How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to be overwhelmed when shopping for car safety seats. The most secure car seat is one that is suitable for your child and vehicle and can be used correctly every time.
Car seats that are difficult for children or parents to set up or use can be a serious issue. The most effective options boast impressive crash test results, come with high ease of use scores, and are lightweight and narrow.
Safety
When you are looking for car seats, safety features are the most crucial aspect to take into consideration. It doesn't matter if choose a booster, convertible or infant seat. They must all meet federal safety standards, and have an established track record in third-party crash testing. It should be able to fit in your vehicle and be simple to operate.
A high-quality seat must have a harness adjustment that is simple to use, and also the possibility of connecting via LATCH or seatbelt. Lower connectors that are rigid or rigid with an alligator-like clipping that connects directly to the car seat belt guides or car seat base are more preferred to flexible straps. The most comfortable seats have an easy-to-read color-change indicator to indicate whether the seat is connected correctly and provides a secure fit.
In addition to these features, the most comfortable seats come with a top tether that reduces head injury risk in crashes by securing the front of the child's head. They also come with harness guides that assist parents in properly threading the seat belt or tether.
The most important characteristics of car seats are the ones that ensure the seat will be installed and used correctly 100% of the time. Unfortunately, a lot of child passenger deaths happen because children are restrained incorrectly or are in the wrong type of seat. It is essential to talk with a child safety technician (CPST) near you to ensure the installation and placement of your car seat are right.
A well-designed seat can save your child's lives in an accident. newborn car seat insert is worth paying more for seats that have a sturdy frame and high-quality materials. It's also helpful to have thoughtful features. It's also wise to look for a seat that complies with the more modern R129 safety regulations, which have more rigorous tests than the earlier regulations that a majority of seats comply with.
It is also important to realize that a car seat is only as safe as the person who uses it. Children should be properly restrained with rear-facing car seats at birth and continuing until they reach the height required to wear a harness. This is usually around age four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can help your child fall asleep or sleep for a longer period of time. This can make the difference between a content, well-rested child and an exhausted, cranky child who resists naptime. Find the right seat that will accommodate your child's growing size and provides ample neck and head support and has a good fit to stop movement in the car.
The best infant car seats offer many features to make your baby feel secure and comfy, such as soft materials that offer an ideal fit, plush cushions, and armrests with padding. Some of them offer recline positions and adjustable headrests, as well as cup holders and a sun shade. Other models have adjustable thigh supports and lumbar supports to improve posture. Some even have massage features which are activated by a button that you press when your child is in the seat.
When your child has grown out of the infant car seat, the next step is to get a toddler car seat that can usually accommodate kids who weigh up to 40 pounds. They can be used both rear-facing and forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as boosters for children weighing up to 120 pounds, which can save you money and reduce the amount of car seat purchases you'll have to make over time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the most highly-rated toddler car seats for comfort. It offers great crash test results and is easily installed with LATCH or vehicle seat belt. Its slim shell allows it to fit larger babies and newborns than other car seats and has two crotch buckle positions to ensure proper shoulder strap positioning. It is also light and slim, making it easier to move around.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a great option for a comfortable car seat for toddlers. The seat is a good option for parents who are looking for a comfortable toddler car seat. It has padded sides and easy-to-read indicators. It's also compact and can either be installed with the base or without it, making it a great option for parents who often transfer their car seats between cars.
Simple to Use
Many parents use their car seats frequently and want a seat that is simple to use and can be tucked away in their car. They also want it to work with other baby equipment. Infant car seats have lower weight limits and shorter lifespans than convertible car seats, meaning that they tend to be lighter in body and frame. The best infant car seats come with features that make them easier to install and use, like a spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicators on the base to help to position it properly in your car. Also, they come with clearly labeled installation guides that include clear instructions. These car seats have also been designed with easy-to-read and durable materials that can be washed in the machine as well as comfortable padding for the child.
The Clek Liing is the top-rated infant seat that we reviewed in the year 2018. It offers impressive crash test results and analysis scores, as well as an excellent load leg that will assist you in putting the seat in your car with ease and precision. The car seat is one of the most simple to install using either LATCH or the latch connectors that are rigid, with a color-changing indication of the latch's connection and a harness with no rethread that snaps easily and securely.
Another top pick is the Chicco KeyFit 35, which offers impressive crash test analysis scores as well as a load leg to help you place the car seat in your vehicle. Parents and experts appreciate it, such as CPST instructor Kecia H. The seat is designed with a spring-loaded reclining foot and a bubble indicator on the base to help you position the seat correctly and tighten it without difficulty. This seat is inexpensive, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It features a steel frame and a high-density, ventilated foam.
The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favourite of LaBracio and Saxton and both women saying it's a "solid" seat that's worth the price for its luxurious feel luxurious materials and simple installation. It comes with the rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel, and a sturdy steel frame that has an anti-rebound bar. The infant car seat transforms into a forward-facing booster seat for children who weigh up to 120 pounds and is compact enough to fit three people in many midsize vehicles.
Design
You should ensure that the car seat you select is easy to use and is well-fitting. Where and how you will install the seat, as well as the frequency you switch between vehicle types, may impact your final choice. While it is impossible to predict what will happen in the event of a crash the design of your seat can aid in minimizing damage and making it easier to get your child into and out of the car seat.
One important factor is whether a seat has flexible or rigid LATCH connectors. Connectors that are rigid have clips resembling alligators that attach directly to the seat and are more difficult to disconnect during a crash. Flexible connectors feature straps that can be tightened and loosened either manually or through a mechanism. Most seats feature an indicator for level to tell the correct installation. This is usually a molded plastic line on the shell or a sticker at the bottom of the seat that displays the range of angles when the seat is positioned against the ground.
Another important factor is the way a seat is able to accommodate infants and newborns. This is based on the size of the shell and head rest as well as the ability to easily buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats also come with a positioning insert that helps smaller bodies to fit better into the seat and inside the harness. It's important to note that these inserts are removable as your child develops.
The third aspect to consider is the ease of adjusting the belt's height. The best seats allow you to adjust the harness belt without removing your baby and require just pressing an button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. The most comfortable seats allow you to adjust the strap around your shoulders without the need to rethread the belt.
If you are interested in an all-in-one car seat, make sure it satisfies the minimum federal safety requirements and has been able to pass third-party crashes tests. We prefer seats with extra features, such as an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.