How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
When you are looking for a car seat it can be easy to get overwhelmed. The most secure car seats are those that fit your child and vehicle and can be used correctly 100 percent of the time.
Car seats that are difficult for parents or children to install or use could be a real problem. The most effective options boast impressive crash test sensor results, have excellent ease of use scores and are also lightweight and compact.
Safety
Safety features are the most crucial factor to consider when you are shopping for a car. It doesn't matter if opt for a convertible, booster or infant seat. All of them must conform to federal safety standards and have an established track record in third-party crash testing. It should also fit in your vehicle and be easy to use.
A high-quality car seat should also have an easy-to-use harness adjustment, and either LATCH or seat belt connection options. Lower connectors that are rigid or rigid with alligator-like clipping that hooks directly to the seat belt guides or seat base are preferred to flexible straps. The best seats come with a clear, intuitive color-change indicator that indicates when the seat is connected properly and provide a tight fit.
In addition to these features, the best seats have top tethers that reduce the risk of head injuries in crashes by restraining the front of the child's head. The harness guides are also built into the seats to help parents use the seatbelt or tether correctly.
The most important car seat features are those that ensure the seat is properly installed and used in a safe and efficient manner all the time. Unfortunately, many child passenger fatalities are the result of children not properly restrained or using the wrong type of seat. It is essential to talk with a child passenger safety technician (CPST) near you to ensure the installation and placement of your car seat is correct.
A good seat could save your child's life in an accident. It's worth spending more for one that is made with a strong frame, top-quality materials and intelligent features that make daily use more enjoyable. It's also wise to look for a seat that complies with the more recent R129 safety regulations that require more rigorous testing than the earlier regulations that a majority of seats comply with.
Lastly, it's important to realize that the car seat is only as safe as the adult who uses it. Children should be properly restrained by rear-facing car seats beginning at birth and continuing until they reach the height required to wear a harness. This is usually at around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can assist your child in falling asleep or remain asleep for a longer period of time. This could mean the difference between a happy restful, well-rested child from a cranky, tired child who resists naptime. Choose a car seat that can accommodate your child's growing needs and needs, with plenty of support for the back and head, and fits well in the vehicle.
The best infant car seat has many features that ensure your child is safe and comfortable, including soft materials, plush cushions and padded armrests. Some come with cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others offer various recline positions. Some models have adjustable the lumbar and thigh to improve posture. Other models have massage options activated by pressing a button when the child is sitting in the seat.
When your child has grown out of an infant car seat the next step is to get a toddler car seat that will generally accommodate children of that weigh 40 pounds or less and can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can also be used as boosters for children weighing up to 120 pounds. This will save you money and decreases the amount of car seat purchases you'll have to make over time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the top toddler car seats for comfort. It offers great crash test results and can be easily installed with LATCH or car seat belts. Its narrow shell lets it fit more newborns and average-sized babies than other carseats, and it has two crotch buckle positions for better shoulder strap positioning. It's also slim and light which makes it easier to maneuver around in vehicles with small spaces.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a great option for a car seat that is comfortable for toddlers. Babylist's gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat has a luxurious feel and plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators for installation. It's also small and can either be installed with the base or without it, making it an ideal choice for parents who frequently move their car seats between vehicles.
Easy to Use
Car seats are the one item in a parents' life that get heavy use and a lot of parents want an easy-to-use, comfortable seat that can fit in their vehicle and integrate with other baby equipment. Infant car seats are less heavy due to their smaller weight limits and a shorter lifespan than convertible car seats. The best infant car seats come with features that make them easy to install and use, including recline feet that are spring-loaded, as well as bubble indicators on the base to help place it in the right position in your car. Also, they come with clearly labeled installation guides with clear instructions. These car seats have been designed with clear durable and long-lasting materials that can be washed in the machine and also provide a comfortable cushion for the child.
The most highly rated infant car seat we reviewed this year is the Clek Liing, which offers impressive crash test sensor results and analysis scores, in addition to an impressive load leg that lets you position the car seat in your vehicle with ease and precision. The car seat is easy to install using either rigid latch connectors or LATCH. The latches change color to signal the connection, and the harness snaps into place quickly and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another top choice. It provides impressive crash test results, as well as a loading leg to help you install the car seat. Experts and parents appreciate it, such as CPST instructor Kecia H., who says it's well-designed, with a spring-loaded recline foot and a bubble-indicator on the base that helps you position the seat correctly and tighten it with ease. This seat is inexpensive, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It comes with a steel frame and high-density, ventilated foam.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one seat is a favorite among LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women call it an "solid", luxurious seat that is well priced for its exquisite feel, luxurious materials and ease of installation. Pushchairs & Prams features a rear-facing weight restriction of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel and strong steel frame that has an anti-rebound bar. This car seat for infants can also serve as a booster seat for children up to 120 pounds. It is compact enough to fit into the majority of mid-sized vehicles.
Design
You must ensure that the car seat you pick is easy to use and fits comfortably. The location and the method you install the seat, as well as how often you switch between different car types will affect the final decision. It is difficult to predict what could happen in an accident. However, the design of your seat will help minimize damage and make it easy to get your child into and out of their car seat.
One important factor is whether the seat has rigid or flexible LATCH connectors. Rigid connectors are attached directly to the seat with alligator clips. They are more difficult to remove during a crash. Flexible connectors have a strap that can be adjusted by hand or through a kind of mechanism. A majority of seats come with an indicator for level to tell the correct installation. This is typically a plastic molded line on the shell's side or a sticker that is affixed to the side of the seat which, when positioned against the ground, shows that the car seat is within the correct angle range.
A seat's ability to fit infants and newborns is also crucial. This includes the width of the head rest and shell and the ability to easily buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats also offer an insert for positioning that can help smaller bodies better fit into the seat and inside the harness. It's important to know that these inserts can be removed as your child develops.
The third thing to think about is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The most comfortable seats allow you to move the harness without having to remove your child. It is as simple as pressing the button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. The most convenient seats also allow you to adjust the strap around your shoulders without the need to rethread the belt.
If you're looking for an all-in-one child seat make sure it is in compliance with the federal minimum safety standards and is able to perform in third-party crash tests. We prefer seats with extra features, like an energy-absorbing layer that is molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.