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I am soon going to put my baby in our RA (in about 2 months), and am looking for a new car seat for my 2.5 yo DD. It only needs to be FF, but with straps. She is still too young for a booster. Any thoughts?
BTW, she is 29 lbs and 90% (percentile) tall (Idon't know how many inches). We have a Mazda MPV (small minivan).
Thanks,
I'm not an expert, but I would check out Britax Marathon, Decathlon, Wizard, Boulevard, or Husky/Regent, or the Recaro Young Sport. Britax Husky has an upper weight limit of 80 lbs, and height limit of 54 inches. The other britax seats go to 65 lbs. but, I'm not sure what the height limit is. The Recaro Young Sport's weight limit I believe is 40 lbs. but, it has a higher height limit than most 40 lb. seats(I'm not sure what the height limit is though). It also is a very nice booster seat after the child outgrows the harness. Hope this helps.
Melinda
mom to Sarah, Kaylee, Jayci, & Davis
& grandma to Kathlynn who is almost 6 months old
Thanks!
I think I'll go for the Recaro Young Sport. DD is not heavy, but tall. Also, I like that it has the booster feature for later on.
The Recaro is really nice from what I hear I don't think that you will be disappointed. Just make sure to check the height limit. You little one is definitely to young for a booster only.
Melinda
The height limit is listed a 40 inches for the YS, but that's really because the government insists they put 'something' on the label. The slots are as high as a Marathon, and the height limit on the marathon is listed at 49 inches! (and on the new www.safeguardseat.com, the same harness slots have a listed height limit of 57 inches...wow...)
As long as the shoulders don't go above the top slots and the weight limit isn't exceeded, then a harnessed seat is safe.
Hope that helps!
:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
OK, now I'm confused.
The RYS and the MA go to the same height. However, the MA goes to 65 lbs, when the RYS only 40 lbs (as harnessed seat)?
So if I get the MA, my DD will be harnessed longer?
ETA: When can you put a child in a booster? Is there an age minimum or does it go by weight/height?
Thanks!
It really depends on how skinny your kid is. For example, the extra weight limit of the Marathon is useless to me, because my dd didn't turn 40 pounds till she was almost 6 http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/FFAlbum/Sarah.aspx and "almost 6" is a good age for most kids to go into a booster.
If you have a 40 pound 2 or 3 year old, obviously the are too young for a booster, and you'd want them harnessed longer, in the Marathon or Husky.
An average kid is 40 pounds at 4.5 or 5, and that is usually old enough for a booster.
Most average kids are 45 pounds or so when they get too tall for the Marathon.
Most average kids can make it to age 10 and 80 pounds in the Husky.
So, the short story is, you want a kid to be harnessed to age 4 or 5 (or longer if they are wiggly and have a hard time sitting properly in a booster), most 4 or 5 year olds are about 40 pounds, and at that point, a booster is ok.
That's not a real clear answer, but it should give you something to think about, whether you want a higher weight seat or not (I'm a little weird...my 8 year old and 6 year olds are in Huskies, because I feel harnessing is as safe a choice as I can make for them, so I'll do it as long as possible in our main car, but they are in Parkways in their dad's car, because they are in it less, and he needs to be able to move their seats around more).
:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
I'm with you on the harnessing thing Julie. Most people think that I'm crazy because my 8 1/2 year old and 7 year old daughters are still harnessed in Huskies. I don't care what others think, I'm doing what I feel is safest for my kids. Neither one of them complain about it either. So, we're all happy.
Melinda
Yeah, whenever I ask my kids which seat they like best (they have a few to choose from...I have quite a collection...), they can't decide, but never rule out their "big blue seats", and even ask to bring them on playdates with friends!
Kids aren't prejudice about car seats the way grownups are, I don't think ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx