My turn! My turn! Help me buy a seat for a 3yo skinny boy!

jens-closet

New member
As with many other, I'd first like to offer thanks for the amazing information in this site. Your expertise is wonderful and I have been "stalking" for years now, referring others to the site, etc.

DS will be 3 in January, is very tall (36") with especially long legs, and had been holding at 30 pounds for almost a year. He is RF in a Recaro Como behind driver's side in a Honda CRV 2008. DS is in a Britax Companion in the middle. She is getting big and needing to move out into another seat.

I need to get her into another seat, likely the Como. If she goes into the Como, DS needs another seat. So, what are your thoughts for DS given what we have out there. I'm not at all concerned about $, I want a good seat that's comfy.

We do not take the seat in and out, so once it is installed, it will stay.

Important things to me:
High slots for tall kiddos
Generous leg room
Ease of in and out, as he will be climbing over seats
Puzzling of the Recaro in the middle RF and new seat

Any of your thoughts would be helpful. I thought we go with the Radian, but I am unsure if that will be best given the top slots (which he would undoubtedly outgrow well before 80, maybe even 65).

Your generosity of knowledge will be very much appreciated!
 
ADS

jens-closet

New member
DS- 2 years and 10 months, 36", 30 pounds (has redistributed weight for 1 year with practically no gain!)
DD- 6 months, 20 pounds (she could make a little while longer in Companion, but I think my threshold for that piece of crud chest clip can't go much further!)

I like that the new radian goes to 45 pounds RFing, but will the shell height be a disadvantage when compared to other seats with higher shells/top slots?
 

Evolily

New member
well, if your DS remains on his current growth curve for weight (he's around the 50 percentile) he'll hit 80 lbs around 11, 65 lbs around 9ish, so I wouldn't worry :) . Your goal will be moreso to get him to somewhere between 5 and 7 harnessed assuming he is not disabled or special needs. Any seat that harnesses to at least 50 lbs should work weight wise.

The tallest harnessed convertibles currently on the market, besides the como and signo (which are narrow in the shoulders, so kids tend to not make it to the top harness spots), are the Radian, First Years True Fit, and Safety 1st Complete Air IIRC. They're all around 17-17.5 inches- and the radian allows shoulders to go slightly above the top harness. The Radian usually puzzles well with the Como rear facing. It's possible that you may be looking at a seat like the Graco Nautilus down the road, depending on how he grows and when he is booster ready. It really depends on his torso growth and maturity mores than overall growth.

The radian has one of the tallest shells, too (the True Fit and Complete Air have slightly taller shells)
 

jens-closet

New member
Are there any other thoughts? I see that some feel the high RF max on the Radian may not be worth it because the kids will outgrow the seat by height before weight.

I love the idea of these high capacity seats, but I wonder when it becomes too much and is thus not really worth it.
 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member
Are you planning on keeping him rear facing? For how long? My ds is about the same size and age (he might be a bit taller, but more even I guess, or a bit longer torso) and right now he is in a decathlon rear facing that only has a 33 pound limit. I think I am getting him a complete air as soon as I have the money. My other ds is in ods' boulevard for now. I know eventually yds will need a bigger seat than ods (kid is 23 pounds, 29? inches, with a 12.5 inch torso or so). I might try a radian xtls, but I may not be able to get it installed in our big van, hmm, but maybe in the sienna....

Anyway, with him being leggy, I definitely would put your dd in the recaro, and him in a seat with a bit more leg room.
 

jens-closet

New member
Good reminder on the puzzling with the Como!

Yes, we are planning on keeping him RFing for another couple/few years. They like riding together backwards.
 

Pixels

New member
The Radian has the most leg room rear facing. Will the Radian get most kids to 45 pounds rear facing? Probably not, they'll outgrow by height. Same with forward facing, they'll outgrow by height, not weight. The TrueFit has a taller shell but lower rear facing weight limit, so most kids will outgrow by weight and some of the shell height will be "wasted." Kids have to outgrow a seat somehow, and there is no seat that most kids will outgrow by both height and weight simultaneously.

I love the low profile of the Radian. It makes getting in and out of the seat so much easier.
 

kandamom

New member
A Radian with at least a 40 lb rf limit would be a great choice to keep your child rf, if it works in your vehicle. DS2 fits with tons of room above his head. He is 38", with a 15" torso and 23.5" seated height. I'm not sure he'd make it height-wise to 45 lbs rf, but I'm confident he won't outgrow the height before he hits 40 lbs. As for ff, even my former 38 lb 24-month-old outgrew the height of the marathon harness at 45 lbs. I would think that most kids outgrow the height of any harnessed seat currently available before hitting the weight limits - with the exception of the Regent and also perhaps some of the 50 lb ff seats for very leggy kids.

Best of luck!
 

jens-closet

New member
This is so helpful-

Here's a question then about the Radian... do I need the new XT SL or can I get the 40 pounder? It's always a gamble I suppose... but it seems like DS will outgrow by height before weight anyway.
 

kandamom

New member
This is so helpful-

Here's a question then about the Radian... do I need the new XT SL or can I get the 40 pounder? It's always a gamble I suppose... but it seems like DS will outgrow by height before weight anyway.

I would have gotten the SL, if it would have been available when I bought one for ds2 - Just to be on the safe side. That being said, your child probably won't hit 40 lbs until at least 4-5 years old. (I'm in a different position, since ds2 was 36" and 30 lbs somewhere around 18 months. Your son is a peanut compared to my huge kids.;)) DS1 is fairly tall and leggy and is just a tiny bit above the top slots of the Radian65 - at age 7.5. I'm hoping it will last ds2 for quite a while.
 

karlatta

New member
My DS is about the same size (a couple of inches taller, actually, but the same weight) at nearly 3.5, and I love the Radian for him. It's super easy to get into, and I feel like it should last him until he's ready for a booster. (And if not, I can move him to whatever new seat I need to and pass the Radian down to his little sister.)
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,898
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top