ABC Kids Expo: Carseats from Europe Pt. 2

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Let’s talk trends.  Europe is trendy, right?  We Americans think we’re trendy, but really, compared to Europeans we’re so far behind we’re living in the 80s still.  I mean, really, skinny jeans are back! :O  The big trend we’re seeing this year that Europe has had for years is rigid LATCH.  Everybody bow down and say “Yay for rigid LATCH!”

So Darren showed the video of the Kiddy Fix with the load leg (what they call the footprop)–the base is quite heavy and flat and the load leg quite sturdy.  It’s very different than any base we’re used to here in the US/Canada.  And as you’ve no doubt seen by wandering to Kiddy’s web site by now, the World plus booster also has rigid LATCH.  Since Darren has the pictures, we’ll discuss that booster later this week and I’ll give you the impressive measurements then.  Kiddy is aiming for 1st quarter of 2010 for release, but remember that it takes time for testing, tweaking, re-testing, retweaking, importing, etc.

The Cybex X-Fix booster comes with LATCH guides to help with those deep-seated LATCH anchors that are impossibly buried in the seat bight.  The headrest has a unique 3 position recline insert that children themselves can adjust as they get sleepy so their heads won’t dangle forward as they nod off.  Cybex is hoping for a 1st quarter release as well.  Regal+Lager is the importer/distributor.

Evenflo has the newly rated Generations 65 lbs. and Symphony 65 lbs.  Both seats have been structurally changed, so the weight increase is NOT retroactive to previous models.  They told us that both seats would be available in November for sale.  You will be able to visually tell the difference by looking at a Generations 65: the HWH seat has a red harness release button on the front of the seat.  It still has the Tension Right knobs on the sides to tighten the harness, but the red button on the front will loosen the harness.  The Symphony 65 has a different, flatter base and the back of the seat has a metal bar showing.  The tether is also attached to the metal bar.

Evenflo Symphony sideEvenflo Symphony back

 

 

 

 

Evenflo is also introducing the Maestro, a lower priced HWH combo seat to 50 lbs., booster to 100 lbs.  It has 18″ top slots and has a unique shoulder belt slot design that allows the shoulder belt to slide up the seat as the child grows in torso height.

We do have lots more to report, but at some point the day must end 😉 .

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