On the look out for a new 5 pt harness FF seat..

[Debn31]

So...
With the Radian being non-usable for us (short straps),
I would still like my son to be in a FF, 5 pt harness. He does so - so in the booster. Not awful, but he does forget sometimes about not moving around a lot etc.

He's four years old, and has a long torso (measured 17 ")
We bought the True Fit, but I moved the crotch buckle up as much as possible, and while it's usable, I'm not sure for how much longer.

Someone suggested to me the Safety 1st Apex.

Any thoughts on this? He's about 43.5 " and 43 lb.
ANd like I said, has a long torso.

I'd pay any amount to keep his the safest I can.
But, we aren't rolling in the dough here either, and are now out cash because of the unusable Radian.

I heard the Marathon is shorter than the Radian, True Fit or APex.
Is that true?
I would just like to narrow things down before going on a hunt for the others, if possible. Might not have much choice though, huh :p

Thanks in advance

-Deb

[TerisBoys]

In Canada, you also have the option of the Graco Cargo and Evenflo harnessed boosters - they harness to 48 and 47 pounds respectively.

BUT I'm not sure if the slots would be high enough for him.

[Debn31]

Yeah, I'm not sure if that would be all that great anyways, as he's almost 44 lb. :eek:

He's big like daddy, and while the Radian 65 MAY have fit the bill, I'm soooo not going there.

Thanks though for trying to help me!
I do appreciate it.

-Deb

[MomToEliEm]

I heard the Marathon is shorter than the Radian, True Fit or APex.
Is that true?


Marathon: 17"
Radian: 18"
Compass True Fit: 17.25"
Cosco Apex: 17.5"
Graco Cargo: 17"

[QuassEE]

Can you survive until the Frontier?

[TechnoGranola]

Check this thread where Tam has posted a link to pics comparing the Marathon and True Fit http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=47341 If you think the True Fit crotch strap isn't going to work, then I don't think the Marathon will do you much better because I think the True Fit one is actually further out on the largest setting. The Marathon is narrower in the shoulders than the True Fit, something to consider if your son has wide shoulders.

If only you could use the Radian for a bit longer, the Frontier will be here soon! ARGH!

[Debn31]

LOL...I know....We're using the Turbo Booster (high back) in the meantime.

When is it due to come out??? (Frontier I mean).

Oops...more to say, but gotta go, someone's awake and not happy :(

[snowbird25ca]

Apex is well known for being tight in the crotch on larger kids as well. Dorel has a longer crotch strap available, but I'm unsure of the success CDN's have had in trying to get it - I know one parent from the board ordered it but it wasn't any longer so it seemed she'd been sent the original length. SK won't ship the longer crotch strap for the Radian to Canada, so I'm not sure if Dorel might have a similar thing going on with the Apex or not. (Note that Dorel, Cosco and Safety 1st are the same company. I just use Dorel in place of safety 1st most of the time, but just realized the name difference might be confusing. ;))

Did your ds complain about the crotch strap on the TF, or does it just look uncomfortable? Sometimes it helps to remember that older kids are more than able to complain if something is uncomfortable and just because it looks uncomfortable to us doesn't mean it is to them. :thumbsup:

You have a younger child to hand the True Fit down too when he can't use his short strap radian any longer IIRC? So if it fits the bill now, you're just as good off keeping it for your older one, then handing it down and buying a frontier for your older ds when needed.

Compass lists the top harness height of the TF at 18", and some have measured it at that, so I'd be pretty sure you'll get more growing room out of it than the MA.

[CDNTech]

If you can, I would try and survive until the Frontier makes it here.

DS1 is very tall and skinny for his age. At just barely 6 years old, he was 39lbs and 47" tall (16.5" torso). Here's how he fits in the following seats...

Radian... an inch or so of torso growing room left.

EFTA... right even with top harness position.

Marathon... right even to just over top harness position (if installed in 3rd row), definitely over if installed in captain's chair ('08 Grand Caravan).

Apex... just under top harness slot *BUT* less than one inch of adjuster strap left when pulled tight to fit his 39lbs frame!!

TruFit... haven't found one IRL to test yet, sorry. :o

All other Graco/Evenflo Combination seats... outgrew top slot height over a year ago at 35lbs.

[Debn31]

You know what's sad, is I still really like the Radian (FF anyways) and if it wasn't for this strap thing (and then customer service thing) I'd not wanting to be getting rid of them at ALL!!

I'd like to just get one new carseat, but since I'm going to *try* to return them, I'll need two.

Complicated....ughh...
And, then there's the whole RF thing. The radian never did do well RF.

My second son is 25 lb, 34.5 inches (maybe 35 now?) at age 2 years and 3 months.

And to add to the confusion/indecision, we're likely getting a new vehicle next year. I'd like to say THIS year, in which case I'd probably just hang on to one Radian, and do the RF thing in there (we're really leaning towards a mazda 5).

I can crunch some numbers in the budget, but I really don't think we can swing a new vehicle this year...MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE if we lease, but even then I"m not sure.

How concerned would you all be about my little man FF? I know he CAN technically but as I mentioned in another post, I'd do just about anything to make them as safe as possible.....partly why I'm in all this angst.

Okay, another thought I had, was: since we are looking at adding to the family next year, at some point the baby is going to need to move up to a convertible.

I could keep the True Fit for my second son, so he could be RF immediately.
I could get the Frontier for my oldest, and keep one of the short strap Radians for my youngest (yet to be conceived, even LOL), since the Radians have a good, long expiry date, and we'd have the Mazda 5 by then, so instillation RF wouldn't be as big a deal, plus the baby would then have SOME time in it, and possibly then my oldest could go into a different booster, if needed, my middle into the Frontier, and then the youngest into the True Fit (if he she is like his/her older brothers and on the tall side, and outgrows the short strapped Radian).

Which would mean trying to return the last Radian to C.Tire, or selling it, or donating it.

Does that seem to make some sense?