Yet another request to pick best seat for grandma's car

[Sullivan622]

Hi! I've been reading this site for years, but have yet to post, until today. I've gained so much useful information, and I know if I had a ton of free time I could find what I need to know, but I don't. So I'm hoping you helpful ladies can help me make the best choice of a carseat for my mother's car.

The short story and question is what is a good carseat or booster for occasional use that can work primarily for children who weigh more than 45 pounds (and are taller than 44 inches)? Needs to be easy to install. My mother has a Honda Pilot.

Now for the long story if more information is needed. I have two Britax Frontiers in my car and my sons (ages 3.5 and 5.5) both ride harnessed even though they are both over 40 pounds (my 3.5 year old is off the charts at 46 pounds and my 5.5 year old is 49 pounds -- they are both tall for their ages as well). In my husband's car, we have a Britax Boulevard (that was my oldest's first convertible seat) and a Sunshine Kids Radian 65. I usually give those seats to my mother when she needs a seat or two for my boys. I used to let her keep the Boulevard until my youngest outgrew his old Roundabout and we had to get it back.

In addition to my two boys, my mother has three granddaughters. One is a tall 5.5 year old and one is an average-sized 3.5 year old (the other is a 2-year old, but she will use our Blvd). We need to pick a seat that can work for the older grandkids (the 3 and 5 year olds). For the most part, the only children using the seat in my mother's car will be my boys or my 3.5 year old niece (average-sized...she rides in a Britax Diplomat (I think it is) in her parents' car). I don't think she is yet 40 pounds.

My nieces are coming for Thanksgiving and we are loaning mom the Blvd, but she needs another seat for the 5.5 year old (that can be used in the future for other grands--mainly my boys). I'm thinking some type of booster would be best (though I know the booster is not the best option for the niece who weighs less than 40 lbs). Can anyone please give me some recommendations? Cost is not necessarily a concern, but I don't really want my mother to spend a LOT for a seat that doesn't get that much use. I love how the Blvd can be adjusted without taking it out of the car, so if there's another harnessed seat like that (that costs a little less), that would be good...especially if it can become a booster...but I don't know of one.

I hope that wasn't too confusing and I appreciate any help anyone can give!

[o_mom]

I think you are probably going to need two seats to accommodate everyone. I know that's not what you are looking for, but the 3 yos need to be harnessed and given that several of the kids are close to 50 lbs, that takes out the Maestro, which would be the least expensive harnessed seat that had a chance of fitting the 3 and 5 yos.

I would look at a highback booster for the older kids - the Graco Turbobooster is inexpensive ($40-80) and easy to find. Fits most kids in that range well. Just make sure you put the screws in the armrests and teach your mom the proper belt routing - lap and shoulder belt under the armrest on the buckle side.

For the 3 yos, you need something with more than a 50 lb weight limit on the harness.... so, the Graco Nautilus ($120) is the least expensive option.

The other option might be to give your mom your Boulevard and look for a new seat for your car, like a Frontier. How old is your Boulevard?

[Sullivan622]

Thanks for the input, o_mom. I should say that it would be very unlikely she would need to use the seat for the 3yo's because if it was my boys, I almost always will give her one of the seats from my hubby's car (we used to also use a Scenara, but my son has outgrown that one too). I probably will give her the Scenara to use for my other niece should she ever need to take her around before she hits the 40-lb limit. And I am generally very opposed to young children being in boosters, even though my youngest is so large.

The Blvd has a manuf. date of 3/07, so I believe we have a few years left on it. That is a good idea to give her the Blvd and get a new seat for my hubby's car, but I like that the Blvd has the built-in lockoff. My husband's car doesn't have tether anchor points or LATCH. I've considered another SK Radian, but I do wish we had a lockoff of some sort (he doesn't have automatic locking seatbelts either!). He takes our oldest to school every morning, but usually the kids ride in my car. Most of the time, the Blvd is in the garage. I had considered the Nautilus though.

Does anyone know if there is any other seat that you can adjust without removing from the car (like the Blvd)? That is so great when we switch between the grandkids.

[legaleagle]

Does anyone know if there is any other seat that you can adjust without removing from the car (like the Blvd)? That is so great when we switch between the grandkids.

You'd have to check exactly how high the highest harness slots are, but the first years true fit has a really tall shell (taller than radians!) and harnesses to 65lbs. It has a super easy no-rethread harness adjuster and I've found it really easy to install, both rear and forward facing - easy latch and built in lockoffs. It is wide, but that's nice for bigger kids since they aren't cramped inside. You can often snag one for pretty cheap - they've turned up on kids.woot for $99 recently, and I often see them for well under $150. Tethering is not optional ff'ing, if that is possibly an issue with your mom's car.

[o_mom]

Thanks for the input, o_mom. I should say that it would be very unlikely she would need to use the seat for the 3yo's because if it was my boys, I almost always will give her one of the seats from my hubby's car (we used to also use a Scenara, but my son has outgrown that one too). I probably will give her the Scenara to use for my other niece should she ever need to take her around before she hits the 40-lb limit. And I am generally very opposed to young children being in boosters, even though my youngest is so large.

The Blvd has a manuf. date of 3/07, so I believe we have a few years left on it. That is a good idea to give her the Blvd and get a new seat for my hubby's car, but I like that the Blvd has the built-in lockoff. My husband's car doesn't have tether anchor points or LATCH. I've considered another SK Radian, but I do wish we had a lockoff of some sort (he doesn't have automatic locking seatbelts either!). He takes our oldest to school every morning, but usually the kids ride in my car. Most of the time, the Blvd is in the garage. I had considered the Nautilus though.

Does anyone know if there is any other seat that you can adjust without removing from the car (like the Blvd)? That is so great when we switch between the grandkids.

If you are just looking for the older ones, I would get a highback booster and then plan to use your seats for the younger ones.

What kind of car does your husband drive?

The Nautilus Elite (http://carseatblog.com/6840/graco-nautilus-elite-first-look-review/) has lockoffs, so if you wanted to replace the Boulevard that might be worth paying for. You have just under 18 months left on the Boulevard (6 yrs), so your youngest will be about 5 when it expires.

The TrueFit and Evenflo Triumph 65 can adjust harness height without removing. I think there is at least one other, but I'm drawing a blank right now.

[Sullivan622]

Thanks again omom. For some reason (probably because the Frontier has longer dates...8-9 years, right?) I was thinking I had longer on the Blvd. Wish it had an expiration date printed like my Frontiers do! Of course my youngest will probably have outgrown the seat in 18 mos...so it will probably work out.

My husband has a 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport. I could take it to the dealer and ask them to add a tether anchor, I just never have. I really hate putting carseats in there anyway since the seats are shallow and it doesn't have locking seatbelts. Drives me crazy. Hopefully in a couple of years we'll be able to upgrade his car. But that's why I went with the Radian because it said it didn't have to be tethered.

Could you recommend a booster that would work for his car (without LATCH or tether)? I think my 5yo will soon be too tall for the Radian and I'll have to get brave enough to booster (in his car at least...he'll stay harnessed in the Frontier in mine for as long as it will work!).

I think I'm going to encourage my mom to get a Graco Nautilis (I see one at BRU for 125 now) and a Graco Turbo Booster. That way the Nautilis will become a booster at some point, but for now could be a better seat for the 3yos. Or perhaps we'll give her the Blvd until it expires and we'll keep the Nautilis until then for my DH's car...

[lowrioh]

I think I'm going to encourage my mom to get a Graco Nautilis (I see one at BRU for 125 now) and a Graco Turbo Booster. That way the Nautilis will become a booster at some point, but for now could be a better seat for the 3yos. Or perhaps we'll give her the Blvd until it expires and we'll keep the Nautilis until then for my DH's car...

What about a Safety 1st Go Hybrid for your mom? I think that they can harness up to 65# and then convert to a HB booster.

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Convertible-Booster-Clarksville/dp/B002UP3FB4

I have a big 3.5 year old (42" and 45#)and we got a Nautilis for her second seat and I really don't like it. The crotch strap is a huge PITA and getting her up and over the arm rest is terrible if she happens to fall asleep.
I know someone on here has a Go Hybrid and really likes it....you could do a search and see if you can find out.

[o_mom]

Yes, the older convertibles didn't have the expiration printed on them, unfortunately. They do expire in six year, and not 9 like the Frontier

Your Jeep should have locking seat belts. They are probably the 'lightweight locking latchplate' style. They only lock at the buckle, not the retractor. The lap portion of the belt should stay tight once you have buckled it and pulled it tight. If it does not stay tight because of the angle, you can flip the latchplate over a half turn and rebuckle. More on this here (about 1/4 down the page): http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm

For a booster in that vehicle, with that size child, you could probably go with a TurboBooster if it's only occasionally or if you want to get something a little nicer, the Parkway SG, or Recaro Probooster are nice. I would avoid any of the Dorel boosters (Safety 1st, Cosco) because they require a support behind the head and if that vehicle is the one I'm thinking of, it has low seat backs/headrests.

Whatever booster you end up with, it will be important to teach your DS and DH how to use it correctly. Make sure that they pull up on the shoulder belt to remove all the slack in the lap belt each time. Many times with those style latchplates, kids will lengthen the belt to buckle and then not take the slack out.

[Sullivan622]

lowrioh Thanks for your input! I have never seen that seat before and it definitely has some benefits. Unfortunately though I need to be able to get something we can find locally and I couldn't figure out where to get that one that wasn't online!

Thanks so much for the tips omom. My mom ended up buying the Nautilus, and we'll buy the booster for my DH's car that she can also use if needed. Haven't decided which one, but I'll definitely start my research with the three you recommended. Yes, in my husband's car, the seat back is VERY low and there is no headrest--which I guess is sometimes good seeing how I have to take the headrests out of my car to get the seats in there well!

And yes, you are right about the seats locking at the buckle. I know that is how it's supposed to work, it just doesn't seem as effective to me as the ALR type. And usually it stays tight, but we do have to check them regularly and make sure the seat is still snug. I need to go check out the link you shared.

I will definitely make sure my son is using the seatbelt properly. I've been a bit of a crazy person about them being properly in their carseats as it is...always making sure the belts are as tight as they should be and the chest clip is in the right place. I'm a bit OCD about it. :)