mcrosbyme
01-24-2009, 04:13 PM
Hi all -
I have lurked on these forums for awhile and finally decided to ask a question. I hope I am not being repetitive. I have found information on these forums on this general question, but not a specific answer. However, if this thread has already been asked and answered, I apologize for repeating, and please point me towards it!
Background info: My husband has a 2001 Toyota Tacoma extended cab pickup. This vehicle has front facing rear seats and an air bag that you can turn off with a key on the passenger side. I have a 2000 Subaru Forester. I have 2 children - 1 is a 5 month old riding in a SnugRide exclusively in the Forester - but this question pertains to the older child, who is 4, 35ish lbs and 39 inches tall. Right now she rides 99.5% of the time in the Forester, FF in a Britax Decathlon. Rarely (once a month or less) she rides in the rear passenger side of the Tacoma in a FF Roundabout.
When I go back to work in a couple months, my husband will need to start transporting her to pre-school in the a.m. at least a few times a week. He went out and bought a First Years Compass folding booster the other night in preparation and tossed all accompanying packaging so that it cannot be returned. :( I would have bought a Radian...The packaging on the Compass says not to use it in the back of the truck, and the FAQ on the website says:
'Can the Folding Booster Car Seat be used in the back seat of a small, extended cab pick-up truck?
No. These small cabs do not provide enough room for standard allowable head excursion movement. Therefore, the child may strike the back of the front seat.'
We also have a Graco Nautilus that is used right now in the grandmother's car, as she is often secondary caregiver.
We definitely cannot afford to make any vehicle changes at this time. The Tacoma is not the finest choice for car seat safety I realize and when we replace it, we will not go that route, but that replacement is not in the immediate future.
Question:
Given the 3 car seats we have available - Decathlon, Nautilus, Compass - which is the best choice for the Tacoma? FF or RF? AND *most importantly* front or back seat?
(And it would be nice to imagine that I would be able to fit both children in the truck in an emergency, but I don't think there's even a remotely safe possibility there - so this question pertains only to my older child)
Thank you so much if you can help!
I have lurked on these forums for awhile and finally decided to ask a question. I hope I am not being repetitive. I have found information on these forums on this general question, but not a specific answer. However, if this thread has already been asked and answered, I apologize for repeating, and please point me towards it!
Background info: My husband has a 2001 Toyota Tacoma extended cab pickup. This vehicle has front facing rear seats and an air bag that you can turn off with a key on the passenger side. I have a 2000 Subaru Forester. I have 2 children - 1 is a 5 month old riding in a SnugRide exclusively in the Forester - but this question pertains to the older child, who is 4, 35ish lbs and 39 inches tall. Right now she rides 99.5% of the time in the Forester, FF in a Britax Decathlon. Rarely (once a month or less) she rides in the rear passenger side of the Tacoma in a FF Roundabout.
When I go back to work in a couple months, my husband will need to start transporting her to pre-school in the a.m. at least a few times a week. He went out and bought a First Years Compass folding booster the other night in preparation and tossed all accompanying packaging so that it cannot be returned. :( I would have bought a Radian...The packaging on the Compass says not to use it in the back of the truck, and the FAQ on the website says:
'Can the Folding Booster Car Seat be used in the back seat of a small, extended cab pick-up truck?
No. These small cabs do not provide enough room for standard allowable head excursion movement. Therefore, the child may strike the back of the front seat.'
We also have a Graco Nautilus that is used right now in the grandmother's car, as she is often secondary caregiver.
We definitely cannot afford to make any vehicle changes at this time. The Tacoma is not the finest choice for car seat safety I realize and when we replace it, we will not go that route, but that replacement is not in the immediate future.
Question:
Given the 3 car seats we have available - Decathlon, Nautilus, Compass - which is the best choice for the Tacoma? FF or RF? AND *most importantly* front or back seat?
(And it would be nice to imagine that I would be able to fit both children in the truck in an emergency, but I don't think there's even a remotely safe possibility there - so this question pertains only to my older child)
Thank you so much if you can help!