Need new seat for DS, Help please

Kleine hexe

New member
My head is spinning with all I've read. Just when I think I know what set I want I read something I don't like.

My DS is 5yrs old (will be 6 in Jan) and weighs 35# and is 42.5". His current seat (an Eddie Bauer something) is 5 years old and he goes to 40# harness. I don't want to use his current seat as a booster.

So my question is at this time do I buy a harness seat with a higher harness weight or buy a booster? At his age/weight/height should I still keep him in a harness or go with a booster?

DH would like me to find the cheapest seat possible but I just may have to convince him we need to spend more money.

I've considered:
Radian, heard it was difficult to install. I need something easy.

Safeguard, HOLY MOLY expensive

Regent, also expensive and I wonder if my DS would even hit the 80# limit before the 6 year expiration date. Anyone use their seat beyond 6 years?

Apex, thought I wanted this seat until I read how flimsy it is. I don't know now.

Parkway, Recaro Sport, Monarch are all boosters I've looked at online. I just don't know if he should be in a booster yet or still be in a harness.

Suggestions?
 
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abacus2

Well-known member
Consider the SafeGuard GO if you have high seatbacks/headrests and a tether anchor and especially if you have LATCH. Or you could consider the Evenflo Booster combo seat, use the harness to 40lbs and then switch to booster mode. Are his shoulders above the top harness slot on his current seat? My understanding is that kids need to be heavy enough to engage the seatbelt's locking mechanism in a crash and mature enough to sit properly in a booster leading to the guideline that kids be at least 4 and 40lbs for a booster.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
No seat should be used past the expiration date (the plastic can degrade, etc. increasing risk of failure during crash) -- many carseats now have the expiration info stamped into the shell/frame or customer service can explain based on Date of Manufacture....
  • Most kids outgrow the Regent by height at around 8+ years old & by then he should be mature enough to use a booster correctly or he may pass the 5 Step Test & be safe without a booster.
  • The Apex is a fine choice assuming you have high vehicle seatbacks or adjustable headrests -- I prefer to use it in a center position simply because I am used to my super sturdy Husky (older name for Regent), but when the vehicle has side curtain airbags I feel fine using it outboard.
  • There's also the Recaro Young Sport which has 17" top harness slots with 40# weight limit & recline option (which bought my DD a bit of extra height growth in the harness). It's the only combination seat that becomes a truly dedicated booster after kiddo outgrows the harness: deep side wings filled with EPS foam in head + hips/torso. It's expensive, but so comfy & Dad's tend to love the name (racing).
  • Assuming you have head rests & top tether the SafeGuard GO is also a good choice (especially if you travel).
  • The Parkway adjusts higher than the others, lacks armrests making it easy for kids to buckle themselves & is very comfy.
If I were you & actually did have the $ I would try for the original SafeGuard Childseat because I love the kind of harness/headrest adjuster it has & love how extensively it's been tested, but we do love our Husky/Regent & the Apex has been a great spare seat. Leila's favorite seat was the RYSport -- she still talks about how she misses it, LOL! Whenever possible I like to try to narrow the choices down based on safety (fit of child + fit in vehicle) & cost then let kiddo make the final choice....
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
Here's a link to the RADIAN: www.sunshinekidsjp.com (it says it has a v shape tether. . .)

Re: PO about rear facing tether - I've done 1/2 dozen MA RF and they are as rock solid as a FF seat.

I've also not seen a Radian or the FP seats in person. I love the MA's and the selling points are two fold:

1) Yes, it's an expensive seat, but because it is big, with a high harness weight and height, most likely your child will be big/mature enough for a booster when it is outgrown (and by then there will be more higher weight limit seats to choose from and at lower $$ :) ).

2) I convinced a friend to buy an MA. She ended up buying a second one (for DH's car) after talking to some of her police/fire fighter friends. They ALL said they had seen MA's in nasty crashes, but the kids were all "FINE" or had minimal injuries. Could not say the same for other seats. [Personally, I think there also might be a higher PROPER use rate with MA's. If people are willing to spend the money for the seat, they probably have done their homework to know why they want a MA {and it's not just all the cool covers we discuss so much LOL :rolleyes: } They then take the time/effort to make sure it's installed/used correctly.]

Oh, one last thought that might help:
If you happen to have a college alum/sports nut for a spouse - Britax has COLLEGIATE covers from most colleges available now [BabyUniverse is where I saw 'em 1st].

Good luck convincing your DH :)
 

Kleine hexe

New member
I have a 2002 Caravan so I do have head rests.

To confirm my 5yr old would be safer in a harness that goes past 40# instead of a booster such as Parkway or Recaro Young Style?

Do you know if the SafeGuard carseat (not the Go) is a LATCH for up to the full 65# limit or just to 48# and then you switch to the car belt?

I have to be honest that I have never used LATCH so it's new for me. I really didn't put to much thought into different car seats until now. Now that I'm learning all this stuff I really want a new seat. I can't wait to buy my younger DS a new seat either. He's in an Eddie Bauer Summit (he weighs 26#). I believe my DH actually cut off the tether that was attached to the top of the seat. We never used it. Is the seat unsafe now? It's buckled in with the regular shoulder/lap belt.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
(FP is modeled after the MA, but lacks the RF tether & built-in lock-offs)

Keeping kids harnessed for as long possible within the limits of the seat is safer than graduating to a booster, yes :)

Vehicle manufacturers have weight limits for the lower LATCH anchors so always follow both vehcile + carseat manuals!
 

abacus2

Well-known member
The Safeguard child seat must use the seatbelt for installation after 48lbs, but you should have quite a bit of time to use LATCH. If you contact Safeguard's customer service they'll send you the DVD manuals that show how to use and install the Safeguard seat and the GO. The ease of use features are very impressive. The LATCH install is so cool!
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
What about the recaro youth sport. It harnesses to 40 and then turns into an awesome booster (from what I've heard.) At five, once your son hits 40 pounds, he should definitely be ok in a booster.

Make sure you check to see if your son has already outgrown his seat. Most kids outgrow a convertible by height before weight. If his shoulder is over the top harness slot, he has outgrown it already. Plus, IIRC, if its an eddie bauer 3in1 the top harness slot cannot be used for the harness, it is only there for booster use. (I know this is true for the alpha omegas and am assuming it is true for the eddie bauers, since they are the same seat? Someone correct me if I am wrong!)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
I think they might have improved that ridiculous rule :confused: Man, I hope so :( (not sure when they would've, if they did a Recall would've been nice & I don't remember one, hmmm, maybe I just had another one of my realistic carseat dreams, LOL)
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
I think they might have improved that ridiculous rule :confused: Man, I hope so :( (not sure when they would've, if they did a Recall would've been nice & I don't remember one, hmmm, maybe I just had another one of my realistic carseat dreams, LOL)

Even if they improved it, her seat is 5 years old and would be under the old rule!
 

Kleine hexe

New member
What about a Boulevard? I like the SIP and that it harnesses to 65#.

DH wants to know why we can't just put him in a good booster. He thinks buying a harness for an almost 6 yr old is not necessary. It's just that he's such a lightweight. I know he's mature enough to stay in a booster but it's his weight that concerns me. For example is a Regent better because it harnesses to 80# or is a Parkway or Recaro booster just as safe?
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
The BLVD has about 17" tall top slots (harness slots must be even with or above when FF) but it's a convertible seat ... unless there's a baby to hand it down to I personally wouldn't bother with a RF/FF seat ;)
 

Kleine hexe

New member
Well, there might be a third baby at some point. We're still "discussing" it. :p


Oh, and can anyone post a link to a site that compares car seat compatibility with different make/model vehicles? I've tried a few links but none of them work.
 
Last edited:

markf1971

Senior Community Member
The Radian is another great option. Plus they can FF with a 5pt harness till 65# and the new Radian 80 ($100 more than Radian 65) can go up to 80#. The Radian is probably the best value for your money if you want to buy a convertible CSS with a 5pt harness rated for 65#. Also it is much narrower than all of the other 65# CSS on the market. This makes a difference if you have a smaller vehicle. However, the Radian is not listed in the car seat measurement link that I provided above. The manufacturer's website list the overall dimensions as 28.5"H x 17"W x 16"D, but the seat base is even narrower than the 17" overall width. Below is a link, go there for more dimensions. Scroll down to near the bottom of the page to find the dimensions and click on the red text which reads "Click to view Radian Dimensions" to view a picture with more dimensions listed. Check out the Radian for yourself on the manufacturer's website:

http://www.skjp.com/products/index.php?v=detail&cid=5&name=Radian&id=112


The Radian is only $179.00 here with free shipping.

http://carseats.babycatalog.com/infant-to-toddler-convertible-car-seats/radian-car-seat/radian.html


HTH
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I'd be inclined to go with the Apex or Young Sport... you said you might try for a third... what is the age of the other kid you have?
The Regent would be terrific in your car... my 9 yo is light like your son and still has lots of room to grow, it's his favorite seat. There's not a lot of data to *prove* that a harnessed seat is safer than a booster, but that's just because higher weight seats haven't been out long enough for enough kids to have crashed in them. It's what racecar drivers and pilots use, and www.unsafeseatbelts.com (I might have to edit that link) shows you may have 'gen 3' seatbelts that can easily release in a crash, so you might really want to keep considering the harnessed options.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I don't think the Radian 80 is the best choice... can't use it rearfacing for this child, and the harness slots are really not tall enough for a string bean kid (which she has!) to get even close to 65 pounds, much less 80 (my 7 year old , 45 pound, 48 inch tall dd is too tall for it).
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
The ridiculous 'don't use the top slot' rule on the Alpha Omega/Elite or Summit? No, it's not improved...the headrest has not been modified to have adequate structure to either be used without a headrest OR to support the harness assembly from allowing the head from flying forward too far in a crash. There wont' be a recall because there's a big stamp in the plastic on the back that says "Top headrest position for booster use only". (The Summit now omits this, last I checked, but Cosco still maintains you may not use the top slot with the harness).
 

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