Britax Boulevard 70 Review and Winter Travel Event

Britax is one of the best know car seat brands available and has been for years. The Boulevard 70 is a convertible car seat that holds babies from 5-40lbs in a rear facing position and children from 20lbs (at 1 year of age) to 70lbs or 49" tall.

I personally have one in my car, and it is the easiest of the three different convertible car seats our family owns to install. My son is tall for his age and is very comfortable in it (more so than in the other two seats, his escape attempts are far fewer and never successful in this seat). Unlike with our other seats, this car seat has never damaged the surface of the seat below it. The cover stays on well and the recline is suitable for even my tall toddler, boosting him enough to see out the window. When we replace the unmentionable second car seat, we will be getting another Boulevard. I definitely recommend a Convertible Car Seat Child Cup Holder or two, sold separately, to hold your kiddos drink and snack in the car.

This car seat has many safety features, including:
- SafeCell™ Technology - significantly lowering the center of gravity and counteracting the forward rotation of the child seat which normally propels the child toward the front seat
- Integrated Steel Bars - strengthen the connection to the vehicle and reduce forward flexing of the child seat during a crash.
- Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether® - staged-release tether webbing to slow the forward movement, reducing the crash forces reaching the child, and a two-point attachment to minimize forward rotation while anchoring the top of the child seat
- True Side Impact Protection - offers a head restraint creating an extra layer of energy-absorbing EPP foam, keeping the head, neck and spine “in true” or aligned, and deep side walls lined with EPP foam to distribute crash forces, shield from vehicle intrusion, and contain the head, neck and body
- Tangle-Free, Five-Point Harness - distributes crash forces across the strongest parts of the body and provides a secure fit
- Harness Ultra Guard System (HUGS™) - provides resistance to forward movement in the event of a crash


Other great features:
- High Density Comfort Foam provides an extra layer of padding to gently cushion your child
- Plush, Easy-Remove Cover with matching comfort pads and infant body pillow to provide extra comfort and easy cleaning without disassembling or uninstalling the child seat
- Two Buckle Positions for your growing child
- Infant Positioning Insert may be necessary for small infants to achieve a snug fit of the harness around your child (sold separately)
- Quick-Adjust, No-Rethread Harness repositions the harness shoulder height without disassembling the harness straps
- Premium Lower LATCH Connectors for a quick and simple installation featuring a push button for easy release
- Built-in Lock-Offs ensure a snug lap and shoulder belt installation with minimal effort
- Anti-Slip, Contoured Base grips and protects the vehicle seat while offering optimum vehicle fit
- Convenient Harness Holders keep harness straps out of the way when placing your child in the car seat
- Certified for Aircraft Travel
- Made in the USA with global components

One month only special offer!*

* This promotion is available October 15, 2011-November 15, 2011 while supplies last, CS only available in Onyx

Monkey Tyz: Enhancing Car Seat Safety

Does your toddler like to fiddle with his or her car seat five point harness? Do they even get it undone sometimes? Here are some startling facts from the Partners for Child Passenger Safety Fact and Trend Report, 2006:

"The failure to wear a seat belt or use a child safety seat is a contributing factor in more than half of the cases involving children who die in car accidents. Not only is an unrestrained child a potential distraction to the driver of the vehicle, but also the failure to wear a seat belt dramatically increases the chance that a child will suffer much more serious injury and death.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 72% of the 3,500 observed child vehicle safety restraints were being used incorrectly. When that happens, the risk that the child will suffer an injury or more severe injury rises even more. NHTSA estimates that a properly installed and used child safety seat lowers a child’s risk of death by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers ages 1 to 4.

Every state requires the use of approved child safety seats for children under the age of 5. According to NCSA there is only a 90% compliance rate with respect to using approved safety seats for children under this age. Notably, a recent study found that a key factor influencing the increased risk of harm to children in accidents is when the child is prematurely moved from a child restraint system up to an adult seat and then allowed to sit in the front seat too soon."

With Monkey Tyz, you can prevent monkeying around and potential serious injury from a car accident when your child is not properly buckled into his or her safety seat. Mompreneur, Gayleen Pellicano, was tired of having to pull the car over to re-fasten her son's seatbelt every mile or so and began searching for a solution to this problem and came up empty handed after scouring retailers in her area and on the web. The design for Monkey Tyz came to her in her sleep one night during her search. On her website, she described the design process,

"My dream was so detailed that I got up and wrote down everything. I drew my design and had it on the car seat in two days. The moment of truth was finally here and my dream was right it worked like magic. No more monkeying around! No more pulling my car over! I truly believe an angel gave me this product in my sleep."

Watch this video to see Gayleen describing how Monkey Tyz work. Goore's is happy to add a new member to our product family.



Monkey Tyz fit all: Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer and Britax with new Harness Ultra Guard System. Targeting children between the ages of 18 mo. and 4 years old who unbuckle or play with upper restraint.

Monkey Tyz Jr. fits all: Graco and smaller harness systems. Targeting children between the ages of 18 mo. and 4 years old who unbuckle or play with upper restraint. Not intended for infant carriers.

~Alena

ABC Kids Expo: Day 1

Day one is over and I saw some great new products. Remember, let me know what you may want to hear more about. I will keep a record of what people want to hear more about and I will do full product reviews. Here's some of the highlights of what I saw.........

New Britax Roundabout colors (outside seats)

Cowmooflouge & Jessica

ETA - mid/late October

Britax Marathon Tan Swirl

ETA - mid/late October

Mutsy Spider

Mutsy Slider
ETA Jan, 2008

This is one of the coolest strollers I have seen in a couple years. The Peg Perego Skate. Accomodates the Primo Viaggio Infant Car Seat. Stroller includes bassinet and stroller seat that can be positioned either facing you or the world outside. For all thre there is a 3 level height adjustment. Nice, plush new fabrics. More info to come on this one!

Great new booster from Sunshine Kids. Goes from 30 to 100 lbs. Can accomodate a child over 5' tall. The shoulder area can be adjusted 3" wider with the turn of the dial on the back. Utilizes latch for stronger installation and can be tightened from the front of the seat. This one won't be arriving until early 2008.

Just a sampling of the really cool stuff from day one. Stay tuned fro more tomorrow.

Richard Goore

www.goores.com

www.gooresblog.blogspot.com

ABC Kids Expo is here!

The ABC Kids Expo is the largest juvenile products show in the US and begins Friday, September 7 and goes thru monday, September 10, 2007. This year the show has almost 1,000 different companies displaying their products to various retailers around the country and the world. There is 750,000 square feet of exhibitor space on two floors.

We will see the latest from well known manufacturers like Graco, CoCaLo, Sassy, Safety 1st, Phil & Ted's, Medela, and many many more. We also get to see the latest inventions or improvements on current products. Anything related to babies and kids products will be there.

With so much to cover Goore's Blog will be a little different over the next few days. I will not have time to write complete postings. I will be sharing all the photos I can of the latest and greatest products. I will Give you names but no descriptions as there are too many items to write about. I welcome your feedback and your requests for more information for those products you are interested in learning more about.

I hope you enjoy these photos and stay tuned for future postings in greater detail on some of these fabulous products.

Thank you for reading!

Richard Goore
http://www.goores.com/
http://www.gooresblog.blogspot.com/

Don't let the airlines damage your car seat or stroller!

I received a call from one of my friends the other day telling me how frustrated he was with the airline they flew on for their recent summer trip. He went on to tell me that their new stroller they just got from Goore's is now damaged. It is still usable but the frame has a dent and the seat is dirtier than before. I was tempted to say I told you so (which I actually had done in the past) but I refrained. When they go on their next trip during the holiday season they will be using both a car seat and a stroller bag to protect their purchases.


The airline restrictions are not cut and dry. Most airlines have you sign a form stating that they are not liable for any damage they may cause to your stroller or car seat when it is checked (at the curb, counter or gate). Some do and some don't. Some simply forget for various reasons. Using travel bags for car seats and strollers will not only protect your purchases but also, in some cases, allow these items to be checked without signing a waiver. I am not sure if you will have a reliable argument should the airlines damage your merchandise but it certainly can't hurt. I just completed an extensive search to find what many of the leading airlines state on their websites regarding . For many there is not a clear cut and dry answer. The information is difficult to find if it is there at all. My suggestion is to call and find out where you can get it in writing. Here are a few of the websites I looked at.


American Airlines states"American is not responsible for damage to any stroller not properly packed in original packaging." That tells me unless it is in a box the hasn't been opened they are not responsible. They have info on car seats as well. For more precise information from American Airlines, Click here then scroll down to Infant Seat or Child Restraint Devices.

Southwest Airlines does not say anything specific on their website about waiving responsibility for damage but I know 1st hand they have you sign their waiver releasing them of responsibility for damage when checking your car seat or stroller. For information on these items when flying Southwest click here.


Continental does have a pretty clear explanation of responsibility when checking strollers, "Continental is not liable for damage to strollers." They do not mention that for car seats though. They count strollers and car seats as regular baggage which falls into the same size and weight restrictions. For more detailed information on Continental's guidelines click here.

These are just a few examples. It is advised to take the time to check the airline you are flying to completely understand their terms and conditions when checking car seats and strollers.


As recommended earlier, you should get a travel bag for your car seats and strollers when you check them. A number of stroller and car seat companies have their own versions that fit their specific products perfectly such as - Bob Joggers, Phil & Ted's E3 Sport Buggy, Bugaboo (Bee, Cameleon/Frog), Stokke Xplory, Sunshine Kids Radian & Compass Booster. If your stroller or car seat does not have a specifically designed bag don't worry. We have many great options for you. Here is a list of our favorites:

Car Seats

• JL Childress Ultimate Car Seat Bag - fits practically every seat on the market. Heavily padded backpack shoulder straps for carrying. I think this is the best option as it frees up your hands.
• JL Childress Wheely Car Seat Bag - Same as above with a single shoulder strap that you can pull behind you as it's on wheels.
• Graco Car Seat Travel bag - Similar to the JL Childress bags but only has one shoulder strap.

Strollers

• JL Childress Padded Umbrella Stroller Bag - Fits all umbrella style strollers from your inexpensive $20 umbrella up to the more expensive Peg Perego Pliko type strollers.
• JL Childress Standard/Dual Stroller Travel Bag - This is the big one! Will fit all single strollers and even many double strollers. The extra large size measures 42"x21"x13". This one is also great for beach chairs, sports equipment camping gear and more!

There are other options as well but these are the best sellers. You may be done with your Summer travel but the holidays will creep up on you quickly. Make sure you protect your investments so you can continue to use them well into the future.

Richard Goore

www.goores.com

www.gooresblog.blogspot.com

Car Seat Covers For Cool Kids

Tired of the plain, drab car seat covers that come standard with your kids’ car seats? Reusing the same car seat for baby number 2 (or 3 or 4) and want a change? Want to hide the vomit and sippy cup stains on your current cover?

Hot Toddies may be what you’re looking for. With lots of cool patterns and colors, Hot Toddies is a car seat cover available in three sizes (infant small, infant large and toddler) that are light, breathable and come in a variety of attractive patterns.

Looking to change my three-year old daughter’s drab green Britax toddler seat cover, I opted for the “Emma Swirl” in pink. The cover slipped easily over the current cover, taking just minutes to install (the straps line up with the manufacturer’s strap holes). After a few minutes, I took the kids for a “test ride.” My daughter’s words: “pretty.” She loved the vibrant swirl pattern and great colors. I loved the new, fresh look it gave her car seat. Additionally, I liked the light and breathable fabric…perfect for the hot days ahead this summer.
By Lisa Dawson - http://www.honestbaby.com/

This is a great review of a brand new product to hit the market. Thanks Lisa! We just received our 1st order of Hot Toddies Car Seat Covers and sold out of one pattern in the 1st weekend. It appears that some discerning mothers want a new look for their infant or toddler car seat.

Hot Toddies Car Seat Covers are currently available in 5 great fashions with more coming soon. Each fashion will fit over your existing Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP, Graco Snug Ride or Britax Marathon car seat. We have tried them out and they provide a nice tight fit and do not get in the way of any of the car seat straps. A lot of thought was put into the design and it shows. Check out this product if you want a unique look for your new car seat or need to update your older car seat.

As always, NEVER buy a used car seat seat that you don' know the history of and one of these covers to save a few bucks. Your child's safety is too important.

Richard Goore - www.goores.com