Nania Airway>> Good or Bad?

[mom824]

Hi,

I live in CA and need to get my daughter some new car seats. I just went to http://www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cssrating/ and am more confused than ever!! Help!

She is 34 months old and 38 ½ inches tall and 34 pounds.

We currently have two Britax Roundabout Advantages, but from what I understand, she will exceed the height limitation on those carseats soon.

I would just put her in a booster, but someone told me in the state of California, you have to have a 5 Pt Harness on your child until she is 4. In my 2004 Volvo XC90, I have an integrated Child Booster seat that I would love to use, but it obviously doesn’t have a 5 pt harness.

I don’t really want to get a Marathon as I feel that my daughter will only be in it for a year or so due to her height. Also, it is going to cost us $500 to get two of them….a lot of money when you have another baby on the way. I don’t want a Husky since I would not be able to fit in the new baby’s carseat very well next to it.

So, I found the Nania Airway online, but can’t find any ratings. Do you know where I could find out more about it?

It sounds great since it is $100 (with shipping), and can accommodate children from 22 to 50 lbs heavy and 29 to 48 inches tall with a 5 point harness. Hopefully the extra 10 inches would get her into the Volvo booster just fine. And perhaps a Graco Turbo Booster for our other car?
Any thoughts?

Many thanks!

Lynn

[Joolsplus2]

That's not true about California law, but it's great advice, IMO http://www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/state_laws/restrain2.htm Kids are just not mature enough for booster seats until the are at least age 4, and even longer harnessed is safer.
The Airway may well be a good choice for you. It's not my favorite seat, but it installs quite well with LATCH and the straps are not ropy (kinda twisty, but not really soft and foldy-uppy, you know?). I hear the new ones at babyage.com are better than the first generation, which would be a good thing, and also if they have a decent return policy, that's even better, just in case you can't stand it or it doesn't work for some reason..
You can use your Advantage till she's 40 pounds OR her shoulders are just above the top setting OR the tops of her ears are up at the top of the headrest, whichever happens first, so maybe you have some more time in those seats?
If you decide to go with the Marathon, the harness slots are about the same as the Airway, actually a little higher. The top listed limit is 49 inches, and my almost 7 year old is that size, with even a little room to grow in the Marathon (usually my 42 inch 4.5 yo rides in it, but he didn't mind trying it out...he thought it was
very comfortable!). It will easily last you till she's age 6, I haven't seen a child yet outgrow it younger than that, plus you'd have the hand me down ability.

Anyway, try to get some more use out of your advantages while you decide, there simply isn't a better seat out there, so keep using it till you have to hand it down to the baby :) (Oh, by they way, the baby does not need to go in the center position, some kids need to be separated for everyone's sanity and the baby's safety--away from "helpful" big siblings, so putting them both in the window seats is fine, especially in THAT car ;) --just put them whereever it's most convenient for you)

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

[mom824]

Thanks for such a detailed reply! I will double check to see where her ears are on the Roundabout Advantage. I would like to get as much mileage out of them as possible.

I think I will order one Airway and then see what we think. The Marathon does seem like a great car seat....maybe one Marathon and one Airway for the less used car.

Thanks for the tip on the baby not having to ride in the center. I am sure my daughter will try to be a bit too helpful if they are too close.

Thank you again!

Lynn