Posts Tagged: car seat

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
26
Dec 10

Comfort, Safety and Ease of Use – This is What a Car Seat Should Be

I will unabashedly admit that this review is for a product that I literally fell in love with at first sight. Keep in mind that I walked confidently into Babies R’ Us one day last year after having done exhaustive research on children’s car seats and was prepared to quickly pick-up and carry to the cash register my first and only choice. However, I walked out with a model and brand I had not given any consideration to previously, which is extremely uncharacteristic of me. The reason for this change of mind and decision is described in the following review.

The Triumph Advance car seat from Evenflo catches your eye from across the aisle simply by its appearance. My first thought before ever touching the seat was that I wished it were made in a size which could sit in a family room and fit a grown man. It looked that comfortable even from a distance. And, upon further, detailed inspection, the seat pad and support pillows did not disappoint. When pressing on the material and padding, I found the Evenflo to have a much more comfortable feel than its competitors. Inevitably, with other brands, I would be able to feel the underlying plastic shell fairly easily through the padding in certain locations which I felt could be uncomfortable for baby but I did not find this with the Evenflo. By the end of the day, my son was strapped in and rolling down the highway in blissful infant comfort.

But my son was also riding down the highway in reassuring safety as well. Evenflo touts their “New EPP energy absorbing foam liner” as part of this seat and in my opinion, have developed the most user-friendly harness system available. Their “TensionRight” knob for tightening the harness with a twist of the wrist is a welcome change from the more standard pull-to-tighten strap design commonly available. Knobs are located on both sides of the seat meaning that whether rear facing or forward facing you can make your adjustments from either side of the seat. The “infinite slide harness” feature assures that you will not be required to reweave the shoulder harnesses to different heights as baby gets bigger. The shoulder height of the harness automatically adjusts and locks into place. As someone who dealt with regular frustrations of webbing twisting in the harness on our former safety seat, I have been very pleased with the twist resistant design and operation of the Triumph Advance.

Mounting of the car seat is uncomplicated and well described in the instructions. The body and head support pillows fit baby just right and are incrementally removed as he or she grows. Also of note is that apparently, building comfort into a child’s seat does not necessarily mean that durability must be compromised. With over a year’s worth of daily use, the material and padding have produced no tears or other damage and any spots or clean-up were easily removed.

Retail price is around $160 dollars and obviously in my opinion is well worth the money if you are shopping in this price range. It is not the cheapest or most expensive seat and, in many arenas is not necessarily rated as the “best”, but if you give it a good look, you will likely be pleasantly surprised and swayed as a consumer by this product’s unique features. Comfort, safety and ease of use – this is what a car seat should be!

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
9
Aug 10

Britax Roundabout Car Seat Review

Are you expecting in the near future? If so, congratulations! This time is very exciting, yet it can be a little overwhelming right in the beginning. It seems like there is so much to learn, so much to prepare for, and so many baby items we need before they arrive.

One of the most important baby items to get before your little one comes is a car seat. Car seats are a must and it is against the law to have your baby in the car without one. What makes baby seat shopping tricky is how many different kinds there are. We want what is best for our little one, and what is safest.

A great brand to consider is Britax. Britax is known for their safety, convenience features, cute styles, and they’re known to be an excellent seat among many parents. They have almost a 5 star rating on all their seats and a lot to show when it comes to safety ratings.

If you’re not sure which car seat you want to consider, the Roundabout is a great choice. Let me tell you a little bit about it.

It is a compact convertible seat with side impact protection. Which in other words means it distributes crash forces, shields from vehicle intrusion, and contains the head and body. The convenient and compact size is great for vehicles with limited space, and makes this seat easier to carry. It also has a tangle-free, five-point harness with three harness heights to make sure your baby has a snug and secure fit. Not to mention it has a premium push-button latch connector for a quick, simple and tight installation.

As you can see, this car seat has it all. You’ll be able to seat your baby safely in the car, have them be in style, and feel good about having them in an almost 5 start rated car seat!

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
29
Jan 10

How to Properly Install a Car Seat

Installing a car seat can be a daunting task, but it is vital in ensuring the safety of your child while riding in a motor vehicle. When a car seat is not properly installed, several problems can arise. First, the seat may be loose and uncomfortable for the baby; second, there is unnecessary wear and tear on both the seat of the car and the car seat; and third, the baby can be seriously injured or even killed in the instance of a car accident. There have been many cases in which children have been seriously injured due to improperly installed car seats and, then again, there have been many children saved as a result of a car seat that has been installed properly.

Nevertheless, It doesn’t matter if you’re running down the street for a loaf of bread or going to buy today’s newspaper, it is important that the car seat be installed properly and the baby be placed inside of it correctly.

Here are some steps to take when installing a rear-facing baby car seat:

?If installing in a car, make sure the car seat is installed in the back seat. If installing in a truck, then the seat needs to be installed in the middle of the seat. However, if there is a back seat, baby should always be there because of air bags and other factors that could cause harm in case of an incident.

?The car seat should always be positioned to where the baby is facing the back. The car seat should not be straight up, but it should be positioned in such a way that the baby is lying down.

?If at all possible, place baby’s car seat in the middle of the back seat, which can reduce impact in case of an accident.

?Make sure the seat belt is tight around the car seat and that it is buckled tightly.

When installing a forward-facing car seat, there are also some very important things to keep in mind when properly installing the car seat:

?First, the car seat should always be located in the back seat of the car and never in the front seat due to airbags and the possibility of injury from the windshield in case of an accident.

?Move the front seat that the car seat will be located behind forward to get it out of the way and allow for enough room to work.

?Second, go ahead and route the seatbelt through the designated belt path and be sure to pull the seatbelts as tight as possible and then buckle the seatbelt.

?Some seatbelts have a lock-off clip, which can be quite useful. If you don’t know how to use it, read the owner manual. If the seatbelt pulls all the way out and then clicks when it retracts, then the seatbelt locks itself. The locking clip should be used if the seatbelts do not lock themselves.

?The shoulder part of the seatbelt must be locked because it is actually the lap section of the seatbelt that is keeping the car seat in place.

?After installation, try moving the seat. If it moves more than an inch, then it needs to be tightened or reinstalled.

By following these steps for installing rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, your child should be receiving the maximum safety that a car seat has to offer. That way, if an accident does occur, the chances of your child becoming seriously injured is considerably less than if riding in a car seat that is not properly installed.

Infant safety is not something to be taken lightly. If you’re unsure of how to properly install a car seat, contact your local auto club for advice.

Babies-Toddler — Comments Off
26
Jan 10

How to Install an Infant Car Seat

Nothing matters to a parent more than their child’s health and safety, especially when riding in a car. An automobile accident can happen in an instant and it is vital that a child is properly protected. It is imperative that an infant’s car seat be correctly and securely installed and this can be confusing to a first time user with all the different clips and belts.

Unfortunately, an infant car seat cannot guarantee a child’s safety. However, a properly installed car seat will significantly decrease the chance of death or injury in the event of a car accident. As a result, car safety seats are required by law in all 50 states.

For babies, a car seat is installed into the back seat of the car, facing the rear and is attached to a base that sits on the backseat. The base is securely fastened to the seat of the car with a seat belt. It’s important to make sure that the seat belt of the car is threaded through the proper slots of the base. Check the installation manual, but often a rear-facing infant seat must be installed at a 45 degree angle. It’s also very important to make sure that the straps that hold the baby in the seat are properly and securely fastened and that the infant seat is in the reclined position while in the vehicle. The straps should be threaded through the slots that are just below your child’s shoulders and when fastened, they should be tight enough that only one finger can fit between the harness and the child’s collarbone.

As a child grows older, they will begin to use a safety seat that now faces the front of the car in a seat that is especially suited to this use. With this type of seat, the seatbelt of the car is threaded through the holes in the back of the seat. Again, it’s important to ensure that the seatbelt is threaded through the proper holes. Once it’s securely fastened, the next step is to attach the straps to the safety clips near the rear window of the car, by the headrests. This is a newer, additional system called the Universal Anchorage System and is now mandatory in many jurisdictions. When these latches are connected, you can then tighten them to ensure that the seat is securely fastened and there is very little play in the seat. The last step of course is to ensure that the child is securely fastened into the seat using the straps provided.

No matter what kind of infant car seat that you decide to buy, it’s always important that you follow the manufacturers instructions when installing the seat. Ensure that the seat belts in the car are working properly and that the seat does not have any visible damage as this can cause the structure of the seat to become weak and possibly fail under stress.

Learn more about infant car seats at Infant Car Seat Reviews. Find the advantages and disadvantages to infant car seats and convertible car seats, research key car seat features, and watch video on how to install an infant car seat.