Highest harness slots????

[cmmama]

not quite 3yo DS has outgrown his Roundabout.
He's 40inches and 40lb, but long torsoed

what harnessed toddler seat has the highest harness slots?

I don't much care about any other feature: seat weight, portablility, overall seat size, plushness of padding, accessories, etc. The only catch is that the seat has to be able to be able to be installed in cars w/out Latch (which I believe would knock out the Safeguard GO as it must have a top tether)

from my own research looks like the regent might be the highest one out there. I keep thinking DS'll quit growing and let the other kids catch up, not so yet, hence my insistence on the highest harness possible.

thanks for your help!

[bubbaray]

Regent has been replaced by the Frontier. You could also look at the Graco Nautilus. The Radian has pretty high top slots too, not has high as those three, but about 1/2" higher than the MA (which is quite a bit higher than the RA). The RN can be used without a TT.

Not sure what vehicle(s) you are installing into, but you don't need LATCH to use a TT or to get a TT installed. Most vehicles can be retrofitted to have a TT anchor installed. If the vehicle is or has been sold in Canada in the past 25 years, it will have had to have a TT anchor so the part would exist in Canada.

HTH

[cmmama]

I didn't know that about the TT retrofit-- will have to look into it, especially as I seem to get a better fit with any seat using the TT, thanks. (It's the main reason DS doesn't ride more often in DH's car -- no TT.)

[Joolsplus2]

They're still making the Regent, just not selling it at BRU anymore :). It's definitely the tallest (19.1 inches), though. Safeguard Child Seat (19 inches)is a very close second, the Graco Nautilus (18.5) then Britax Frontier
(18.25).
I personally have very little love for the Regent, it's just so hard to install in so many cars and eats up so much legroom that kids' knees end up in the front seatbacks sometimes, and my dd never loved the lack of side sleep support, so I'm going to go for the Frontier when my next DD is too heavy to rearface (she's 27 months and has half an inch till she's too tall for the Roundabout FF, but mostly she rides in her Radian). Lots of people do like the Regent, though, and it should last until about age 8 or 9 harnessed, the others I listed probably will fit till 6-8, then the Naut. and Front. become really nice boosters. The only ones that require top tethering are the Regent at 50 pounds, the Frontier at 65 pounds. (though all seats should be top tethered, and even old cars can have top tethers added easily, I probably have the part numbers in my LATCH manual :) )

[cmmama]

Regent has been replaced by the Frontier. You could also look at the Graco Nautilus.

ok, so I like the harness to booster aspect of the frontier and nautilus.

it appears that the nautilus top slots are 18 and frontier's are 18.25. (specs from the manufacturers websites)

the regent's top slot is 19.1 but it doesn't have the to booster option

In any case I don't mind the extra $$$$ for the Frontier if it's gonna be the better seat, but looks like the nautilus retails for about $140-150 less than the frontier.

So if I decide not to go Regent (with what appears to be the highest harness) and stick at the about 18 inch harness mark, what are the Nautilus pros and cons????

IOW which would you choose, the Nautilus or the Frontier?
(FWIW Main car is a honda element with all sorts of backseat room and no option for a third back seat rider so I can't feature fit would be a problem, unless one seat is notoriously difficult to install)

BTW, I have no idea how long to expect it'll take DS to reach the 18 inch mark and therefor outgrow either the nautilus or the frontier harness. Anybody out there care to measure their tall and long-torsoed 5yo and let me know where his/her shoulders hit?

(I'm a bit obsessive about keeping him in a harness as long as possible and he already, at not quite 3 is bigger than most 4 and 5 yos at our mom's group)


thanks again!

[cmmama]

lots of good info Joolsplus2 -- thanks!


They're still making the Regent, just not selling it at BRU anymore :). It's definitely the tallest (19.1 inches), though. Safeguard Child Seat (19 inches)is a very close second, the Graco Nautilus (18.5) then Britax Frontier
(18.25).
I personally have very little love for the Regent, it's just so hard to install in so many cars and eats up so much legroom that kids' knees end up in the front seatbacks sometimes, and my dd never loved the lack of side sleep support, so I'm going to go for the Frontier when my next DD is too heavy to rearface (she's 27 months and has half an inch till she's too tall for the Roundabout FF, but mostly she rides in her Radian). Lots of people do like the Regent, though, and it should last until about age 8 or 9 harnessed, the others I listed probably will fit till 6-8, then the Naut. and Front. become really nice boosters. The only ones that require top tethering are the Regent at 50 pounds, the Frontier at 65 pounds. (though all seats should be top tethered, and even old cars can have top tethers added easily, I probably have the part numbers in my LATCH manual :) )

[Joolsplus2]

I prefer the Side Impact Protection of the Frontier, that'd be my tipping point to get that over the Nautilus.