using a radian as long as possible

[Unregistered]

Looking for some advice here - I have two girls, dd1 is 6.5, 44-45", 40 lbs, and is in a radian 65. She looks to have about .5-1" to go in the top slot (I think she may be slumping sometimes). DD2 is 26 months, about 33", probably 22 lbs, and is in a RF blvd. She hates it. She lusts after DD1's radian (didn't know that carseat lust started that young ;)). And she is so small now, she will be rear-facing a long, long time. DD1 is going to outgrow it in the next year, depending on growth spurts. I was debating about getting an XT in pink and using it for DD1 until we move her to a booster. I tried the frontier in the back of our prius (with the radian installed RF) and I don't see how I could get in the back anymore - need to squeeze in once in awhile when we take MIL somewhere. That thing is HUGE! And the lovely Monterey ain't much smaller...

I'm hoping to stretch things out until either the parkway comes out (preferable, I think) or the oobr is out (2nd choice, I want an anti-submarining clip for my string bean.) Or is there some other great booster with great SIP that I'm missing? Needs to be narrow...

Should I go ahead and get an XT, as I think it will be even more comfortable to get in the back between two radians? (not to mention my clever plan to use the XT's boot on the old 65 to make the recline a little less steep....)

How do people feel about using Radians above the last shoulder slot with the ears below the shell, and will that work with the wings?

And, are there any big issues with putting a (hopefully by then) 7 yr old string bean in a booster? I know a harness may be safer, but I don't have room for a frontier, and I don't want to spend money on a Nautilus that makes a less than fantastic HBB, from what I've heard....

[Babywearing Meghan]

totally subbing.. as my 6.5 year old has like a half an inch till her shoulders are at the top slot, and is 54 lbs.

I am wondering what people thing of using it above the shoulder slots too ffig, and who thinks it is better to move her to a booster..

I think she has maybe 6 months left for height in it.

[Pixels]

You lose about .5 inch in the XT because of the headwings. She'd probably be at the top already. I don't think it would be comfortable to go over with the XT because of the headwings, they would be digging into her upper back/shoulder area.

I have no problem with going over the top slots within manufacturer guidelines. There is EPS foam under the child's tailbone to help with spinal compression. In Austrailia, they regularly use their seats with the shoulders slightly over the slots, and haven't found it to be dangerous.

Stringbean in a booster is fine at that age and weight.

[joolsplus3]

I have no problem with going over the top slots within manufacturer guidelines. The is EPS foam under the child's tailbone to help with spinal compression. In Austrailia, they regularly use their seats with the shoulders slightly over the top slots, and haven't found it to be dangerous.

Stringbean in a booster is fine at that age and weight.

I'd love to see a reference to that, to add to my link collection :)

[Pixels]

I'd love to see a reference to that, to add to my link collection :)

Which part? You quoted about three different topics. I bounced around a bit. :)

Oh and I edited my earlier post. In Australia, they use them with the shoulders slightly over any of the slots, not just the top. There is a limit to how far over the slots is allowed.

[chickabiddy]

I am wondering what people thing of using it above the shoulder slots too ffig, and who thinks it is better to move her to a booster..

For a child who is seven years old and able to use a booster properly, I would probably choose a good highbacked booster over use with the shoulders above the top slots. If the child was four years old and/or unable to use a booster properly, I would use the Radian.

[Unregistered]

My understanding is that SK allows you to go over the top slots as long as the kidlet is under 49" and the ears aren't above the top of shell. Not sure if there are safety implications, I can't imagine they would allow that if they knew of a problem.

[atsuydam]

A child who is over the slots in a radian will not fit in the XT :(. I was prepared for DD1 use to use it over the slots as her back up seat only to discover she can't fit her shoulders in there. So it is not so much of the wings digging in but bunching her up. DD1 slouched to get out of them.
So I vote get the XT for DD2 and let DD1 stay in the 65 until she out grows it. I would be comfortable with over the slot to about 1/2" at most. That should be enough time for the skinnier booster to come to the market.

[joolsplus3]

Which part? You quoted about three different topics. I bounced around a bit. :)

Oh and I edited my earlier post. In Australia, they use them with the shoulders slightly over any of the slots, not just the top. There is a limit to how far over the slots is allowed.

I mean, did you read Australian carseat manuals or something that say they use the shoulders above the slots FF? It's just interesting info. Kind of weird it's so opposite the extended RF countries that want the harness to be above the shoulders even RF to prevent spinal compression injuries, but if there are countries with vastly different rules like that and kids aren't suffering huge spinal compression injury rates in either seat :thumbsup:


Annnnyway... my dd used the Radian till she was just above the top slots, and I was fine with that. She was 7, and I think the manual said 51 inches as the top height, but she was only 49 inches when her shoulders crept above the slots (and I had other seats that she found more comfortable at that size, so I didn't have to keep her in it... I would have if it were the only option, as I'm fine with the RN manual saying to use the seat with the shoulders a bit above the slots...she was just SO uncomfortable in the seat by that point :( )

[mykidsmom]

Is the Vivo a narrower booster?

[Pixels]

I mean, did you read Australian carseat manuals or something that say they use the shoulders above the slots FF? It's just interesting info. Kind of weird it's so opposite the extended RF countries that want the harness to be above the shoulders even RF to prevent spinal compression injuries, but if there are countries with vastly different rules like that and kids aren't suffering huge spinal compression injury rates in either seat :thumbsup:
Yeah, I read a couple of manuals. Cuz I'm a dork like that. :rolleyes: Safe N Sound (Britax) MaxiRider AHR (http://www.britax.com.au/Websites/Business/ResourceCatWeb.nsf/LUPages/Other-Maxi%20Rider%20AHR-2108613%20Maxi%20Rider%20AHR%20Instruction/$File/2108613%20Maxi%20Rider%20AHR%20Instruction.pdf), page 10. Safe N Sound Sleep N Recline (http://www.britax.com.au/Websites/Business/ResourceCatWeb.nsf/LUPages/Other-Convertibles-2108560%20Convertible/$File/2108560%20Convertible.pdf), page 21. Both say the harness should be in the slots closest to the child's shoulders, but not more than 25 mm (1 inch) below the shoulders.

Annnnyway... my dd used the Radian till she was just above the top slots, and I was fine with that. She was 7, and I think the manual said 51 inches as the top height, but she was only 49 inches when her shoulders crept above the slots (and I had other seats that she found more comfortable at that size, so I didn't have to keep her in it... I would have if it were the only option, as I'm fine with the RN manual saying to use the seat with the shoulders a bit above the slots...she was just SO uncomfortable in the seat by that point :( )

The current manual says 53 inches. I think it's changed a couple of times, originally 49", then 51", and now 53".

[Unregistered]

Ok, so we'll keep using the radian as long as it works, since I would assume that a harnessed seat is probably still safer than a booster with SIP, unless the radian is ridiculously outgrown - but she tends to grow slowly, so I think we have a bit yet. I'll look at the latest radian manual online and see if there is any other info to be gleaned...

In the event that the clek oobr and the parkway are just too far out, what are decent options for narrow boosters with SIP?

Anymore guesses on the parkway for width, workableness for us? I am concerned that it will get too big if they add armrests, etc on. I wish there would be another press leak...

[Pixels]

There's really no info on the Parkway. Some people are assuming that it will be narrow like the discontinued booster with the same name, but there's really no good reason to assume that.

I believe that the Turbo and Airboosters are pretty narrow. Which one will work better depends a lot on puzzling.