Car seat questions

So...I have some car seat questions and am hoping someone can answer. We are looking at what our next car seat is going to be. Right now we have the Graco Safeseat which goes up to 35lbs and 32in I think? Anyway, my LO's are smaller-24&26in and 15&16lbs and I'm positive they will be in this seat until they are atleast one and can probably be in it longer.
So I was thinking our next car seat would be a convertible car seat. Dh was looking and he noticed that there are some convertible forward facing booster seats...they start as forward facing, go to high back booster, then low back booster. The ones we are looking at are this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011URFRE and this one http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/frontier/ . Any thoughts or ideas? Is there a reason a lot of ppl go from infant seat to convertible to booster? Is it ok to just go from infant seat to convertible booster?

 

I cant see your first link and the Britax Frontier looks like they want you to start using it at 2 years?? I have both the Evenflo Triumph Advance and the Britax Marathons. I love both of them for different reasons. The Evenflo's are very easy to adjust and they can rear face in them for up to 35 pounds. I love the Marathons because they can forward face in a 5-point harness to 60 pounds which is well into Kindergarten. I didnt get the Marathons until about 6 months ago. I had an old Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 carseat to booster. And I wish I knew then when I bought it for my older DD what I know now about 5-point harnesses being much safer than riding in a booster seat. I would have saved a ton of money and bought the Marathons. GL with your search.

 

I put up a different link that works now. The graco says it can 5 point harness the child until 65lbs, thats one of the reasons we like it.

And yeah the britax one said 2yrs...I thought that was kinda odd?

 

We switched to the Nautilus when the boys got too tall for their convertibles. I love them! The boys seem very comfy and they are crazy about the cup holder and cubby holes. I'm thrilled that they can stay 5-pt until 52" height (or 65 pounds but no way that will come first) and then switch to a booster without changing seats. I was even more happy about the $120 price tag on a steel reinforced seat.

That said, I'd wait to make any decisions until your kids are close to needing to switch. You never know what will come out between now and then!

 

The reason we are looking into it now is because we are returning a very expensive stroller and we want to exchange it for some things rather than pay a huge restocking fee so we are exchanging for a different stroller and we could also get 2 of the graco car seats.

Do you still think we should wait and try to find something else to buy? The thing is there isnt much on the site that we dont already have-furniture, swings, high chairs, diaper bags, montiors, ect.

 

I'm looking into the Graco Nautilus 3in1s also for our next carseat (mine are still a tad small too, and a car seat tech said the would expect them to be in them until they are 2), too, so I'd love input on this one! They are probably the ones we will go with.

 

We went with the Evenflo Triumph Advance and love them. My boys outgrew their infant carriers at 5/6 months in the length (only 26in on our seats) and we needed something that could be rear facing and then forward facing. My boys are now 18 months and weigh just over 20lbs. I will be keeping them rear facing until they hit the 30lb mark as it is added safety. After looking at the price of boosters, I don't mind paying that when the boys outgrow these seats.

 

QUOTE(Hsuter @ Mar 30 2009, 09:03 PM) [snapback]1251341[/snapback]
So...I have some car seat questions and am hoping someone can answer. We are looking at what our next car seat is going to be. Right now we have the Graco Safeseat which goes up to 35lbs and 32in I think? Anyway, my LO's are smaller-24&26in and 15&16lbs and I'm positive they will be in this seat until they are atleast one and can probably be in it longer.
So I was thinking our next car seat would be a convertible car seat. Dh was looking and he noticed that there are some convertible forward facing booster seats...they start as forward facing, go to high back booster, then low back booster. The ones we are looking at are this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011URFRE and this one http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/frontier/ . Any thoughts or ideas? Is there a reason a lot of ppl go from infant seat to convertible to booster? Is it ok to just go from infant seat to convertible booster?


The boosters are for older kids. I'd go with a convertible that will keep them in a 5 point harness as long as possible. Your infant seat is actually 30 lbs I think, not 35, and even when you move them to a convertible, you want one that can go rear facing (that's why they are "convertible" - they convert from rear-facing to forward facing. Rear facing as long as possible is best.