Double Your Infant Seat's Usefulness for a Little Money, My wife and I have been long-time fans of our Graco infant seat, so much so that we would have been willing to purchase a second one in order to ensure that either my wife or I would always be ready to get up and go with our son when necessary. However, Graco saved us from having to do that by offering this base alone as an accessory.
Some other reviews have claimed that having an additional base isn't really necessary because LATCH allows you to easily move the base from car-to-car. This sounds reasonable on paper, but breaks down in real life:
* What if one of your cars is older than 2001 and doesn't have LATCH? Ask anyone who's correctly installed a car seat or base via the seatbelt and they'll confirm that it is a physically difficult endeavor. Faced with a choice between regularly undergoing this exertion or else investing in an additional base and then leaving it in place, I'd bet 99% would go for the base (the other 1% apparently enjoy a vigorous workout at the most inopportune times).
* Will you always have the time to switch? When you're commuting or traveling with an infant, time is an even more crucial resource than usual. Plus, any number of other factors (What if you're alone with the baby? What if the weather is severe?) could make the prospect of a guaranteed quick departure well worth the $40 spent on a spare base.
* What about unforseen schedule changes? When our son began going to day care, he had to be brought home early on several occasions because of ailments. Having a base in each car meant that either of us could go get him. So if one of was too tied up at the office, we wouldn't have to stress over begging out of work early during a busy time.
More than a simple convenience, having a base in each of your family's vehicles is an insurance policy against being painted into a corner when getting around town with your little one. Any working parent will especially appreciate not having to stress over "do I have the car with the car seat?" at any given time. We've gotten our money's worth out of this accessory time and time again. review By D. R. Jeanclerc
Some other reviews have claimed that having an additional base isn't really necessary because LATCH allows you to easily move the base from car-to-car. This sounds reasonable on paper, but breaks down in real life:
* What if one of your cars is older than 2001 and doesn't have LATCH? Ask anyone who's correctly installed a car seat or base via the seatbelt and they'll confirm that it is a physically difficult endeavor. Faced with a choice between regularly undergoing this exertion or else investing in an additional base and then leaving it in place, I'd bet 99% would go for the base (the other 1% apparently enjoy a vigorous workout at the most inopportune times).
* Will you always have the time to switch? When you're commuting or traveling with an infant, time is an even more crucial resource than usual. Plus, any number of other factors (What if you're alone with the baby? What if the weather is severe?) could make the prospect of a guaranteed quick departure well worth the $40 spent on a spare base.
* What about unforseen schedule changes? When our son began going to day care, he had to be brought home early on several occasions because of ailments. Having a base in each car meant that either of us could go get him. So if one of was too tied up at the office, we wouldn't have to stress over begging out of work early during a busy time.
More than a simple convenience, having a base in each of your family's vehicles is an insurance policy against being painted into a corner when getting around town with your little one. Any working parent will especially appreciate not having to stress over "do I have the car with the car seat?" at any given time. We've gotten our money's worth out of this accessory time and time again. review By D. R. Jeanclerc