I recently had the pleasure of receiving and trying out the Baby Trend Secure Snap Fit 35 Infant Car Seat. Upon receiving it, I was immediately impressed with the outward appearance. With its appealing and understated red and black design, the seat had a feeling of sophistication to it, which I enjoyed.

The cushions are luxurious and hug my newborn daughter snugly and allow for very little head droopiness, which I’ve encountered with previous infant car seats. Compared to my other infant seat, this one is a bit heavier, though that’s to be expected with the higher weight limit (35lbs max compared to 22lbs max).

Installing the base into the bucket seat of my van was easier than I expected; I was pleasantly surprised to find I didn’t have to fight with the LATCH anchor buckles, as I have before. To release the LATCH anchors, all I had to do was simply push a button and pull the base away, whereas with our other infant seat I frequently had to ask my husband to assist me.

While putting my daughter in the seat for the first time, I did notice the infant insert cushions that hug my daughter’s side seem to come loose very easily. This almost became a problem because every time she moved, it seems the very thin velcro would detach and those small cushions would become loose, which just became a pain to deal with. In order to insert the shoulder harnesses into the buckle, you must first interlock the pieces and then insert into the buckle. This was new for me and seemed to require more dexterity in order to keep the pieces together while inserting into the buckle; I’m not a fan of this particular feature and much prefer each strap have its own buckle insertion. I did, however, notice it is fairly easy to loosen and tighten the shoulder straps, which was nice.

The canopy on this seat allows for maximum sun/weather protection, however, my seat’s canopy came dented and doesn’t seem to be easily fixed. One thing I did not like is how flimsy the handle as a whole feels. When it’s locked in the upright carrying position, my handle still shifts a half an inch or so in either direction, though it does not ever become unlocked from its position. It also slides back quite far when moved toward the canopy to remove the baby. Overall, the handle just feels flimsy and not as secure as I’d like.

As a whole, I enjoy this seat. It is eye appealing to the consumer and has features like the infant insert cushions and wide canopy that are must haves, for myself. My daughter has napped comfortably in this seat each time she’s been in it, so it’s safe to say she enjoys it as well.

You can find the Baby Trend Secure Snap Fit 35 Infant Car Seat for $159.99 at major retailers like Babies R Us.