Well, I have the photos now, but Heather still has the notes, so I can’t give up all the goods yet. I feel like I need to beg her to send me a copy of the notes before the big test! Plus, we need to stretch this Expo out into a good 2 weeks of blogs and giveaways lol!
Still, I can’t leave everyone with nothing new for today, so I will leave you with some photos of a few new products that are coming soon. I believe most are first quarter 2009 releases, but we will have to wait for Heather to know for sure. She also has more details on features, release dates, pricing, fabric cover names, etc. Yet again, please note that most of the products shown are prototypes. That means some may have been manually put together from parts that don’t have the final color or finish. Stitching may be loose, parts may not fit quite right, pieces may be missing, etc. You can be pretty sure they are close to the final version since they are being shown to buyers, but small changes are likely to be made before release. If Heather notes something is coming this month, then we probably saw a production version instead!
First up, the Sunshine Kids Radian XT. All Radians (including the 65 and 80) are getting a removable harness system, improved side impact structure, an improved base and a slightly revised shell (with smoother edges and bottom grips) to go with a larger chest clip that will also be phased in very soon. The XT will come later and adds some new fabrics and an adjustable head restraint.
Next is Learning Curve’s First Years (Formerly Compass Baby) True Fit. A couple new versions are being added. First, the 650 adds a front bubble recline indicator and a recline adjustment foot that pivots for forward and rear-facing. The 670 replaces the foot with an anti-rebound “bar”, the only one on a convertible seat in the USA! They claim the crash test performance is superior to a rear-facing tether because it absorbs more energy and reduces forces on the occupant. We got to see this in some crash test photos. It looks like a great safety innovation!
Combi is releasing a new convertible seat called the Coccoro. It’s very stylish and has the usual Combi assortment of built-in lockoffs. The advantage of this one is not superior harness weight limits or the ability to fit tall 6-year olds. This one is designed to accommodate the growing market of Mini Coopers, Honda Fits, Nissan Versas and other small cars. They claim you can fit 3-across in a Toyota Corolla (shown here) and still leave more legroom for the driver than many other models! The middle seat is on a small hump and I don’t think it was tightly installed for the photos, sorry! (Apologies to Ed and Pam if I broke an EPS insert on one of the Cocorro prototypes. Doh!). Oh, and for those of you who really like the Zeus Turn but want a higher rear-facing weight limit; your wish will soon be granted! The ZT should have a 30 pound or higher rear-facing limit by early 2009!
Graco is introducing the Snugride 32. It’s the evolution of the Safe Seat Step 1. The Safe Seat lineup will be phased out, though the models may remain with small revisions and new product names. The current Snugride models will also remain alongside the SnugRide 32, with all the variations found from retailer to retailer.
That’s all for now. There’s lots more full size photos of the carseats above and others, too! Plus, Heather will fill us in on today’s events and fine details from the last 2 days as well! Then, we’ll add some stuff on strollers, travel systems and other baby gear!
The ABC Kids show was overwhelming. It’s like football field after football field packed full of baby and kids stuff and then there’s another level one floor up! Just aisles and endless aisles of everything for kids that you can imagine over like 1 million square feet of exhibit space. I bet I browsed maybe 20% of it over the 12 hours I had at the show. You really need the full 6 whole days to take it all in. This show isn’t for everyone, though. Heck, even I almost broke down and said I needed another baby so I could buy some more stuff!
We hope to receive samples for review, evaluation and training of many of the products we discuss. So, as soon as they are in production and shipping and we are able to get one, we’ll post a full review! Maybe we can beg and plead to acquire some giveaways for our readers, too:-)
Ho i know im late but i really like the cover on one of the true fits was wondering what the name of it is? Its the gray one with circles on it.
I so can’t wait for the new True Fit…the one with the rebound bar…I have actually ordered it, just waiting to get it…they keep pushing the release date back! And I love the green in the photo above…I have only seen the cranberry and blue ones available to order…Oh well…Ill take the cranberry on for my little girl. Hope I get it soon she has about an inch to go on her infant seat (turns one tomorrow)…don’t wanna have to get a different seat…
Sorry to sound so ignorant, but what is a removable harness? I am very interested in the Radian XT for how narrow it is and the headwings. We are needing as much space in our vehicle as possible and think this one fits the bill. Thank you so much for all of the great info here.
I have just been informed the testing on higher rear-facing weight limits for the Zeus Turn is complete. Combi expects to be able to certify the Turn to 33 pounds rear facing in the first quarter of 2009. Stay tuned!
OK, OK, OK. I’m sorry. Two more questions.
1. How far into debt will I get with that True-Fit with the anti-rebound bar?
and
2. Will it prevent me from installing the seat in a more upright position for an older child?
TIA 🙂
Brycen’s Mommy-
I have around $199 in the 1st quarter of 2009.
WOW, those seats look great! I am glad to see Manufacturers making moves to improved safety. However, I am glad SOMEBODY caught on to the fact that america is moving towards smaller vehicles!!
The Combi Coccoro looks cool. It might be a good fit for our small car. Any idea when it will be released and approximate price?
*drools over the thought of footroom in the front seat of the Corolla again*
Of course, the other two wouldn’t fit in that tiny thing. But we could keep them in their FF Radians and put the baby in one…
*realizes it wouldn’t last long, since she’s already well above the 3rd slots on the Radian and only 15 lbs., and cries*
AS for the XT– you had me at “removable harness!!!”
We have some photos of all the Primo patterns at the show, though I’m not sure which are new. I’ll try to get them posted tomorrow! The Switch stroller is very nice, too, and it works with the PV of course. I asked Graco which patterns and features were new. Other than the SnugRide32, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot being announced at the show.
-Looks like Heather put up the PP photos today!
Nothing new from Peg Perego in terms of patterns OR how much they weigh? Also, no new patterns from Graco? Expecting in January, so really interested in the safest, lightest (cutest?) seat…
Flipping through my notes here, ah, yes, the SafeSeat Step 2 will become the Cozy Cline. Everything else is the same on the seat, it’s just a name change.
Thanks for the reply about the radian XT wings! How COOL!
The Safe Seat Step 2 will remain under a new name. I can’t remember it offhand, though.
I’m happy to hear the ss line will be phased out… the ss2 was just never a good idea and made too many turn their kids ff too soon.
As long as they are keeping a higher weight limit rf seat, I’m a happy mama… I don’t care what they call it.
Stephanie- I believe the shell is roughly the same as before, so I doubt the belt paths will change very much.
Desiree/unityco- We should have asked about Canada, but didn’t. Sorry! We’ll try to get some of these people into a chat session. Unfortunately, some manufactuers are very enthusiastic while others just wanted to hurry us along, so the flow of information varies a lot from company to company. Plus, it seemed very hurried as it was, since we didn’t have the full 6 days to spend there. I wish we had a day off to come back to field questions from readers and then go back again!
Holly- You got it right. The XT is only 80 pounds and only one version, the standard 65 and 80 will remain without the head restraint but with the other changes.
I do not know about the standard Radian pricing or the splitter plate. I’m not sure if we asked, but we can try to get an answer on that!
Marchofemily- I don’t think the shell changed much overall for the Radian update so I suspect all measurements will be very close.
I don’t think there are any significant differences between the SS1 and the SR32 yet, other than the “soft goods package”.
The tradeoff between an anti-rebound bar and a tether has been known for some time and may be partly why Britax went from a tether on the old Handle With Care infant seat to a rebound bar on the Companion. The rebound bar may absorb some energy and reduce forces on the neck and spine. Keep in mind those forces are considerably less than in a frontal crash, so it’s unclear how important this is. Probably more important for infants and smaller babies. On the flip side, the tether may reduce head excursion better, because it has LESS “give”. This could be important for older/heavier/taller kids and make it less likely they would strike part of the interior. You have to balance the two risks and designs vary a lot so it’s hard to make a generalized comparison. Also, keep in mind that Britax recently introduced an energy absorbing feature on their top tethers, so that is a change, too. I suspect both systems are effective. You might guess that the anti-rebound bar may be a bit better for an infant while the tether might have a small advantage for a 6-year old. Hard to prove one way or another!
Trudy- I find my older kids put their legs and feet off to the side anyway, so I doubt the rebound bar would be a big deal if they tend to do that. For other kids, it might take up a little room they would otherwise have. We don’t have any other information about the bubble indicator. It will be interesting to see how easy it is to use once a seat is installed. The 650 has a new foot that help adjust the recline of the seat, but is not used as an anti-rebound bar. The 670 replaces that foot with the anti-rebound bar. I think the base level 630 will remain as is, I missed that it was getting the bubble indicator too. Thanks, Heather! As for 2 weeks, I was kidding. I don’t think there’s that much. It mostly depends on how fast we can get around to writing it. We won’t add any unnecessary delays lol.
kyartz- XT by the end of the year, maybe early 2009 I think. We did not see any printed information on the XT, but they are supposed to be sending some. I do know the Orbit fits in the Prius. They had one at their display lol!
I’m going to need therapy. I am almost glad we don’t get as many seats here in Canada because I would melt down in indecision and then go bankrupt buying everything. Only to cry when new stuff came out that I couldn’t justify buying…
Thank you for the information. I also am sad at the SafeSeat name going away. I like saying SafeSeat. 😀 And it made it very clear which seat had the higher limit and which didn’t, now you need to double check for the number. The Radian covers, ahhh. I also thought the pink/red was a little eye-stabbing, and the red/black makes me think “devil-seat”. Some little hellions will look great in that, I’m sure.
Thanks for all the Radian information! How long will we have to wait for the XTs? What features do they have (other than the side-impact wings) that the 65 and 80 doesn’t? Does the booth have a list of cars the XT will fit in? Like a Prius?
Thanks for all the info Heather and Darren!
I’m curious about the True Fit with the rebound bar – how do you think it will affect older rf’ing kids once the legs get longer? Will it be odd for their feet to be against it instead of the seat back?
And another True Fit question – is the bubble really precise, or is it more of a range indicator? Any comments from them about the rf’ing angle and the requests for further clarity in the manual?
What is the difference between the 650 and the 670? Is the 650 basically replacing the 630 then – being identical to the current seat aside from the bubble recline indicator being added, and the 670 will have the rebound bar?
I’m really looking forward to further info and future blog posts – having to wait 2 weeks for all of it is too long though, can I beg for a shorter time frame? LOL
Does the SR 32 have the same clip and buckle as the SS1? I love that the covers will be interchangeable probably!
I love the girlie Radian cover!! I love them both actually! Did the harness heights stay the same even though they are changing the seats up a bit? Bummer about the RF foot.
The Coccoro seats are so cute! I like the britax style clip and the buckle it has. It looks like the seat is really deep too!
I am loving the FY TF changes! I hope that other companies will start making seats with anti-rebound bars! Yippy! It is interesting that the AR bar is more effective than a RF tether. Is that because there is more ‘give’ with the tether? I like the new covers for it too. Maybe I missed it on the current TF’s, but do I see snaps on the covers? Really? Not elastic, you snap the covers on? Awesome!
So, ALL new Radians will have the removable harness and the changes to the base, but only the XT will have the head wings?
Are there 2 different versions of the XT, one for 65 lbs and one for 80, or are they all the same, and if so, which weight limit?
Will the Radian 65 still have the same price as it does now?
Do you know if they have a regular splitter plate on the back of the new ones, so each strap has it’s own hook, or is it still like the curent ones where you have to fit them both over the same hook?