How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to be overwhelmed when shopping for a car safety seat. The most secure car seats are ones that fit your child and vehicle and are safe to use 100 % of the time.
Car seats that are difficult to use or install can make the lives of parents and children more challenging. The most effective car seats are rated high for ease of use, impressive crash test results, and are lightweight.
Safety
When you are looking for car seats safety features are the most important aspect to think about. It doesn't matter if you choose a booster, convertible or infant seat. They must all conform to federal safety standards and they should have an established track record in third-party crash testing. It should also be able to fit in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A good quality seat should have a harness adjustment that is simple to use, and also the option of connecting using LATCH or seatbelt. Rigid or rigid lower anchor connectors, which are equipped with alligator-like clips that connect directly to the car seat base or the vehicle seat belt guides are superior to flexible straps that move or loosen. The best seats feature a clear, intuitive color-change indicator that indicates when the seat is connected correctly and provides a secure fit.
In addition to these features, the best seats include 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 included in the seats to aid parents thread the belt or tether properly.
The most important aspects of a car seat are those that guarantee the seat will be in place and used correctly all the time. Unfortunately, many child passenger deaths are the result of children being improperly restrained or using the wrong type of seat. It is important to speak with a child passenger safety technician (CPST) near you to ensure the installation and placement of your car seat is right.
A good seat can help your child survive the event of a crash. It's worth the extra cost for a seat that has been designed and manufactured with a solid frame, high-quality materials, and thoughtful features that make daily use more enjoyable. Look for seats that comply with the R129 safety standards, which are more rigorous than the older ones the majority of seats adhere to.
It's also important to keep in mind that a car is only secure and safe as the adult who is driving it. Children should be properly restrained in rear-facing car seats from birth until they reach a height that allows them to sit up straight in a harness, usually around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A car seat that is comfortable can aid your child in getting to sleep or stay asleep longer and can be the difference between getting an extended road trip completed in one piece and an exhausted, cranky kid who fights the nap time. Choose forward facing infant car seat that can accommodate your child's growing stature and offers plenty of head and neck support, and has a good fit to stop movement in the car.
The most suitable infant car seat comes with a variety features that will ensure your child is safe and comfortable, including soft materials such as plush cushions and padded armrests. Some include cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others provide several recline positions. Some have adjustable thigh support and lumbar supports that help improve posture, and some even have massage functions which are activated by a button you press when the child is seated in the seat.
If your child is no longer able to fit in an infant car seat it is possible to upgrade to a convertible toddler car seat. These seats are designed for children up to 40 pounds. They can be used rear-facing or facing forward. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as boosters for children up to 120 pounds. This saves you money and reduces the number of car seat purchases you'll need to make over time.
Evenflo Chase is one of the most highly-rated toddler car seats for comfort. It has excellent crash test results and can be easily mounted using LATCH or car seat belts. Its slim shell allows it to accommodate more babies and infants of average size than other car seats, and it has two crotch buckle positions to ensure proper shoulder strap positioning. It's also slim and light, making it easier to maneuver in smaller vehicles.
The Nuna PIPA urbn is a great choice for a comfortable toddler car seat. Babylist gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat is luxuriously comfortable and plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators to install. It is also compact and can be put in with the base or without, making it an ideal choice for parents who often transfer their car seats between vehicles.
Easy of Use
Car seats are the one item in a parents' life that sees a lot of use and lots of parents are looking for an easy-to-use seat that will fit into their vehicle and integrate with other baby gear. Infant car seats have smaller weight limits and have shorter lifespans than convertible car seats, which means they tend to be lighter in both body and frame. The best infant car seats come equipped with features that make it easier to install and use. They include recline feet that are spring-loaded, bubble indicators on the base for positioning it properly in your vehicle and installation guides that are clearly labeled with clear instructions. These car seats have been designed with clear durable and long-lasting materials that are machine washable, as well as comfortable padding for your child.
The top-rated infant car seat we have reviewed this year is the Clek Liing, which comes with impressive crash test results and analysis scores, as well as an impressive load leg that allows you to place the car seat in your vehicle with ease and precision. The car seat is one of the most simple to install using either LATCH or the rigid latch connectors with a color-changing indication of the latch's connection and a harness that does not require rethreading that snaps quickly and securely.
Another top choice is the Chicco KeyFit 35, which offers impressive crash test analysis scores and an extra leg to help you place the car seat in your vehicle. It's also a popular choice among parents and experts, including CPST instructor Kecia Healy, who claims the seat is designed to provide comfort with the recline foot that is spring loaded and a bubble indicator on the base to help you position it correctly and tighten it easily. It's also affordable, GREENGUARD-certified and built to last, with steel frames, high-density foam and a ventilated seat back that circulates air to keep your child cool.
The all-in-one Nuna Exec is a favored of LaBracio and Saxton, with both women saying it's a "solid" seat that is worth the price for its luxury feel, luxurious materials and easy installation. It features an upper weight limit for rear-facing children 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 for children up to 120 pounds. It is small enough to fit into most mid-sized cars.
Design
A car seat is an investment in your child's safety, so you want to know it will fit well and be simple to use. The final decision you make will be influenced by where and how you intend to install the seat, as well as the frequency you plan to change between cars. It is difficult to predict what will happen during the event of a crash. However the design of your seat could aid in minimizing damage and make it easy to get your child into and out of their car seat.
The LATCH connectors on the seat are a key element. Rigid connectors are attached directly to the seat by alligator clips. They are more difficult to remove during an accident. Flexible connectors have a strap that can be tightened or loosened by hand or through a type of mechanism. Most seats feature a level indicator to show whether they've been properly installed. This is usually a plastic molded line on the shell's side or a sticker that is affixed to the side of the seat that, when stood up against the ground, indicates that the car seat is within the right angle.
Another important aspect is the way a seat can accommodate newborns and infants. This is based on the width and height of the shell, the headrest, and the ease with which the harness can be buckled and unbuckled. Certain seats have an insert for positioning that helps smaller bodies fit in the seat and harness. It's important to know that these inserts are removable as your child develops.
The third crucial aspect is how easy it is to alter the height of the harness. The best seats let you move the harness with out removing your child. They require pressing the button, pulling a tab or turning a lever. Additionally, the most simple seats to use are those that allow you to adjust the strap's length without having to rethread the belt.
If you're considering an all-in-one car seat make sure it meets the minimum federal safety standards and has a good performance in third-party crash tests. We prefer seats with extra features, such as an energy-absorbing layer molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.