If you are on a budget and are looking for an affordable car seat that packed with safety features, Safety 1st onBoard 35 Air 360 might be for you. This seat has been tested from front, side, rear and rollover accident scenarios. It has met and exceeded safety standard in US and Europe. This car seat has a maximum weight capacity of 35 lbs. And compared to other brands with a high price point, Safety 1st performs well in other areas too.
How We Picked and Tested Safety 1st onBoard 35
Most people that are looking for the best car seat are first time parents. Here are a few things to consider when buying a car seat for your baby.
Compatibility
This car seat is compatible with selected Safety 1st strollers, Cosco strollers and a lot of other brands. We’ve tried using this with our Cybex stroller and it worked well without an adapter or any additional device.
Fit
The maximum height for this seat is 32 inches and maximum weight is 35 lbs. Which is better compared to most brands. It has thick padding around that can fit your newborn securely and comfortably.
Unfortunately, the seat was too tight after testing it with the padding. My baby is nothing more than 9lbs, and the straps are way too tight and there is no way to loosen it up. And after reading some Amazon reviews, a lot of parents have the same experience as ours. Some of them stated that their babies even developed a red rash due to the digging of the straps.
It is compact and lightweight?
The Air 360 weight less than 10 lbs, which is lighter compared to other brands. Although it is considered relatively light, it can be a problem if you need to carry it for a longer period of time or distance. We suggest checking out similar car seats before deciding.
Things We Didn’t Like About Safety 1st onBoard 35
We found that the fabric used in the car seat is not as breathable as advertised. It makes our baby sweatier after car rides. And with all the thick padding, it made the car seat too tight specially with the harness that can’t be adjusted to loosen up. The canopy is also a huge problem, it’s big and ideal specially out in the sun but if it doesn’t stay up it’s basically useless.
We’ve also read a lot of unsatisfied parents from Amazon with the same experience as ours, and choose to not use this car seat further.
Should You Buy the Safety 1st onBoard 35?
While Safety 1st car seat is relatively cheaper than most brand in the same category, we believe that there are a lot of better options available. The seat does have a lot of safety features, but with the problems it has specially with the fabric, the harness and the canopy, makes it not worth it even with the price.
What Other Infant Car Seat Should You Consider?
If you have a limited budget and looking for something easy to install and is comfortable for your infant, we recommend Chicco KeyFit 30 and Chicco KeyFit 35. It’s a tad bit expensive, but spending a few more out of your budget can get you the best features.
Conclusion
Safety 1st onBoard 35 Air 360 is an affordable option if you are on a budget and are looking for a car seat with a lot of safety features. But if you are looking for a car seat that is easy and convenient to use, you might want to spend a few dollars more. This seat has a hook-style LATCH which can be hard to use and fabric that is not child-friendly which can make your baby sweaty and can cause a lot of skin problems.
Overall, if you can spend a few more outside your budget, go for it.
