Back again... Radian, Recaro Young Style...

DS 5yr. 38lb 42" car sleeper

I am back for more help. I just tried the regent in my car and it was just too tight of a fit for my comfort level. I love the seat, but I don't think it works well in a camry with another car seat in there. If my DH were to drive my DS would have his legs cut off. Am I doing something wrong. Long strap install without a doubt pushed out on his back, making him slump. Short strap was way too loose on top without the top anchor. Thoughts (before I ship back) UGHHH

Okay so now I send back the regent and I have spent another day searching BRU and Target. I tried him in the Britax Parkway, which was my fall back on and he looked squished. Like his shoulders were pushed forward. He didn't look thrilled. Tried him in a Marathon and he would be in the second to last strap not giving much growing room and really dont want to spend all that. I need multiple seats at this time.

Here are a couple I came up with and would love all your comments. Also I do not have LATCH or anchors in camry, but I am having the anchors (keep our fingers crossed that the holes are really predrilled like the manual states) put in by Hubby (OEM parts and torch wrench are being used).

Recaro Young Style??

Radian 65 (can this be installed outboard without Latch?? or should I keep him in the center?? who should be center: Booster child or 1 year old?? if one is in the center which side should the other be on-Driver or passenger)??

Also, I am buying for my DH chevy silverado pickup truck with a small bench seat in the back (no headrests and not high back), of the king cab.

So sorry to be a pain, but I just dont want to THINK I am doing the right thing and finding out later I just threw money out the window because it wasnt the safest option. Thanks so much.

-Andrea

So you did the Regent without the recline bar, long belt path, top tether? That's the way I'd do it for maximum space. (Ugh on shipping it back...I know that's a pain).
I *think* you might be doing something wrong with the Parkway... the headrest gets raised up and there's nothing squishing the shoulders, the sidewings make terrifc armrests...it's like the only seat that fits big pre-teens nicely, believe it or not.
Radian can be installed in any position it'll fit, LATCH or no :)
No difference in safety of driver or passenger, so do what fits best.
Who goes in the center? Hmmm... I'd vote baby if she's FF... then her proportionately larger head is less likely to strike the window or B-pillar (I understand RF might be impossible in that truck, of course.. maybe a Boulevard?) And I'm assuming the center HAS a shoulderbelt for the booster kid, right? That would be a big decision maker :). The Young Style can be a lot more difficult to buckle than the Parkway (It's a nice seat, but it seems all my seat addicted friends don't use it for long, it's the first of any collection to be sold off for some reason, while Regents and Parkways tend to get held on to).

Sorry for the stream of concsiousness, lol.

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

So what do you think for the "all the time" seat... Radian or Parkway?

Now the Parkway tight fit, he is so skinny so I dont know why he is squished in the shoulders. It doesn't seem to be from the headrest, it is more the torso wings that are effecting his shoulder. Any thoughts there??

I think I am going with the Parkway for the truck and another for my mothers Ford Explorer..

Thanks for all the help

-Andrea

We like the Radian for an all the time seat just fine... well, until my dd really kind of got too tall for it (she's 7 and AT the top slots now, it's tall, but so is she, lol)... if you get it from Target.com you can return it to a Target store, at least... it installs better with LATCH than seatbelt in most cars, so I don't rave about it like the Britaxes which fit almost anywhere, any way, but it's definitely 'Britax Quality' and comfortable.

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