NEWS: ABC Kids Spring Show 2015

The Spring ABC Show is quite a bit different than the Fall Show as it’s geared specifically toward specialty retailers. This show has 4 rows of booths in a hotel convention center—this time it was at the Rio in Las Vegas—as opposed to 4 million at the Las Vegas Convention Center at the Fall Show. Hyperbole aside, it’s a much more chill environment and I could chat with manufacturer reps for as long as I wanted. I know you’re all about the latest and greatest, so here’s what I found out.

Cybex

They had the Cloud Q on display. Due to testing, there have to be some tweaks made. Of course! The lovely testing. I heard that a lot as I talked with everyone. So, when used baseless, the Cloud Q’s handle will have to be in the most forward position toward the child’s feet and there are now notches in the handle for the lap portion of the seat belt not only to remind parents it needs to be that way but also to act as a reinforcement to the notches in the seat. They didn’t have a prototype on hand with the new handle to show, so here’s a glossy press version of the Euro model in its full recline mode.

Expected: 2^nd half of July

Lil Fan Boosters

Lil Fan makes sports-themed boosters. Have a favorite team? It’s a good chance they’ll have a booster for you! I measured the shoulder belt guides at 21” while Kecia measured them at 19” at the Fall Show, so we’ll be sure to Duke it out and let you know Sooner rather than later.

Highback booster (Club Seat) features:

• 30-110 lbs., 4-12 years
• EPS foam
• 5 position headrest
• backrest can be removed to make it a backless booster
• removable dual-sided cup holder

Backless booster (Box Seat) features:

• 40-110 lbs., 4-12 years
• adjustable shoulder belt clip

Lil Fan also has a line of team diaper bags available in 3 different styles: messenger bag, backpack, and sling bag, plus there’s an insulated bottle holder. Everything’s available on Amazon.com plus at other retailers so they should be easy to find.

Expected: boosters are due in 30 days.

   

Jané (Hahn-ay)

Or you can call them Jane, but that’d be like calling Chicco Cheeko and you know that’s wrong ;). Jané currently has the Montecarlo R1 booster on the market, which has rigid LATCH connectors (awesome!).

Jané is bringing their Euro rear-facing only infant seat, the Koos, to the U.S. later this year. I’m sure we’ll have a much better idea when and a better U.S. prototype at the ABC Fall Show. What’s the big deal? A 6 lbs. carrier weight. Yeah. It weighs less than a baby at birth (at least my babies, lol) and was the talk of this show. Other fun Koos facts:

• Euro belt path with a shoulder belt lockoff
• load leg on the base
• webbing LATCH connectors instead of rigid LATCH
• stroller attachment to base instead of typical infant seat attachment to base
• it clicks onto the base on the sides similar to the Maxi Cosi stroller adapters

Expected: end of year

 

I vote for the plum or the scarlet myself. Keep in mind these are the Euro images, but have a drool: www.jane.es/en/jane-catalogue/in-the-car/group-0-plus/koos#prettyPhoto

Jané is also bringing their Concord line of European carseats to the U.S. in the next couple of years. Sweet!

Doona

We’re getting closer! I know there are many folks who have been watching for this unique seat for a while and it’s almost here. Can a carseat be a stroller? There’s one on the market already that’s simply atrocious. Is this one better? Breathe a sigh of relief! While it’s for rear-facing only kiddos, this carseat fills a niche for parents who need a portable carseat and a stroller wrapped into one. When I tried it on the convention center floor, the handle felt sturdy and secure and the wheels true—nothing felt rickety. The child is up off the floor and not likely to be kicked or hit in the face by a bag and the carseat has a base optional for those who don’t like to install carseats each ride.

Features:

• 4-35 lbs., 32” or 1” from top of seat
• tall back means it will last tall kids for a long time—yay to finally have a travel seat that will last for some time
• lots of EPS foam
• Euro belt routing for baseless install
• handle in anti-rebound position when installed baseless
• metal reinforced base with lockoffs
• memory foam-lined cover with memory foam-lined insert: Doona saw better crash test results with the memory foam
• carrier weighs 16 ½ lbs.

Expected: May 7 at baby specialty stores

      

Hauck/i’Coo

Hauck is very close with their ProSafe 35 infant seat and the i’Coo iGuard 35 infant seat. We covered these seats at the Fall Show too. The Hauck seat will be a stand-alone seat while the i’Coo will form a travel system. i’Coo has introduced new fabrics to coordinate with their strollers. Take a look!

Features:

• 4-35 lbs., about 33″
• think padded insert
• U.S. and Canadian tested
• base angle adjuster built into the belt lockoff for easy adjustment

Expected: Hauck ProSafe 35: 30 days, i’Coo iGuard 35: 45 days

GB

GB Child US is but one company under the Goodbaby International large umbrella. Other U.S. companies include many that you already know: Evenflo, Cybex, Urbini, and ExerSaucer. GB has one carseat on the U.S. market, a rear-facing only infant seat called the Asana 35. It has very nice features for the MSRP $259.99 price.

Features:

• 4-35 lbs., up to 32”
• EPP foam
• FirmFit harness which adjusts harness height automatically when you pull strap tight and loosen
• FirmFit arm applies tension to seat belt to aid in installation of base
• FirmFit load leg should fit in most vehicles, even those with humps in the center
• premium lower LATCH connectors
• carrier weighs 9 lbs.
• wide handle for comfortable carrying
• machine washable cover

Expected: at babiesrus.com now

  

Peg Perego

Peg had a new cover to show for the Primo Viaggio Convertible, Panama. This fashion wasn’t available at the Fall Show, but is for sale now at Amazon.com and at specialty stores.

 

Diono

Diono introduced a new fashion for the Radian RXT: Heather Grey. Check out the Heather dressed in Heather Grey standing next to the new Heather Grey RXT. Need a review of the RXT? We’ve got you covered with ours!

It was great to see some familiar faces and welcome them back to Vegas during the start of summer <insert evil laughter> and wonderful to make some new connections as well. As a resident of this crazy place, there are only 2 times of the year that I go down to the Strip and they both are carseat related 🙂 . Perhaps that says I should get a life? Or have less of one so I can get down there? I can’t decide. Anyway, until this October and the next ABC Show, if we hear anything . . .