How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
When you are looking for a car seat it can be easy to become overwhelmed. The most secure car seat is one that is suitable for your child's vehicle and can be used correctly every time.
Car seats that are difficult to install or use can make the lives of parents and children more challenging. The best car seats are rated high in terms of ease of use and impressive crash test results, and are light.
Safety
Safety features are the most crucial factor to take into account when buying an automobile. It doesn't matter whether you opt for a convertible, booster or infant seat. They should all meet federal safety standards, and they should also have an established track record in third-party crash testing. It should also fit well in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A good car seat should include a harness that is easy to use for adjustment, as well as LATCH or seat belt connector options. The rigid or rigid lower anchor connectors, which have alligator-like clips that hook 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 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, best seats include a top tether that reduces the risk of head injuries in crashes by restraining the front of the child's head. They also have built-in harness guides to aid parents in securing the belt on their seat or tether.
The most important characteristics of a car seat are those that guarantee the seat will be in place and utilized correctly 100% of the time. Unfortunately, a lot of child passenger fatalities result from children being improperly restrained or using the wrong type seat. It's important to consult a child safety technician (CPST) near you to ensure the installation and placement of your car seat is correct.
A good seat can save your child's life in a crash. It's worth the extra cost to get one that's made with a strong frame, high-quality materials, and thoughtful features that make daily use easier. Find seats that are compliant with the R129 safety standards that are more rigorous than the older ones the majority of seats adhere to.
rear facing infant car seat 's also important to remember that the car is only as secure and safe as the adult who is driving it. Children must be properly restrained in rear-facing car seats from the time they are born until they are too tall to be seated forward in a harness, usually around the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can help your child get to sleep or stay asleep longer and can be the difference between getting a long road trip done in one go and having an exhausted, cranky child who screams at naptime. Choose a car seat that is able to accommodate your child's growing needs and needs, with plenty of support for the back and head, and fits well in the car.
The most effective infant car seats come with many features to make your child feel safe and comfortable, including soft materials that offer an ideal fit, plush cushions and armrests with padding. Some come with cup holders, adjustable headrests, and sun shades. Others provide several recline positions. Some have adjustable lumbar and thigh support to improve posture. Some have massage functions activated by pressing a button while the child is sitting in the seat.
If your child is out of the infant car seat, the next step is a toddler car seat that will typically accommodate children up to 40 pounds and can be used either rear-facing or forward-facing. Some convertible toddler car seats can also be used as boosters up to 120 lbs. This can save money and decreases the number of car seats that you will need to purchase over time.
The top-rated toddler car seats that are comfortable include the Evenflo Chase, which offers excellent crash test sensor results and is easy to install with either LATCH or a car seat belt. Its narrow shell lets it fit more newborns and average-sized babies than other carseats and comes with two crotch buckles to ensure proper shoulder strap positioning. It's also light and narrow which makes it easier to maneuver around in vehicles with small spaces.
The Nuna PIPA Urbn is a fantastic choice for a comfortable car seat for toddlers. Babylist's gear editor Jennifer LaBracio says the seat is luxuriously comfortable with plenty of padding and easy-to-read indicators to install. It's also compact and can be put in with the base or without, making it a great option for parents who regularly move their car seats between cars.
Easy to Use
Many parents use their car seats a lot and want seats that are simple to use and can be tucked away in their car. They also want it to be compatible with other baby equipment. Infant car seats are less heavy due to their lower weight limits, and have a shorter life span than a convertible car seats. The best infant seats come with features that make them easy to install and use, such as a spring-loaded recline foot and bubble indicators on the base to help you position it correctly in your car. Also, they come with clearly labeled installation guides with clear instructions. The car seats are made with sturdy materials that can be machine-washed and easy to see. They also have comfortable padding for your child.
The Clek Liing is the most highly rated infant seat that we reviewed in 2018. It has impressive crash test results and analysis scores as well as a fantastic load leg to help you place the car seat with ease and precision. The car seat is easy to install with either the LATCH connectors that are rigid or the latch connectors. The latches change color to indicate the connection and the harness snaps in place easily and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another top choice. It provides impressive crash test results, as well as a loading leg to assist you in putting on the car seat. It's also a top choice with parents and experts, including CPST instructor Kecia Healy. She says the seat is well-designed for comfort with the recline foot that is spring loaded and a bubble indicator on the base to help you place it in the right position and tighten it easily. The seat is reasonably priced, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It features an aluminum frame and a ventilated, high-density foam.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one seat is popular with LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women consider it an "solid" elegant and luxurious seat that's priced for its luxurious feel, luxurious materials and ease of 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 converts to a forward-facing booster for children weighing who weigh up to 120 pounds and is small enough to fit three across in most mid-sized cars.
Design
You must ensure that the car seat you select is easy to use and fits well. The location and method in which you install the seat, as well as the frequency you switch between vehicle types, may impact your final decision. While it is impossible to predict what might happen in the event of a crash the design of your seat will reduce the risk of damage and make it easier to get your child in and out of the car seat.
One important factor is whether the seat has rigid or flexible LATCH connectors. Connectors with rigid construction are bonded directly to the seat with alligator clips. They are more difficult to remove in the event of the event of a crash. Flexible connectors feature a strap which can be adjusted and tightened either manually or through a mechanism. Most 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 side of the seat that, when raised against the ground, indicates that the car seat is within the correct angle.
Another crucial aspect is the degree to which a chair fits newborns and young infants. 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 have an insert to help smaller bodies better fit into the seat as well as within the harness. It's important to know that these inserts can be removed as your child develops.
The third factor to consider is the ease of changing the height of the belt. The most comfortable seats allow you to move the harness with out removing your child and require only pressing the button, pulling a tab or turning a lever. In addition, the easiest seats to use are those that can adjust the strap's length without having to rethread the belt.
If you're considering an all-in-one car seat, make sure it satisfies the minimum federal safety standards and has performed well in third-party crashes tests. We recommend seats with additional features, like an energy-absorbing layer that is molded into the shell or an anti-rebounding bar.