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I'm pretty sure our car seat manual says that it's equally safe with or without LATCH, as long as it's installed correctly. But I have no idea where the manual is so I can't check. We have a Diono Radian.

Our truck doesn't have latch and I actually felt our Britax seat was more secure in there!

@CupQuakeWalk: We have a roundabout and a marathon. I think the roundabout is actually better...

I have the graco headwise and a car without latch and I feel like it's installed pretty securely. It's not very expensive, either.

@CupQuakeWalk: If they end up doing a Foonf, there are video tutorials for the install with a seatbelt on the Clek site that make it much easier to figure out than the manual. Just in case

I am sure it depends on the car but I hated installing a Radian with a seatbelt install. Every car I did it in was a Ford so perhaps that was the issue but it was a pain. The Britax Frontier was far easier but it is forward facing only and I know the seat has had some updates since we bought ours.

@CupQuakeWalk: I have a Boulevard and a Frontier...I am in love with the Frontier.

We have the safety first alpha omega elite forward facing and we only have upper latch. I feel like it is VERY secure. You can always take it to the fire station for installation if you are worried that it's not done right.

@CupQuakeWalk: yes, Our car is older (2002) and doesn't have the latch loops in the seat, but has the tether up near the rear windshield. So, it is installed with the seatbelt on the bottom part and tethered to the upper latch.

@CupQuakeWalk: I've installed the Cosco in my moms car with the belt and it was very secure! rear facing

something they may want to keep in mind is that between your LO, a newborn, and potential cousins, the shoulder straps will never be at the perfect height...they'll have to keep taking the seat out, rethreading the straps, and reinstalling. which is 1) a PITA and 2) would make me nervous about constant (in)correct installs.

@CupQuakeWalk: The safety first I use also has a no thread adjustable harness

@CupQuakeWalk: @bpcmarj: @loveisstrange: I'm amazed by this no-thread thing! how does it work?

We have a Chicco Keyfit & we were told by the Children's Hospital to install it in the middle seat, which doesn't have LATCH (both side seats do). If LATCH were safer/better, I imagine they wouldn't have told us that! So I honestly think you are fine.

I have a TrueFit Premier SI and the way its designed its pretty much the same install for a seat belt or LATCH (the LATCH anchors are on a length of seatbelt webbing that goes through the belt router. Its a pretty good car seat, though a little on the wide side, and super easy to install. We've had it installed both ways with no problems.

(And now I'm totally paranoid that I've installed my seat wrong and someone's going to be all, you're doing WHAT NOW with your LATCH?)