Would you get a Nautilus for an 8yo?

[tracee877]

Looking at seats at BRU today and on a whim I decided to try DD in a Nautilus. I saw someone here, can't remember who, that had their 8yo in one so I was wondering if she would fit. Well she does, but only with about .75-.5" left in the harness. She of course fell in love with it and was begging me to buy it. She kinda looks squished but she said it was comfy. WWYD?

Pics are a little cruddy since they were taken with my phone.

http://app1.sellersourcebook.com/users/1599/dsp_0616091559_1_.jpg

http://app1.sellersourcebook.com/users/1599/dsp_0616091600_1_.jpg

[crunchierthanthou]

Looking at seats at BRU today and on a whim I decided to try DD in a Nautilus. I saw someone here, can't remember who, that had their 8yo in one so I was wondering if she would fit. Well she does, but only with about .75-.5" left in the harness. She of course fell in love with it and was begging me to buy it. She kinda looks squished but she said it was comfy. WWYD?

you would remove the insert for someone her size, so she wouldn't be as squished (it's only for the bottom slots). However, seats usually fit differently in the car than in the store. You almost always lose some growing room once it's installed. I'd try it in your vehicle, but even with .5-.75" to grow I probably wouldn't buy one for an 8 year old. :twocents:

[Maedze]

No, I absolutely wouldn't spend money on a harnessed seat for a NT 8 year old.

I also think she doesn't fit in that seat from a comfort perspective. She should be able to fully rest her back into the seat, and she clearly can't.

There's nothing WRONG with a harnessed seat at her age, but it's definitely unnecessary. If you're looking for a seat for her, I'd get her a Sunshine Kid's Monterey.

[christineka]

I would not buy a harnessed seat for a normal 8 year old. If you want a cushy seat, there are some good boosters out there to buy like the Monterey and Vivo.

[scatterbunny]

I would consider buying a harnessed seat for an 8yo if she really, really wanted to be harnessed, but I'd only do it if she actually had close to an inch of growing room when it's installed, and only if the seat made a fantastic booster (since there's less than an inch of height room harnessed).

The Nautilus tends to shrink once it's installed (at least, the growing room does), sometimes by close to an inch, so it's possible your dd is right at/just over the height maximum for the harness now, once it's installed. In addition, the Nautilus isn't a fabulous booster for most kids, allowing the lap belt to ride too high for optimum safety.

If your dd was begging for a Britax Frontier, and you could budget for it, I'd lean towards it, since the Frontier lasts about as long harnessed as the Nautilus, and it makes a better booster for most kids (and it adjusts taller as a booster than any other seat on the market).

Then there's the Regent, if she really wants to be harnessed, but it might get you another 12-18 months longer than a Nautilus or Frontier, harnessed, and it doesn't convert to a booster.

Otherwise, yeah, I'd just keep her in a good highback booster. :)

[tracee877]

Thanks, that's what I figured. She has been out of a harness for almost 3 years now. I think she really just wants to be like baby brother.:rolleyes:

[BookMama]

I would consider buying a harnessed seat for an 8yo if she really, really wanted to be harnessed, but I'd only do it if she actually had close to an inch of growing room when it's installed, and only if the seat made a fantastic booster (since there's less than an inch of height room harnessed).

I agree - I have no problem with an 8YO being harnessed (obviously, since mine is), but not that seat for this child. I also probably wouldn't buy a new seat to keep an 8YO harnessed, but if you want to spend the money, fine with me. :)

The Nautilus tends to shrink once it's installed (at least, the growing room does), sometimes by close to an inch, so it's possible your dd is right at/just over the height maximum for the harness now, once it's installed. In addition, the Nautilus isn't a fabulous booster for most kids, allowing the lap belt to ride too high for optimum safety.

DS loses nearly a full slot when the Nautilus is actually installed. When I first tried DS in the Nautilus, his shoulders were slightly under the second slots. When I purchased and installed the seat a week later, his shoulders were more than halfway between the second and third slots.

I agree that a good highback booster (or even backless, if the seatbelt fits well and you have side air bags) should be just fine for her. :thumbsup:

[Misty-Bug]

There's nothing WRONG with a harnessed seat at her age, but it's definitely unnecessary. If you're looking for a seat for her, I'd get her a Sunshine Kid's Monterey.

that is what I was thinking too. The Monterey's are nice. I think there is a red one and a pink one if I remember correctly. If she is wanting a "pretty"
seat

[chickabiddy]

As others have stated, I would not buy that seat for that child, and I personally would not buy a harnessed seat for a physically and developmentally typical 8yo, and I wouldn't even suggest it to parents, but I wouldn't recommend *against* it.

[kelandmad]

I have my 8yo in one, but I didn't originally purchase it for her, I bought it for my 5yo. my 8yo is sitting in it full time, because she was not sitting good in her booster, and could not buckle herself properly in the booster, and with her in the third row it does help having her in a harnessed seat that she is capable of buckling herself up in. She also feels safer in the harness. She is a lot smaller then your 8yo, she is only on the third slots of the seat. She also looks a lot more comfortable then your DD. I would not purchase a harnessed seat for any 8yo especially one that sits well in a booster.

[andre149]

Personally, given that she'll probably lose that space once it's installed, I wouldn't buy it for her. There are options if you want to keep her harnessed, but if she sits well in a booster it's certainly safe for her. I considered the Nauti for one of the kiddos I babysit, but decided against it since she's older and I couldn't justify the cost for the time I would get out of it.

There are cushy boosters on the market if she likes the padding, I'd go that route if you're having problems with the current seat.