Convertible Car Seats - San Clemente, CA

Britax Boulevard is a great seat. my MIL got one and I used it in my car too... easy to adjust straps, good cushioning/comfortable, best side protection I've seen. I've seen good deals on close-out styles.

I have a First Years True Fit in my car (couldn't justify the Britax price) and I love it too.

I wouldn't consider the Marathon.

I loved my Britax Decathelon, but if I had it to do again, I would by the Bouldevard CS, because the belt height is adjustable by a lever on the side, so there is no need to tear the whole car seat apart to get the to the straps.

i love the britax (but i cant afford one). they are said to be the best around. i personally have a cosco alpha omega elite. its a little bulky but i LOVE it. it goes up to 100lbs and has a 5 point harness for up to 50 lbs. it is a convertable carseat so you can keep him rear facing if you would like. i got my carseat at sams club so it was a steal! lol. heres a link for target for their first years model of the same seat-
http://www.target.com/Safety-1st-Alpha-Omega-Elite/dp/B00...

I have both of these carseats, the Marathon for my son, and the Blvd. for my daughter, and I dislike the Blvd. The Marathon is much easier to use. Also, when I bought the Marathon, it was listed as one of the safest carseats on the market. I hope this helps your decision.

I put a Recaro Signo in my car as I wanted to keep my son rear-facing for as long as possible. It's a great seat, but it is HUGE. At 16 months we turned him forward-facing and the seat is terrific. However, with that being said, if I had it to do over again...I would go straight to a regular car seat. We put a Recaro Young Sport in my husband's car and it is FANTASTIC. It is very comfortable, is much smaller than the convertible, yet still sits up high so my son can easily see out the window of my husband's SUV. We have even used it as a travel car seat. It worked great on the airplane, easily attached using a latch system to the rental car, and we used it as an airport stroller with the Go Babyz Travelmate.

We have two of these. I have 2 girls and we started the second one out since birth. We love them. They go to 65lbs so the little one will be in the for quite time. I like the fact that I don't have to readjust the shoulder straps. you just turn a knob and the seat belt raises.
I looked at the marathon as well, but we preferred the blvd. plus better safety rating.
They are big though. We have 2 in a matrix. one reverse and one foward. My 14mo is only 18lbs so will be reverse until 2yrs. We fit it behind our drivers seat, but we are short so we don't need a lot of leg room.
But reverse in the middle in a compact car (had it in a elantra) works out just fine

I bought the Marathon, and my car safety person (Sherriff certified) told me to take it back and get the Blvd. I got it when my son was 9mo. he is now 22mo and we are still loving it! We had it backwards for a while and now it's facing forward. Both ways, my son is really comfortable and never puts up a fight to get in it. Not so much can be said for our secondary (Graco).

the BLVD is the nicest because the head rest and shoulder strap insertion points adjust with the height of your child, with a simple wind of a knob even while he is in it! You can't go wrong, in my humble opinion!

Good luck!

This website helped me choose which car seats to get. If you watch the video at the bottom, be prepared to cry as it is heartbreaking. There are statistics and recommendations on this site as well.

http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/

I bought a Britax Boulevard for the baby when he was 6 months old (so he could still be rear facing) and I bought the Britax Regent for my daughter (3yrs at purchase) because it has a 5 point harness that goes up to 80 lbs.

You might want to consider the Regent. It is for children starting at 22 lbs. It is only a forward facing seat though, not a convertable. I am very pleased with both of the seats.

I've always used Alpha Omega convertable car seats. They go from 5-80 lbs, come apart as your child grows to change into a booster. My son was a heavy baby (now skinny boy)and it lasted till he was out of a car seat. It isn't super expensive. Now bought two for my baby daughter. Got one for each car at $100 bucks a pop on sale. Comes with a cup holder!

See them in person. Decide for yourself if the low rating difference matters to you.

My daughter (now 5) had the Marathon for a long time. I LOVE it. It is now our back-up (babysitter uses it) car seat.

My husband has a Radian 80 in his convertible, but that has a straight back and I think the Marathon is more comfortable for the child.

To upgrade from the Marathon, I bought her the Graco Nautilus a few months ago. That is her primary seat now.

You can't go wrong with the Marathon.

We have the blvd CS and absolutely love it. My son likes it too (almost 15 months now). He's had it for a while because legally he had to change from an infant seat (we loved the peg perego) from 22 lbs. We've installed it rear-facing again, as suggested by exerts and doctors, even though he is very tall for his age (95% percentile). He still likes it that way and we are much more reassured safety wise. Good luck!

We've put our daughter (now 16 mos) in the Britax Blvd since she was 6 mos. The nurses at CHOC recommended it to us and we love it. I've been told by the nurses to keep our daughter in it rear-facing for as long as possible as this is the most safest if in the event of a car accident (by the way, we've been in a car accident a month after putting her in the Britax and she's totally fine!).

We have the britax boulevard in my car and the Sunshine Kids Radian 65 (the only folding convertible car seat). Both are great, and both are SIP. We use the Radian for travel as it folds up and we got straps so we can wear it like a back pack. In CA, the car seat law is 6 years old or 60 lbs, and both of these seats fit the bill. Double check what the weight capacity are on the seats, some of the britax are only to 40-50 lbs.

Hi A.,
We have a Britax Blvd CS and a Recaro young sport. Love them both. I'm sure you know all about the Britax. The Recaro young sport is good for children over a year old and 20 lbs. It also converts to a booster seat when your child is ready. The Recaro company originally made seats for race car, so they have the science down on safety. Check them out online! The recaro and the Britax are about the same price. I recommend those two to all my friends. Good luck!
C.

My 3 yr old and 1 yr old both use the Britax Blvd seats and love them. We used the seat in the rear facing position as well for my 1 yr old and he seemed very comfortable. It is a larger seat, so make sure it fits in your car! I am very happy with the seats and like the side impact protection. Easy to install with latch, too. Will buy this seat again for our 3rd child.

We really like our Radian 65 seat. It's so compact and had a good ratings. It also comes in Radian 80 (up to 80 pounds) if you anticipate your kid will need that weight limit. We got the 65 because most kids outgrow the height before they reach that weight limit.

HTH!

I LOVE our Britax Marathon and will buy another for our second baby on the way. My sister used the Marathon, Roundabout and Blvd with her 4 kids. She said the Boulevard is great, but her kids hated that they had to peek around the "wings" as they got older.

I got the Sunshine Kids Radian80 for my tiny daughter...she'll be in it untill she no longer needs to be in a booster. Forward facing up to 80lbs. Rear facing...35? Folds for travel and has accessories available (carrying strap/bag). 5 point harness. Only 17 inches wide, can fit 3 across practicallly any car's backseat. Cushy and comfy. I only have seen high ratings for it. Now they have the RadianXL...also all the features of Radian 80, but with added safety features. The 80 could be purchased on sale for about $200-$220...the XL is brand new so price will be about $270. Good luck to you...I know what a headache you can get trying to make the beest decision regarding your little one'ss safety..

Hi A.,

When my daughter was 10 months old we bought the marathon. It was rated #1 at the time. We have loved it ever since. It goes up to 60 pounds and is very easy to install. We take it on the plane with us too. When she turned 4 we bought her the BRITAX Regent because my son was turning 1 and needed the marathon for him. Now I have both. The Regent is a lot bigger and a little harder to get in and out of the car but well worth any time it takes. The reason we bought her the Regent is because the current law is that a child needs to be in a restraint up to 80LBS, 8 years old and 4' 9". I went on www.nhtsa.gov to check the laws on how long they should be in a booster and then I called them to confirm. This website is a great resource because it talks about the different car seats.

I hope this helps.

K.

My 16 month old daughter loves her Britax Blvd CS and so do we. She has been using the seat just prior to her 1yr old b-day and we have had no problems. She never fights us when going into the seat, and loves to look outside the windows and at her brothers. She is on the smaller side, at only 17 1/2 pounds, so we tried to place it facing backwards but the seat is too large for us to do that with the bucket seats in our Suburban. The anchors are attached to the seat and we had it professionally installed so we feel she is quite safe. For us, we feel like this seat will be the only seat we will have to buy, since the weight goes up so high. I believe it is until 60lbs. Good luck!!

We've had a Britax Roundabout and a Britax Marathon for about 6 years now. Yes they are large, bulky, heavy (AND no hide-away cup holders) but our kids have been safe in them from birth until now. My daughter is nearly 50 lbs and still fits comfortably in both carseats. I feel much safer having them in the Britax carseats, compared to any of the other carseats or boosters on the market. I was recently rear ended by 2 cars on the freeway and my 4 yr old son who was sleeping in his Roundabout miraculously slept through both impacts where the cars behind me were totaled. I saw the BLVD Britax while searching for a replacement carseat and have already ordered it.

I have a Britax Boulevard and I love it. It was given to me by the Riverside County Injury Prevention Program, because my daughter has Cerebral Palsy and is too big for an infants seat, but does not support herself well enough to tolerate the upright position of most convertible car seats (even in recline mode). It also has extra side support, so she does not hunch over to the side. I believe I was told it goes up to 65 lbs. I guess all modern car seats are like this, but one of the features I like best is that it does not use the car seat belt to attach to the car, it has it's own clamps, and attaches much more securely that any other car seat I have ever used before.

We use a Sunshine Kids Radian 65 (up to 65 pounds). I have heard it is difficult to install rear facing, but have never had to try myself. We got it for my son when he already 2 years old. It does sit up very straight and so I had to buy some soft head support side pillows so he could sleep without his head flopping around. (Never seemed to bother him, but made me sad.) Below is a blurb about it I found on a shopping site. Good luck!

The Sunshine Kids Radian Convertible Car Seat is the only folding convertible car seat on the market! For younger children weighing 5 to 33 the Radian is placed rear-facing, and can then be placed forward-facing to accommodate children up to 65 pounds. The Sunshine Kids carseat exceeds all U.S. safety standards and is the only carseat with a 4-panel system of EPS safety foam for increased safety, including side-impact protection. It also comes with a 5-Point harness system, with five shoulder positions and three buckle slots that provide the best harness fit. The Radian's V-shaped tether can be used rear-facing and the carseat is LATCH equipped. The wide belt paths with rounded edges allow for easier installation and tightening. The Sunshine Kids' unique design is more than 2” narrower on the outside making it easy to fit 3 seats across, yet there is still 3” more interior shoulder width than any other car seat in its class. And, its 3” longer seat bottom and the forward-facing recline option provides increased comfort for longer rides and more leg support for the older child. For extra storage and travel convenience, the Sunshine Kids Radian folds compactly to 6.5" thick. The Radian is also the only car seat made with a full, steel alloy frame, for incredible strength. The Sunshine Kids Radian is approved for Aircraft Use. Machine Washable Cover. Height Limit is 51"

We have a Britax Round About and we love it. Good luck to you.

As my daughter was turning one we also researched tons. We ended up buying a Recarro and a Graco(can't remember the models). I really like the Recarro. It seems to keep her safe and stable and is easy to use. They make seats for some higher end car companies. My hubby likes the Graco. At any rate, pay attention to Recarro, it is less well known, but I think better made and engineered. They had a recall of one design, but they never had any injuries with it(I believe). It was just found to have the potential. At any rate you might want to look at their website and safety ratings.

i have a britax boulevard and love it. very expensive, but seems really good.
i'd suggest buying one.

We haveboth our girls in a Britax marathon and LOVE them.I totally feel like they are safe in them. My daughter is 4 and some of her 4 year old friends have been moved into boosters but my daughter doesn't want to change and I am perfectly fine with that. Our goes up to 65 pounds so she is still fine. Yesterday she went to a movie with my sis in law and her seat was in our entry way. She strapped herself in to read books! anyway the most important thing is that the seat is installed correctly. There are safety check places. Make sure they show you how and you have a really good understanding. We switch our car seats in different cars often so that is really important. Something else I realize and see all the time is after they check to make sure the seat is installed correctly have them show you how to make sure the straps a fitted correctly on your child. I see kids all the time with the chest strap at their naval. It is supposed to be across their breast bone. When your child gets older they will want to move it probably so teach them to do it the safe way. My husband was actually in a car accident with both girls in their marathons and they are fine so I definately believe. State law mandates that the insurance company replace your car seats if you are in an accident and we got new marathons. I love my marathon and do not have personal expereince with the boulevard but have friends who love it.

I recently bought the Graco Nautilus for my 40 lb son who just outgrew the 5 point harness for the Alpha Omega Elite. The Nautilus goes up to 60 lbs for the harness, then converts to a high-back booster or a backless booster. I searched every way I could think of on the internet for safety ratings, but all of the ratings were only about consumer ratings, not safety ratings. I hardly care about consumer ratings, I was looking for safety. I heard the Nautilus was good, and it will keep him in the harnesses for another few years. And as far as consumer satisfaction, I love the seat, and my son does too. He can finally have a cup holder (it is an extension of one armrest) - his old seat had a cup holder attachement for the side, but his brother is in a car seat right next to him so we could never use it. The Nautilus also has a "pocket" in each of the armrests for toys - that is also great. And my son can buckle and unbuckle himself all on his own. I find that extremely convenient. I don't worry about him unbuckling himself without permission. We have emphasized how important it is for him to be buckled tightly to stay safe and he is very reliable. I always check to be sure he is securely buckled before I drive, and I have told him to let me know if I ever drive without him being fully buckled. If I even move the car slightly before he is fully buckled, he has a fit! Anyway, that may be a lot of useless info but it is one more reason that I like the Nautilus.

We have the Britax Blvd CS in both our cars. It is a larger car seat, but we love it. Our son loves it too. He seems very comfortable in it. We bought the BLVD because it was highly recommended to us from a friend who has it in both her cars too.

True it is expensive, but I think the max weight is 65 pounds...it should last a long time.

Good luck.

I have a Britax Roundabout and love it! My daughter who is 14 months uses it. I have a friend whose daughter used it until she was 4 and then moved her into a booster seat. The idea of a convertible seat is great but not always practical- my oldest has one that won't even work with our seat belt, so we have to buy a slimmer/standard booster anyways. I have had a few different types of car seats and this is by far my favorite- and it has good ratings. Easy to install, straps never get twisted...

C., mother of 3, sleep consultant, sleep blog writer www.lullabyluna.com (great give-a-way right now)

We've used Marathons for both our kids (my daughter is still in it). We love it and my research showed it was one of the best on the market. The Blvd is a bit bigger seat, I think - something to consider with the type of car you have and space needed for the seat. My son was/is a big kid too. He's 4 and 45 lbs. & tall too. :) We've got the Frontier now for him - one of the few on the market that's 5-point until 80 lbs & you can use it as a booster after that (not sure if your son is old enough for that one yet). But again, I would definitely recommend the Marathon - at least 4 other friends I know have the same seat & like it. Good luck - I know it's overwhelming with all the choices.