What is the safest car seat (Under $200) for a 3 year old---he's 37.5 in & 33 lbs.?

Answer 1

1)The AAP says "the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time." (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. 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. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.

So...knowing all that, here's some about specific seats. Please don't get a Graco Comfort Sport. Car seat techs call it the 'crappysport'. LOL Its a crappy seat that won't last your child very long b/c it has a really short shell. The straps twist all the time, and if they're twisted they won't support your child in a wreck properly. They're hard to install. There's nothing good about these seats except perhaps they're cheap sometimes. Ditto the Safety1st 3-in-1/Cosco Alpha Omega/Eddie Bauer 3-in1 seats. These are all the same company - same seat, just different covers. They stink. Hard to install, b/c of narrow belt paths. Ever tried to wash a skinny cup by hand? Now imagine that skinny cup with pointy edges. That's what putting your hand through these to install them is like. AND they have too short a shell to really go to 40lbs. And they do not make good boosters. Also, most kids have to use boosters until they're at least 8 years old. Car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture, so no matter what they say it is NOT the last seat you'll ever need to buy. For comparison sake: the Cosco Scenera at Walmart is $40, goes to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing, and has 14.5inch top harness slots. The Alpha Omega/3-in-1 seats are over $100+, go to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing, and have 14.5inch to 15inch top slots. They stink as boosters, they're not tall enough and don't last long enough. So, why pay 3 times as much for a $40 seat?? Very few children will make it past 2 years of age (sometimes less!!) in those seats and then you will be out getting yet another seat. So its not saving money, it will cost you more in the long run.

I must comment as well, perhaps a previous poster worked at a very unique Babies R Us, b/c in general, the Babies R Us staffers are NOT well educated on car seats nor car seat safety. In fact, for some odd reason, they are not allowed to take the certification class to become car seat techs! Sound fishy? Go to the store to look and buy, but don't necessarily listen to their advice. They still quote the old 20lbs/1 year rule, and they always push the sale of the Alpha Omega/3-in-1 seats that stink.

The Britax Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon (These 3 are the same seat, just different variances of luxury additions, with the Marathon being the cheapest base model) can be found for regular price of $269, and on sale at Albee Baby online for $209-$219. The Marathon a wide open easy to route belt path, which makes using it correctly a lot easier, as do the built in lockoffs, which mean you never again have to use a locking clip. I can get it into 4 different vehicles in under 2 minutes. Because of the way the base is made, it fits in most cars. And, it is worth the money, b/c it lasts usually twice as long as most other car seats (all car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture) lasting a baby till they are 5-6 years old, where most at Walmart will only last till 2-4 years old. Rear faces to 33lbs, then forward to 65lbs. and top slots 17inches tall, lasts most kids to ages 5-6 years old. This seat is one of only 2 convertible seats that can be tethered rear facing for added security.

The Recaro Como/Signo (Signo is the more expensive version) is a brand new seat, the Como is $249 with free shipping at many sites online. It rear faces to 35lbs, and front faces to 70lbs, and has top slots at 19inches, taller than any other convertible on the market, so this will outlast even the Britax Marathon, for a slightly cheaper price. Very plush seat, too. It even has the built-in lockoffs! They're easy to install, like the Britax seats, and include infant and toddler padding. With the goals of rear facing as long as possible and staying in a harness as long as possible, and it has side impact protection, this seat is great.

The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.

The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible seat is great, it is made by Britax, without all the frills. It's the same shell as a Marathon, but for less than half the price. $130 at Albee Baby online with free shipping, or at their eBay name, babysurplus. Rear faces to 33lbs, forward to 55lbs. Easy to use, fits in most cars. To the poster that commented on hers, its awesome she found them the 2nd time around, however, there is a couple big differences between the Fisher Price seat and the Britax seats. There are reasons its cheaper. Its a great seat, but there are good reasons:
1)it only goes to 55lbs front facing instead of 65lbs, meaning it may not last you as long as a Britax Marathon would
2)no built-in lockoffs. If you will be installing the seat in any vehicle made before '97, you WANT built-in lockoffs. Locking clips are awful.
3)the covers aren't plush. This one isn't a big deal, but it is a difference.


These are the best you can buy that will give you the most bang for your buck. As a single parent I'm always watching the budget - I have no money to speak of, and these are what I would buy. (My son has a marathon and is soon getting a Britax Regent). They will last the longest. I only wish someone would've told me all this before I had him, I coulda saved some money for the extra seats I started out with!

Those are the convertible seats, what I'd actually recommend at his age and size, is a Britax Regent, more money than you say you're willing to spend, the Recaro would be closer to your budget, but the Regent will last longer. It harnesses to a whopping 80lbs, and has 20inch top slots. WIll keep your son harnessed longer than any other seat. Runs $269.99 with free shipping at many online sites.

All seats in the US must meet the same safety criteria to sell, so technically they all are safe, however, if its hard to install, then it won't be used correctly and that makes it unsafe. Also, they only must meet the guidelines, some seats barely pass, some exceed them. Britax exceeds the guidelines and is easy to use.


****The poster below me mentions a Safety1st Apex (its actually called a Safety1st Apex65 or Signature Biltmore) seat. This is NOT a convertible car seat, it is front facing only. Its an OK seat, but your car must have headrests to use as the back of it has no structural support - it has 17inch top slots, and its biggest issue - a very pointy buckle that pokes the child in the thighs. But, for a small budget its an ok seat, make sure you get the Signature Biltmore version, it has the EPP foam that protects the child from side impact crashes. And it becomes a booster after the child outgrows the harness.

Answer 2

The safest car seat is one that is installed properly and used correctly every time. Some just have extra features.

Evenflo Titan would not be a good idea, they are outgrown by height way too fast. Same with the Alpha Omega/Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 seats (I've also been told they don't make a very good belt-positioning booster).

I would look into the Safety 1st Apex. It's a big seat, and can be tricky to install depending on your vehicle (I don't think it works well with Toyotas), but is a great seat. Also maybe check into the Evenflo Triumph Advance. Make sure it's the Advance model, it's got the higher back so it will last longer than the regular Triumphs.

Answer 3

I would recommend the Fisher-Price Safe Voyage Deluxe. I have one of them for my 8 month old and a Britax Marathon for my 40lb 2 1/2 year old. I bought the Marathon before finding out about the FPSVD, I really wish now that I had done more research. The FPSVD is manufactured by Britax, using essentially the same shell as the Marathon; but it is marketed under the Fisher-Price name, so it is a fraction of the cost. It has nice, tall top slots for the taller babies; and it harnesses up to 55lbs, as opposed to the 40 lbs most cheaper convertible carseats do. They are currently $129.99 w/free shipping from Albee Baby.

You could also consider the Evenflo Triumph Advance Deluxe. It has an increased RFing limit of 35lbs, and harnesses forward facing to 50lbs. They run around $150.

Answer 4

I got a Britex for my little boy when he was like 6mths old b/c he was too tall for his infant carseat, and I absolutely LOVE it! YES...Britex carseats are expensive...but really they are top of the line. You should go to a website and do some research on which carseats are the safest, then make a decision. If you go to Babies R Us, you can take the carseats down and see which one is the most comfortable for your child. I use to work for Babies R Us and know for a fact they you have to learn every safety aspect of the carseats. Just ask an associate to help you and they can tell you all the benefits. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 5

I love the Alpha Omega carseat. It is just wonderful. It is converts from an infant rear facing car seat, to a front facing seat, to a booster seat. You can use it for a really long time, and they are comfy. It is definatly worth the investment. They run about $125-$175.

Answer 6

EVENFLO TITAN 5... It's at Target for around $100 very easy to use and it's convertable from 5lbs-80 I think... Good luck

Answer 7

I love the one i have it's from babyco(i think) and it has the anti-submarine clip. so with a harness it is very safe and they can not slip down. safe'n'sound Pegasus.

Answer 8

target stores have great options and great prices....check them out online and look at the specs for them....some even have free shipping if there's no target near you!

-hbb

Answer 9

they have different car seat everyday so try wal mart or toy r us