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Britax B-Safe 35 Recall

Posted by SafeDad On June 21, 2017 In Recalls

2017 Britax Infant Car Seat Recall: Britax B-Safe 35, Britax B-Safe 35 Elite and BOB B-Safe 35

Britax announced a recall today in cooperation with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other regulatory authorities. This recall involves the chest clip on certain B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Elite and BOB B-Safe 35 infant car seat models manufactured between Nov. 1, 2015 and May 31, 2017, as identified on www.bsafe35clip.com. Over 200,000 units may be affected.

Britax has determined that the center tab on the chest clip – on certain rear-facing only car seat models – can break presenting a choking hazard to an infant in the car seat. There have been no choking injuries reported.

Users can continue to safely use the affected car seats if they remove the chest clip or monitor the center tab of the chest clip for signs of breakage. The chest clip is not a required safety device: it is added to the harness system to help position the shoulder straps.

Please visit w ww.bsafe35clip.com where you can follow these steps:

Look for the Date of Manufacture (DOM) label on the back of the infant car seat shell.
Compare the DOM details to the model numbers and date range listed on the site.
If your seat is affected and you registered your seat, you will automatically be sent a free replacement chest clip.
If your seat is affected and you didn’t register your seat, you can order your free kit on www.bsafe35clip.com.
Until you receive your replacement chest clip, you can continue to safely use the car seat as long as you remove your current chest clip or monitor the center tab of the chest clip for signs of breakage.
Before installing the new replacement chest clip, review the printed step-by-step instructions and/or watch the how-to video on the site.
Please do not return product to the retailer.

Model/Serial Numbers Affected

Products

Model Numbers

Dates of Manufacture

(YYYY/MM/DD)

B-Safe 35 & Travel Systems

US: E1A183F, E1A185M, E1A185P, E1A186R, E1A203F, E1A205M, E1A205P, E1A206X, E1A206Z, E1A207E, E9LU65V, E9LU66X, E9LU66Z, E9LU67D, E9LU67E, EXA185M

S02063600, S02063700, S03803400, S03803500, S03803700, S03803800, S03803900, S04144400, S04144500, S04144600, S04145000, S04402800, S04884200, S04884300, S04975600, S04978900, S05260200, S06020300, S06020400, S06020500, S06020600, S06020700, S06020800, S06020900, S06147100, S921800

CANADA: E1A193F, E1A195M, E1A195P, E1A196X, E1A196Z, E9LV16R, E9LV17D

S04144700, S04144800, S04144900, S04183700, S04183800, S04437700, S04884400, S04884500, S06051400, S06051500, S06051600, S06051700, S06051800

ISRAEL: E1A233F, E1A235M, E1A235P, E1A236X

November 1, 2015 (2015/11/01) through

May 31, 2017 (2017/05/31)

B-Safe 35 Elite & Travel Systems

US: E1A215T, E1A215U, E1A216P, E1A221Q, E1A225C, E1A225U, E1A226L, E9LS51Q, E9LS56C, E9LS56L, E9LS57F, E9LS57G, E9LS57H, EXA216L

S01298600, S02063800, S02063900, S02064000, S04281200, S04281300, S04628500, S06018800, S06020000, S06020200, S06051300, S923700

CANADA: E9LV21Q, E9LV26C, E9LV26L, E9LV27F, E9LV27G, E9LV2Q8

S01298700, S04184000

ISRAEL: E9LT15U, E9LT16C, E9LT16L

BOB B-Safe 35 by Britax

US: E9LT34A, E9LT34C, E9LT35X, EXLT34A

CANADA: E9LT54A, E9LT54C, E9LT55X

Chest Clip Tab may Break and be a Choking Hazard The broken tab may present a choking hazard to an infant in the car seat, increasing the risk of injury.

NHTSA Campaign Number: 17C002000

Manufacturer Britax Child Safety, Inc.

Components CHILD SEAT

Potential Number of Units Affected 207,037

Summary

Britax Child Safety, Inc. (Britax) is recalling certain B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Travel Systems, B-Safe 35 Elite, B-Safe 35 Elite Travel Systems and BOB B-Safe rear-facing infant child safety seats, model numbers E1A183F, E1A185M, E1A185P, E1A186R, E1A203F, E1A205M, E1A205P, E1A206X, E1A206Z, E1A207E, E9LU65V, E9LU66X, E9LU66Z, E9LU67D, E9LU67E, EXA185M, S02063600, S02063700, S03803400, S03803500, S03803700, S03803800, S03803900, S04144400, S04144500, S04144600, S04145000, S04402800, S04884200, S04884300, S04975600, S04978900, S05260200, S06020300, S06020400, S06020500, S06020600, S06020700, S06020800, S06020900, S06147100, S921800, E1A215T, E1A215U, E1A216P, E1A221Q, E1A225C, E1A225U, E1A226L, E9LS51Q, E9LS56C, E9LS56L, E9LS57F, E9LS57G, E9LS57H, EXA216L, S01298600, S02063800, S02063900, S02064000, S04281200, S04281300, S04628500, S06018800, S06020000, S06020200, S923700, E9LT34A, E9LT34C, E9LT35X and EXLT34A. The affected child safety seats have a center tab on the chest clip marked “ABS” that may break.

Remedy

Britax will notify owners and will provide a replacement chest clip marked “PC”, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 21, 2017. Owners may contact Britax at 1-833-474-7016 or visit www.bsafe35clip.com.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2017 Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit Review & Giveaway

Posted by Heather On June 19, 2017 In Contests, Reviews

2017 Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit 4-in-1 Carseat Review

Late one night at the Graco factory, some smooth Barry White was heard playing, some carseats were hanging out, and about a year after the Extend2Fit’s original introduction, the Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit All-In-One was born. It’s about the perfect combination of what you could want in a carseat: the Graco’s super popular 4Ever 4-In-1 carseat and the Extend2Fit convertible carseat with the fabulous leg extension that eases parents’ minds about cramped rear-facing legs. The Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit is a busy seat for busy families: it rear-faces, forward-faces, becomes a highback booster, and converts to a backless booster.

Weight and Height Limits:

Rear-facing: 4-50 lbs. AND child’s head is 1” below adjustment handle
Forward-facing: 22-65 lbs., 49” or less
Highback booster: 40-100 lbs., 43-57”, at least 4 years old
Backless booster: 40-120 lbs., 43-57”, at least 4 years old

4Ever Extend2Fit Overview:

50 lbs. rear-facing weight limit
4 rear-facing recline positions, 2 forward-facing recline positions
2 recline handles: each located on the front and the back of the seat base for convenience
4-position leg extension for rear-facing comfort
Seat belt lockoff for forward-facing use
On-board harness storage for booster mode
Steel reinforced frame
InRight™ LATCH system
Two cup holders
Machine-washable cover
10 yr lifespan before seat expires

Graco also offers three other versions of the Extend2Fit carseat. Here’s a quick overview of the differences:

Extend2Fit with RapidRemove: Has all the E2F features plus an easy-to-remove cover. MSRP $219.99

Extend2Fit 3-in-1: Has all the E2F features plus the capability of being used as a highback belt-positioning booster seat from 30-100 lbs. MSRP $249.99

Extend2Fit 3-in-1 with TrueShield: Has all the E2F 3-in-1 features plus TrueShield technology, an extra layer of side impact protection. MSRP $279.99

4Ever Extend2Fit Measurements

Harness height: ~7”-17 ½”
Shoulder belt guide height: 18 ½”
External widest point: 19”
Shell height with headrest: 29”
Shoulder width: 12”
Crotch strap depth: inner slot: 2” with padding, 4 ½” without padding; outer slot: 6 ½”
Seat depth: 13”
Seat weight: 25.5 lbs. with padding, 24.6 lbs. without padding
Don’t forget about our comparison database!

Installation

Rear-Facing Installation

2017 Recommended Carseats for Airplane Travel

Posted by Kecia On June 8, 2017 In Airplane, Resources, Shopping

It’s the travel season and for many families with small children, that includes flying somewhere. Since so many carseats are heavy and bulky, it makes sense in some cases to invest in a lightweight carseat just for traveling. Plus, this spares you the hassle of re-installing your main carseat when you get back to your own car, weary from traveling.

Ideally, a spare travel carseat should be lightweight (under 15 lbs), easy to install with the lap-only belt on an airplane seat and narrow enough to fit in a typical coach seat. With that criteria in mind, here are several options to consider.

Infant carseats – no need to buy anything new as long as your current infant seat can be installed without the base. I guess it’s possible to drag the base with you on the plane but that’s just making life harder than it needs to be. As long as your infant seat allows installation without the base (most do but there are some exceptions so make sure you know for sure), it’s easy to install the carrier rear-facing with the lap-only belt on the plane.

If you’re leaving the base at home – make sure you practice baseless installation a few times so when you arrive at your destination you know how to install the carseat properly in the car, using a typical lap/shoulder belt. Here is a video that demonstrates my technique for quick and easy installations of an infant carseat without the base.

Stay clear of products like THIS and THIS. These products are NOT acceptable alternatives to using an actual carseat on the plane to restrain your child. Along the same lines – using a sling or infant carrier also isn’t a safe alternative for your baby or toddler because you aren’t allow to wear your child during take-offs or landings when the risks are highest. There is a good reason for this but the details are ugly so I’m not going to go into it right now. If you would like more info on why slings and infant carriers are not a safe alternative to using a carseat on a plane, please see the NTSB website.

UPDATED JUNE 2017

Convertible seats – if you intend to install the convertible seat rear-facing on the plane then you’ll be best served by a seat that is fairly compact which will increase your chances of the seat actually fitting rear-facing in the space you have to work with.

Cosco Scenera NEXT:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall. Forward-facing 22-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall

Evenflo Tribute:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., or up to 37″ tall. Forward-facing 22-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall

Graco Contender:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs. (won’t be outgrown by height in the RF position before child hits 40 lbs.). Forward-facing 20-65 lbs., or up to 49″ tall.

Safety 1st Guide 65:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs, or up to 40″ tall. Forward-facing 22-65 lbs, or up to 43″ tall

No matter which seat you decide to take on the plane for your child – you will want to know where the FAA approval language is stated in case one of the flight attendants asks to see proof that your carseat is certified for use in an aircraft. Look for RED lettering on one of the sticker labels on the carseat. The FAA language is required to be written in red. The language can vary slightly but in general this is what you’re looking for:

For forward-facing kids, you’ll be best served by a seat that’s lightweight, fairly narrow, with tall top harness slots and a weight limit of 50 lbs. or more. Keep in mind that combination seats (aka harness/booster) can only be used on the plane in harnessed mode. Booster seats (or combination seats used without the 5-pt harness in booster mode) are not FAA certified and cannot be used on an airplane because all booster seats require a lap/shoulder belt, which airplanes don’t have.

Evenflo Maestro:

Forward-facing only for kids at least 2 years old. With 5-point harness from 22-50 lbs., up to 50″ tall

Evenflo Secure Kid LX:

Forward-facing only for kids at least 2 years old. With 5-point harness from 22-65 lbs., up to 50″ tall

Evenflo Sonus

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall. Forward-facing for children at least 2 years old, 22-50 lbs., up to 50″ tall

Evenflo SureRide:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall. Forward-facing for children at least 2 years old, 22-65 lbs., or up to 54″ tall

Graco Contender:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., Forward-facing for children at least 1 year old, 22-65 lbs., or up to 49″ tall. *Forward-facing beltpath is behind the back of the shell. This unique design means your FF child won’t have the metal latchplate of the airplane seatbelt in their back during the flight.

Safety 1st Guide 65:

Rear-facing 5-40 lbs., or up to 40″ tall. Forward-facing for children at least 1 year old, 22-65 lbs., up to 43″ tall

CARES Harness*:

Unique product for kids over 1 year old who weigh between 22-44 lbs., and are under 40″ tall. *CARES harness is certified for use ONLY on the plane. It cannot be used in motor vehicles. It’s very useful for situations where you don’t need a carseat to use on the ground when you arrive at your destination. We have a review of the CARES Harness here.

If you want to travel with your usual carseat, or just want to make it easier to travel with any carseat in general – there are many products that can help you transport it through the airport and onto the plane. Some are just generic luggage carts – other products like the Brica Roll ‘n Go Carseat Transporter, the Go-Go Travelmate products and the Traveling Toddler Strap are made specifically for a carseat. There are also carseat travel bags with wheels but obviously you can’t put your kid inside it too. Britax, Peg Perego, Clek & Diono all make travel accessories specifically for their carseats too.

Remember, only carseats with an internal harness can be used on a plane. You cannot use a booster seat on an airplane because booster seats require a lap/shoulder belt and airplanes only have lap belts. If your child rides in a booster seat and you are bringing it with you, you can gate check it or bring it on the plane and put it in the overhead bin (if it fits).

For more info on flying with kids and carseats – check out our related blogs on the subject:

Lap Babies on Airplane – A Warning All Parents Must See

Flying with a Car Seat? Know Your Rights!

Flying with Kids & Carseats – the checked carseat controversy

Travel Carseats: The Ultimate Guide to What You Want to Take on A Plane

An Open Letter to the FAA

June 2017 Carseat Deals, Stroller Sales & Coupon Codes

Posted by CarseatBlog On June 4, 2017 In Amazon, Featured, Shopping

Deals Tracker: We find the lowest prices on carseats, strollers and other baby gear in June, 2017. Bookmark us and check back frequently for the latest bargains and promo code offers!

We’re the deal experts so we know where the really good deals are on the stuff consumers actually want to buy.

This list will be updated anytime we see a great deal or promotion code below recent average prices, so you don’t have to wade through dozens of normally priced models to find the bargains. You can help us (and your fellow shoppers) by leaving us a comment if you find a deal on a carseat, booster or popular stroller that isn’t posted yet. We recommend that you bookmark this post, as we will update it regularly throughout the holiday season! If we see a bargain price on a popular model from our Recommended Carseats List, like the Britax Frontier, Britax Boulevard ClickTight, Chicco NextFit, Graco 4Ever, Diono Radian, Maxi-Cosi Pria, Clek Foonf or Clek Fllo, we’ll update as soon as possible!

What you need to know about Amazon pricing: it’s FICKLE. When a product’s price is reduced we rarely know how long it will remain at that price. Sometimes it’s a few days, sometimes it’s a few hours. The best advice we can offer you is to ACT QUICKLY if you see a great deal on something you really need or just seriously want. Just adding something to your cart does not guarantee you that item at that price – you must complete the checkout process to seal the deal. Most items on our list offer FREE SHIPPING & FREE RETURNS to Prime members but always double check this before you put the item in your cart and checkout. Not a Prime member? There’s a 30-day FREE trial. It’s a no-brainer! Try it out and score some great deals. You can always cancel before the 30 days is up if you’re not sold on the many benefits of an Amazon Prime membership.

Looking for more info on a certain carseat or booster? Check out out REVIEWS page. We have in-depth reviews of over 100 carseats and boosters.

Prefer to shop at other stores? If you received great advice from us or discovered a good deal here and share it with friends, please mention us and also share* our links to Amazon, Albee Baby, Diapers.com, Target.com, Walmart.com, Kohl’s, BuyBuyBaby and BabiesRUs.

Select Editors’ Picks:

These carseats may not be on sale right now, but are among our Editor’s Picks and are reader favorites, too. For current deals, please scroll to the next section.