booster question and Nautilus

[KpbS]

Currently DS1 is in a Nautilus (I've been very happy with this seat) and DS2 is RF in his MA. Mondays we pick-up DS1's friend (almost identical build as DS1, thin, avg./sm. side height for 5 yo). They have a hand-me-down high back booster (Cosco, I think) that barely squeezes in between my two in the 2nd seat of our Pilot. I'm somewhat surprised they are willing to use a seat as many here are so lax about carseat use in older DC....

Anyways, I was thinking of getting a spare seat to plunk into our 2nd row as needed for friends. It needs to be something quite narrow and was wondering if the Graco Turbo booster is a bad choice? It is listed as 16.5 inches wide and I think could fit the best.

Secondly, DH replaced his gas guzzler with a small sedan. DS2's MA fits FF there (not my choice, but he is almost 2 and infrequently rides there) but there is no way in the world DS1's Regent will fit. I was thinking of replacing it with another GN but a review at BRU (I know....) gave me pause. The woman was advocating the Frontier instead of the Nautilus b/c she said that the crotch strap depth didn't compare to the Frontier and that the Nautilus has no "true side impact protection." Any thoughts?

If you've made it this far, thanks!

[KpbS]

any opinions? :)

[GraceH]

The 'headwings' of the Nautilus have EPS foam in them (the Styrofoam looking stuff under the cover), which help with side impact protection - the crotch strap is more of a concern (IMO) if you have a 'chunky little monkey' - some find the no re-thread harness really nice (or harder to clean, if that's your perspective) -- to me, the extra $$ of the Frontier wasn't worth it for my skinny guy.
Also, you may want to look into the Evenflo Maestro (~$80) if you're looking for a nice budget option for a seldom used vehicle.

[sariana]

Is your DH's sedan new? Does it have side air curtains? While a seat with side impact protection is great, it is more important in a car that does not have side air bags/curtains.

We could all go around and around forever about which seat is best in which situation. If you are happy with your Nautilus, I would go ahead and get another one. It seems to be a popular seat here.

As for the Turbobooster, I don't have much experience with boosters yet, but from what I have read, the Turbo is one of the narrowest. It is not the first choice of everyone, but I have seen posts from people who really like it. It seems to be an economical choice that still gets good reviews.

BTW, I think it's really cool that you are willing to buy an extra seat for friends. Will you be my friend?:)

[Joolsplus2]

The Turbo's narrow measurements are deceptive, it's one of the hardest seats to buckle when it's next to another seat, because the armrests are so bulky and in the way :(

[PAfirsttimemom]

I just bought a Nautilus for our secondary car, a 1998 Honda Civic. DH just installed it this past weekend and said he got a fine fit and install. I am very impressed with the quality of this seat, especially considering the substantial savings over the Frontier, which we have in our main car. I originally tried DS in the seat at BRU, but we didn't have time to adjust the harness and crotch strap and all that, and I left thinking the seat would not be a nice fit. But after buying it and getting it home and playing with it, both DS and I like the seat a lot. He loves the cool cup/toy holders and seems quite comfortable in it. We did have to move the crotch strap out to its farthest setting, but DS fits fine. Plus he has loads of room to grow in height. I think several harness slots' worth. Seems like a very solid, safe seat. Funny, I got it at Target, and one of the employees who seemed to be in charge of stocking the shelves was telling me that the display models are not allowed to be sold and must be destroyed after the store is done with them. She said the Nautilus must be a safe seat because it takes 10 times through the compactor to dispose of it. :)

[KpbS]

, the extra $$ of the Frontier wasn't worth it for my skinny guy.
Also, you may want to look into the Evenflo Maestro (~$80) if you're looking for a nice budget option for a seldom used vehicle.

Thanks for the rec.! I'll check it out.


Is your DH's sedan new? Does it have side air curtains?

BTW, I think it's really cool that you are willing to buy an extra seat for friends. Will you be my friend?:)

DH's sedan is new and I'm sure it has ample safety features, including side air curtains. Thank you for pointing that out to me. Of course I'll be your friend :)


The Turbo's narrow measurements are deceptive, it's one of the hardest seats to buckle when it's next to another seat, because the armrests are so bulky and in the way :(

Thanks Jools, good to know.


She said the Nautilus must be a safe seat because it takes 10 times through the compactor to dispose of it. :)

Wow, that's awesome!!! Cool.

Thanks guys for your replies. I really appreciate it.