5.5 yr old in EFTA

[Mama Jo]

I'm sure this is old news to all of you who have an EFTA, but I played with this thing for close to half an hour at Target today and was just amazed at how much I like it! I've never taken the time to really mess with it much, because I honestly thought it was god-awful-ugly, and I thought the harness straps looked stupid with the red things at the top of them. But the adjustable height harness strap idea was just knawing at the back of my mind, knowing how convenient this would be to use for a small RF 18 month old and a tall, solid FF 2.5 year old.

So today I decided to play with it a little bit. I didn't get any pics of Elias in it, though he did look very comfy and he didn't even protest when I buckled him in.

What shocked me the most was how Liv fit in it! I've put her in Elias' BV and her ears are pretty much right at the top of the shell. But she had alot of head room left in the EFTA. Slightly less harness room than head room, though. (Side note: I have not tried her in either the BV or the EFTA installed in any vehicle, only sitting on the floor. She could lose a little room in both if they were actually installed.)

Also note, the infant insert is still in the seat. I didn't bother with taking it out, so it does add a little padding underneath her.

Please excuse the quality of the pics, my camera phone is awful.

The seat is in the middle recline position. I didn't read the manual, but I assume this is the FF recline position, because it's way too upright for RF.
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/josiesmith624/FF.jpg

The crotch strap is a little shorter than the FN and the GN. (Also please excuse the purple thumb nail... I slammed my finger in the door of the van because I'm an idiot :whistle:)
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/josiesmith624/crotch1.jpg

I drew a line where the crotch strap sits, but I can't get it to show up. :shrug-shoulders: Anyway, it's not bad for her, but she's pretty skinny, so I don't know if this would pose an issue for a bigger kid. And since I didn't bother taking out the infant insert, I also forgot to check if there were other crotch strap positions (I know, I'm a terrible review-er...)
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/josiesmith624/crotch2.jpg

My finger is at the top of the harness "track". Approximately an inch above her shoulder. This could change upon installation and also upon removing the infant padding.
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/josiesmith624/shoulder.jpg

And finally, I knew it was time to go when Elias started eating the tags and labels off the other seats :whistle: lol
http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt155/josiesmith624/nautilus.jpg

On the floor, the EFTA *seemed* like it might fit well next to the Nautilus, both FF and RF. I don't know if that would be the same actually installed or not. Does anyone have a Nauti and an EFTA and know for sure?? I tried the Scenera, the AOE, the MA, and the EFTA next the GN on the floor, FF and RF, and the EFTA seemed like the best fit. I tried to line them up back/back and back/front as best I could, but I suppose it's hard to know for sure without actually installing them.

And like I said, I'm sure this is all old news to you who have this seat, but it was fun and exciting for me! LOL

[snowbird25ca]

LOL. Thanks for the pictures and sharing your thoughts. I'm giggling at your "old news" comment though. :p

There are 2 crotch strap positions on the EFTA. I think in terms of measurements it's one of the most roomy crotch depths of the various seats available, probably 2nd only to the Frontier. The insert does have to be out for ff'ing use, and you are correct that position 2 is the semi-recline position allowed ff'ing. I'm guessing what you see with position 2 in store is comparable to what you'd see with the fully upright position in vehicle. :thumbsup:

[firemomof3]

I love the pictures, and your funny comments :p I also tried my 5.5y/o in the True Fit and was shocked at how well she fit. For the price, the EFTA is really an awsome choice :thumbsup: Here is my dd1 in the EFTA:
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg303/firemomof3_photo/EFTA/vanseatpics004.jpg

[Madeline410]

LOL, you are so funny. I may or may not have strapped my DD in another seat while I was trying DS in the My Ride :whistle: I agree though, love this seat! (see siggy LOL)

[emandbri]

Just yesterday I was recommended one to a friend for her dad's car. I was thinking it would work really well since her dad could adjust the hieght for both her kids without taking the seat out of the car. I'm thinking this might be a good seat for my mom for the same reason since she gas grandkids of various sizes.

[moobiegirl]

I love our EFTA!!! I just convinced a friend two days ago to buy one. She bought the brown and mint one that was in your review. I can't wait to help her install it later today or tomorrow.

[Mommy2Marcus]

I to LOVE mine! It will fit my little guy for a long time to come!

[heyruthie]

we :love: ours, and it's my go-to seat to rec. for anyone who has to switch kids back and forth between different seats. it truly does fit most (basically) newborns all the way up to many 5-6 yo's. my DS1 outgrew it by height sometime between the age of 5 and 6. plus, it's a really great sleeping seat with no head slump. and for the price? yeah. awesome seat. and besides, look at firemomof3's pics. you can't tell me that seat it ugly! (at least not compared to some of the other seats out there!)

[Mama Jo]

and besides, look at firemomof3's pics. you can't tell me that seat it ugly! (at least not compared to some of the other seats out there!)

I just thought the shape of the seat made it ugly. LOL. In combination with the red tabs at the top of the harness straps. I mean, why couldn't they make them black to at least match the straps?? I still think that part looks stupid, even though I've decided the seat as a whole isn't so ugly anymore. LOL

So after trying to puzzle the EFTA with the GN on the floor at Target, and thinking that maybe, just maybe, it might work... I HAD to go to BRU today to try it on the test bench, to get a better feel for it.

The test bench at my BRU has one usable lower anchor. One. Not one set. One anchor. That sticks out about 4 inches. And no working seatbelts. So basically, I just used the lower anchor hooks on one side of each seat and hooked them to the same anchor just to see how it would fit, and left the other side unhooked. FF and RF, they seem to fit wonderfully together!! On both sides of the GN!! Actually, on the test bench, I was able to fit a GN with an EFTA on each side of it. FF or RF on either side. They weren't really installed though, since there was practically nothing to install them to. (Sorry, no pics, it was super busy there today and I had cranky kids.)

The test bench seems like it's wider than my 3rd row, but I'm thinking (*hoping*) that if I stick a Radian on one side, I can get a GN and an EFTA in there. I'm counting on it actually, so it better work! lol

[SGTex]

Hmmm... that might be a good seat for me next year, since I often have an assortment of different kids in my car...

I will agree - I tried it with Julia last year at 4 1/2 and was shocked at how much room she had to grow in it! I didn't buy one b/c at the time, we were just 'playing', but now I may get one next year!

[heyruthie]

The test bench at my BRU has one usable lower anchor. One. Not one set. One anchor. That sticks out about 4 inches. And no working seatbelts.

that's even worse than our BRU bench! at least ours has 2 anchors. But, like yours, they stick out 4 inches, so you can't tell anything about the install! our seatbelt never works there either. oh well, it IS better than nothing!!! LOL! We seriously :love: our EFTA, and I should get some promos from Evenflo, becuase I know I've "sold" at least half a dozen of them to friends, family, and even strangers in Target and BRU. (On several occasions I've rec'd the EFTA and watched people buy it instead of a Comfort Sport or other lesser seat.)

[dd9736]

Does anyone have a Nauti and an EFTA and know for sure??

I will, probably tomorrow night, I can try it out for fun when I get home, and will post how they fit tomorrow, I'll actually have 3 seats to play puzzle with in my car.

[thepeach80]

If she fits well in the Vivo I know AJ would. We need to get together, are you busy on the 6th? lol Your kids are welcome to come too if you want. PM me!

[allie1078]

my 8yr fits in the efta too. she is only 40 lbs and just barely 48 inches tall(all legs). I have had to put her in ds's upon occasion for short trips. her shoulders are at the very top of the harness and ears at the top of the shell. so if she grows any I won't be able to put her in it again.

[Naomi's-Momma]

Your daughter is adorable. I love her jeans, are those little flowers on the sides?

I thank the TA may be my next seat. unless I need a infant seat first.