Which is the best convertible car seat?

Question

I've been searching for a good carseat that's not too expensive. After all of my researching, I've decided I like the First Year's True Fit convertible car seat and the Evenflo Triumph Advance Premier convertible carseat, but I don't know which to choose. My son is 11 months old but only weighs 16 or 17lbs (he was premature) so he has to stay rear-facing until at least 20lbs, but he is tall and beginning to outgrow his infant carrier. I know I want to keep him rear facing for as long as possible which is why I would prefer a convertible car seat and I won't have to buy another car seat anytime soon. Has anybody ever tried any of these?

Answer 1

I use a Fisher Price one that I love.  It is 20 pounds and 1 year old to turn forward facing.

Answer 2

I love the evenflo triumph! It is roomy and  would be great for your son being rear facing for awhile then moving to forward facing.

it is convenient because you can recline it easily so a child can sleep in it.  you can adjust the straps from the front and not have to unhook it.

the only downside is that the carseat itself is really wide so it takes up alot of room in a car.

I babysit and I wouldnt fit 2 other carseats next to that one in my Trooper.

I ended up getting the evenflo titan. it is smaller and doesnt have the adjustments for the straps on the front but is still very comfortable and my son has been using it for a year. I will be getting another one for the next baby.  it is affordable and a great carseat.

Answer 3

You can't go wrong with either of those - they're both GREAT seats. Skip the Evenflo Titan mentioned below, b/c of much shorter top harness slots, most kids outgrow it at 2-3 years old. Not worth the money. Choose the seat the fits the best in your car of those 2 - they are both easy to use and isntall, and will both last a child to 4-6 years old. If you like the TruFit, definitely check some online sites before buying as it comes in several different covers other than what is at Target or other brick and mortar stores. Check out albeebaby.com, babyuniverse.com or elitecarseats.com

Also, its worth mentioning that your son should stay rear facing a lot longer than just 20lbs, or 1 year. The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980's when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn't know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.

Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child's life!

1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.

2)A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.

3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.

4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child's neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum...  There isn't a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. And  most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don't receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.