seats available, supporting extended rear-facing use allowing for most kids to remain rear-facing until their fourth birthday. Engineered to protect, it is built with advanced safety features, including: •...

clekinc.com

When MaK was under 1 the Doona was the cats meow...legit best car seat ever.

 

[TrojanDan]

Britax. The Highway Patrol (at least in CA) will show you how to install it. You’ll be surprised how many car seats are installed incorrectly.

 

[LHC Kirby]

If you go with used ones… google search for recalls and life span. Some info might be on a label, other times it’s embossed on the plastic. Some are good for 5 years, 7 years… 10 years.
The main reason for expiration is due to new technology and safer seats. I always put the expiration date on both sides with a p-touch label. So it’s easy to see on a regular basis.

 

[LHC Kirby]

Britax. The Highway Patrol (at least in CA) will show you how to install it. You’ll be surprised how many car seats are installed incorrectly.

If the person who took the 8 hour class is on duty… best to get an appointment.

 

[Roosky01]

Britax. The Highway Patrol (at least in CA) will show you how to install it. You’ll be surprised how many car seats are installed incorrectly.

Who in the heck on this forum needs the CHP to show them how to install a damn car seat?!

Holy fuk is this Country doomed…

 

[goshen82]

We have nunas I think there called. My wife likes them and they are easy to install if you have to move them to another car. I have a different brand in my truck and I would much rather have the nuna. The one in my truck is a pain in the ass to get tight compared to the nunas. I also have 2 sparco car seats for the sand rail and rzr and they work really well for that application.

 

[Icky]

We started with this when he was born
https://www.chiccousa.com/shop-our-...8KyKiY3Xm71m1TT_k5YZx_CLblBj5UghoCM2wQAvD_BwE and had bases for both vehicles.
Now that he's older he's in this, and I couldn't drive the Durango with it rear facing 6'2" https://www.chiccousa.com/shop-our-products/car-seats/convertible/ now that he's forward facing there's more room.

I bought this one for the sandrail, it takes up less room and he seems more secure. It was cheaper on Amazon. https://store.diono.com/radian-3rxt/

 

[1tonfun]

When we became grandparents, our kids bought the same seats so all we had to do was buy the base for our car since we baby sit them all throughout the week. With the base, you can buy a second one for your other vehicle so you don't have to swap them out if the seat only comes with one base.

 

[Gripside80]

Britax endeavor.... buy two bases. One for your car one for your wife’s. Easy back and forth without having to move the base from car to car. The car seat just clicks in the base and you are off to the races. Get the bob stroller too. They sell the the britax/bob adapter for the stroller so you can click out of car and right in to the stroller. It doesn’t get any easier for newborn/infant. Wife tried a fancy high end stroller.... always went back to the bob.

Car seat

https://us.britax.com/shop/car-seats/endeavours-infant-car-seat

Car seat base

Britax Gen2 Infant Car Seat Base

A leader in child safety technology, Britax offers car seats, strollers and travel systems that give families the freedom and confidence to keep moving.

us.britax.com

Stroller adapter

BOB Infant Car Seat Adapter Single/Britax

BOB Infant Car Seat Adapter for Single strollers and Britax car seats - CS1305

bobparts.com

Bob stroller
https://www.bobgear.com/single-strollers

Used bob market can save you a couple hundred bucks. Absolutely never ever under no circumstances buy a used car seat.

This is just one setup of many similar available out there. Worked great for us for two kids.

Don’t stress. Buy it all and be done. It’s only the beginning!

Congratulations! Welcome to fatherhood my friend!!! It’s the best thing in the world!

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Ahh you noticed that. Everyone is gonna try to scare you that the kid will suffer and/or die if you don’t buy the top of the line everything.

Buy a seat with a snap in cradle deal for a newborn. That will be good for about 6-9 months. Then buy a convertible car seat that will grow with the kid. That will last until 5-6 when they need a booster.

I flipped my kids around front facing at 18 months or so. It was miserable in the car. If you still have your full size truck you’ll probably be ok for longer with rear facing seats.

California law is now kids must be rear facing until 2.

We got an Uppababy Knox for our 16 month old because I needed every inch for leg room to drive the Escalade. It was the shortest front to back we could find and has a fantastic safety rating. The 3 year old is in a Chico NextFit and I have never used a car seat that is as easy to install as that one (we have had a LOT of different car seats over the years).

When we were T-boned and rolled, our 3 oldest girls were all in the back seat of our Yukon. They all walked away without a scratch mostly due to good car seats strapped in well. Along with the fact that I am certain there is NO better vehicle to be in an accident in than a GM full size SUV. Between ours and Riverbound's accident I am 100% certain of that fact.

 

[Firemanjoe]

When our kids were little, the wife had to have EVERYTHING britax. Car seats, carriers, strollers etc….. I probably have 4K worth of britax in my garage.

 

[chvynhra]

Chico is the best, I had Recaro for my first then chico next fit for the second cuz Recaro isn't available anymore. There is no way I would cheap out on my kids safety.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

We had Gracos. Great seats and good value. The infant carrier ones will get you through the first year or so, depending on the kids size. You can usually buy a second or third base for each vehicle.

When they move up to the bigger seats we bought two, one for each vehicle.

As far as brand names, think of it as the difference between a Toyota and a Mercedes. Both are safe and get you where you need to go, one has more cache. I was after practicality and this is something that is going to get pee/poop/barf/food/milk and whatever else all over it in its lifetime.

I put down a heavy bath towel to protect the leather. Worked great, and my seats never showed any witness marks from the car seat.

 

[steamin rice]

Don't look to save a few bucks on a car seat, and don't buy them used. My kids are 12 and 14 now and long out of car seats, but when they were in them there was only a couple of hundred dollars difference between the cheap ones and the higher end ones. In the big picture, you want to know that you are doing what you can to keep your kids safe. When my oldest was about 1.5 years old, my wife turned left in front of an oncoming pickup and totaled her car with our 1.5 yr old in the back. Fortunately the car seat did its job and my daughter was not injured except for some bruises on her shoulders form the car seat straps. If I had cheaped out on a car seat and she was injured more, I would have always second guessed if a better car seat would have made a difference or not. We used Britax car seats but I don't know what the good ones are now.

 

[mjc]

I remember getting Simpsons for my kids. If the can make racing seat belts and stuff they can make a good kids seat I figured.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Not sure how this turned into me being a cheap ass trying to skimp on a car seat, I just have no idea where to start on this. The car seat/stroller section at buy buy baby is intimidating as hell and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for. What makes one safer than another?

Definitely need to find one that is size efficient, as LOF said my wife and I are on the taller side (6'5" and 5'9")

Seems like the consensus is to have a dedicated infant one and then get a convertible when they are forward facing? I've seen some that can support a child from infant through 100lb, but am concerned it would be too bulky as an infant seat?

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Not sure how this turned into me being a cheap ass trying to skimp on a car seat, I just have no idea where to start on this. The car seat/stroller section at buy buy baby is intimidating as hell and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for. What makes one safer than another?

Definitely need to find one that is size efficient, as LOF said my wife and I are on the taller side (6'5" and 5'9")

Seems like the consensus is to have a dedicated infant one and then get a convertible when they are forward facing? I've seen some that can support a child from infant through 100lb, but am concerned it would be too bulky as an infant seat?

Welcome to RDP

The most expensive one is not the safest one. They all have rating and standards. Using it correctly is far more important than anything else.

The weight upper ratings are inflated, and in my opinion semi irrelevant on the high side. Your kid wont be in a car seat when they weigh that much anyway, and if you shoved them in there, they would not be comfortable.

Pro Tip - If you want to get just one seat after the infant seat, get one like this with inserts for when they are small , and also head protection for when they get bigger. You can see the head protection the seat below will provide as your kid gets bigger and you ditch the infant insert. This seat will work for you kid until you put her in a booster.

Radian® 3RXT® SafePlus™

Radian® 3RXT Safe+® All-in-One Convertible Car Seat

store.diono.com

We very much liked the Diono line because they are fairly slim, so you could have 2 people in your back seat still. They are easy to clean and very solid as well.

 

[aj923]

They will be in the infant seat for the first year. Like everyone says buy a second base so you can just put the seat in each car.
Stick to one brand so other accessories work together. We have two strollers a smaller one that works for most things like malls and shopping etc.. Then we bought a BOB jogging stroller for around the neighbor hood or places that you have more space. It rolls so much better than the smaller wheeled strollers.

We use the Graco car seats. They sell them at costco. We have only been in one wreck with the kid in the car and it did its job. Not really sure what makes one safer vs another but they all have to pass the same safety tests.

 

[Roosky01]

This one is good for up to 130lbs. and up to 66" in height! My anniversary is coming up so I believe this would be a fabulous gift for my better half. She is going to look so damn cute all strapped in the back seat and will surely appreciate my concern for her safety.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Not sure how this turned into me being a cheap ass trying to skimp on a car seat, I just have no idea where to start on this. The car seat/stroller section at buy buy baby is intimidating as hell and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for. What makes one safer than another?

Definitely need to find one that is size efficient, as LOF said my wife and I are on the taller side (6'5" and 5'9")

Seems like the consensus is to have a dedicated infant one and then get a convertible when they are forward facing? I've seen some that can support a child from infant through 100lb, but am concerned it would be too bulky as an infant seat?

If that's your plan....this was the shit. With travel, road trips everything. Fits directly into an airline seat as well. Cuts down on wasted time putting a seat into stroller etc. It was a sad day when she outgrew it (my kid's gonna be tall lol, she outgrew it lengthwise way before weight wise).

Doona Car Seat & Stroller Travel System 2-in-1 Combo | Doona™ USA

Fully integrated all-in-one travel system, the perfect car seat and stroller combo. Designed to provide a safe and practical solution for life on-the-go

www.shopdoona.com

 

[JFMFG]

We have some sweet rotating one, I’ll find out.

Cybex is what we have when he was a newborn we had the nuna till he outgrew it

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Cybex is what we have when he was a newborn we had the nuna till he outgrew it

ditto...have it in my mega cab now. Makes it easy to get her in and out vs having to climb in etc.

 

[ltbaney1]

ive bought 8 of these damn things. i like that they work until they can sit in a regular car seat. the costco by me in HB normally has them for $189.

Buy Buy Baby

Shop buybuy BABY for a fantastic selection of baby merchandise including strollers, car seats, baby nursery furniture, crib bedding, diaper bags and much more.

www.buybuybaby.com

 

[steamin rice]

Apologies if my reply came across implying that OP was being a cheap ass, that was not my intent at all. I was trying to convey the point that it is important to get a high quality, safe car seat above other things.

With our kids, we had a small infant seat that snapped into the carrier, and then moved to larger car seats when the kids were bigger and outgrew the infant seats.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Apologies if my reply came across implying that OP was being a cheap ass, that was not my intent at all. I was trying to convey the point that it is important to get a high quality, safe car seat above other things.

With our kids, we had a small infant seat that snapped into the carrier, and then moved to larger car seats when the kits were bigger and outgrew the infant seats.

You're good, just wanted to make it clear my question wasn't about cost but about how confusing they all are

 

[Spitfire]

Britax is what we used for my 4 kids. They were certainly higher end of cost at the time but they had some additional features that we liked. I assume most have them all now.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

You're good, just wanted to make it clear my question wasn't about cost but about how confusing they all are

My wife is a car seat NUT and researches them all endlessly. The Diono's are good due to how long they can fit in them, but they are FUCKING HEAVY! And when they are front facing they are very upright and many kids don't like them that much. For convertibles, buy one based one physical size and how it works in your vehicle. Some seats do better in different vehicles than others.

Infant carriers.... again, get a good brand. All the roll/crash bars are dumb and just take up more room. Level the handle up for the same effect if you want.

Also for stroller, I wish someone told us this..... get one with the largest pneumatic tires you can get. I big name will make adapters for most all infant carriers to just click in. They take up a little more room to store but are SOOO much easier to push. Also, the push bars tend to go higher. I'm 6'1" and a lot of non-jogging strollers are too low and too close to the rear wheels to comfortably push (you'll find most are designed for average mom sizes. Most dad's don't fit that mold very well).