For those who have been around the car seat world long enough, Jané is a familiar name. In 2003, Jané brought boosters with lower anchor capability to the US. Jané has been quiet for a while in the car seat world though, in the US anyways. They introduced the Montecarlo R1 to their European market and just now brought it here to the US. Let’s see what this new seat has to offer.
Why do children keep growing? I’m guessing so I can keep buying seats. Our newest addition is the Cosco Pronto (also found as the Safety 1st Crossover). With the seat belt geometry of our van, my 10-year-old needs a high back booster still in the third row. He was pushing the height limit of his
Parents always worry if their child is in their harnessed seat correctly. Is the harness at the right height? Properly tightened? Chest clip on the chest? No one thinks about boosters much though. Put kid in, buckle, and go. Many boosters are used incorrectly though and in turn do not provide the proper protection.
The Harmony Dreamtime, one of Harmony’s multiple belt positioning options, serves a niche market in that is one of the few high back boosters still available that may be an acceptable option in a three across, due to its narrow lines and plumb sides. While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of many of the market’s more showy options, it is affordable, and provides an excellent belt fit in high back and backless mode, and as such, does what it is needed to do.
Last year, we discussed the science behind why rear facing is safer than forward facing for toddlers and children through four years of age. In this edition of the Science Junkie’s Guide, we will look at booster seats and why they are important for children all the way through puberty. We have also briefly touched on how boosters provide a better fit for children who are nearing the legal age or height to no longer need a booster seat.
When Graco announced the 4Ever 4-in-1 car seat, we were thrilled to have the chance to take a close look at it. It turns out to be a seat that works well in all 4 modes and we’re happy to list it on our Recommended Seats page. When the 4Ever’s new cousin, the Milestone, arrived on the scene, we were just as excited about taking a look under the hood!
When Britax announced their Click Tight technology, the CPST world was all ears. Was it possible that almost all guesswork could be removed from car seat installation? Could a new system make misuse nearly impossible?
The Britax Parkway has been on the booster seat scene for quite some time. In 2013, however, Britax gave the seat a makeover with some great upgrades.
I’ll start this review with a confession: I’m a huge fan of Britax seats. My oldest daughter rode in a Britax Wizard for most of her rear facing years and my younger daughter still rides in a Britax Boulevard occasionally. I’ve found these seats very easy to install and use properly and the Wizard made me an early fan of the no rethread harness. For the record, the “best” seat is the one that the caregiver can install and use properly *every* time.
When Graco announced their first 4-in-1 car seat, I was parts suspicious and parts intrigued. In general, multi-mode child restraints tend to fall short in at least one mode. It’s no small task to make a restraint suitable for a 4 lb newborn all the way up through an 80 lb 10-year-old.
