Infant car seat for the car-less?
January 22, 2011 3:49 PM Subscribe
Car-less couple expecting baby. What car seat to buy?
We ride the bus, walk, use zipcar, and take cabs. We have a weekly standing date with friends that often, but unpredictably, ends up being outside of the bus range, which usually means accepting a ride in someone's car. So I think we'll need a car seat (and not just to be let out of the hospital), but will want to use it in a variety of vehicles and will often be moving it around outside of a car.
I've been thinking about the Combi Coccoro seat because it is small and lightweight . There is a stroller base that I think would make it easier to move around .
Does this sound reasonable? Any experience from other car-free couples who also use various cars?
We ride the bus, walk, use zipcar, and take cabs. We have a weekly standing date with friends that often, but unpredictably, ends up being outside of the bus range, which usually means accepting a ride in someone's car. So I think we'll need a car seat (and not just to be let out of the hospital), but will want to use it in a variety of vehicles and will often be moving it around outside of a car.
I've been thinking about the Combi Coccoro seat because it is small and lightweight . There is a stroller base that I think would make it easier to move around .
Does this sound reasonable? Any experience from other car-free couples who also use various cars?
If you want to be really cost effective, don't buy a bucket seat, but a convertible that will last until s/he is a toddler. We are a Britax family, but they aren't cheap.
I'd post this to the Baby Cheapskate on Facebook and see what people say.
posted by k8t at 5:10 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd post this to the Baby Cheapskate on Facebook and see what people say.
posted by k8t at 5:10 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Because you say you will use it on a variety of cars ... depending on the car, you might need an extender for the belt which secures the seat to the bolt to the car body.
Our friends gave us a car seat, but they had a sedan and we had a hatchback and we couldn't use it until we could extend the belt over the back seat and down to a bolt at the bottom of the rear door frame.
Diagram/further details on request.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:24 PM on January 22, 2011
Our friends gave us a car seat, but they had a sedan and we had a hatchback and we couldn't use it until we could extend the belt over the back seat and down to a bolt at the bottom of the rear door frame.
Diagram/further details on request.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:24 PM on January 22, 2011
I would buy a Radian, although they're not cheap. They're great carseats and are foldable for easy storage and carrying. We're a Britax family here, but I would NOT want to be lugging those around at all.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 5:54 PM on January 22, 2011
posted by LittleMissCranky at 5:54 PM on January 22, 2011
We went with the Chicco Key Fit. The only thing I would do differently is get the Keyfit 30 which lasts them up to 30 lbs rather than 22. The great thing about the keyfit is that you can take the entire seat out of the base and then take it with you. You can't do that with the convertible seats like Britax (but Britax is fab once you get to that point).
The base is easily movable from car to car and works with lap belts as well as latch systems.
posted by Leezie at 6:06 PM on January 22, 2011
The base is easily movable from car to car and works with lap belts as well as latch systems.
posted by Leezie at 6:06 PM on January 22, 2011
I think an infant bucket seat would be my pick for the first year or so. You can install the base (ie: when you have a Zipcar for the weekend), but you can also strap the bucket in without the base using a seat belt (that'd be my pick for taxi rides). We had a Chicco Key Fit 30 and a Maclaren Easy Traveller for my daughter (now 2), which worked really well and wasn't too bulky.
Once your child outgrows the infant seat you'll need a convertible seat. The rec. now is that kids stay rear facing until 2, or until they outgrow the rear-facing limits of your seat. Convertible seats are generally bigger, heavier, and a bit trickier to install than the infant seat/base combos. LATCH helps - but if you're taking taxis, I'm not sure they'll all have it. OH! I just remembered the Sit 'n' Stroll -- looks like it was designed for families like yours! Might be a great option.
There's a really great site called Car Seat.Org where trained car seat installers will answer all sorts of questions. I'd try posting there, too, to see what they suggest.
Most of all, congrats and enjoy that baby!
posted by hms71 at 7:29 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Once your child outgrows the infant seat you'll need a convertible seat. The rec. now is that kids stay rear facing until 2, or until they outgrow the rear-facing limits of your seat. Convertible seats are generally bigger, heavier, and a bit trickier to install than the infant seat/base combos. LATCH helps - but if you're taking taxis, I'm not sure they'll all have it. OH! I just remembered the Sit 'n' Stroll -- looks like it was designed for families like yours! Might be a great option.
There's a really great site called Car Seat.Org where trained car seat installers will answer all sorts of questions. I'd try posting there, too, to see what they suggest.
Most of all, congrats and enjoy that baby!
posted by hms71 at 7:29 PM on January 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the good ideas. I'm looking at all of your recommendations now. I messed up my links to the one I was originally considering: it should have been the seat, and the stroller.
K8T: Thanks for reposting on baby cheapskate -- I didn't know it existed. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "the stroller base won't help at all." I thought it might make it easier to walk downtown or ride the bus (one of our local bus systems has a stroller area where you don't have to fold it) and still have the seat in case we needed a ride or taxi back -- instead of carrying it and the baby.
posted by SandiBeech at 7:56 PM on January 22, 2011
K8T: Thanks for reposting on baby cheapskate -- I didn't know it existed. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "the stroller base won't help at all." I thought it might make it easier to walk downtown or ride the bus (one of our local bus systems has a stroller area where you don't have to fold it) and still have the seat in case we needed a ride or taxi back -- instead of carrying it and the baby.
posted by SandiBeech at 7:56 PM on January 22, 2011
Just chiming in to say that we have the Chicco Key fit 30. It is a great car seat, and it can be purchased in combination with a stroller system. I particularly like how easy it is to get in and out of the car even without the base.
I would caution, however, that it is a somewhat heavy carseat if you plan on carrying it a lot. It wasn't so bad when the little one was new born, but once she reached apx 20 lbs it got to be a real bear to carry.
posted by nasayre at 8:33 PM on January 22, 2011
I would caution, however, that it is a somewhat heavy carseat if you plan on carrying it a lot. It wasn't so bad when the little one was new born, but once she reached apx 20 lbs it got to be a real bear to carry.
posted by nasayre at 8:33 PM on January 22, 2011
I would a baby bucket, with one base, and a cheap snap'n'go type stroller base. Cheaper and lighter than most of the matching brand stroller bases. As for which bucket, I'm not up to speed on the current ones, but I would choose the safest one. I also strongly second the suggestion to ask on car-seat.org.
I really think a convertible is a terrible idea if you're lugging it from car to car and spending time with baby outside if the car too. The whole beauty of a baby bucket is that it's a self-contained pod for carrying your baby. He/she can sleep in it, next to you in a restaurant or at a friends house, and be taken in and out of cars without waking up. What are you going to do when you get out of the car, take baby out of the seat, then lug the baby and seat separately, carry a stroller too? Too much stuff!
posted by Joh at 10:29 PM on January 22, 2011
I really think a convertible is a terrible idea if you're lugging it from car to car and spending time with baby outside if the car too. The whole beauty of a baby bucket is that it's a self-contained pod for carrying your baby. He/she can sleep in it, next to you in a restaurant or at a friends house, and be taken in and out of cars without waking up. What are you going to do when you get out of the car, take baby out of the seat, then lug the baby and seat separately, carry a stroller too? Too much stuff!
posted by Joh at 10:29 PM on January 22, 2011
I don't have a car, and my 1.5-year-old and I take public transit or walk most places. This is the car seat we use. It's very easy to install and move from one car to another, and it has a strap on the back which makes it reasonably comfortable to lug around.
But I don't use a stroller and I wouldn't be caught dead with a baby bucket, so YMMV.
posted by milk white peacock at 11:09 PM on January 22, 2011
But I don't use a stroller and I wouldn't be caught dead with a baby bucket, so YMMV.
posted by milk white peacock at 11:09 PM on January 22, 2011
Pick a stroller based on your stroller needs, not on carseat.
posted by k8t at 3:20 AM on January 23, 2011
posted by k8t at 3:20 AM on January 23, 2011
Best answer: Here's the Baby Cheapskate answers:
- Snugride. Fairly inexpensive, and the ones that go up to 22 pounds are fairly light. We used ours in other people's cars when needed, and they're pretty idiot-proof to buckle into the car without the base, too.
- Hmm, well the Radian is really easy to transport because the seat part folds flat against the back and there are shoulder straps. It is a pretty expensive seat but light weight. I don't know how well it fits infants but it will easily last a child from 1 year old until booster age. It has a very high height and weight limit. They are recommended for air travel because of there ease to travel with.
- Combi Coccoro...it's a convertible: no base, decent weight limits, very lightweight and portable between vehicles. You can also get the stroller specifically for the Coccoro; I don't have that, and probably wouldn't buy it, but then I live in the sticks, so there isn't a lot of moving car seats for us.. (got a like)
- The Radian fits newborns well with the infant padding, but that seat is heavy! I second the Coccoro or just an infant seat carrier. car-seat.org can help you further :)
- I do have the Radian for my big girl but I totally miss having a carrier for her... the Radian is uber heavy, I make my hubby move it from car to car because of it's weight; we'll be happy to use our Graco snug ride again for our newest bundle of joy. You really don't want to have to wake them up after they fall asleep anytime the car/bus starts moving & I also suggest a snap & go stroller too... the snug ride fits in those just fine. Congrats & Best Wishes. :)
- Grace snugride or other such infant carrier. A convertible will be too heavy to lug around.
- Keep in mind that you'll have to carry around the base too, and you'll have to spend probably a good 10 minutes every single time installing it in a car... you have to make sure it's really snug etc.
- No need to install a base for a carrier seat, that's just to make it easier that installing it every time you need to use the seat but if they already need to install it every time they can just use it without the base. I bought the Graco SafeSeat for my daughter 2 years ago and love it but they are not making it anymore, I think it's called the snugride 32 now. I really recommend an infant carrier for as long as you can for 1) easy hook-up to stroller 2) not having to wake a sleeping baby.
- Another vote for the Combi Coccoro (and the the Combi Flash stroller frame to snap it into)
And they all said to ask the Car Seat Lady too, so reposting there!
posted by k8t at 6:27 AM on January 23, 2011
- Snugride. Fairly inexpensive, and the ones that go up to 22 pounds are fairly light. We used ours in other people's cars when needed, and they're pretty idiot-proof to buckle into the car without the base, too.
- Hmm, well the Radian is really easy to transport because the seat part folds flat against the back and there are shoulder straps. It is a pretty expensive seat but light weight. I don't know how well it fits infants but it will easily last a child from 1 year old until booster age. It has a very high height and weight limit. They are recommended for air travel because of there ease to travel with.
- Combi Coccoro...it's a convertible: no base, decent weight limits, very lightweight and portable between vehicles. You can also get the stroller specifically for the Coccoro; I don't have that, and probably wouldn't buy it, but then I live in the sticks, so there isn't a lot of moving car seats for us.. (got a like)
- The Radian fits newborns well with the infant padding, but that seat is heavy! I second the Coccoro or just an infant seat carrier. car-seat.org can help you further :)
- I do have the Radian for my big girl but I totally miss having a carrier for her... the Radian is uber heavy, I make my hubby move it from car to car because of it's weight; we'll be happy to use our Graco snug ride again for our newest bundle of joy. You really don't want to have to wake them up after they fall asleep anytime the car/bus starts moving & I also suggest a snap & go stroller too... the snug ride fits in those just fine. Congrats & Best Wishes. :)
- Grace snugride or other such infant carrier. A convertible will be too heavy to lug around.
- Keep in mind that you'll have to carry around the base too, and you'll have to spend probably a good 10 minutes every single time installing it in a car... you have to make sure it's really snug etc.
- No need to install a base for a carrier seat, that's just to make it easier that installing it every time you need to use the seat but if they already need to install it every time they can just use it without the base. I bought the Graco SafeSeat for my daughter 2 years ago and love it but they are not making it anymore, I think it's called the snugride 32 now. I really recommend an infant carrier for as long as you can for 1) easy hook-up to stroller 2) not having to wake a sleeping baby.
- Another vote for the Combi Coccoro (and the the Combi Flash stroller frame to snap it into)
And they all said to ask the Car Seat Lady too, so reposting there!
posted by k8t at 6:27 AM on January 23, 2011
Best answer: I asked on car-seat.org for you, basically re-posting your original question. Here's the responses this morning:
- The Coccoro is what I was going to suggest. They could also look at the Graco Snugride 35 and Safety 1st onBoard 35. Both are long lasting infant seats that are easy to install baseless.
- [quoting reply above] I was thinking one of those with a snap n go stroller since they will last the longest before needing to go to a convertible.
- coccoro, because it has a lock off on the seat as well. the infant seats only have them on the base, and some cars still don't have locking belts. better safe than sorry. otoh, coccoro has some rare incompatibilities that the infant seats don't.
- I'd go for the coccoro, too... when that's outgrown you can get a Safety 1st Go
Hope that helps! Note that the ladies who post on car-seat.org are mostly certified car seat install techs, so they have a wide experience of many different car seats, and are also safety conscious. IMHO, safety, not cost should be your highest priority. A convertible is less safe for a newborn than a bucket, and also more awkward to move around.
posted by Joh at 9:40 AM on January 24, 2011
- The Coccoro is what I was going to suggest. They could also look at the Graco Snugride 35 and Safety 1st onBoard 35. Both are long lasting infant seats that are easy to install baseless.
- [quoting reply above] I was thinking one of those with a snap n go stroller since they will last the longest before needing to go to a convertible.
- coccoro, because it has a lock off on the seat as well. the infant seats only have them on the base, and some cars still don't have locking belts. better safe than sorry. otoh, coccoro has some rare incompatibilities that the infant seats don't.
- I'd go for the coccoro, too... when that's outgrown you can get a Safety 1st Go
Hope that helps! Note that the ladies who post on car-seat.org are mostly certified car seat install techs, so they have a wide experience of many different car seats, and are also safety conscious. IMHO, safety, not cost should be your highest priority. A convertible is less safe for a newborn than a bucket, and also more awkward to move around.
posted by Joh at 9:40 AM on January 24, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I marked a couple of repostings to other sites as best answers simply because I am happy to have the extra resources. I appreciate all of your responses. I also checked the online Consumer Reports ratings, which have thrown a bit of a wrench into the works as they don't rate some of the recommended seats very highly. So, I'm still working on it!
posted by SandiBeech at 3:18 PM on February 22, 2011
posted by SandiBeech at 3:18 PM on February 22, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by librarina at 4:44 PM on January 22, 2011