How to Choose the Best Car Seats for Your Child
It's easy to be overwhelmed when looking for a car safety seat. The safest car seat is one that is a good fit for your child and your vehicle and is safe to use every time.
Car seats that are difficult to install or use can make life for parents and kids more difficult. The most effective car seats have excellent scores in terms of ease of use and impressive crash test results, and are lightweight.
Safety
When choosing car seats, safety features are the most crucial aspect to take into consideration. If you decide to purchase an infant, convertible, or booster seat, it should meet the safety standards of the federal government and have a solid track record of third-party crash tests. It should fit in your vehicle and be simple to use.
A high-quality seat must have a harness adjustment that is simple to use, and also the option of connecting via LATCH or seatbelt. Lower connectors that are rigid or rigid with an alligator-like clipping which hooks directly to the vehicle seat belt guides or seat base are preferable to flexible straps. The most comfortable seats come with a color-changing indicator that is easy to read and lets you know when the seat has been properly connected.
In addition to these features, best seats include top tethers that reduce the risk of head injuries in crashes by securing the front of the child's head. The harness guides are also integrated into the seats to help parents to thread the seatbelt or tether correctly.
The most important car seat features are those that ensure the seat is properly installed and used properly 100% of the time. Unfortunately, a lot of child passenger deaths are the result of children being improperly restrained or using the wrong type seat. It is essential to talk with a child safety technician (CPST) near you to make sure the installation and placement of your car seat is correct.
A well-designed seat can save your child's lives in an accident. It's worth the extra cost to get one that's constructed and built with a solid frame, top-quality materials and intelligent features that make daily use a breeze. It is also advisable to search for a seat that's in compliance with the more recent R129 safety standards which are more rigorous testing than the older regulations that many seats comply with.
In the end, it's crucial to recognize that car seats are only as safe as the adult who uses 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, typically at the age of four or five.
Comfort
A comfortable car seat can assist your child in falling asleep or sleep for longer. This could mean the difference between a content, well-rested child and an exhausted, cranky child who doesn't want to nap. Look for www.pushchairsandprams.uk that can accommodate your child's needs and has ample head and back support, and fits well in the vehicle.
The best infant car seat offers many features that help your child feel safe and comfortable, including soft materials including plush cushions, soft cushions and padded armrests. Some come with cup holders, adjustable headrests and sun shades. Others provide various different reclining positions. Some have adjustable thigh support and lumbar supports to improve posture, and some include massage features that are activated by a button that you press when your child is in the seat.
When your child outgrows an infant car seat it is possible to upgrade to a convertible toddler car seat. These seats are designed for children weighing up to 40 pounds. They can be used either in a forward or rear-facing position. Some convertible toddler car seats can be used as a booster up to 120lbs. This saves money and reduces the number of car seats that you will need to purchase over time.
The top-rated toddler car seats for comfort include the Evenflo Chase, which offers great crash test sensor results and is easy to install using either LATCH or a car seat belt. Its slim shell makes it easier to fit newborns and larger babies. It also features two different crotch buckle positions, which allows for better positioning of the shoulder straps. It's also light and narrow, making it easier to maneuver around in vehicles with small spaces.
The Nuna PIPA urbn is a great choice for a comfortable toddler car seat. The seat is a good option for parents who are looking for an easy toddler car seat. It comes with cushioned sides and easily-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 regularly move their car seats between vehicles.
Simple to Use
Many parents use their car seats a lot, and they want an simple to use and fits inside their vehicle. They also want it to integrate with other baby equipment. Infant car seats have lower weight limits and have shorter lifespans than convertible car seats, which means they are generally lighter in body and frame. The best infant seats have 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 you to position it properly in your car. They also come with clearly labeled installation guides with clear instructions. The car seats are constructed of durable materials that can be washed in the machine and easy-to-see. They also come with soft padding for your child.
The Clek Liing is the most highly rated infant seat that we reviewed in the year 2018. It has impressive crash test results and analysis scores as well as a fantastic load leg that can help you place the car seat with ease and accuracy. The car seat is easy to install with either the rigid latch connectors or the LATCH. The latches change color in order to signal the connection, and the harness snaps into place easily and securely.
Chicco KeyFit 35 is another top pick. It offers impressive crash test results, as well as loading legs that can assist you in putting on the car seat. It's also a popular choice with parents and experts, including CPST instructor Kecia Healy, who claims the seat is designed to provide comfort, with an adjustable recline foot with springs and a bubble indicator on the base to help position it correctly and tighten it with ease. The seat is reasonably priced, GREENGUARD certified and built to last. It comes with steel frames and a ventilated, high-density foam.
The Nuna Exec all-in-one chair is a favorite among LaBracio, Saxton and other women. Both women describe it as a "solid" comfortable seat that is well worth the price for its exquisite feel, luxurious materials, and the ease of assembly. It comes with an upper weight limit for rear-facing children of 50 pounds, an expanded legroom panel and a sturdy steel frame that has an anti-rebound bar. The infant car seat transforms to a forward-facing booster for children that weigh up to 120 pounds and is small enough to fit three people in a variety of mid-sized vehicles.
Design
You should ensure that the car seat you choose is user-friendly and fits comfortably. The location and method in which you install the seat, and how often you change between different types of vehicles, may impact your final decision. It is impossible to predict what will happen during the event of a crash. However, the design of your seat can help to minimize damage and make it easy to get your child in and out of their car seat.
One crucial aspect is whether a seat comes with LATCH connectors that are flexible or rigid. The rigid connectors have clips that resemble alligators that attach directly to the seat and are more difficult to break during a crash. Flexible connectors come with a strap which can be adjusted and tightened either manually or through a mechanism. The majority of seats have a level indicator to show when they've been installed correctly. This is usually a plastic made line that is molded on the shell's side, or a sticker glued to the bottom of the seat which, when positioned against the ground, displays that the car seat is within the correct angle.
Another crucial aspect is the degree to which a chair is able to accommodate infants and newborns. This includes the width of the head rest and shell, and the ability to easily buckle and unbuckle the harness. Certain seats have an insert for positioning to help smaller bodies fit into the seat and harness. These inserts can be removed when your child grows.
Another important aspect is the ease with which it is to change the height of the harness. The best seats allow you to adjust the belt of your harness without having to remove your baby. It is as easy as pressing a button, pulling a tab or shifting levers. Additionally, the most simple seats to utilize are those that adjust the strap's length without having to rethread the belt.
If you're interested in an all in one seat, make sure it meets federal minimum safety requirements and has been able to pass 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.