Entries tagged with “car seats” from Car & Caboodle

Visit our 1 Year | 52 Car Seat Giveaway Page to learn about this week's giveaway for a Maxi Cosi Rodi Booster Car Seat.

Car & Caboodle kicks off our One Year | 52 Car Seats giveaway today.  That's right, we're giving away one car seat a week for a whole year.  We're happy to welcome Clek, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Peg Perego, and Safety 1st on board as our sponsors.

A new car seat and the winner from the previous week's random drawing will be announced every Wednesday.  Visit us every week to enter for that week's drawing.

This week we'll be giving away the Olli Booster Seat by Clek.  The Olli has been awarded 2008 Seal of Approval by the National Parenting Cennter for its innovative safety, convenience and design features. In 2007, Olli also won the JPMA Innovation Award and an iParenting Media Award.

To enter this week's drawing for the Olli Booster Seat, please answer these two quick questions.

Visit the Clek website for more information about the Olli Booster Seat.

Droolicious: 7 Days Of Car Seats
http://babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/archive/tags/7+days+of+car+seats/default.aspx

Droolicious tests 7 different car seats, including one I've had my eye on for a while: the clek olli booster which is the first booster seat to use LATCH. 7 different seats are reviewed by 7 different writers and they run the gamut from infant carriers to backless boosters.

AutoWeek: Chevy Traverse and Ford Flex face off this year
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/FREE/101730784/

AutoWeek compares the features, styling and specs of the two forthcoming mid-size crossovers from the bowtie and blue oval. Both vehicles look to be of interest to families of more than four, with seating for 6-8 and plenty of cargo room. the Flex even has an optional refrigerator! No more stopping for apple juice boxes.

Consumer Reports tests 6 new Hatchbacks
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/past-road-test/hatchbacks/overview/hatchbacks-ov.htm

The folks over at Consumer Reports have put together a comparison of 6 hatchbacks for the June 2008 print edition. Included are the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman and all-new Saturn Astra, Subaru Impreza, Scion xD and Toyota Matrix. And the winner is... a Rabbit?

Car and Driver: Fuel-Sipping Three-Row SUVs
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/latest_news_reviews/2009_saturn_outlook_gmc_acadia_buick_enclave_to_get_direct_injection_v6_car_news

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid wins high marks in this test of 8 crossovers that have seating for seven or more. I think it's hard to compare a $55,000 Mercedes GL-Class to a RAV4 -- but it is nice to see a comparison of 3-rowers with Fuel Economy being the primary factor.

Got your eye on a Britax car seat, stroller or more?  Head on over to Amazon.com for a rare sale on all their Britax products, and save up to 20%.  Sale is for one week only - February 24 to March 2, 2008.

Maxi-Cosi's new Priori Convertible Car Seat ($199) is newly on the market. Brought to America by the Dorel Juvenile Group, this convertible car seat is designed to support your child from birth to 4 years (up to 40 lbs) AND it has a RECLINE feature (actually 4 position settings for the seat).

Installing and using car seats can be a bear, and yesterday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration introduced a new ratings system for car seats - giving 1-5 stars for ease of use.  Since safety depends on whether your car seat is installed correctly, then it makes sense that the easier the installation the more likely you'll have a safe situation.  Check out the NHTSA website for the new car seat Ease-of-Use ratings.

In the world of strollers, the UppaBaby Vista is one of my favorites. I'm looking forward to using one of these  top stroller performers whilst out strolling with my new baby. And with the addition of the Uppa Baby Piggy Back Ride Along Board my three year old son can still come with on longer walks, and catch a ride if needed. The ride on board is nice looking and made from an attractive natural wood. It flips up and out of the way when not in use and does not impede the stroller fold in any way.

I'm also loving Uppa's Baby Bubble. This lightweight pop-up cover fits on most infant carseats and shields baby from sun, wind, rain, dust, bugs and the prying eyes and sticky fingers of all the other kids at my son's preschool. If I were a celeb, it would be a great paparazzi foiler as well. Much more reliable than a draped blanket and a cinch to use and store, and quite cheap to boot ($19.95) this one is a mommy must have.

Small backseats, reluctant toddlers, riding in cabs--these are just a few of the reasons you'll love the Clek Olli Booster Seat.

Sure, it looks cool, but its low-profile, backless design is about more than just looks. It's worlds smaller than your average booster, which matters for three important reasons.

One, if you have a small backseat or are trying to fit more than one car seat, the Olli won't take up as much room. Two, it has a more grown-up feel, making it a much easier sell to the toddler who is ready to be done with car seats. And three, it's super portable, making it really the only practical option for cabs and mass transit. (Really, can you picture hailing a cab with a fussy toddler and a full-size booster in tow?)

Booster seats are the law--but that doesn't mean they have to be a nuisance. The Clek Olli is the perfect blend of safety, simplicity, and style!

Clek Booster Seat  |  $95 at giggle.com

Ali's Picks is contributed by Ali Wing, founder of modern baby retailer, giggle, where she and her staff help new parents "navigate the glut of choices and find only what they need, when they need it."  We look forward to Ali's recommendations where her selections are not just eye candy but also practical and functional in design.

The popular Orbit Baby System is adding a new toddler car seat to its system giving parents an option to extend their Orbit system after outgrowing the infant car seat.  Like its infant car seat, the new toddler car seat will also fit the Orbit stroller base when removed from the Orbit Base.  The toddler car seat can be use both rear-facing or front-facing depending on the weight of your child.

Available late February 2008.

link: Orbit Baby Website

It's lighter, cushier and has a smaller footprint than most of the infant carseats on the US market. So it is easy to see why the Maxi Cosi Mico ($169) has long been beloved by Europeans. Note: the same carseat was sold under the model name "Cabrio" in Europe.

The Mico is currently getting a warm welcome stateside. The Mico meets or exceeds US safety standards and this is not surprising, considering that Europe has stricter guidelines than the USA. Saferty features include EPS foam lining and superior side impact protection for the tiniest passenger.  

This carseat is easy to take in and out of the car, thanks to the lighter weight and narrower profile. It latches very quickly and securely onto their base or can be secured using a seatbelt. There are indicators on the seat that let you know when you have attached it properly. Adjustments to the child harness are easy and can be done from the front of the seat via a one-pull mechanism. The handle is ergonomically designed for maximum carrying comfort and the hood is generously sized and extra sturdy. Babies love all the comfy padding and siblings love that there is still room for them in the backseat.

As if all this was not enough, the Maxi Cosi comes in a bunch of hot colors combos. The fabrics are removeable, washable and genuinely fashionable. Rest assured - no overly cutesy bears to avoid here.