2 across in Jeep Cherokee with tall parents

[ryalledup]

We are expecting #2 in May. We have a Snugride and an Evenflo Triumph, and a 2000 Jeep Cherokee (not a grand or anything). My DS 2.5 37 inches and about 35 pds. is currently in the middle FF because we need to have the seats back so far. I am thinking that the snugride will have to replace it in the middle seat so then my DS will have little legroom behind the passenger seat. Would a 5 pt. booster with back offer more legroom. Any recommendations as to what we should look to buy (other than a new car since it is paid off, hahaha) or other solutions will be appreciated.

-Ryall

[MustangMama]

A harnessed booster and a convertible seat would take up equal amount of space in my opinion. Small vehicles are just small vehicles and that is something I have learned to deal with.....:whistle:

I would say to go buy him a Radian65. It will be able to keep him harnessed up to 65LBS and is very slim so it should fit well behind your seat so you can keep the baby in the middle. It will also fit very nicely next to a SnugRide :thumbsup:

If you think you could get a Nautilus behind your seat and your son could criss cross his legs, that could be an option. The Nautilus will give you the best bang for your buck because it turns into a booster later on.

I would go to the closest store that will let you try them in your car and just see what you think........

Maybe you should be thinking ahead though......are you going to still be driving this vehicle when he needs a booster in a couple years? He might have to have more leg room later on down the road ya' know?

Regardless, good luck! Have fun and go play with some car seats!! :D

[ketchupqueen]

The Radian has a VERY low profile, it leaves a lot of leg room for my kids in the back of our car. :)

[skaterbabscpst]

The Radian may or may not be compatible with your vehicle. It's certainly not in my '96 Cherokee. I don't know how different the 2000 is from the '96, but the '96 is TINY. I feel your pain.

Start with a narrow infant seat, and make sure your front passenger seat is upright. That will give you a little more room.

Avoid Evenflo infant seats because they can be difficult to install AND they require that they not touchg the front seat.

Because you have locking latchplates you don't need to worry about a seat tipping, so something like a Graco Snugride installed without the base should allow enough room.

I'd suggest visiting your local baby store and just trying different seats in your vehicle.

As for the FF seat, I've had several different ones installed in my Jeep, including a Regent, and my daughter never complained about leg room. Usually she just sat "Indian style", which she found more comfortable than letting her legs dangle anyway.

[Defrost]

You'll definitely need to try out the seats to see what works best. Something that is lower-profile than the MA will offer more legroom, but the two most commonly recommended are the Radian (which can be a real PITB to install in some vehicles) and the True Fit, and the True Fit is very wide and is going to make it less likely that you'll fit an infant seat next to it. :(