Time to replace a 4 year old Britax

[gabrielsdad]

First time poster - amazing wealth of info here.

My wife and I are looking to get a set for our 4 year old son to replace the Britax Roundabout he has been in for a while. He is pushing 40" and getting REAL close to 40 lbs, but we'd like to keep him in a 5-point as long as possible. He's frankly getting too tall for this seat, and we'd like something with a smaller profile (we drive a Honda CRV and a VW Passat). Additionally, we'd love to find a seat that will funtion as a belt-positioner when the time comes. Finally, we may just by 2 of we really like it.

I've combed the posts here and found some great thoughts, but I have some questions:

The Radian looks amazing, but is it a belt positioner? I don't see anything for the shoulder belt.

Recaro: Wow, I want one to sit in. Not cheap, but looks like it fits the bill. Worth the dough?

What else should I look at?

Thanks!

[Joolsplus2]

Nope, the Radian doesn't become a booster. If he's close to 40 pounds, there's no point getting the Recaro Young Sport, it only harnesses to 40. The Graco Platinum Cargo and Evenflo Generations aren't great for a kid almost 40, either. The Cosco Apex might be a good choice, but if you're used to Roundabout quality, you might be disappointed (though, it goes to 65 pounds harnessed, 100 as a booster).
For extended harnessing, you'd really want to look at the Regent...yes, it will easily fit in your cars :). The Radian should last another 2-3 years harnessed, too. As should the Apex. A booster that is only a booster is a much better seat than a harnessed seat that becomes a booster (so my point is, most combo seats aren't as fabulous in reality as they are in concept... seats that JUST harness or JUST booster are generally much better)... if your ds isn't really that close to 40 (if he's about 35 or under, actually), then the Recaro Young Sport (or Graco or Evenflo) might well be a great choice (The Young Sport is the exception to the rule...it's a great booster AND harnessed seat).

Sorry if I was babbling a bit... oh, if you want the Recaro Start, the older models are $199 at some places...it's not harnessed, and it's very difficult for a kid to buckle themself, but it is definitely high quality and you can clamp the shoulderbelt on him like a harness, sort of (we had one when my son was that age and it was such a pain to buckle him, we got him a Regent instead...but now that he's 9, the Start is fine, he can buckle it himself).

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
www.joolstag.myarbonne.com

[gabrielsdad]

Thanks for you comments. I appreciate the feedback.

Is the Regent designed solely for harness use? Also, I have heard that there is a weight limit on LATCH (somewhere around 48 lbs). If this is true, how do you use this seat beyond this weight. Also, how long do we need/want to keep him in a 5-point versus a good belt positioner?

Thanks!!

[mommyto4]

The Regent is solely for harness use. After the child reaches the weight limit for LATCH, you secure the seat in with the vehicle seat belt. The longer that you can keep your child harnessed the better IMHO. A five point harness is just safer. My 6 1/2 & 8 year old children are still harnessed. The Regent keeps the child harnessed until 80 pounds or until the child outgrows the seat by height (usually around 53 -54 inches tall). My 8 year old is very tall for her age and alot of her height is torso height and she still has a little room to grow in her Husky/Regent. HTH.

[Joolsplus2]

Scroll down a bit on my page to see my Regents (actually Huskies) and my 'almost 6 and 8 yo's' in the Regent and Marathon (on a cross country drive...normally I don't have hundreds of pounds of boxes and projectiles in my van, I promise, lol) http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y255/joolstag/

And here's a bunch of other big kids in harnessed seats http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/FFalbum.aspx

Really, 5 pt harnessing is as safe as you can get, after rearfacing. I like to see kids harnessed to at least age 5 or 6 if possible, longer if they can. Is there really much data to show it's safer? No, not enough kids are harnessed and in crashes and surviving better than boostered kids yet, but if it's good enough for racecar drivers and pilots, it seems like a sound choice for my little darlings (plus, it keeps them separated...they can't reach out of their seatbelts and whack each other... ah, family peace...)

That's why I was asking if your kiddo is like 35 pounds, he'd probably be able to harness at least another year in the Young Sport before he hits 40 or his shoulders go over the 17inch top slots, and it's a great booster after that.

And right, you just use the seatbelt to install the Regent from 48-80 pounds...I always do, actually, the shoulderbelt helps hold it very steady and keeps the back of the seat back better than the LATCH, in my experience.

Lots to consider! Good luck with whatever you choose (yes, my kids have been in boosters *part time* in dad's car, etc, since they were 4...usually I hate it when they aren't harnessed, though...now they are 9 and 7 and still in their Huskies in my car, Parkways in dad's car, and in the big, ultra-safe yellow schoolbus whenever possible).

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
www.joolstag.myarbonne.com

[gabrielsdad]

He's probably closer to 38 lbs than 35, so I am not sure that a 40lb harness limit is ideal. If we do decide to get something to keep him harnessed beyond 40 lbs, is there a real advatage to the Regent over the Radian? (I know, 65 lbs, but there is the 80 lb version too).

[Joolsplus2]

The Regent is a lot taller... fits most kids to age 8-10, and the Radian fits most kids to 5-7 (it's a little taller than the Marathon, it fit my dd for about a year longer, but she's still got a couple years to go in the Regent).
The Safeguard seat or Safeguard Go are also good choices you might want to consider.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
www.joolstag.myarbonne.com