When it comes to buying a car seat for your baby, you are going to be faced with two available options: an infant car seat and a convertible car seat. The two are basically the same in function: both work to provide support and comfort for the baby when traveling by car. The intention is the same, but the two are different from one another in a rather fundamental way. The differences between the two are explained as follows:
1. Infant car seats are designed specifically for babies from birth to up to when they reach the weight of either 35 or 40 pounds. This is strictly this way. A convertible seat, on the other hand, could accommodate babies from birth up to when they are 80 pounds in weight and 57 inches in height.
2. An infant car seat is designed exclusively rear-facing while a convertible baby car seat can be rear-facing and forward facing when you convert it so, hence the name “convertible”. Some other convertible models can even be converted into booster seat mode to provide more flexibility for the user
3. Infant car seats are more expensive than the convertible one. However, infant car seats are safer. If the convertible is what you are going for, choose one that has more padding on it.
4. Infant car seats are portable. Convertible seats, meanwhile, require fixed installation in the car so it would be a little difficult for you to move the seat out of the car.
Whichever it is that becomes your choice, you should never decide on buying a used seat at all. There are so many concerns about a secondhand seat that it could be the source of troubles instead of becoming a solution for your family. A secondhand seat may have lost parts that are important to it. They could also have been involved in some sort of accident that rendered them rather vulnerable physically. In addition, plastics become more brittle once they get older in time, further adding more risks into using a secondhand seat. But if you are indeed on the budget that much and forced to go for a secondhand seat, make sure that the product is not more than 5 years old, has never been involved in any kind of accident, and that its parts are completely intact and complete.
Odds are you will choose a convertible kids car seat over the infant one. The fact that the convertible models are more affordable than the infant ones is enough a reason to convince you. Even if a convertible seat bears slight inferiority especially on its comfort level, there is still a workaround for that issue, which renders said inferiority rather negligible. But of course, you are never to sacrifice safety for comfort. In fact, safety should always be on top of your priority when it comes to the matter of choosing a convertible car-seat.
Buying Guide
Obviously, it is going to be a tough task for you to pare down so many choices of convertible seats into just one that sticks to your car. Luckily for you, though, here are some tips to find the best convertible car-seat that is going to work for you and your baby as seen on vivamagz.
1. Budget
See, when we are talking about a product—any product, for that matter—we are going to start it all with money. You are going to invest in a tool that will likely be used for quite some time. So, it is only logical that you want to know where your money goes. A car seat from Cosco Scenara costs about $39. One from Clerk Foonf, meanwhile, costs about $499—which is the price after being on sale (its original tag is quoted at a whopping $699.)
Some stores selling the seats are offering coupons or frequent sale programs. But you need to know the price range you feel comfortable with.
2. Check Your Car
Things that you need to check on your car include specifications for latch mechanism, seat bracing, and other possible issues that might arise in the future. Some cars are just too small to brace a car seat on either of the front seats. The airbags will interfere with the way they impact on the seat. The car seat that you choose, therefore, needs to have hooks to latch the seat on.
3. Do Your Research
The internet is chock full of information regarding convertible child car seats. Make use of this fact. Spare some of your time to dig into a heap of information bits down to the smallest parts. Blogs and websites dedicated to reviewing car-seats extensively. You can use the words to get yourself well-informed before purchasing one. Others may have a word or two to say about a product. This is a truly subjective take on a product but you can definitely benefit from reading reviews fellow consumers give about a product.
4. Measurement and Dimension
See, it will not mean anything if your car seat does not match your car size proportionately. If it is too tall, no matter how good or safe it is, the car seat may obstruct your view through the rear window. The base should not be too wide it occupies space more than it should that others cannot sit next to it.
If you must, you can measure your car’s dimension using a measuring tape to get a proper measurement and bring that tape to a store to get a product that is in proportion.
5. Cleaning Method
A convertible car seat is going to be used by an infant, which is prone to puking and staining from food or something. To keep the seat hygienic, it needs to be washable. And it does not stop just right there. Find out what the seat is washable with. It is risky to have an un-washable car seat but it is utterly pointless to purchase one that is only washable through the means you cannot afford.
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