roundabout 50

ProudMomof5 · Oct 25, 2009

I am looking at moving my 15 month old son from his infant seat.. he's finally 20lbs and the seat goes to 22lbs... anyway, I have a tight budget so I was thinking maybe the roundabout 50, mainly because it will harness to 50 instead of 40lbs...
What I am wondering though, does it have a taller shell? My kids are small (as you can see in my siggy) so I don't think he'll outgrow it anytime soon and even if he does I have another baby on the way that will get it when he/she is 1.

Thoughts? Advice?
Thanks!

MoreLatte · Oct 25, 2009

It has a taller shell than the Roundabout, yes. It is basically a Marathon without lockoffs and a lower weight limit. I love my Marathons, so having a limited budget, smallish kiddos and another to pass the seat down to, I'd say go for it.

MOM25BOYS · Oct 26, 2009

I would go for it too.

I am not a big fan of the LATCH bars so the RA50 was my favorite seat. So sad I traded it, but I am sure I will get another one down the road..

2 more things I liked about it was no HUGS for it in FF mode and it has 3 crotch positions. Now you can't use the 3rd slot for RF, but my boys "man bits" would get squashed with the MA buckle so the 3rd slot FF really gave them some more room.

Here is DS5 in his back in June I believe. Still on the 1st slots RF at 15mths, but he is a tiny thing.

Maedze · Oct 26, 2009

If you have a tight budget, there are seats that will last longer and cost less, like the Evenflo Triumph Advance, the Graco My Ride, and the First Years True Fit.

cpsaddict · Oct 26, 2009

Go for it! You can it for 144.00 shipped at diapers.com. I am ordering one for my mom tonight.

armywife12 · Oct 26, 2009

The Roundabout 50 is a nice seat that will get most children rear facing to about 2 yrs old and will fit most harnessed to around 5-5.5 yrs old. I would prefer the MyRide or True fit though for longer rear facing and harnessing time. The True Fit has a taller shell so it is more likely to get most children rear facing beyond 3 yrs old and will fit most harnessed to at least 6 yrs old. The MyRide will get most rear facing to 3 yrs old as well and will fit them harnessed to at least 5.5 yrs old. We love both seats

cpsaddict · Oct 26, 2009

I respectfully disagree that the RA50 or any big Britax will only get kids to 2 rf. My friends DD was 2 when she hit the 33lb limit, but she was on the heavy side for a 2yr old. She had plenty of height above her head. If she was lighter, she could have made it to 3 or so rf in her Marathon. My nephew is 18, almost 19mths, 25ish lbs and and has several inches above his head. The My Ride, True Fit and Radian are excellent seats, but so is the RA50, especially for less than $150.
To the OP, I would get the RA50. It is easy to use, easy to install. Looking at other seats is cool, too, but getting a Britax is not a bad decision, in the least.

armywife12 · Oct 26, 2009

cpsaddict said:
I respectfully disagree that the RA50 or any big Britax will only get kids to 2 rf. My friends DD was 2 when she hit the 33lb limit, but she was on the heavy side for a 2yr old. She had plenty of height above her head. If she was lighter, she could have made it to 3 or so rf in her Marathon. My nephew is 18, almost 19mths, 25ish lbs and and has several inches above his head. The My Ride, True Fit and Radian are excellent seats, but so is the RA50, especially for less than $150.
To the OP, I would get the RA50. It is easy to use, easy to install. Looking at other seats is cool, too, but getting a Britax is not a bad decision, in the least.

I only say that because of the weight limit. Mine only had a 33lb weight limit and my son outgrew it before he was 2. He would be close to outgrowing it now at 26 months old in height and is 34lbs so he would be close to outgrowing it in weight as well for the newer ones. For lighter children, it may get most of them to 2.5 yrs old though. Where is the Roundabout50 less than $150? I thought they were $199 and for that much, I'd much prefer a MyRide or True Fit

jujumum · Oct 26, 2009

Since your ds is on the small side, he might last till 3 or 4 rf in the RA50. My dd would have outgrown the TF by weight and MA/RA50 by height and weight at the same time (just before 4 yrs). She may have lasted about another 6 mo in the MR before outgrowing by height.

My ds rides in a Decathlon and FPSVD - the same exact seats as the RA50. I love them.

I'd prefer a RA50 over a MR or TF for the rf tether, but they also are great seats.

cpsaddict · Oct 26, 2009

armywife12 said:
I only say that because of the weight limit. Mine only had a 33lb weight limit and my son outgrew it before he was 2. He would be close to outgrowing it now at 26 months old in height and is 34lbs so he would be close to outgrowing it in weight as well for the newer ones. For lighter children, it may get most of them to 2.5 yrs old though. Where is the Roundabout50 less than $150? I thought they were $199 and for that much, I'd much prefer a MyRide or True Fit

I just ordered one at Diapers.com for $144.99, shipped. They have three colors, gray(Berkshire?), Onyx and the tan dot one. They are on sale for $169.99 and they have an additional 15% off. Albee has them for $160. I would never pay $199 for the RA50, but I would never pay MSRP for ANY seat, period. Oh, I went car seat trying the other day and tried DD in a True Fit. I hate, hate, hate the continous harness. I could not for the life of me get it adjusted, especially installed in my car. I think the RA50 a simple to use seat.

WhatAboutPuppy · Oct 27, 2009

Juju mentioned it briefly but the biggest deal TO ME is rear face tethering. I think the RA50 is the cheapest seat that tethers rear facing, with the height of an MA you'll absolutely make it to 2 if not way longer! My huge DSS2 (well, used to be huge) turned two on Saturday and weighs 31.5 pounds and has plenty of room RF. I know I just took back a bunch of size 2T clothes he got for his birthday to exchange for 3T (circo... so on the smaller side size wise) today... I haven't measured his height in quite some time.

RA50 hands down!

Maedze · Oct 27, 2009

Nobody is saying Britax is a 'bad' seat. However, if you're buying for the name, it's good to be aware that there are other products that will do more for less.

ProudMomof5 · Oct 27, 2009

Well I got one for $144 it should arrive today!!! I am sure he'll be in it forever and if he does have a growth spurt and somehow come out of being in the 3rd % for his weight then he'll have a baby brother or sister to pass it too. I am so excited. I got the grey/back one... the soft one, I can't remember what it's called.. but I am excited because it is close to the same colors as our radians.

As far as the RF tether.. that's great and all, but my car ('98 ford expedition) does not tether or latch at all!

I can't wait to get a newer car.

Maedze · Oct 27, 2009

You don't need LATCH in a vehicle to use a rear facing tether. The seat will come with a D-ring that you secure toward the front of the vehicle, usually to where a front seat is bolted to the floor, and you attach the versa-tether to that.

This is ONLY for rear facing seats. If you have any forward facing children, you must have top tether anchors retrofitted for them.

vonfirmath · Oct 27, 2009

armywife12 said:
I only say that because of the weight limit. Mine only had a 33lb weight limit and my son outgrew it before he was 2. He would be close to outgrowing it now at 26 months old in height and is 34lbs so he would be close to outgrowing it in weight as well for the newer ones. For lighter children, it may get most of them to 2.5 yrs old though. Where is the Roundabout50 less than $150? I thought they were $199 and for that much, I'd much prefer a MyRide or True Fit

My son is 28 pounds, tall torso, in a Roundabout50. And almost 27 months.
here's my most recent picture (26 months), on Flickr

JerseyGirl'sMama · Oct 27, 2009

ProudMomof5 said:
As far as the RF tether.. that's great and all, but my car ('98 ford expedition) does not tether or latch at all! I can't wait to get a newer car.

Maedze said:
You don't need LATCH in a vehicle to use a rear facing tether. The seat will come with a D-ring that you secure toward the front of the vehicle, usually to where a front seat is bolted to the floor, and you attach the versa-tether to that.

This is ONLY for rear facing seats. If you have any forward facing children, you must have top tether anchors retrofitted for them.

OP - If you need help with this, you can always get help here.

cpsaddict · Oct 27, 2009

ProudMomof5 said:
Well I got one for $144 it should arrive today!!! I am sure he'll be in it forever and if he does have a growth spurt and somehow come out of being in the 3rd % for his weight then he'll have a baby brother or sister to pass it too. I am so excited. I got the grey/back one... the soft one, I can't remember what it's called.. but I am excited because it is close to the same colors as our radians.
As far as the RF tether.. that's great and all, but my car ('98 ford expedition) does not tether or latch at all! I can't wait to get a newer car.

Yay! That is the one I ordered, too! I think it's Berkshire. As for tethering, the seat will come with a d-ring that you attach to something bolted to the frame of the car. Fords are pretty easy to rf tether in. For FF, you can get anchors installed. Ford usually does one for free. My friend got one installed free in their 1994 F350.

ProudMomof5 · Oct 28, 2009

JerseyGirl'sMama said:
OP - If you need help with this, you can always get help here.

Yes, I definitely do! I got it installed nice and tight... not sure if it's too upright though... but for sure the tethering part... I don't know where or how to tether it RF!

ketchupqueen · Oct 28, 2009

First, check your instructions. There is information there on how to do it.

The D-ring that came with the seat (usually clipped on to the tether hook) needs to be wrapped around a strong, stable, non-moving part that is located forward of the seat and bolted to the frame of the car (usually the front seats where they attach are the best place to find this. A front seatbelt that is anchored directly to the frame of the vehicle can also be used.) It needs to be done per the instructions. If you need help with your specific vehicle finding a place to do this, let us know.

vonfirmath · Oct 28, 2009

MOM25BOYS said:
I would go for it too. I am not a big fan of the LATCH bars so the RA50 was my favorite seat. So sad I traded it, but I am sure I will get another one down the road.. 2 more things I liked about it was no HUGS for it in FF mode and it has 3 crotch positions. Now you can't use the 3rd slot for RF, but my boys "man bits" would get squashed with the MA buckle so the 3rd slot FF really gave them some more room.

You got rid of yours?

Why?

roundabout 50

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