Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169 Adjustable Back Infant Carseat
Written: Apr 23 '05 (Updated May 18 '05)
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Pros: installs easily, can fit small and tall babies, adjustable back
Cons: handle sometimes sticks in upright position
The Bottom Line: A feature packed safe and affordable infant carrier carseat
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| marytara's Full Review: Recaro Latch-Loc 6169 Infant Car Seat |
Because I'd long gotten rid of most of my son's babygear from 4 years ago, one of the items I knew we'd need to buy was a new infant carseat. My son initially used a Graco Snugride which he quickly outgrew before landing himself a Britax Roundabout. So, having used both an infant carrier style seat and a convertible seat I wasn't sure which route I wanted to take. After hemming and hawing I decided to go with an infant carrier style - for now, and the particular model my husband and I selected is this Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169. When my daughter outgrows the carrier, or I simply cannot carry it around anymore due to it being too heavy then we'll move her over to a Britax convertible seat. But, for now we wanted the convenience of the seat being an infant carrier also.
This seat is an infant style carrier seat intended for babies between 5 and 22 pounds to be used in the rear-facing position only. This seat was recommended to me as being a good one for larger babies - it can hold an infant up to 29" long - though it does depend on the child. My son was a whopper (9.1 and over 22 inches) when he was born so I was anticipating that this baby might also be quite large. She was a bit smaller at 7.4 and 19 inches, though at 2 months of age she is already quite heavy (around 13 pounds) so she's certainly not tiny!
We purchased this seat at a local Babies 'R Us store for just under $90. In terms of price, there are certainly infant carrier seats that are more pricey as well as ones that are cheaper - this is pretty much "middle of the road" in terms of price. Ours is an attractive black/grey/white plaid pattern called 'Glen Rock' and we have a Sit-N-Stand stroller in the same pattern.
Installing the Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169 Adjustable Back Infant Carseat
This carseat can be installed a few different ways:
Using the Rigid Latch system and separate base
Probably the biggest thing that sets this infant carseat apart from the rest is that it comes standard with a rigid latch installation system. What this means is that on the carseat base there are latch clips which can be attached directly to the carseat anchors in your automobile (if your car is a recent model with latch anchors). Most other seats out there have the latch attachments mounted on nylon straps vs directly on the seat base. The base was designed with the LATCH carseat requirement in mind as opposed to being adapted to the requirement - the LATCH clips on the seat are made of steel. I didn't find the installation of this to be difficult in a 2005 Toyota Siena minivan.
Without the base - using your automobile seatbelt only
The seat can be safely installed rear facing without the carseat base using a seatbelt.
With the base - using your automobile seatbelt
For a vehicle without the latch anchors (most 2000 and older cars) you can install it using a seatbelt. This is how our seat is installed most of the time as I drive a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan that doesn't have the latch anchors.
Additional Bases for this seat can be purchased separately. We picked up an extra for around $40 so that my husband could put one in his Chevy Suburban for the less frequent occasions when he has to go someplace with the baby. This way we don't have to hassle with moving the base and reinstalling it each time from car to car. Because the base is heavy (lots of steel components) its nice to not have to lug it from car to car!
Once installed safely and properly the seat will NOT BUDGE or move. If there's any wiggle room or movement then the seat is not installed correctly. There's also a level guage on the side of the base which indicates if the seat is installed at the proper angle.
Using the Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169 Adjustable Back Infant Carseat
The Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169 Adjustable Back Infant Carseat has been a good choice for us. I want a seat that the straps are easy to adjust, tighten, buckle in and release and this seat definitely fits that bill. One thing thats really cool is the way that the height of the straps can be raised or lowered. Instead of having to rethread the straps through different slots in the back of the seat this seat actually has an adjustable back with a dial on it. Turn the dial to raise or lower the straps to give your child a perfect fit - there are actually 7 different height positions. To tighten the 5 point harness there is a strap in the front so you can easily get the harness nice and snug. Or, if its too tight - then you push the button to release the strap. The buckle/crotch strap length is also adjustable. The harness on this seat has a very sturdy plastic chest clip and a 2 piece puzzle type buckle also made of a heavy plastic. I understand it was designed this way so that no metal piece which would hold extreme temperatures would come in contact with your child's skin.
Though the rigid latch base is quite heavy the carseat carrier itself is one of the lighter infant carriers on the market, weighing only 8 pounds. Of course once you put your baby in there it does feel like 80 pounds! They've designed the seat with a curved padded handle to aide in carrying it - it still is heavy to me and unwieldy but I've yet to find an infant seat that isn't as I am not even 5'2". I do like that at the top of the carry handle it is shaped like a triangle because this makes it slightly more comfortable to tote it around. Admittedly about the longest I will carry this is from my house to the car, from my car and into a shopping cart and back again.
As mentioned, the seat we have is in the attractive Glen Rock black and white pattern. The seatcover is adequately padded and my daughter rides quite contently. Speaking of padding, this seat has extra head impact protection foam that actually exceeds the federal standards. The seatcover can also be removed for machine washing, a definite plus. The canopy sunshade is quite full though the hinges for it are made of plastic and can come detached easily - it seems just a bit on the flimsy side.
Clicking the carseat into place is very easy and once secured (and you will hear a definite click). To release it you need to press in on a release lever at the front of the seat and then lift up the seat. The carry handle should be in the lowered position while the seat is installed and the car is in motion. To raise and lower the carry handle there are two buttons that need to be squeezed in - one on each side of the seat. Sometimes I've found these levers to stick making raising or lowering the handle a little bit tricky, especially from the upright position.
Overall, we have been quite pleased with our choice of the Baby Trend Latch-Loc 6169 Adjustable Back Infant Carseat. I have a few minor nits with the canopy construction and the raising and lowering of the carry handle. But, other than that, its really a nice feature packed seat. The seat was suggested to me by a child passenger safety technician at www.car-seat.org, and I am definitely pleased with this seat.
www.babytrend.com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 89
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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marytara
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