Both times I was pregnant, I researched a number of things… ok, who am I kidding, pretty much everything in the world related to pregnancy and infants. But I put a notable amount of time into figuring out which car seat and stroller to buy. The first time around, with Kate, I was trying to go the, uh, economical route. You know what happens when you buy the cheapest car seats available? You end up buying six million different seats before the kid is finally old enough to drive and/or sit in a vehicle without a safety apparatus. Kate had the infant seat, then the convertible seat (one for each car, of course)… then she hit the height and or weight limit for those before she was old enough to go into a booster, so I had to buy another set of bigger kid car seats… then we bought booster seats… then we finally bought backless boosters.
As you can see, my frugality didn’t exactly save me any money.
Had I known then what I know now, I would have bought exactly two models – the infant carrier and then the Recaro ProSport.
Before Jenny and I were asked to do a review/giveaway for this car seat, I had honestly never heard of Recaro. It’s not a name I’ve ever seen on a baby registry. But, after looking into it a little more, I learned that the company has actually been around for more than 100 years, and during that time has been involved in creating seats in VW Beetles, BMWs, and Porsches. More recently, they’ve applied the technology and science behind the seats they put into luxury cars and race cars to children’s car seats. Recaro’s car seat line includes convertibles, boosters, and the seat Jenny and I had a chance to try out – the ProSport, which is a combination harness to booster seat. The safety features on their seats are unbelievable – here’s how they are described on their website:
• Side Impact Protection – RECARO’s Side Impact Protection is designed to distinctly protect 5 vulnerable areas of a child in a side impact collision – their head, neck, face, torso and pelvis.
• EPS Foam? – Expanded Polystyrene “EPS” foam absorbs crash force energy through the ProSPORT for added protection.
• ErgoShell Structure? – The ProSPORT’s ergonomic shell is designed to offer child occupants the comfort qualities RECARO seats are known for throughout the world.
In addition to the safety features, the Recaro ProSport has a number of extras that make life easier on the parents. The EasyGuide Belt Guides are color coded so you can easily identify the proper belt path and positioning of either the LATCH strap or vehicle seat belt. Also, the EasyAdjust 5-point makes it easy to change the height of the shoulder straps so you don’t have to take the thing apart and re-thread the straps through the back as your child grows. AND, it’s got a push-button LATCH system, which makes me so happy I can’t even tell you. I always have the hardest time getting the clip ones removed from our car. This makes it a snap (even when my husband puts the seat in impossibly tight!).
Of course, they want the kids to love it too. The seat’s ergonomic shell makes it super comfortable, and there is a lot of comfy cushioning in the seat. And get this – there’s built in storage designed to hold snacks, drinks, and electronic devices.
Beyond all that, perhaps the absolute best thing about this car seat is that it eliminates the need to buy another seat ever. Essentially, it will take your child from an infant seat to the driver’s seat.
I am serious! The ProSport is made for kids 20-120 pounds. My husband could have ridden in it to be dropped off at college. The height range is from 27 to 59 inches. My daughter is a seriously tall seven year old, but she’s still got a long way to go before she hits 59 inches!
I also wanted to mention how much I like the wings on the side of the seat, where the kid’s head goes. The primary purpose, of course, is to protect the child’s head in a side-impact crash, but it is also prevents the dreaded head flop when they fall asleep!
Ok, enough rambling from me… let’s get to the important part – how you can win a Recaro seat of your own!
To enter, leave a comment on this post and tell us why you’d like to check out a Recaro car seat. For an extra entry, “like” us on Facebook and leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.
The giveaway will end on Friday, June 3, and one winner will be chosen randomly and notified by email. Good luck!
