Car Seat Master Thread

[txtmax4]

I'm pretty much down to Safety 1st OnSide Air Protect and Graco ComfortSport.
Anybody own any of these two?
The main thing I'm looking for is that it should be as light and compact as possible. Any other suggestions?

[MnM1130]

Does anyone know about this model - Maxi Cosi Priori 2 people recommended it to me

http://m.albeebaby.com/maxi-cosi-priori-convertible-car-seat-in-corniche.html. Go rather for this model its a 2011 make (mine was made in July 2011) and the color is a really nice black n grey. I liked the seat it's most DEF worth 90$ but u can't compare the quality to the britax marathon seat.

[txtmax4]

http://m.albeebaby.com/maxi-cosi-priori-convertible-car-seat-in-corniche.html. Go rather for this model its a 2011 make (mine was made in July 2011) and the color is a really nice black n grey. I liked the seat it's most DEF worth 90$ but u can't compare the quality to the britax marathon seat.

Thanks. I did come across this one. Can't remember why I eliminated it.. it rates not bad on CR as well.
The only downside is that it weighs 19.5 lbs. as opposed to the Safety 1st (posted right above) it weighs 12 lbs. The Graco ComfortSport (posted right above) the shipping weight is 17.2 lbs. but I saw in some other website that the actual product is just 12 lbs.
Other than that I like the fact that the Maxi-Cosi reclines (front facing as well?) and it looks pretty compact which is also a plus...
Help deciding?

[Dan]

Still not wrapping my head around all the different seat options, but this weighs just 11 pounds:

I haven't done the research yet, but why not just get something like this that works for 20-100 pounds once you're done with an infant seat?
www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXA6Y2/?tag=cl03f-20
www.amazon.com/dp/B006PB2CQS/?tag=cl03f-20

[MarkS]

I have the Maxi Cosi Priori in Corniche - It's really black (linked to above).

It's a great carseat, the fabric washes well, and I am very happy with it and I know a lot of people who have it and are happy.

Many reviews said that the crotch strap was too small (or they thought it looked too small) however many other comments said in reality it's not a problem. Basically, the crotch strap is somewhat short but that's because the other straps are longer and come down to meet it and clip in a lower position than in some other seats.

My son is almost 3 and it will still fit him for a long time. One of the great features is the ability to recline it (only in forward facing). Many of the other car seats out there can only be reclined by stopping the car and taking the child out and reclining it. This can be reclined while the child is in it in one easy motion. Great for when on a trip and your kid is looking sleepy!!!

To weigh in on the earlier discussion of what size infant carseat to get - originally I thought like Dan to get a seat that fits up to 30 pounds to keep the convenience factor in. I then realized like other posters mentioned that with a 28 pound child and the heavier 30 pound carseat, it's pretty inconvenient to lug around so it's much easier to just ditch the 'carrying baby in carseat' mode and just take the kid out.  Once my son was like 18 pounds it was starting to get to heave to lug around with him in it.
Keep in mind that although with a newborn they will stay sleeping while you snap the carseat in and out of the car, with a one year old they will anyways wake up so you don't gain anything by keeping them strapped in when coming into the house.

[txtmax4]

Still not wrapping my head around all the different seat options, but this weighs just 11 pounds:

Convertible?

[Dan]

My kid is 22 pounds.  Why is it a lug to snap it out of the car and plop in onto the stroller base? 
It's a huge convenience for us, I'm pretty sure we'll keep using it until the 30 pound capacity.

[txtmax4]

@MarkS: Do you have the Maxi-cosi Priori XP or SPS?

[MarkS]

My kid is 22 pounds.  Why is it a lug to snap it out of the car and plop in onto the stroller base? 
It's a huge convenience for us, I'm pretty sure we'll keep using it until the 30 pound capacity.

When I go shopping in a store I carry the carseat across the parking lot until I find a cart. Going from the house to the car you carry it up or down steps and out to the car.

Your 22 pound kid + 7.5 pound seat = 29.5 pounds (or if you get the one that goes up to 35 pounds it weighs 9.7 pounds!)

Once your kid is 28 pounds you're carrying 35.5 pounds!!

I agree that from car to stroller is not an issue, but from car to shopping cart and into cart and from car to house gets pretty heavy.

Does your kid ever stay sleeping anymore while transfering? (That's one of the main benefits aside from the ability to strap him in indoors and not restrap until you get back home). Also, once a kid starts moving around more they don't want to be confined in that carseat the whole time and prefer siting in the shopping cart or a more expansive stroller.

[MarkS]

@MarkS: Do you have the Maxi-cosi Priori XP or SPS?

I'm not sure. I have this one. What's the difference between them?

[txtmax4]

I'm not sure. What's the difference between them?

No clue. I'm also trying to figure that out..

[Dan]

When I go shopping in a store I carry the carseat across the parking lot until I find a cart. Going from the house to the car you carry it up or down steps and out to the car.

Your 22 pound kid + 7.5 pound seat = 29.5 pounds (or if you get the one that goes up to 35 pounds it weighs 9.7 pounds!)

Once your kid is 28 pounds you're carrying 35.5 pounds!!

I agree that from car to stroller is not an issue, but from car to shopping cart and into cart and from car to house gets pretty heavy.

Does your kid ever stay sleeping anymore while transfering? (That's one of the main benefits aside from the ability to strap him in indoors and not restrap until you get back home). Also, once a git starts moving around more they don't want to be confined in that carseat the whole time and prefer siting in the shopping cart or a more expansive stroller.

Yup, Rafi does stay sleeping, when being transferred. We don't have any steps coming in through the front door or from the garage to go into our house.  In the store it's with a store basket underneath the UB.
Granted without those factors the equation does change.

[Name Changed]

My kid is 22 pounds.  Why is it a lug to snap it out of the car and plop in onto the stroller base? 
It's a huge convenience for us, I'm pretty sure we'll keep using it until the 30 pound capacity.

My kid is 19 lbs. My wife cant carry her in the car seat.  Even though its not a big deal to snap in in the stroller base, but to carry the kid from the house is a pain.

@MarkS - thanx for your input on the Maxi Cosi, I am leaning a lot towards that one. I want the feature that it could recline, on long trips (to Cleve) it gotta be comfortable for my kid

[Dan]

My kid is 19 lbs. My wife cant carry her in the car seat.  Even though its not a big deal to snap in in the stroller base, but to carry the kid from the house is a pain.

@MarkS - thanx for your input on the Maxi Cosi, I am leaning a lot towards that one. I want the feature that it could recline, on long trips (to Cleve) it gotta be comfortable for my kid

I'm pretty sure my wife may be stronger than me now with all the 30 pound lifting she does.  Honestly though she swears by it.

[MnM1130]

My son is 30 lbs now. He's like a log. And still insists I carry him sometimes..... I must be very strong by now I sometimes don't even realize I'm lugging him around.