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Best Reviewed
Infant Car Seats
- Best car seat, more options Graco SnugRide *Est. $80
- Car seat for heavier/taller babies Britax Chaperone *Est. $200
- Best budget car seat for heavier babies Baby Trend Flex-Loc *Est. $100
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Car seat for heavier/taller babies
- Excellent safety scores
- Easy to adjust
- Ergonomic handles
- Accommodates larger babies
- Heavy
- Expensive
- Wide base may not fit in small cars
UPDATE (Nov. 8, 2010): Chaperone car seats made between April 2009 and May 2010 have been recalled for a chest harness clip that could break. Owners can contact Britax for a free replacement clip. More details can be found here.
The Britax Chaperone (*Est. $200) is one of the most expensive car seats, but it has some pluses that appeal to some parents. This is an especially long-lived car seat since it can accommodate babies as small as 4 pounds, all the way up to 30 pounds. In one professional crash test the Chaperone receives an excellent rating for safety, and it includes a few extra safety features, including an internal anti-rebound bar that is supposed to offer extra protection in a crash. Parents also like its convenience features: ergonomic handles, easy-to-adjust straps and a range of fun upholstery colors. On the downside, not everyone thinks this seat is easy to install, and since its base is so deep (30 inches), it may not fit very well in smaller cars.
ConsumerReports.org offers the best coverage of infant car seats, since it independently crash tests car seats and rates them for safety as well as ease of use and fit to vehicle. ConsumerReports.org includes the Britax Chaperone in their crash tests. Parenting site Babble.com doesn't perform crash tests, but does rate a dozen car seats, including the Chaperone, for non-safety-related features and ease of use. Other helpful reviews can be found at About.com and CarSeatBlog.com. A small number of user reviews for the car seat can be found at Amazon.com.
| Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat, Cowmooflage | |
(13 reviews) In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping |
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org includes 13 models in its latest report on infant car seats. The Britax Chaperone is independently tested for crash protection, ease of use and fit to vehicle, then rated alongside others.
Review: Infant Car Seats, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
2. Babble.com
Babble.com gear tester Kate Bayless reviews several car seats after personally testing each with three different babies of different ages, weights and builds. Crash test ratings from ConsumerReports.org are also taken into consideration. The Chaperone wins the top spot for the Best Additional Safety Features category.
Review: Babble Best: Infant Car Seats, Kate Bayless, May/June 2009
Self-proclaimed car seat experts and bloggers review and give their top four picks for car seats. The Britax Chaperone makes the cut, and a detailed and insightful review is given, complete with pictures from a blogger who personally tried it out. Overall, it's concluded that the Chaperone is a "solid" and safe choice that should last parents a long time.
Review: Recommended Car Seats, Contributors to CarSeatBlog.com
4. About.com
About.com's Heather Corley gives a detailed review of the Brtiax Chaperone, complete with "what I like," "what I don't like" and "Should you buy a Britax Chaperone Infant Car Seat?" Corley concludes that the car seat is "a great fit for tiny newborns, but the Britax Chaperone is also roomy enough for some two-year-olds, so there's a good chance you'll really get your money's worth out of this infant car seat." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Car Seat Reviews, Heather Corley
5. Amazon.com
Amazon.com allows users to post reviews of the products they buy and use. Only about 20 users review the Britax Chaperone, giving it mixed scores overall; those who aren't happy with it say it just didn't fit in their car.
Review: Britax Chaperone Carrier, Contributors to Amazon.com
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