Britax Decathelon - You won't regret it!

This car seat was recommended to me because of it's stellar safety ratings and I was SOLD on it when I read that Britax follows the safety standard of Europe and not the US because the US standards are far lower.

In looking at the store and comparing all of the seats (even trying them out in their demo car so that we could see the fit and ease of use. We found a feature of the Britax that we couldn't live without. It uses the LATCH for rear facing positions as well as forward. WOW! This means that when you attach the seat, using the rear LATCH and the anchor (or seat belt) that the car seat, no matter how hard you try, isn't going anywhere!

The other nice feature is the size...I know, everyone hates a BIG car seat, but I like how roomy it is. It comes with removable pads so that there is a soft, cushy fit for every size baby. Also, it has a TON more room in the rear facing position, meaning that the child can stay rear facing longer (which is MUCH safer).

Also, when you remove the cover, you see that your baby is protected not only by the plastic frame of the car seat, but the energy absorbing foam (like you see in a bike helmet).

Other nice features: covers are removeable, washable, and replacable. Pads, pads, pads. There are Tons of pads from the buckle cover to the hips and the shoulder, neck and head. It has pads for everything. There is a storage area for the manuals and the straps are easy for an adult to adjust (some days the baby is wearing more clothes than others and you need to adjust those straps more often than you think).

The down side: Price, it is expensive, but worth every single penny. I never wanted to get in an accident and feel guilty that I tried to save a few dollars by gambling with his safety. Also, the size. We have a mini-van, so the size of the seat wasn't an issue, but it could be if you can a small car. ***ALWAYS insist that you try the seat out in your own car BEFORE you buy it***