Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
 Great seat for growing children! May 17, 2008
cp_mistyrose (NJ, United States)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
When my daughter was 2, I spent weeks researching the perfect seat for her. Unfortunately, most booster seats have harnesses with a 40 lb weight restriction, and I knew by the time was hit 40 lbs (under 4 y/o) she wouldn't be big enough to sit still with only a seatbelt. I wanted something safe that would last a few years. When my son turned 2, I again researched the perfect seat for weeks, and again bought the Apex 65, since my now 4 y/o daughter still loves hers. For the research I did, I found:
Harnesses - The Apex 65 is rated for children up to 65 lbs. Many children are not ready to sit still in a seatbelt by the time they're 40 lbs. If a child falls asleep and is tipping in the seat, than it is not working properly.
Harness height - The apex has 4 slots for harnesses (the highest is hidden under the headrest). I believe it is one of the tallest seats out there. From the seat to the top harness is 17.25 inches, compared to 3-in-1 seats such as the Eddie Bauer with a height of 14 inches. When forward facing, the harnesses must be above a child's shoulders. My daughter, at 36 inches, is still below the 3rd slot, so she has space to move up. I believe only the Britax Marathon (for twice the price) has a higher harness, at 18 inches.
Adjustable headrest - There is a lock in the back allowing the headrest to move up and down. Nice feature for a growing child.
Non-twisting straps - Need I say more?
Adjustable crotch strap - Both children fit easily with the furthest slot out - one in diapers, one not. I can see the complaint about the leg clasp, but my children never had an issue with it.
Belt positioning booster - This chair converts to a belt positioning booster when the child is old enough for it. Simply remove the harnesses, and it works well.
Ease of installation - If you're using LATCH and Tether (standard on most cars after 2000), you can attach anchors into the seat of the car (feel near the seatbelts within the seat) and the tether strap (usually on a rear dashoard or back of the seat). I found installing this seat to be EXTREMELY easy - click it in and pull the strap to tighten. Although the installation is similar to most car seats, I found it much easier than the 2 Gracos I previously owned.
Please remember, this is a forward facing seat only. Rear facing minimums state 1 year AND 20 lbs (not one or the other), but it is safest to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. If he/ she fits that way until 30 lbs, that is the safest way for them.
Don't forget - no matter what the state law is, it's important to keep a child in a carseat (harnessed) until they are old enough to sit properly with a seatbelt (no leaning over or unbuckling), and in a seatbelt until they are large enough that when they sit, their knees bend down at the seat edge, not point out. The seatbelt should cross their shoulder, not their neck, and their lap, not their stomach.
Safety 1st Apex is a great seat! Definitely look into this one!
My children love this seat and so do I. February 9, 2008
Beebuzz2 (IL - United States)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I have a Britax Wizard and this car seat installed in my Honday Odyssey and my two children fight over who gets to sit in this Apex 65 car seat. It is big and roomy and has just enough cushioning. It has all of the same safety features of the britax that sits next to it. Both have 5 point harnesses above and beyond 40 pounds and side impact protection. The difference? This one costs half the price, my kids like it better and so do I. It seems easier to get them into and out of it. I also think that they are not going to outgrow this one as fast as they will the britax - as it is much narrower and the crotch strap is shorter.
SUPERB! April 5, 2008
Mom of 4 boys (North Dakota, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We absolutely LOVE this carseat! We have one for three of our boys and it works great! It is extremely comfortable and we like that it has the harness system as well as the lap/shoulder belt system. Our boys are on the light side, so the harness system works best for them - it is also the safest!
Love this carseat; have used it for a long time April 12, 2008
Daniel's Mom (Seattle)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We bought this carseat when my then-2.5 year old needed a new carseat. He still fit in his convertible one, but his younger brother needed it. My oldest is large for his age and I knew that he would soon be reaching 40 lbs, but I wasn't ready to switch him to a regular booster (with seatbelt) at age 3. My choices seemed to be this and the Britax booster, if I wanted a 5-pt harness past 40 lbs. The Britax wasn't in our budget, but this was. We've been using it for almost 1 1/2 years now (he's now 44 lbs and 41"), and we love it!! So much that we bought a 2nd one so we could have 1 in each car, and we bought one for a friend. The seat is comfortable, easy to install, easy to use (but not easy for my son to undo), and it's plenty roomy for my son, yet it doesn't take up a ton of space in the car. We have this in both a minivan and a small car. We did call the company and order the larger crotch strap, and it wasn't a problem to get or install. I'd say the only downside is that the armrest covers are removable, so one of ours has gotten lost. It's not a big deal though. I highly recommend this carseat.
(Update- as of May 2010, we've been using these seats for 3 1/2 years. My oldest son is about to turn 6, and he weighs 54 pounds. He still uses the 5-point harness, and he fits wonderfully in it. My other son is 3 1/2, and fits great in it as well. These seats have held up well. I still very much recommend them!)
Greater booster for the money!!! September 28, 2009
JillAlison (New York)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We LOVE this booster seat.
I purchased this seat after doing A LOT of research. I wanted a booster with a 5pt harness over the 40lbs offered by most others. Pretty much, at the time (3 years ago! We've gotten A LOT of use out of this seat!!) this seat and the Britax booster were the only options that met my criteria. And, the Britax was more than DOUBLE the price.
We've been on 9-10 hr car rides, up & down the East coast. My son was both safe and comfortable in this seat. Plenty of room to stretch out -- he can sit in it crossed-leg and still have plenty of room. Straps don't seem to twist. Comes apart easily for washing. Love the cup holder, and that it easily removes for washing.
We have no complaints. :-) I will say though, that it is a very large seat. If you have an economy/compact-sized vehicle, that could be a potential issue, but it fits very well in my Ford Taurus...
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
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