DS 2 years and 3 months is outgrowing his RA

[Tondi G]

SO we are planning on getting a Marathon for my car which we drive on most occasions. I would like to have something else for DH's car/and occasionally to move to grandmas car. Is the Airway my only option for something less expensive that will harness him a little longer??? How are people liking the Airway? I hate twisty straps is this a problem with the Airway? DS is rapidly approaching 40lbs... was 35lbs 8 ounces, 38 inches at his 2 year appointment.... and feels heavier all the time. His growth hasn't slowed as much as everyone told me it would.... he's off the charts for height and weight!!!! LOL

I am pretty sure he is not ready for a BPB... he is still a squirmy toddler although he loves to play in the car when it's parked and wear the big belt...LOL! Would it be worth my while to look into searching for a Britax laptop?? thanks for any suggestions!

~Tondi

[Joolsplus2]

LOL...I don't want to say I'm the ONLY one who ever answers questions on this board, but...well, I guess I am!

So I got the Airway...it's ok...not as nice as an Ultra Cargo, but nicer than a Cosco (so, the straps are kind of twisty, but not all folded and creased and ropy...they really aren't too bad). It turned out the long crotch strap was not a safety issue (phew!), BUT the seat fell apart a lot and screws got stripped out of the back (it's a 2 piece seat, but can't be used without the back...rather unusual, IMO). They are getting hard to find now, as the first batches were never followed up by other batches for a LONG time, and most stores are down to floor models or nothing. My advice would be to wait as long as you can, I've heard there's a new batch of seats on the horizon that, at the very least have the screws heat-sealed into the seat.
It's best installed with LATCH, but a seatbelt and tether do a pretty good job. Though it CAN be installed with just a lapbelt and no tether, it is very near impossible to get a tight fit (I don't know how, since the LATCH belt goes through the same belt path...one of those great carseat mysteries....)

It's not bad for a $99 seat...decent padding and comfy, and my 46 inch 40 pound ds is just now almost too tall for the harness (If I'd known he was going to be barely 40 pounds for over a year now, I would have gotten the Ultra Cargo!...he's a REALLY skinny kid, though). I don't like it as a booster.

Anyway, hopefully your DS will stay under 40 pounds long enough to see if they re-vamp this seat :)

As for the Laptop...even my 41 inch dd still slips really far under it almost all the time...I dunno...If you can find one on ebay where you trust the seller that it's been well taken care of and uncrashed, it's not a terrible option, but I would ONLY use it in the center seat...the side impact crash tests I've seen are horrifying if the child is near the door.

Good luck! I wish there were more options out there to choose from, don't you?

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Tondi G]

OK well I still have a few more pounds to go... which will hopefully interpret into a few more months... maybe he will be like your kiddo and stay around 40 lbs for a while!!!! One can always hope right!

I will wait on the Airway then and see about a revamped model..... hopefully it will arrive sooner than later and I can check it out!!! As far as teh Laptop goes..... I know my son would be thrilled to actually be able to sit in the center and use a REAL seatbelt... I definetly would ONLY use it in the center seat! It would be great for a portable option!

I really wish there were more options out there!!!! COME ON Car seat makers..... do you not see the need here!!!!! LOL

Thanks for your response.....I really appreciate your input!

~Tondi and Mason(7/8/01)