Safety 1st OnSide Air Convertible Car Seat Review

For those who've followed my blog and seen all my car seat entries, you know the woes I've been having finding one that fits my car and my big boy.  He had a 6 month baby well checkup a few days ago, and he's 20 lbs. 9 oz. and 28 1/4".  So he's above average in weight and very above average in height.  Because of this, I need a seat that can handle a bigger child and still have room to grow.  I drive a 2000 Toyota Corolla so I needed it to be compact.  I had almost decided on the Combi Coccoro because it's made in Japan and designed to fit in smaller spaces and then I found a new car seat that came out this summer by Safety 1st.  It's the OnSide Air convertible car seat, the only car seat under $100 that can handle 5-40 pounds rear-facing.  I scoured the internet for information without much luck and saw on the web forums that many people had called Dorel, the company that manufactures Safety 1st products, didn't have much information available to curious car seat enthusiasts.  It was impossible to even find the car seat dimensions online.  Despite this, I took a chance and drove an hour and a half to Savannah, the closest place with a store that had it in stock.  I had to see it for myself.

Comfy but narrow and notice how little head 

room there is for future growth.

Aesthetics, Comforts, and Features


Many have commented that the stock photos of the OnSide Air make it look like the Cosco Scenera.  I have to agree that I wasn't a fan of the look presented.  In person, however, I was pleasantly surprised.  I think you can probably tell from my photo that it looks much better with higher quality fabric. The cover is so plush that it feels stuffed with memory foam.

The cover is also easily removable because it is elasticized the entire way around like a bed sheet without any of those annoying or hard to release hooks or catches.  You do need to undo the shoulder harness to get it completely off, but that's not difficult.  It is generously sized so that it doesn't pop off in tight spots.

I will say that the harness webbing isn't very thick, so it does twist if you're not careful.  The chest clip also isn't the most substantial feeling plastic and is much flimsier compared to the chest clip on the Chicco KeyFit this seat is meant to replace.  It may be because it's new, but the chest clip and buckle don't come undone as quickly as I would like.  It does not come equipped with harness covers, so I would highly recommend that purchase.  I got these cute, cuddly monkey covers for $4.50 at WalMart.

Other features include a removable cup holder, which didn't attach securely enough to be functional for me.  The OnSide Air Converitble Car Seat is one of the products by Safety 1st that incorporates Air Protect technology.  Air Protect reduces side impact by releasing a burst of air from special chambers in order to reduce the force of collision.  The OnSide Air focuses on the child's head, but Safety 1st offers choices in the Complete Air line that features full body Air Protect side impact protection.  The Complete Air seats start at $180, so the OnSide air is an affordable alternative that focuses on the most vulnerable part of a child's body during side impact collisions.


Adjustability and Fit

The seat features 4 harness slots and 3 crotch strap slots for adjustments as your child grows.  This is where it has something in common with the Scenera.  The harness slot heights are the same with a top height of about 15 inches, and the same placement of the crotch strap slots.  Many parents have lamented that their children outgrow the Scenera by height before they reach the weight limit, so this may be an issue for tall babies like my son.  At 6 months and 28.25" tall, however, my son is using the 2nd harness slot from the bottom so he has two more slots to grow with.  He is also using the middle crotch strap slot.

At 11" across, it is a somewhat narrow seat, so the OnSide Air may not be the best solution if you have a heavier or older child.  For smaller or slimmer babies, this is perfect since it doesn't totally swallow the child.  Because of it's narrower seat and well-padded cover, this is a more realistic choice for parents wishing to start with a convertible car seat for newborns.  I think the recline is deep enough for a newborn to sleep comfortably, especially with a head positioning pillow.

Adjusting the harness was about the same as any other harness system I've used.  The adjustable crotch strap, however, was more difficult.  It's held in place by a metal retainer that you have to twist and push through the slot in order to remove the strap.  For safety's sake, it's a tight fight getting the retainer to pass through the slot so it does take time and brute force (for me anyway) to get it through.  Then you have to do it again to put it back in the correct position.

This seat also features a 2 position recline.  It was easy to figure out and switch between the two.

Fits in my 2000 Corolla with seats extended and reclined 

for up to 6'2" tall driver.  It also is slim enough that you could 

fit up to 3 of them or 2 additional passengers on either side.

Small Car Compatibility

The OnSide Air does fit in my small Toyota Corolla with the front seats extended comfortably for me (5'7") and my brother (6'2").  This is the largest amount of space a car seat could take, however, and still be comfortable in front.  As far the width of the seat, it's perfect for a family that frequently rides at full capacity.  I tried the Evenflo Tribute 5, and it extended into my lap when I sat next to it.  The OnSide Air didn't encroach on my space.  I wouldn't want to ride long distances in this setup though.

Even though the edge goes over my chair, it doesn't
interfere with my shoulder or arm.  I can live with it.

Installation

This car seat is lightweight and easy to carry and position.  My car is a pre-LATCH model, so I had to do a seatbelt installation.  It wasn't difficult.  The belt paths are clearly labelled for front and rear-facing modes.  The car seat cover is easy to peel back if necessary to thread the seat belt through the path, but I personally didn't need to because the opening was big enough for me to feel my way through.  Aligning the seat was pretty straight forward.  There is a guide that must be level with the ground.  It's not as accurate is the bubble levels, but it gets the job done.

The seat is at the proper recline when the edge of the sticker

is parallel with the ground.

The biggest concern for me with the installation was the fact that my lap and shoulder belt make the seat slant when tightened down as much as necessary to keep the wiggle to 1" or less.  You can tell in the picture of my shoulder and also in the one that shows my son how the car seat tilts up to the left side.  It's because the shoulder part of the belt pulls the seat up while the side with the buckle pulls the side down.  I think part of the issue is that my back seat has a pretty big slant even in the center.  Another part of the issue is that the way the car seat is designed leaves a big space under the front which I had to fill with towels in order to stabilize the vertical wobble.  But I've had this problem to a certain extent with every car seat I've put in my car.  With some car seats, I've been able to fix the slant issue by stuffing a towel in front of the car seat.  That didn't work, however, with the OnSide Air.  In my car, I acheived the most level installation by tightening the seat belt as much as I needed and then stuffing the gaps between the car seat and the backseat with towels afterward.  I needed one on the front and back of the seat as pictured above.

Belt paths are clearly marked:

Conclusion


I love the fact that I can potentially have extended rear-facing to 40 lbs, the softness and comfort of the seat cover, the ease of removal of the seat cover, and the price.  There isn't another car seat I've encountered that gives you so much for $100 or less.  It's softer than a lot of more expensive car seats.  It's nice that you can switch to forward-facing if you child outgrows the 40" or 40 lb. limits for rear-facing.  This seat allows forward-facing passengers up to 43" and 40 lbs.  I don't consider the fact that it has the same weight limit for front and back to necessarily be a downfall.  It's what keeps the seat compact, and it allows the child to stay rear-facing for longer than the 35 pound limit on most convertible seat covers in this size and price range.  I also liked that the recline was bigger than other similar car seats.

I'm not such a big fan of the fact that it doesn't come with harness covers, probably won't keep up with my child's growth by height, and that it requires towels to fill the gaps between it and the seat when the belts are properly tightened.

Overall, however, I recommend this car seat to anyone with a compact car or who regularly rides with a full load, especially if the vehicle is latch-equipped.  I also think this is a great option for newborn use because of it's more compact size and 7" harness slot and substantial recline.

Cool Mom's Final Word on Car Seats

I've been researching safety seats for a while because he hit 18 lbs at 4.5 months, and I was like, "Ok...time to figure out what to do next..."  The whole car seat issue just fills me with righteous indignation at the way manufacturer's capitalize on parents' legal obligation to meet minimum safety standards by requiring you to buy 3-5 safety seats to get them through the 80 pound mark required by many states.

At best, the median weight for 1 year old boys is 23 pounds, so the "standard" infant car seat, which stops at 22 pounds won't even get you through a year if you have a boy.  If you're one of those people who want to buy a travel system, about 75% of them come with 22 lb seats but 35+ lb strollers.  The highest weight I've seen on a travel system car seat is 30 lbs.

Next there's the law.  Just about every state I know of goes by the NHTSA guidelines for infants which is 22 lbs AND 1 year in a rear-facing seat with a 5-point harness.  Many states like Virginia strictly go by the NHTSA height and weight requirements for older children regardless of age: 40 pounds before switching to a booster (age 4 suggested), and 80 lbs AND 4'9" (age 8 suggested) before going to a plain seat belt.  I would hate to be a 4'5" 12 year old in Virginia.  Georgia is more lenient.  They require all children six and under to be in a restraint "appropriate for their weight and height".

The first reason to for these guidelines is physiological.  Even though an child is a certain height or weight, they are still at a certain stage of development based on their age.  Infants and toddlers have fragile bones.  Their skulls aren't fully hardened until around age 3, which is why rear facing car seats are the safest for as long as you can do it as they greatly diminish the force of impact (a physics lesson in and of itself) and a large part of what protects your internal organs during heavy impact is toned and developed musculature.  Infants and small children obviously don't have that.  

The next reason has to do with physics but I'll forgo the lesson here as well.  It is recommended that infants and toddlers under 40 pounds be restrained with a 5-point harness because a properly fitted 5-point harness diffuses the impact across the rib cage rather than across the abdomen and pelvis as a 3-point harness or lap and shoulder belt would.  The largest reason for child injuries and fatalities in car accidents is not the actual impact, but injuries caused by an ill-fitting harness or putting too small of a child in a 3-point or adult seat belt.  Common injuries include pelvic fractures and abdominal strictures.

Now we have cost versus value versus convenience.  

Since child product manufacturers want to rape parents for all they're worth, most people end up needing to upgrade their infant car seats when their child is between 5-9 months unless they got a 30-pound car seat.  That means you need a rear-facing car seat that can transition to forward facing in order to get the most "value".  This is known as a convertible car seat.  You can try to be smart and get a convertible car seat for a newborn since most of them claim to be good starting with 5 pounds, but a car seat that can accommodate a 40+ pound toddler ends up swallowing newborns without lots of extra accessories to ensure proper fit and support.  The good news is that you can get a 40-pound convertible car seat for $35-40 (Cosco Scenera Convertible Car Seat).  Pay a little more, and you can get the Evenflo Tribute for $60 which accommodates a taller child.  For even more ($70-100), you can get something in Evenflo's Titan series which has a maximum weight limit of 50 pounds, but is strangely a slightly shorter car seat than the Tribute.  It is supposedly good for children up to 50" tall, but I've read many reviews from parents saying that their children outgrew the Titan car seats in the 30 something inch range.  For costing 2x or more than the least expensive convertible car seat, I think it better last as long as it's supposed to.  You can pay up to $150 for a low-mid price range convertible car seat, but the max weight is 65 pounds on these and they are HUGE--not great if you have a small vehicle or frequently ride with passengers.  For the $150-250 price range you can get a convertible or 3-in-1 car seat that turns has a booster mode for children up to 100 pounds.  Most of these are huge as well--the bigger the kid, the bigger the seat.  

Want to know how much a forward-facing only seat costs?  The least expensive toddler seat appropriate for 1 year olds that I've found is the Cosco high back booster, which is forward-facing for 22-40 pounds and a belt-positioning booster seat for 40-80 pounds.  It costs $49 even at walmart.com.  That will get you through even the strictest state requirements.

If you don't have special needs, the least expensive way to go is to get a cheap convertible car seat, then a forward facing seat when they outgrow it, and a $15-20 backless booster afterward if they need it.  If your convertible car seat allows you to go straight to a booster mode, you can get a high back booster for little kids for as low as $30.  But this route requires up to 4 separate seats, which isn't convenient and carbon footprint decreasing and all of that.  If I wasn't constantly having to spend money elsewhere, I'd spend more upfront and get the most compact convertible car seat with the highest weight capacity I could find rather than having to buy so many additional seats.  During my car seat search, my favorite has been the Recaro ProSERIES because they're compact, have a high maximum weight capacity, and are made in the USA as opposed to China where all the other car seats are made.  They also seem to be the safest because they have really high standards and put their focus on safety and convenience and ease of use as far as making height adjustments.

If you're curious about which car seat I got, I picked the Evenflo Tribute.  I was strapped for cash and had to put aside my preferences and ideals so that my little man would have something ride in.  The features are pretty good:  high user ratings, two position recline, latch equipped (safest and easiest way to install a car seat, compatible with most cars manufactured from 2002 on), body and head pillows, fold down cup holder, and able to withstand about twice the impact as the minimum federal crash safety standards.  I wish it had a higher weight and height limit, but my son should be about a year and a half before he reaches 40 pounds because babies and toddlers slow down a lot with the weight gain from 6 months on.  At that point, I'll have more flexibility in choosing the style of car seat , and maybe I can afford the one I like then.

My car seat will come in between 8/12-8/17.  I'll tell you all about it when it comes!

I hope this helps some people in their car seat search.

Convertible Car Seat Update

My son turns 5 months old today (yay!) and was 19.5 pounds last time I held him on the scale with me.  His great grandparents and great aunt stopped by today and marveled at how fast he's grown, and one of my best friends is developing an inferiority complex about how "undersized" her 7 month old is next to my son.

I'm still researching car seats, and the clock is ticking on my decision.  He is quickly approaching the 22 pound weight limit on his Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat, which by the way is one of the top rated infant car seats by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  They also make a newer model that has a 30 pound weight limit if anyone is looking for a great, easy-to-use car seat or travel system.  The Chicco Keyfit 30 also has a lower minimum 4 pound baby weight, so it's an ideal choice for preemies and small babies.  Just throwing that out there for my mommy-to-be readers!

So far, my favorite is still the Recaro convertible car seat.  Based on my continued research, they are by far the most safe, comfortable, and compact convertible car seat on the market; they have some of the highest weight limits available (70 pounds in the convertible car seat and 120 pounds in their other safety seats); and their new ProSERIES child safety seats are made right here in the USA and include a convertible car seat, a combination harness to booster seat, and a booster seat.  You can find a lot of discounts for their previous Signo/Signo G2 and Como/Como G2 convertible car seat models because they are closeout items.  The primary difference between the Signo and the Como models is that the Signo has an infinite adjust knob for the head rest and no re-thread shoulder harness, but the Como required manual adjustments.  The new ProRIDE convertible car seat has the infinite adjust and no re-thread harness as default features.

Be careful if you are purchasing a Signo or Como because there was a recall on car seats manufactured between February 1, 2008 and February 16, 2009.  The central harness adjuster had a manufacturing defect that caused it to sometimes slip and possibly not maintain the desired tightness.  Car seats not affected by this recall will have a green dot above the bar code on the model number sticker.  This problem was corrected in the G2 models, but I assume they changed the name completely in order to distance their newest model from the recall.

Despite the recall controversy, I'm still a dogged fan, especially since it wasn't a major flaw like harnesses that comes unbuckled under pressure, parts falling off, and things like that.  The price point, however, is always the issue with the Recaro.  Given how tall my son is and how ahead of the curve his weight usually is, I will most likely need to purchase a booster seat if only to give him more leg room in my Toyota Corolla.  I'm not sure I can justify the expenditure when I'll just need another seat in a couple years.

Some have suggested going straight to a toddler car seat, which would be front-facing.  But my son is so young that I want to keep him rear-facing for now, and Georgia law requires that all children 6 and under must be in a child safety seat appropriate for their age and height.  They go by the NHTSA guidelines, which say children must be at least 1 year old and 20 pounds before switching to a front-facing seat, toddlers 1-4 years old and under 40 pounds must be in a car seat, and children up to 12 years but under 80 pounds and 4'9" must use a booster.

For the sake of my immediate budget, I'm also looking at some convertible car seats by Evenflo.  They are the only convertible car seats with a weight limit over 40 lbs (it's 50 in the models I'm looking at) that I can consistently find under $100.  If I go this route, then maybe, just maybe, he'll slow down growing and stay in this seat long enough to transition straight into the ProBOOSTER, but that's probably just wishful thinking.

In order of price from lowest to highest the Evenflo contenders are the Titan Sport, Titan Elite, and the Triumph Advance LX, DLX, and Premier.  The main differences among these models is that they get plusher and cushier the more high end you go.  The higher end Triumph Advance models are usually over $100 but still much less expensive and more compact that than their competitors.  I've found really good sales and discounts at various places including Ebay.  Many Ebay sellers are even offering free shipping, so it's worth a look because I've found several auctions for the car seats mentioned  here brand new and cheaper than at other stores after shipping.

The main issue that's keeping me from being a huge fan is that many of the reviews for Evenflo car seats have stated that the children outgrew the height way before the manufacturer's stated limit.  My son is on the tall side, so that's a big turn off.  The maximum height is 50 inches on all of these, but I've read several reviews that complained of their children outgrowing the seat with heights in the 35-inch range.  It may be user error, but that means the seats may be difficult to adjust if that's the case.  At any rate, I find it hard to imagine a user error that would result in an infant or toddler outgrowing a car seat 15+ inches before the manufacturer's maximum height capacity.

Because my son is a big, fat, giant-sized baby (and I mean this in the most loving and adoring way possible), it looks like I'll have to go with the more expensive Recaro ProRide in order to save money long term.  For those of you who don't struggle with the issues of having a toddler-sized infant under 6 months old, be glad!  Meanwhile, it looks like we'll be going to the store to try out car seats before making a final decision.

Convertible Car Seats?

I got an email this morning from an online baby supplies store saying that my 5 month old was ready to "graduate from an infant car seat to a convertible one".  After I recovered from the initial indignation of some commercial interest prematurely aging my baby (he's not going to be 5 months until the 30th!), I said to myself, "Here I was thinking that his car seat was good for another 10 pounds...is it really time to be shopping for a convertible car seat?"

So I did a little research, and this is what I've found.

What is the weight limit on infant car seats?


I double checked mine, and it said 22 pounds.  My son is 18.5 pounds , so good thing I looked.  When I was car seat shopping during my pregnancy, I saw infant car seats that went up to 35 pounds and I was considering starting with a convertible car seat so that I wouldn't have to get another for while.  I would have gotten one of those, but ended up receiving this one as a gift.  It's been a great car seat!  If my son wasn't such a little fatty, he'd definitely get a lot of use out of it.


What is a convertible car seat anyway?

A convertible car seat can be positioned in the vehicle to be rear-facing for infants and forward-facing for toddlers.  They should still have a 5 point harness for safety.  They are also secured the same way as infant car seats.


Are the weight limits different for convertible and infant car seats?


Like infant car seats, the weight limits vary for different models of convertible car seats.  The weight limit is also different for when the car seat is facing the front or back.  According to about.com baby products guide Heather Corley, the limit is about 30 pounds rear facing and 40 pounds front facing.  Some new models go up to 65 pounds.  I've even seen a few convertible/3-1 car seat options go as high as 100 pounds.  But something to remember is that the higher the weight limit, the bigger the car seat.  Make sure your vehicle can handle it before making the purchase.


How long should baby use a rear-facing car seat model?


Child passenger safety experts recommend at least 1 year and a weight of at least 20 pounds before switching to a forward-facing model.  It's best to keep your child rear-facing for as long as the weight limit allows on your car seat model.  The new recommendation is to keep your child rear-facing until 2 years old if at all possible.


Thinking ahead:  How long should I use a car seat for my child?


The current recommendation is that children should be restrained in a car seat or booster seat until they are at least 4 years old or 40 pounds.  The longer the better.  Because of how fragile small children's bone structures are, staying rear-facing as long as possible is safest as it greatly reduces the inertial impact of a collision.  Seat belts in vehicles are designed for adults (3 point rather than 5 point restraints) and can cause serious injury in an accident including but not limited to spinal cord injury, intestinal stricture, and bone fractures.  Even in an appropriate child safety seat, serious injury can occur during accidents if the harness is not appropriately fitted to the child.


The Verdict

Yes!  It's time to start shopping for a new car seat.  My son is 3.5 pounds away from the maximum weight limit and will very likely outgrow his current model by the time he's 6 months old.  For those who can, I am definitely in favor of starting with a convertible car seat for newborns so that you get longest use out of it.  Going through all the transitions as your baby grows can mean buying as many as 3-4 child safety seats.  If you can buy one that does more, you'll be saving money in the long run and decreasing your consumer waste.


My Car Seat Picks

Most economical:  Cosco Scenera ($39-60 new)

Weight limits: 5-35 pounds rear-facing, 22-40 pounds front-facing.  Features a removable cup holder and 4 harness locations for maximum adjustability as your child grows.  It comes in a variety of color options.  Available at most retailers.  Online prices vary by color.  Lowest price found was $39.99 in Meridian pattern (charcoal grey) at Baby Depot.


Best Value:  Evenflo Titan Sport ($67.54 and up)

Weight limits: 5-35 pounds rear-facing, 20-50 pounds front facing.  Features include removable cup holder and storage compartment, 2-position recline, and multiple harness slots to accommodate growth.  This model is affordable, compact, and easy to install with the LATCH system.  Lowest price $67.54 in Stonehill color option at Amazon.com.  A Titan Elite model is also available with more features.  The Evenflo Triumph line also offers some good choices.


Most versatile:  Recaro brand convertible carseats

Weight limits: 5-35 pounds rear-facing, 20-70 pounds forward facing.  May be used for children up to 8 years old.  Features include side impact protection, ergonomic shape, infinite adjustable headrest, double wall head support, and ventilation system to keep baby cool, approved for airplane use.  Some features vary by model, so check the specific model an accurate list.  I was impressed by their long history as an automotive seat designer for over 100 years and manufacturers of the first child safety seat.  Recaros are on the pricey side, running between $200-300 brand new, but no one else comes close in safety and comfort features, and they have the highest maximum weight limits, which means you'll be able to keep your child in a car seat style safety restraint (the safest) for as long as possible.  They come in a variety of colors and styles.  Diapers.com has many Recaro closeouts available for up to 50% off.

If you're looking for a booster seat, Recaro makes a great, affordable model.  For $90, you can get a booster seat for children up to 100 pounds complete with side impact protection unlike other booster seat models.


Best All-Around:  The First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat C630 ($147 and up)

Weight limits:  5-35 pounds rear-facing, 20-65 pounds forward-facing.  The C630 model was given 4 out of 5 stars by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Aministration (NHTSA) for ease of use in both forward- and rear-facing positions.  The C670 rated a full 5 stars in both forward- and rear-facing..  They were the only ones to be rated this highly in both the rear-facing and forward-facing categories.  Features include no-rethread harnesses for easy height adjustment, removable headrest, side impact tested, built in lock offs, low center of gravity allows deeper, wider, and taller seating area with increasing the outer dimensions, and multi-position buckle.  One draw back is that this a very wide seat.  It may not be a great option if you have a smaller vehicle.

Note:  All car seats sold in the USA are considered safe as they meet a minimum safety requirement required by law.  The ease of use, however, increases overall safety as the easier a product is to use and install properly, the less room for user error which may lead to death or injury in the event of an accident.  Others rated 4 and above were the Recaro Signo (FF), Graco My Ride 65 (RF), Safety 1st Complete Air (FF).


Current Sales and Discounts

Free shipping on all order $49 and up at BabiesRUs.com

Free shipping on orders over $49 and 15% off select car seats and strollers at Diapers.com.  Use code SCGEAR at checkout.

Free two-day shipping for Amazon Prime members.  Free one-month trial available.