Carrie_R
Ambassador - CPS Technician
I have a 2002 GMC Safari in which I regularly transport a group of children. Until about a month ago, most of them rode in boosters (almost all low-back... *shudder*) and then I saw the 5pt vs harness booster video. Scary stuff. I've gotten new, harnessed carseats for almost everyone, but I do still have a few questions that I'm hoping someone here can help me with.
This is really long, so thank you in advance to anyone who reads, and especially to anyone who answers. Also, don't feel that you have to answer all parts -- I'll gladly take help with just one or two of the points if that's all you have. Lastly, please let me know if any of these should be (re)posted in a different forum. Again, thanks in advance.
1) This question is almost irrelevent for us, but I was asked this morning and wanted to make sure I gave out correct information. I have a babe who is in a Graco Snugride -- he's 25" and probably 18 or 19 lbs, so he's just about outgrown it. With me, he'll be (RF, of course) in a Scenera in about two weeks, but it may be that his parents want to push out changing him till he hits the limit. Just to check, aside from the 26" requirement, is he outgrown by height if within 1" from the top of the shell? Also, his mom asked if he was okay if his legs exteneded out the bottom of the seat... I told her yes, as I know that's true in convertables, but I wanted to make sure it was true in infant seats as well.
2) I'd like to recommend a seat that is both RFing and HWH for him to his parents -- 65lbs is fine, don't necessarily need 80. I thought the Nautilus RFd but I now know it doesn't, so not sure what fits that criteria. Budget would be a big plus -- they'd be more likely to follow my recommendation -- but isn't necessary. Is the MyRide65 going to be least expensive? There's a good chance that they still have a convertible seat from an older sibling, but the one they have also may be expired.
3) Switching kids... I need a booster for a tall, solid 7.5 yo child. He's 52" and 78 lbs. Safety is paramount but budget is also important. (I've spent about $500 on car seats already, lol.) I have available to me a Cosco/Dorel low back booster, which goes to 100lbs and 57", and a couple of high back boosters (Cosco Ventura and Cosco/Dorel high back booster) which go to 80lbs/52". Obviously, he's going to outgrow those in a matter of weeks -- his ears are still below the top of the Cosco high back but won't be for long. My preference would be to keep him in a HBB, but is he safe in a low-back? (I know in my gut he'd be safer in a HBB and would really be need to talked into putting him a low back, but it should be obvious from the rest of my post that I'm not the most knowledgable.)
I was thinking of the TurboBooster, or the AirRide. (They have AirRides at our Big Lots for $55.) Is the TurboBooster comparable in fit to the Nautilus? I put him in another child's Nauti and feel that it fits him reasonably well, so would be inclined to go with the Turbo if the fit is similar. Is there another 'budget' booster seat that would work well? How about a Vivo? What's the difference between the Vivo and the Vivo Light?
Sorry, that was a lot of questions... I've managed to make decisions on the other seats pretty easily but am not sure what to do for this young man.
4) There will be occasions this summer where I will have to put a child in the front seat. My options are the above 52"/78lb booster boy, or a 55lb 57" 5yo in an Apex 65. I had ASSumed that it would be better to put the older, larger child in the front seat, as he's at least approaching the size of the 12yr old recommendation, but my understanding now is that it's actually better to put the oldest harnessed child up front, is that correct? Ergo, the 5yo? Unfortunately my front does have airbags which I cannot turn off, if that makes a difference. (To be clear, I don't *like* the option of a child in a front seat, and try to avoid it if possible, but when it has to happen, I want to do what's safest.)
4b) Is it the oldest harnessed child, or the largest harnessed child? I have a 35lb, 43" 5yo who is actually 3mos older than the 55lb, 47"... he's not an option due to parental consent, so I'm asking for theoretical reasons.
5) I'm flat out an idiot about tethering. I've never done it. In fact, I didn't think I had tethers, so I've never paid attention... but as I recently figured out, I don't have LATCH, but I do have two rear tethers in the 3rd row. I think. They're heavy black metal triangles, and I guess they could be for my cargo net (that I also didn't know I had, ha!) but I think they're tethers. Is there a step-by-step tether FAQ somewhere? And would someone be willing to help me which seats it would be most beneficial/important to tether, if I list them all out?
6) Final question. My seat belts have ELRs, and I was under the impression that it meant they did not lock. After years of fighting with locking clips, I have come to find out that in fact, I have locking latchplates. (Not sure if they're regular or lightweight.) So I've removed the locking clips from both of the middle belts, as well as one other seat. The belts hold great, with solid installs. My question is, is it unsafe to leave the locking clips on the other seats? They're outboard lap-shoulder belt seats. It's more a matter of convenience, not reinstalling every seat in the van, but if it's unsafe to leave them with locking clips on, I can take them off.
Again, for the fifty-sixth time... thank you for anyone who takes the time to read or to help.
Carrie
This is really long, so thank you in advance to anyone who reads, and especially to anyone who answers. Also, don't feel that you have to answer all parts -- I'll gladly take help with just one or two of the points if that's all you have. Lastly, please let me know if any of these should be (re)posted in a different forum. Again, thanks in advance.
1) This question is almost irrelevent for us, but I was asked this morning and wanted to make sure I gave out correct information. I have a babe who is in a Graco Snugride -- he's 25" and probably 18 or 19 lbs, so he's just about outgrown it. With me, he'll be (RF, of course) in a Scenera in about two weeks, but it may be that his parents want to push out changing him till he hits the limit. Just to check, aside from the 26" requirement, is he outgrown by height if within 1" from the top of the shell? Also, his mom asked if he was okay if his legs exteneded out the bottom of the seat... I told her yes, as I know that's true in convertables, but I wanted to make sure it was true in infant seats as well.
2) I'd like to recommend a seat that is both RFing and HWH for him to his parents -- 65lbs is fine, don't necessarily need 80. I thought the Nautilus RFd but I now know it doesn't, so not sure what fits that criteria. Budget would be a big plus -- they'd be more likely to follow my recommendation -- but isn't necessary. Is the MyRide65 going to be least expensive? There's a good chance that they still have a convertible seat from an older sibling, but the one they have also may be expired.
3) Switching kids... I need a booster for a tall, solid 7.5 yo child. He's 52" and 78 lbs. Safety is paramount but budget is also important. (I've spent about $500 on car seats already, lol.) I have available to me a Cosco/Dorel low back booster, which goes to 100lbs and 57", and a couple of high back boosters (Cosco Ventura and Cosco/Dorel high back booster) which go to 80lbs/52". Obviously, he's going to outgrow those in a matter of weeks -- his ears are still below the top of the Cosco high back but won't be for long. My preference would be to keep him in a HBB, but is he safe in a low-back? (I know in my gut he'd be safer in a HBB and would really be need to talked into putting him a low back, but it should be obvious from the rest of my post that I'm not the most knowledgable.)
I was thinking of the TurboBooster, or the AirRide. (They have AirRides at our Big Lots for $55.) Is the TurboBooster comparable in fit to the Nautilus? I put him in another child's Nauti and feel that it fits him reasonably well, so would be inclined to go with the Turbo if the fit is similar. Is there another 'budget' booster seat that would work well? How about a Vivo? What's the difference between the Vivo and the Vivo Light?
Sorry, that was a lot of questions... I've managed to make decisions on the other seats pretty easily but am not sure what to do for this young man.
4) There will be occasions this summer where I will have to put a child in the front seat. My options are the above 52"/78lb booster boy, or a 55lb 57" 5yo in an Apex 65. I had ASSumed that it would be better to put the older, larger child in the front seat, as he's at least approaching the size of the 12yr old recommendation, but my understanding now is that it's actually better to put the oldest harnessed child up front, is that correct? Ergo, the 5yo? Unfortunately my front does have airbags which I cannot turn off, if that makes a difference. (To be clear, I don't *like* the option of a child in a front seat, and try to avoid it if possible, but when it has to happen, I want to do what's safest.)
4b) Is it the oldest harnessed child, or the largest harnessed child? I have a 35lb, 43" 5yo who is actually 3mos older than the 55lb, 47"... he's not an option due to parental consent, so I'm asking for theoretical reasons.
5) I'm flat out an idiot about tethering. I've never done it. In fact, I didn't think I had tethers, so I've never paid attention... but as I recently figured out, I don't have LATCH, but I do have two rear tethers in the 3rd row. I think. They're heavy black metal triangles, and I guess they could be for my cargo net (that I also didn't know I had, ha!) but I think they're tethers. Is there a step-by-step tether FAQ somewhere? And would someone be willing to help me which seats it would be most beneficial/important to tether, if I list them all out?
6) Final question. My seat belts have ELRs, and I was under the impression that it meant they did not lock. After years of fighting with locking clips, I have come to find out that in fact, I have locking latchplates. (Not sure if they're regular or lightweight.) So I've removed the locking clips from both of the middle belts, as well as one other seat. The belts hold great, with solid installs. My question is, is it unsafe to leave the locking clips on the other seats? They're outboard lap-shoulder belt seats. It's more a matter of convenience, not reinstalling every seat in the van, but if it's unsafe to leave them with locking clips on, I can take them off.
Again, for the fifty-sixth time... thank you for anyone who takes the time to read or to help.
Carrie