We bought a Britax Marathon for Payton when she was ready to move up from her carrier car seat and we loved it. I continued to use it with my second baby, Emmy. That is a no no. Uh oh. Did you know car seats have an expiration date of 6 years? Well, since Payton is now 7 that means that the car seat is out of date. Every car seat should have a manufacturer stamp of date of production so you can figure out if your is too old also. Some also have them stamped into the plastic. When I was sent this seat to review I was able to see first hand how much a car seat can change in 7 years. Let me tell you it is a lot! The thing that impressed me the most is how much more full body protection they have. Safety First states they are positively the safest choice in full body protection. Believe me they are accurate. Look at how Emmy's body is cradled and hugged just like you want it to be in a car seat. Check out those things beside her head. That is air technology to help if you have a side impact collision. Wow. Technology is amazing.
Did I mention that this car seat is a 3-in-1 meaning it can be used for when baby is newborn up until they are 80 pounds. Now, I've had reservations about a car seat like this for a newborn before but let me tell you we took out all the inserts so Emmy could fit in it. There is plenty of support and contouring for a new born too. It also can recline really far back like a typical carrier style car seat would. Below is a picture of when it came straight of the box you can see all the additional supports that were included. Let me tell you this car seat is heavy. Which I like. You want some weight to car seat to know that is solid built. The size is comparable to the Britax Classic we had previously so you may have a hard time if you have a compact car. One more feature I want to mention that I love is when your child grows it has a latch at the top center that you can use to adjust so need to rethread the harness.
I could go on and on about this car seat for days. We love it.
Emmy's favorite part as you can see below is the dual cup holders. Of course, that is just a happy extra. Our #1 concern is how safe our baby will be in case of an accident and this car seat has her as safe as she can be. Hands down.
Here is some more specifics of the car seat from the manufacturer:
· Safety 1st Elite 80 3-in-1 car seat
The Elite 80 works in rear-facing mode for babies up to 40 pounds, then converts to forward-facing with harness, but features an extended weight range to keep children safely in harness all the way to 80 pounds. In its 3rd mode, the Elite 80 goes beyond the traditional convertible seat to convert into a belt-positioning booster car seat for children up to 100 pounds. Additionally Air Protect + combines the advanced protection of our Air Protect® cushion system with patentedGCell HX™ foam designed with hexagonal shapes for 100% full body production.
Car Seat Safety Tips From JulieVallese, Safety 1st Consumer Safety Expert.
Importance of Rear Facing
In March of 2011 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their car seat recommendations advising that children should remain rear facing until the age of two, or until they reach the maximum height and weight requirements allowed by their car seat. According to a study in the Journal of Injury Prevention children under the age of two are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in the event of a car crash if they are rear facing. When a child is rear facing their head, neck and spine are better supported and in the event of an accident, crash forces are distributed over the child’s entire body.
Installation
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 75% of car seats are installed incorrectly. Every car and car seat has different requirements for the safest installation so before you get started it is important to read both the car seat and car manual.
Typically the center rear seat is the safest place for a car seat, and never install a car seat in the front seat. If your car does not have a latch connector for the middle seat, you can use the middle seat belt to properly secure the base. When installing, make sure the base of the car seat moves no more than an inch from side to side. An easy way to test this is to hold at the belt path.
New parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend a car seat check before the baby is born. However, don’t just rely on the experts. You’re likely going to be taking the car seat out and installing it somewhere else at some point, so make sure you’re comfortable with the process too.
Car Seat Expiration
Never use used or old car seats. Car seats do have an expiration date and it is to understand the risks associated with using an expired or old car seat. The reason for an expiration date is because plastic can warp and materials can fray, which can make car seats less safe to use. Car seat technology and state and federal car seat regulations change. A car seat deemed safe more than six years ago may no longer meet federal testing regulations. Important warning labels may wear out and instruction books may get lost, which can lead to improper use of the car seat.
If you would like to find a car seat check near you can go to safekids.org or seatcheck.org
If you would like to find a car seat check near you can go to safekids.org or seatcheck.org
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WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!WINNER!!
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