We tried many car seats, and I'm resisting the urge to do a detailed review comparing each of the styles we tried. They each have pros & cons, including this one - latches, ease of installation, ease of adjustments, comfort for the child, style/design, etc.
But this seat is currently the only seat on the market that got the most consistent 5-star ratings from the National Highway Safety, and independent crash test ratings. You can verify that on your own (this is for 2009-2010).
So for me, that was 90% of my decision. I just want the safest seat - all the other concerns are secondary.
I will add that this one installs easiest of all the car seats we tried. I'll also add that we're very excited about the design (this one's very sleek), the color (chocolate &/or cappuccino go well with our vehicles, and classy/stylish), and I like all the padding and inserts that make it comfortable for our child. And I can definitely say this has higher quality parts that most others I've looked at - sturdier plastic, more metal, solid frame, etc.
But again, our decision was mostly based on the good ratings. Recent car seat laws put into place by the car seat manufacturers (in 17 states, and counting) actually make it MORE DIFFICULT to find high quality car seats. The requirement that you can only buy new &/or recently manufactured car seats prevented us from buying high quality car seats manufactured in 2005 or 2006.
So the amazing thing is, because of these so-called "child safety" laws, the safer car seats are no longer on the market, and it's illegal to buy them. (Yes, you can get a ticket, or even have your insurance suspended). The result is, these laws are driving the better car seat companies out of business - since car seats are no longer a long term investment, people are flooding to Walmarts and Targets to buy the cheaper seats, ALL of which are made in China by the way.
So in 1999 and 2000, there were over a dozen car seats that got 5-star crash test ratings. Today, this is the only one with a 5-star crash test rating. (Thank God we have these huge corporations to watch out for our best interests, and that there are conservative politicians around to take their money!...LOL). It used to be, for example, Britax made the highest quality seats. But now with these laws in place, they are outsourcing to China also.
Anyway, all of that said, your price point should be $150-180 for this. If you want the model with the best scores, make sure it's a "First Years" - True Fit Convertible. Today (January 2010) I see other colors available on Amazon for the right price, but the Chocolate color costs $399. That's insane - the only difference is the color.
So if this price doesn't correct itself, get a different color on Amazon, or search the internet. Very few retail stores carry this model (we couldn't find it in stock anywhere), but *everybody* is able to order it for you.
(1 customers reviews)Customers Rating=5.0 / 5.0
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The First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat Chocolate- The First Years True-Fit Convertible Car Seat is designed to be the best-fitting rear-facing car seat on the market. Competitor's car seats are often too tall to fit properly in a rear-facing position. The True-Fit has a removable headrest that allows for correct rear-facing installation. Once baby is large enough for a forward-facing seat, there is no need to purchase a new one, just re-attach the headrest and turn it around! Safety features include a lower center of gravity to truly fit a 65 lbs child, full EPP foam liner and a no rethread five-point harness for simple adjusting. And, the easy-off pad unsnaps to allow for easy cleaning!
- Removable headrest--better installation for the back seat. Harnesses that go to 65lbs., as preferred by Safety Advocates. Larger inside dimensions to better fit your child as they grow. Lower center of gravity allows for a deeper, taller and wider seating area without making the seat bigger on the outside.
- "Easy Off "pad makes washing and keeping clean easy
- No-rethread harness. Adjust the harness height without having to uninstall harness straps. Deep side wings. Side-impact tested. EPS foam liner. Built in lock-offs. Multiple position buckle. Super-comfortable pad
