Which Seat???

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 8, 2009

So...I am looking to get Marcus a new seat for my MIL's car. I want it to be something that lasts untill booster age. I would like it to last him untill he is around 5-6. He is 3, as of today, & weighs right around 30-32lbs depending on the day. It also HAS to be low profile. I am looking to spend $100-$150. I am looking at the:
Evenflo Generations 65
Graco Cargo
50lb AOE (does the newer ones have a removable base? if not do they sit up high??)
Apex65 (she has headrests that are pretty tall)
Radian 65

I am thinking that all of these should get him to around 5. I think he will be ready for a booster around that age. I will booster train him myself before he rides with anyone else in a booster as well. I do however want him to be 40lbs before he rides in a booster. SO.....I am thinking of something that is easy to install, easy to uninstall & easy to use properly. I will be the one installing the seat, so no worries there.

So out of all the seats I have listes above what seat would you go with? How is the Apex65 to install & uninstall?? Also how awful is the leather on the cascades one? I found it for $114.99 on diapers.com & I got it down to 103.49 with free shipping. Is this a good deal??

So of all the above seats what would you choose??

April · Oct 8, 2009

The Apex is straightforward to install, and I've never had any problems in the large number of vehicles I've installed it in. We have one as a spare and are using it right now while we wait for our replacement GN. Its uh....flimsy though. Especially if you are used to a MA and an EFTA. It kinda feels like you could bend it in half. The plus side of that is that it's very lightweight. I installed/uninstalled ours twice a day for 4 months when Riley used it at daycare, and it was no problem at all.

Personally I would choose the Radian though, since it's the most low profile, and there would be no temptation to use it in booster mode. Would you be installing it though or someone else? I don't know that I'd trust a "normal person"

to install a Radian.

So I guess it depends on how "sturdy" you want the seat to be, and who's going to be installing it.

Why not a GN? Too high up?

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 8, 2009

April said:
The Apex is straightforward to install, and I've never had any problems in the large number of vehicles I've installed it in. We have one as a spare and are using it right now while we wait for our replacement GN. Its uh....flimsy though. Especially if you are used to a MA and an EFTA. It kinda feels like you could bend it in half. The plus side of that is that it's very lightweight. I installed/uninstalled ours twice a day for 4 months when Riley used it at daycare, and it was no problem at all.

Personally I would choose the Radian though, since it's the most low profile, and there would be no temptation to use it in booster mode. Would you be installing it though or someone else? I don't know that I'd trust a "normal person" to install a Radian.

So I guess it depends on how "sturdy" you want the seat to be, and who's going to be installing it.

Why not a GN? Too high up?

I would be the one installing the seat. I just forgot to put the GN on the list. I am really trying to keep it at $100, but am willing to go up to $150. I think I would be okay with the Apex for as little as he would ride in it. He rides with my MIL anywhere from 1-2 times a week to as little as one time a month. It depends ALOT on my work scheduale & what she has planned for the days she has him. My MIL also drives a Toyota 4 Runner which sits pretty high up off the ground, so not as bad as a smaller car for SIP.

As for the GN, I am not sure how high it sits up really. Does anyone have a comparison picture of the GN versus the MA by any chance that they would be willing to share?? I would LOVE to see them if you do.

Does Diapers.com do price matching? If so how do you get them to meet that. I think I could get a Radian for around $150ish if they do. I found it on Amazon for $187.00!

henrietta · Oct 8, 2009

I would skip the Apex, b/c as someone w/arthritis in her fingers, it is tough to unbuckle it....and if it's tough to unbuckle, your MIL will make excuses to use it as a booster or stick him in another booster.

The Nautilus buckle is very easy to open and close, and I'll bet the Generations is almost as easy.

henrietta

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 8, 2009

Is the Apex really hard to buckle & unbuckle? I think she would be fine. She is only in her mid 40's, so I think unless it is just super super hard it would be ok.

Any other thought's on the seats I have mentioned??

Babywearing Meghan · Oct 8, 2009

apex is a really wide seat honestly, if she wants a seat that will take up less space than the MA (I read your thread before this lol) then APEX is not the way to go, I think marathon is a decently narrow seat honestly.

I would go with radian, I think that is your only option since the others are pretty wide seats.

NannyMom · Oct 8, 2009

I'm leaning towards the Generations 65. I really really love how you tighten/loosen the harness. When Sofi goes FF, I'd love to get one for DH's car.

I've never installed a Generations, but can't imagine it'd be more difficult than most other FF seats. How tall is his torso? I also really like the Cargo. But I like that the Generations has that extra weight buffer (IE- if he chunks up and gets to 40 pounds before he's ready for a booster.... ).

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 8, 2009

Babywearing Meghan said:
apex is a really wide seat honestly, if she wants a seat that will take up less space than the MA (I read your thread before this lol) then APEX is not the way to go, I think marathon is a decently narrow seat honestly.

I would go with radian, I think that is your only option since the others are pretty wide seats.

I think her problem is more with how high up it sits & how heavy it is than anything else. However you might be right about the Apex being really wide & it bugging her. Hmmm...Wish I could see an Apex in person.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 8, 2009

NannyMom said:
I'm leaning towards the Generations 65. I really really love how you tighten/loosen the harness. When Sofi goes FF, I'd love to get one for DH's car.

I've never installed a Generations, but can't imagine it'd be more difficult than most other FF seats. How tall is his torso? I also really like the Cargo. But I like that the Generations has that extra weight buffer (IE- if he chunks up and gets to 40 pounds before he's ready for a booster.... ).

I should have multi quoted you & PP. LOL! He has a 14 inch torso. I am not sure I really like the looks of the Cargo to be honest.

Kat_Momof3 · Oct 9, 2009

I'd go for the generations 65... I used to have the bolero (cheap version of generations) before Ruthie hit 40lbs and I passed to to my niece for her kids... (my niece is only 5yrs younger than me), but Damian also used it as a booster for a bit when he went to stay with my mil (at the time, he was using the Regent as a main seat)

it has always been easy for me to install and makes a decent booster.

my favorite part was how lightweight it was.

jujumum · Oct 9, 2009

OMG!! I'm old enough to be your mother!!

Have you looked at your Target for a clearance Rachel GN? Some folks have found them for $100 (but not me!). You could trade out the cover on swap for a gender neutral one.

Of the seats you mentioned, I would go for a Radian. It is easy to install ff with a latch. With a seatbelt, it can would depend on the buckle placement in your mom's car.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 9, 2009

So I checked Target today while I was shopping for Marcus' Birhtday Party tomorrow. I checked out the Chase just in case. I liked how small, light weight & low profile it was, but it will not work for me. Marcus would be on the top slots already, but would have just bearly needed them. I also HATED the adjuster as it was hard for me to work even. No way would I want to trust MIL with it. So it is out for sure.

I didn't see any $100 Nautilus' either. They had a marked down TF, but there is one of those in my living room b/c DH had a horible time with it & I know if he could not get it right, then my MIL could not either. So the TF is out to. It is also WAY heavy, I think even heavier then the MA.

So....it looks more & more like I will wind up with either an APEX or a Generations 65. The main reason I am straying from the Radian is the weight & I am worried the install with be horrible in her car. She drives a 94 Toyota 4 Runner. Anyone know how it installs in a 4 Runner??

Carrie_R · Oct 9, 2009

Regarding the width of the Apex --

I was sitting in the car this morning, with the kids loaded up, waiting for a daycare parent, and found myself sitting in the backseat, IN the Apex. I have a variety of carseats, and I don't think I could sit in any other seat, boosters included. I'm not a particularly tiny person, either. So it's wide enough for me to sit in, plus the armrests on the sides of that. I can try to take a picture vs other seats if you want?

For my money, I'd go with the Nautilus. I have both, and if I had it to do again, I'd probably buy all Nautis. (I have one of those and two Apexes.) Plus, there's the headrest issue with the Apex... though you said MIL has tall headrests, so maybe not an issue. And, you wouldn't have to buy a new seat once he gets to booster age.

That said, if you think the TF is heavy, then you may think the Nautilus is definitely too much so. The Apex is lightweight/flimsy, indeed. (Sometimes I worry if I'm going to shear off the headrest while rearranging seats.) Can't speak for the Generations, as I don't have one.

romanoma · Oct 11, 2009

I don't think the GN is that heavy, especially compared to the radians I usually carry. And the GN does not sit up too high, either. I have one for my mom's car and I think it is a great "grandparent" car seat. It is sooooo easy to tighten, and it can be used for a long time with many different sized grandkids. Just my :twocents:

Which Seat???

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