Excellent Choice!
Written: Feb 25 '03
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Pros: Light weight, fits different sized kids, can be used with a lap only belt
Cons: need head support, can be constricting for some kids
The Bottom Line: The Laptop is easy to use. It is inexpensive and fits a wide variety of kids. It is also a great option for those with lap only belts.
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| anglynn's Full Review: Britax Laptop Car Seat |
Why I Chose the Britax Laptop
I bought a Laptop for my oldest son in July of 2001(he was 5 1/2 years old at the time). He was using a booster I was happy with, but I wanted a restraint I could use in the lap belt seating position of our van. I also wanted an option for those rare times my son needed to ride with someone else who had lap only belts. I was excited Britax came out with the Laptop and bought one as soon as I could find one in my area! We've been using it for almost a yr and have been very pleased with our purchase.
About the Britax Laptop
The Laptop is a very unique restraint. It isn't a booster and it isn't a seat with a harness...yet it restrains your child safely.
The Laptop is a energy absorbing child restraint. It is made of EPS foam(similar to head gear) and comfort foam and is fitted over the child's thighs. Then the vehicle belt is threaded through the steel reinforced groove in the restraint. This restraint can be used for a child 3 years old and older weighing between 30-65 pounds. This restraint can be used with both a lap/shoulder belt AND a lap only belt. This restraint is great for those who only have lap belts and for those who have both lap and lap shoulder belts. It is light weight and easy to move from vehicle to vehicle.
I have been using the Laptop for almost 2 years and both my husband and myself have found it easy to use. I have also used it with several different sized kids ranging from the lowest weight and height requirement to my son's size of 49 inches tall and 50 pounds. I find that it fits the taller children a bit better then the smaller children. However, I would still use for a child on the lower end of the weight range in a pinch.
I find that moving this restraint from vehicle to vehicle is a easy task. It has also come in very handy in our van. When we have guests riding with us I can safely put my son in the lap belt in the center of our Windstar's third bench seat. When using the Laptop, he is perfectly safe and other passengers can also be safe using the lap and shoulder belts!
We have also used our Laptop on a long road trip(1800 miles round trip)and my oldest son(7 years old) did very well in it. He says it is comfortable and both my husband and I think he looks comfortable even while he is sleeping! Because the way the Laptop is designed, my son can rest his arms on the Laptop and then he rests his head on top of his arms much like one would on a desk.
I also think the Laptop is a great option for those who have lap only belts in their car and cannot use a traditional booster seat once their child reaches 40 pounds. It is a cheaper option to retrofitting shoulder belts or tracking down other seats that would fit a larger child.
What I DON'T Like About the Britax Laptop
The fabric. While the fabric is soft, it is not as durable as I think it should be. My Laptop still looks nice, but it has faded a bit. I can guess that in a few years it will look quite worn! My first Laptop showed wear after only 6 weeks of use. Britax was quick to replace it for me. My newer one has worn much better!
I also wish I could remove the cover and wash it, but it does wipe clean easily and is a dark color so that is nice. It would also be nice if the restraint came in a different fabric choice. My little girl would love something not so boyish(cars are on this seat)!
Conclusion
All in all, I feel this has been a excellent choice. I LOVE it. It is easy to use and I can use it for smaller and larger kids. It allows me to use my center lap belt safely. I feel the Laptop restrains my son well and I don't have to worry about him getting out of position like I do when he uses his booster seat. It's also a nice spare seat b/c it is small enough to store in the back of our van or up on a closet shelf.
*Update* As of September 2002, this restraint is no longer being manufactured. It's a sad thing to me, as this restraint filled a niche that other restraints cannot. If you can find one of these, I would snap it up while you can! It is a excellent restraint, it was just unable to meet the new LATCH requirements so Britax had to pull it from the market.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 54.00
Age Range of Child: 6 to 8 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
anglynn
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Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
I enjoy spending time with my family, surfing the net, and writing.
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