How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to get overwhelmed when looking for a car safety seat. The safest car seats are those that fit your child and vehicle and can be used safely 100 percent of the time.
Car seats that are difficult for parents or children to install or use can be a serious issue. The most effective car seats have excellent scores for user-friendliness, impressive crash test results, and are lightweight.
Safety
When choosing car seats, safety features are the most important aspect to think about. It doesn't matter whether you choose a booster, convertible or infant seat. They should all conform to federal safety standards and they should have an established track record in third-party crash testing. It should fit in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A top-quality car seat must also have an easy-to-use harness adjustment, as well as LATCH or seat belt connection options. Rigid or rigid lower connectors with alligator-like clipping that hooks directly to the vehicle seat belt guides or car seat base are preferable to straps with a flexible design. The most comfortable seats have a simple, easy-to-read color change indicator to show when the seat is connected correctly and ensure a tight fit.
In addition to these features, the best seats have top tethers that reduce head injury risk in crashes by restraining the front of the child's head. The harness guides are included in the seats to assist parents use the belt correctly or tie it properly.
The most important car seat features are those that ensure that the seat is installed and used correctly all the time. Sadly, many children's deaths result from children are improperly restrained or in the wrong kind 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 is right.
A well-designed seat could help your child survive an accident. It's worth the extra cost for an item with strong frames and high-quality materials. It's also helpful to include well-thought-out features. It's also wise to look for a seat that's in compliance with the more recent R129 safety regulations that require more rigorous testing requirements than the older regulations that many seats comply with.
It is also important to recognize that car seats are only as safe as the person who uses it. Children should be properly restrained by rear-facing car seats beginning from birth and continue until they reach the required height to wear a harness. This is typically between the ages of four and five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat will assist your child in falling asleep or sleep for longer. This could mean the difference between a happy, well-rested child and an exhausted, cranky child who resists naptime. Choose a car seat that is able to accommodate your child's needs and has ample head and back support, and fits well in the car.
The best infant car seat offers a variety features that will make your child feel secure and comfortable, such as soft materials, soft cushions and padded armrests. Some include cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others provide various different reclining positions. Other models have adjustable thigh supports and lumbar supports that help improve posture. Some even have massage features that can be activated by a button that you press when your child is seated in the seat.
When your child has outgrown an infant car seat then you can upgrade to a convertible toddler car seat. These seats are made for children weighing up to 40 pounds. They can be used front-facing or facing forward. A convertible toddler car seat can be used as a booster up to 120 pounds. This can save money and decreases the number of car seats you will need to buy in the future.
Evenflo Chase is one of the top-rated toddler car seat for comfort. It offers great crash test results and can be easily mounted using LATCH or car seat belts. Its narrow shell makes it easy to fit larger infants. It also has two different crotch buckles, which allows for better positioning of shoulder straps. It's also lightweight and narrow which makes it easier to maneuver in small vehicles.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is an excellent choice for a car seat that is comfortable for toddlers. It's a great choice for parents who want a comfortable toddler car seat. It features padding on the sides and is easy-to-read indicators. It's also lightweight and can be set up with or without the base, which makes it a good option for parents who often move their car seats between vehicles.
User-Friendliness
Many parents use their car seats a lot and want an easy to use and can be tucked away in their car. They also want it to work with other baby equipment. Car seats for infants are less heavy due to their lower weight limits, and they last longer than a convertible car seats. The best infant car seats come equipped with features that make it simpler to install and use. These include recline feet that are spring-loaded, bubble indicators at the base to help you position it correctly in your car and installation guides that are clearly labeled with clear and easy-to-follow instructions. These car seats have been designed with easy-to-see, durable materials that are machine-washable, and also provide a comfortable cushion for the child.
The Clek Liing is the most highly rated infant seat we reviewed in the year 2018. It provides impressive crash test results and analysis scores as well as a fantastic load leg that will assist you in putting the car seat with ease and accuracy. The car seat is simple to install with either the rigid latch connectors or LATCH. The latches change color in order to signal the connection and the harness snaps in place easily and securely.
Another popular option is the Chicco KeyFit 35, which provides impressive crash test analysis scores as well as a load leg to assist you in putting the car seat in your vehicle. Parents and experts are raving about it, including CPST instructor Kecia H. who says it's designed with a spring-loaded reclining foot and a bubble indicator on the base to help you to position the seat correctly and tighten the seat with ease. The seat is reasonably priced, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It has an aluminum frame and a high-density, ventilated foam.
The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favorite of LaBracio and Saxton as well as Saxton, both saying it's a "solid" seat that is worth the cost due to its premium feel, luxurious materials and easy installation. It features a rear-facing weight restriction of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel, and an extremely sturdy steel frame with anti-rebound bar. This infant car seat also converts into a forward-facing booster seat for kids that weigh up to 120 pounds and is small enough to fit three in a variety of mid-sized vehicles.
Design
A car seat is an investment in the safety of your child, so you want to know it will fit well and be easy to use. The location and the method you install the seat, and how often you will switch between different car types could affect the final decision. It is difficult to predict what could happen in a crash. However, the design of your seat could help minimize the damage and make it easier to get your child in and out of their car seat.
The LATCH connectors on the seat are a key aspect. Rigid connectors have alligator-like clips that attach directly to the seat and are more difficult to remove during a crash. Flexible connectors feature a strap which can be adjusted and tightened manually or by a mechanism. The majority of seats have a level indicator that shows the correct installation. It's usually a molded line on the shell's side or a sticker stuck to the bottom of the seat which, when positioned against the ground, indicates that the car seat is within the correct angle range.
Another important factor is the degree to which a chair is able to accommodate infants and newborns. This is based on the size of the head rest and shell, and the ability to buckle and unbuckle the harness. Some seats also have an insert for positioning that can help smaller bodies to fit better into the seat as well as within the harness. It's important to know that these inserts are removable as your child grows.
The third thing to think about is the ease of adjusting the height of the belt. The most comfortable seats allow you to move the harness belt without removing your child and are as simple as pressing an button or pulling tabs or shifting levers. newborn car seat allow you to adjust the strap around your shoulders without having to rethread your belt.
If you're considering an all in one seat, make sure it meets federal minimum safety requirements and has a good performance in third-party crash tests. We recommend seats with additional features, such as an energy-absorbing layer built into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.