I need help, how long should I harness?

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jan 26, 2007

• #1

This forum is amazing, I can't believe all the info I've found! I've still got quite a few questions and hope someone can help me.

My son is just turning 3, he is 36lbs and 39 inches. I would like to buy a combo seat to replace a convertable. Originally I was just going to buy a Evenflo Generations, but I'm not sure how long it would last. I can't imagine my son being ready for a booster by the time he's 4(are kids that mature yet?).

I've been trying to base my decision by how big he is(and how big he will get). Does anyone know how big the average 4 year old is? I believe my son is right around the 80th percentile for both height and weight, and has followed that curve for the past 2 years. How much can expect him to grow?

What carseat is my best bet? I'm so confused, sorry for all the rambling! LOL

Thanks for any help!

Kara

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Jan 26, 2007

• #2

According to the CDC Growth charts, your son is somewhere around the 50th percentile for height and weight. If he continues on the same growth line, he will hit 40 pounds around age 4.75 to 5. He could outgrow the seats' harnesses by height at any time, depending on where he carries his height (legs vs. torso).

HOWEVER, there are some harnessed seats on the market that harness to 55, 65, or 80 pounds. I would recommend one of those seats to you. I would look into the Britax Regent, Safeguard, or Cosco Apex for your son. If you are planning on trying to "pass down" the seat to a younger sibling, cousin, etc., I would look into the Sunshine Kids Radian or Britax Marathon. Those seats both RF, so they may work well for a younger/lighter child.

GOod luck!

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jan 26, 2007

• #3

He's higher than the 50th...that's 33 pounds and 38 inches for 'just turning three'.

Head injury risk is higher for kids in boosters under age 5, so that's a more ideal time to move from a harnessed seat (though harnessing is always safer, for all of us)...so look at something with a higher weight limit, for sure, like the Cosco Apex, Britax Regent, or Sunshine Kids Radian to keep him harnessed till you are ready for him to move to a booster (my kids are 9 and 7 and still ride in their regents often...)

 

P

Pawy

New member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #4

isnt the answer as long as your seat will allow or find a bigger seat that will allow you to keep him in a harness, the longer he is in one the safer he is...

Paul

 

L

LuvBug

New member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #5

my DS was 36lbs and 39" on his 3rd birthday and now at 3.5 he just hit 40lbs. Maybe if you only want to harness until a good booster age you could get the apex instead.

 

canadianmom2three

Active member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #6

I moved my DS out of his Alpha Omega when he outgrew it by both height and weight at the same time - just around 4 yo, and into a Graco Turbo Booster. It turned out that he was not at all ready or able to sit correctly in the booster - he was always reaching down to the floor or turned way around to look at the big kids, even when I locked up the belt he would squirm so much he got his shoulder and arm out...., and I have since put him back into the harness in the Radian65, where he has plenty of room left to grow, and rides much more safely.

 

Last edited: Feb 11, 2007

Dillipop

Well-known member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #7

My DS was around 33-34 pounds at his 3 year check up and he is now 35 1/2 without clothes at 3 1/2. But...with clothing, he is really close to 40, close enough that I don't feel comfortable with him in our 40 pound seat. Just so you know, the CDC charts are average weights for children without clothing, so your child will hit 40 pounds sooner than predicted on the charts with clothing.

If you are on a budget, i would recommend the apex, which will get your son over 4 years old and then when he outgrows the harness either heightwise or weightwise, the apex makes a decent booster. Make sure you get an apex with higher top slots and with eps foam. Also, the apex requires head support behind it, so if you don't have headrests or really high seatbacks, it might not work for you.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #8

Patriot20171 said:

According to the CDC Growth charts, your son is somewhere around the 50th percentile for height and weight. If he continues on the same growth line, he will hit 40 pounds around age 4.75 to 5. He could outgrow the seats' harnesses by height at any time, depending on where he carries his height (legs vs. torso).

HOWEVER, there are some harnessed seats on the market that harness to 55, 65, or 80 pounds. I would recommend one of those seats to you. I would look into the Britax Regent, Safeguard, or Cosco Apex for your son. If you are planning on trying to "pass down" the seat to a younger sibling, cousin, etc., I would look into the Sunshine Kids Radian or Britax Marathon. Those seats both RF, so they may work well for a younger/lighter child.

GOod luck!

Click to expand...

Actually, for a JUST-TURNED 3yo, 39 inches and 36 pounds is over the 75th percentile and closer to the 90th percentile.

My dd was 38 inches and 35 pounds at 2 years, 8 months old, so I understand what you're dealing with. I do NOT think a 40 pound harnessed weight limit seat will be enough. My dd hit 40 pounds at 3.5, she's 5.5 now and still not mature enough for a booster full-time.

What is the year, make and model of your vehicle? Do you have other kids? If so, ages and weights would be good to know.

 

F

futuresoccermom

New member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #9

Thankyou for all the suggestions!

The Apex will not work in my car, I have a 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage 4 door.

We do not have any other children yet, we will start trying the beginning of next year, so if everything kind of follows that timeline #2 wouldn't arrive until our son is 5.

My car is pretty small, and most of the car seats we have owned have been pretty hard to fit. Right now my son is using a Graco treasured cargo(?), the one with no up front adjusters or anything. He is already on the highest set of harness slots on this seat. His torso measurement is around 15- 15 1/4.

Where is the best place to order any of the above mentioned seats from? Do you know of anyplace that free return shipping if the seat doesn't work?

Thanks

 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

• Jan 26, 2007

• #10

joolsplus3 said:

He's higher than the 50th...that's 33 pounds and 38 inches for 'just turning three'.

Click to expand...

Actually, for a JUST-TURNED 3yo, 39 inches and 36 pounds is over the 75th percentile and closer to the 90th percentile.

Click to expand...

You guys are right... I just went back and re-looked. I was looking at the wrong line! That's what you get when you only get 4 hours of sleep (2.5 uninterrupted).

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Jan 26, 2007

• #11

Hehe, I understand.

I had/have a big kid who was similar in size (actually a teensy bit bigger) so that's why I knew instantly he was bigger than "average".

 

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futuresoccermom

New member

• Jan 27, 2007

• #12

Just bumping, I am the original poster, I had to register to reply. I replied a couple of posts up, it took a while to show up, so I'm not sure if anyone saw it.

Can someone tell me more about the radian? Who is this seat best for? Also, the regent, how large is that seat?

Thanks for all of your help, I really appreciate it!