bjessen
06-07-2008, 09:59 PM
Hi, it's been a long while since I posted to this board. I started when my daughter was a baby (she's now 7 1/2 yrs), stopped a while, then started up again when my son was born (now 4 yrs...almost 5 yrs), and we just had a new addition last year...another son who's now 8 months. I've directed a lot of people over the years to here and the Fields' books...great resources.
We now have a 2007 Yukon XL Denali with a 2nd row bench (not buckets), tan interior. The 2nd row bench has two LATCH connectors, one in the middle and one behind the passenger seat. This unfortunately is also the seat that moves forward for 3rd row access...poor engineering imo. All three seats in the 2nd row have a Tether tie down. The 3rd row has no LATCH (don't get me started...very annoying and stupid) and only 1 tether at the drivers side spot (again frusturated by this...love everything else about the vehicle though...exempt filling up lately...).
Our kids run on the lower end for weight, my daughter is very tall (but leggy) and my sons seem to be in the 50-75% range on height so far.
We also have a 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon (red & black) that my dh has added all kinds of stuff with safety in mind (it is a tank). He is big into jeeping, camping, etc.
On to carseats...we currently have 2 Safeguard seats (red & black...with a black spare cover, both originally purchased for the Jeep with safety in mind). We also have a Safeguard Go booster, a tan 2003 Peg Perego infant carseat and a Roundabout with LATCH in denim (has another year or so left on it I think...need to double check).
Right now I have 3 across in the 2nd row: our baby in the Peg Perego infant seat behind the driver side (dh got a rock solid fit without LATCH), the Safeguard Go in the middle for my 7 yr old and a Safeguard regular seat on the passenger side for 4 yr old. We had the other Safeguard in the middle, but my 7 yr old started balking at it....she liked the look of the Go better...plus for ease we've been leaving one Safeguard seat in the Jeep...makes quick trips with one child easier, and with the older two it only takes a second to add the other seat. We figure with her being 7 1/2 yrs and the Go in the center...she's probably fairly safe still even if she isn't in the Safeguard seat.
Okay, my dilemma...we've had more trips with family and friends lately and have needed access to the back row. We tried the Safeguard seat back there at the tether position with the seatbelt install...but my dh just can't get a good fit (and he is very good at this by now). He put the Roundabout back there facing forward and we tried our 4 yr old....ears are too high in the shell. I do not wish to put the baby back there of course.
We "need" 1-2 seats that can be so we can occasionally put the older two back there. The baby will stay behind the driver in the Peg Perego, and eventually RF in the Roundabout. If we have another child, then at least one child would have to move back to the 3rd row for good too...I suspect both our 7 & 4 yr old would want to be back there too as they love sitting together.
So I think the current contenders to add to our mix would be a Radian80, Britax Frontier, Compass, Parkway, Graco Turbobooster, or the Fisher Price Safe Voyage. Obviously the first two I like better for the safety (5pt) aspect...but getting 2 might be a bit much right now. I'm thinking one smaller footprint 5pt that can be installed without LATCH and maybe without a tether for max flexibility (though I do have 1 tether in the 3rd row). Then a 2nd non-5pt booster with a small footprint as well to use in the 3rd row or to throw on the seat that moves foward. Both seats should go to 80-100 pounds ideally. I guess the 5 pt if it had the ability to RF could potentially replace the Roundabout eventually when it expires too since we have a decent age gap from our 4 yr old to the baby (and any future munchkins)...
I really want to stick to the best small footprints that meet the criteria so I can potentially get three across or two across and a small adult in the 3rd row evnentually.
Can anyone give some insight to what they think would be the best bet? We just moved to the sticks, so it'll most likely be an internet purchase as we only have a small Target and Walmart nearby.
Maybe someone has the 2007 or 2008 Yukon and some of these seats and can let me know if they work in the 3rd row at all....or if I'm missing any others I should be considering
Thanks ahead of time!
Bridget
We now have a 2007 Yukon XL Denali with a 2nd row bench (not buckets), tan interior. The 2nd row bench has two LATCH connectors, one in the middle and one behind the passenger seat. This unfortunately is also the seat that moves forward for 3rd row access...poor engineering imo. All three seats in the 2nd row have a Tether tie down. The 3rd row has no LATCH (don't get me started...very annoying and stupid) and only 1 tether at the drivers side spot (again frusturated by this...love everything else about the vehicle though...exempt filling up lately...).
Our kids run on the lower end for weight, my daughter is very tall (but leggy) and my sons seem to be in the 50-75% range on height so far.
We also have a 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon (red & black) that my dh has added all kinds of stuff with safety in mind (it is a tank). He is big into jeeping, camping, etc.
On to carseats...we currently have 2 Safeguard seats (red & black...with a black spare cover, both originally purchased for the Jeep with safety in mind). We also have a Safeguard Go booster, a tan 2003 Peg Perego infant carseat and a Roundabout with LATCH in denim (has another year or so left on it I think...need to double check).
Right now I have 3 across in the 2nd row: our baby in the Peg Perego infant seat behind the driver side (dh got a rock solid fit without LATCH), the Safeguard Go in the middle for my 7 yr old and a Safeguard regular seat on the passenger side for 4 yr old. We had the other Safeguard in the middle, but my 7 yr old started balking at it....she liked the look of the Go better...plus for ease we've been leaving one Safeguard seat in the Jeep...makes quick trips with one child easier, and with the older two it only takes a second to add the other seat. We figure with her being 7 1/2 yrs and the Go in the center...she's probably fairly safe still even if she isn't in the Safeguard seat.
Okay, my dilemma...we've had more trips with family and friends lately and have needed access to the back row. We tried the Safeguard seat back there at the tether position with the seatbelt install...but my dh just can't get a good fit (and he is very good at this by now). He put the Roundabout back there facing forward and we tried our 4 yr old....ears are too high in the shell. I do not wish to put the baby back there of course.
We "need" 1-2 seats that can be so we can occasionally put the older two back there. The baby will stay behind the driver in the Peg Perego, and eventually RF in the Roundabout. If we have another child, then at least one child would have to move back to the 3rd row for good too...I suspect both our 7 & 4 yr old would want to be back there too as they love sitting together.
So I think the current contenders to add to our mix would be a Radian80, Britax Frontier, Compass, Parkway, Graco Turbobooster, or the Fisher Price Safe Voyage. Obviously the first two I like better for the safety (5pt) aspect...but getting 2 might be a bit much right now. I'm thinking one smaller footprint 5pt that can be installed without LATCH and maybe without a tether for max flexibility (though I do have 1 tether in the 3rd row). Then a 2nd non-5pt booster with a small footprint as well to use in the 3rd row or to throw on the seat that moves foward. Both seats should go to 80-100 pounds ideally. I guess the 5 pt if it had the ability to RF could potentially replace the Roundabout eventually when it expires too since we have a decent age gap from our 4 yr old to the baby (and any future munchkins)...
I really want to stick to the best small footprints that meet the criteria so I can potentially get three across or two across and a small adult in the 3rd row evnentually.
Can anyone give some insight to what they think would be the best bet? We just moved to the sticks, so it'll most likely be an internet purchase as we only have a small Target and Walmart nearby.
Maybe someone has the 2007 or 2008 Yukon and some of these seats and can let me know if they work in the 3rd row at all....or if I'm missing any others I should be considering
Thanks ahead of time!
Bridget