new seat--convertible or FF only harnessed booster?

[TwoBees]

Our spare seat for DD2, a Britax RA55, expires in a month or two. This seat is currently used in grandpa's car so we need to get a replacement. DD2 is FF, about 25 lb. Is there any reason to get a convertible at this point, instead of a harnessed booster?

[gymnbomb]

Our spare seat for DD2, a Britax RA55, expires in a month or two. This seat is currently used in grandpa's car so we need to get a replacement. DD2 is FF, about 25 lb. Is there any reason to get a convertible at this point, instead of a harnessed booster?

There is no safety difference between a FF convertible and a FF combination (harnessed booster) seat used with the 5 point harness. Convertibles tend to have a little more recline even FF, so sometimes smaller/younger kids find them more comfortable, but for that situation I think a harnessed booster is a good choice.

[TwoBees]

There is no safety difference between a FF convertible and a FF combination (harnessed booster) seat used with the 5 point harness. Convertibles tend to have a little more recline even FF, so sometimes smaller/younger kids find them more comfortable, but for that situation I think a harnessed booster is a good choice.

Thank you! As I re-read my post I realized I should have added that DD2 is 3+ years old, just a small kid. She actually may be over 25 lb now, that was her weight at her last exam in December. Anyway. Any recs for easy to use (for grandpa) harnessed booster seats? Install isn't as big of an issue because DH or I would be installing the seat and it would stay in grandpa's car. The seat is used 1-2x/week so it does not need to have all the bells and whistles, but I want grandpa to be able to easily clip and tighten the harness.

[gymnbomb]

Thank you! As I re-read my post I realized I should have added that DD2 is 3+ years old, just a small kid. She actually may be over 25 lb now, that was her weight at her last exam in December. Anyway. Any recs for easy to use (for grandpa) harnessed booster seats? Install isn't as big of an issue because DH or I would be installing the seat and it would stay in grandpa's car. The seat is used 1-2x/week so it does not need to have all the bells and whistles, but I want grandpa to be able to easily clip and tighten the harness.

I do not have good recommendations, because we haven't actually used one yet. We recently bought an Evenflo Maestro for travel, but won't use it until next month. Our goal was for it to be light weight and easy for me to haul onto airplanes when flying alone with a 3 year old If I had been buying for a vehicle I probably would have looked at the Graco Atlas and Nautilus too. Hopefully someone else will have some personal experience with them. Otherwise, car-seat.org has some good information and reviews and forums where you can ask for specific recommendations.

[Liziz]

It's not cheap but I love my Recaro Performance Sport. I wouldn't normally recommend it for a "spare seat" because it's big, heavy, and expensive, but since you listed ease of use as your primary desire, I figured I would. I love the harness in that seat. The shoulder pads are integrated and stay at the top of the seat (don't slide around) which keeps the straps from getting twisty. Plus, the straps have these "racing stripes" on them -- it makes it super simple to know if the straps are twisted or laying properly. And finally, this seat has the easiest "pull" to tighten the harness. It's so easy to pull it tight and get it tight on the first pull.

[TwoBees]

It's not cheap but I love my Recaro Performance Sport. I wouldn't normally recommend it for a "spare seat" because it's big, heavy, and expensive, but since you listed ease of use as your primary desire, I figured I would. I love the harness in that seat. The shoulder pads are integrated and stay at the top of the seat (don't slide around) which keeps the straps from getting twisty. Plus, the straps have these "racing stripes" on them -- it makes it super simple to know if the straps are twisted or laying properly. And finally, this seat has the easiest "pull" to tighten the harness. It's so easy to pull it tight and get it tight on the first pull.

Yes, this is a great seat! We have two of these for DD1 (one in each primary car) and we got it, as you said, because the harness is so easy to pull that DD can manage it herself. I'm keeping this one in the back of my head, but it *is* large and a bit more than I wanted to spend for grandpa's car.

BTW I'm glad to see that someone else has this seat. I don't hear much about it!

[Philly Mom]

I like the maestro. We travel with it. So easy with seatbelt install. Seriously quicker install than any other seat I own. We keep in DH's car and use once a week.


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[Liziz]

BTW I'm glad to see that someone else has this seat. I don't hear much about it!

Yes, I agree! I originally looked into it but went with Britax instead because I could find very little info/review/opinions on it (at least comparatively). DD HATED the Britax, so I returned it and took a chance on the Recaro, and I'm so glad I did!

[TwoBees]

I like the maestro. We travel with it. So easy with seatbelt install. Seriously quicker install than any other seat I own. We keep in DH's car and use once a week.


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Thank you!