lda (05/12/83)
A couple we know are about to become parents. I want to give them a car seat for their child. What's the best one on the market? I don't even know what to look for in shopping for a car seat. Pointers would be appreciated! Please, Reply via mail. I.W.S.... -- Larry Auton Western Electric Burlington, NC (919)228-3340
lda@burl.UUCP (05/23/83)
A couple we know are about to become parents. I want to
give them a car seat for their child.
What's the best one on the market? I don't even know what
to look for in shopping for a car seat. Pointers would be
appreciated!
Please,
Reply via mail. I.W.S....
==================================================================
Here is the summary I promised. It looks like the Century 200 is
the winner. That's the one I'll buy.
==================== VOTES ====================
CENTURY 200
****
I prefer the Century 200 car seat.
It was rated highly by Consumer Reports (which may or may not count
for much with you). We own a Strollee, which is ok, but I object to
the complicated maneuvers required to adjust the strap. And it is
much more difficult to get the kid into and out of that the Century.
We bought a Century 200 for my brother-in-law and used it on a trip
before giving it to him so we have personal experience with both
seats.
****
Consumer Reports recommends the Century 200. It is sold
by Sears, Toy 'r Us, and many discount houses. I got one
for ~$49. My only criticism is that it doesn't seem to
tilt back as far as some others, so an infant placed in
it has a tendency to slump forward. This wouldn't be
a problem with an older child. The seat seems well-manufactured
and to have a VERY safe design, especially the harness for
the child. Although it's expensive, it looks like the
best buy around.
****
Consumer Reports had a good article on car seats a few months ago.
They top rated the Century 200, which we bought two months ago. It
seems to be pretty good, but I can see that the more bulky seat belt
retractors will not fit through the frame.
===============
COSCO/PETERSON
When our little girl was born last year we bought a COSCO Peterson
seat that we have liked. For a little information I can say that
from a safety point of view must care seats are created equal, Uncle
Sam requires this, so the decision normally boils down to whether a
seat is a childs favorite or whether the seat is a parent favorite.
(Some seats are easier to get a child in and out of but not as
popular with the children and some are the other way around). As
usual Consumers Reports has a pretty good write up on Childs car
seats.
Another note: Some seats are only good for a child of a specific
age/size and others can be used in different ways to accommodate
infants and children. I personally think the latter type of seat is
the most useful.
================
STROLLEE
****
Strollee is best (1978 Consumer Reports) ~ $55.
****
Cosco/Petersen and Strollee are two of the more popular makers. We
have a Strollee "WeeCare" model (Cute, huh?). It is a "convertible"
seat; It works reversed for infants, frontwards reclining for small
toddlers and frontwards upright (with a tether strap from the top of
the seat to the car body) for large toddlers. This is a big win as
you only need one (1) seat until the kid is about 4, and in the
upright position the kid can see out, which is much more interesting
than the back of daddy's seat.
============== GENERAL COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS ==========
****
About ten years ago one of my friends researched children's car
seats. He discovered that seats which faced backwards were much
safer for the child during accidents. They provided good support.
He also mentioned that, when it was set up in the front seat, being
able to look down and see what the child was doing was nice.
****
1) You MUST!! get a federally approved car seat.
This means that they tested a number of car
seats in real ("Laboratory") crashes and they
WORKED.
2) Do not for goodness sake got to Macy's or
anything like that. Go to K-mart or your
local equivalent discount shop. You'll get up
to %40 off the list price for exactly the same
seat.
****
Points to look for are:
1) All seats pass the Fed's standards, which are
surprisingly good. Hence all will be safe.
2) Large padded bars in front of the child are
merely for show. The straps hold the child.
3) If it's not easy to use, people will be
reluctant to use it. This is especially
important. Handling a squirming child in a
cramped back seat is not easy.
4) When our daughter was born, we had a GM Love
Seat given to us. It was very easy to put her
in, and we could just load car seat and
Kirsten together into the shopping cart at
stores without much trouble. Disadvantage is
that she has already outgrown it.
****
Some (perhaps) useful guidelines:
1) Some seats are designed only for infants, some
only for older children, some for both.
2) Buy only a car seat that is certified to be
federally crash tested; others might not do
their job in a critical situation.
3) Kids like to look out the windows, so seats
that raise the child up a bit might be more
satisfying.
4) Some car seats require tether straps which
attach the top of the car seat to an anchor
spot on the car somewhere behind the seat.
Installing such a strap can range from very
easy to nearly impossible depending on the
car.
--
Larry Auton Western Electric Burlington, NC (919)228-3340