Apex height question & general combo booster question

[kellyotn]

So, I checked out my 3 year old daughter in the hubby's F-350 to see if the Apex would work. I set her on the regular backseat and she only has 4" truck seatback over her to the middle of her head. There are no headrests.

I'm assuming the Apex will put her up at least 3-4", so its pretty much not gonna work for us. grrr! Am I right in the assumption that it'll put her up 3-4"?

For the other combo seats - the Graco Cargo's, Evenflo Generations, Recaro - the max in the US is 40, but in Canada is 48 b/c tethering is required. So, I know that I can't legally harness her past 40 and that I'll be releasing liability etc. But from a pure safety standpoint, if I tether one of those seats and she happens to squeek past 40 lbs a bit (she's just turned 3 and 34 lbs), is she in danger? Basically, is the seat the same in the US and in Canada, just the tethering requirement makes the difference? And, finally, does anyone know if any of them have the same rule about the middle of the head not being higher than the vehicle seat back?

thx,
kelly

[Joolsplus2]

Nope, Cosco is speshul in it's 'seatbck behind the head' rule...and I'm spelling special that way on purpose (Idiots!!!!).
Would I use a Tethered Cargo a little over 40 pounds? Probably. Would I say that out loud? Nope...you didn't hear it from ME :X.
Hey, you should look at the www.safeguardseat.com Taller than the Marathon, 65 pound weight limit, and maybe you can sell your DH on the 'technologically advanced' nature of it? :D (yeah, right, I know, I know, I can hear his eyes rolling from here.. $429 for a car seat! bah, humbug!)

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[kellyotn]

:-) re: the Safeguard - its great I'm sure, but I'm trying to spend LESS than the $250 another MA would cost. LOL. If the darn Recaro went harnessed past 40 I'd be all over it, though. I'm probably worrying and she's gonna stick under 40 for ages. sigh.

[loewymartin]

I'm totally with you on this one! DD is 30 pounds and I'm trying to figure out what to get her as her little sister will need the RA soon! I like the Recaro Young Sport, but with a harness only until 40 pounds I'm not so happy. Why can't it be a 65 pound limit like the Britax?!

I want 65 pound harness limit and a combo booster. I think I'm going to agonize about this purchase for a few months more!

Michelle
Mom to Alia born 5/16/02 and Kira born 7/30/05

[kellyotn]

UPDATE - Well, I was in Target and I noticed that the Scenara seemed a lot taller than my FPSE. So, I tested DD in it and the highest strap slot is clearly above her shoulders (not much, but above), whereas in the FPSE she is EVEN with them. Also, there is a ton more seat above her head. So, I'm going to swap the FPSE with my sister's Scenara. Now, lets just hope those last 6 pounds take a long, long time. ;-)

Again, shame on them for their #$%^$&$%% head rule on the Apex. I totally would have bought it if I hadn't seen it mentioned here. Thank you Nisi!! It would not have worked in DH's truck at all (w/ DD @ 3 years) b/c of that restriction. Very annoying for a large 65 lb combo seat.
____

I've already BEEN agonizing this one for months. Luckily, my DD is still barely fitting in the rarely-used FPSE in DH's truck. I wanted to pass down the beloved FPSE to my sister to use, but couldn't figure anything out in time, so she had to get a Scenara. (Not that a Senara is bad, but I know she'd love the FPSE. She was actually the one who recommended it for me.)

Geez, I really thought the Apex would be "it". Especially since its in the low $100's. (If it was closer to $200, I was thinking I'd just get another MA.)

I think I'll end up schlepping the MA back and forth! LOL.

[nisi]

Chiming in kind of late here, but yes, she'll sit up about 3" higher so it probably won't work. I have the same situation in my dad's truck. Darn Dorel! The headrest is pretty flimsy when it is fully raised so I understand where they're coming from, but when it's down it's about as sturdy as most other adjustable back boosters. I wonder if they'd ammend their rule to only apply when the headrest is all the way up? Probably not, but it might be worth a call to CS.

[kellyotn]

Yeah, I just do not understand why they wouldn't smack some more reinforcing there. It just seems crazy. My DD is 36 months, 34 lbs, and 39" and too TALL for this 65 lb seat w/o a headrest. Just irks me! ;-)

Not to even mention how many parents are going to do it unknowingly or in spite of the rule....

Anyways, I'm glad I'll be able to use my sis's Scenara for awhile.

Thanks again, you saved me from getting a seat that wouldn't work! (I'm sure they don't print that info on the box and make you learn from the manual when its already lugged home.)