WWYD? FFing MA or RFing Scenera

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Mommy090804

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #1

Due to the fact that we had a MA installed FFing in our Civic, we have had to perform a major carseat switcheroo.

In our secondary car (Focus wagon), I need to install three carseats. I have a MA, Scenera, and RN. One of the children is just over 30lbs and the MAand RN only RF to 30lbs (Cdn). Would you FF the child in the MA, or RF the child in the Scenera, untethered? The RN will be used FFing for my five year old DD.

If you are still reading, I am a little concerned about the rebound of a large child in an untethered RFing Scenera , but I have a feeling it is still safer than the FFing MA. As well, the Scenera does not have EPS foam. Also, one of the seats will not be occupied on a regular basis.

I am actually able to install all three seats FFing, with the RN in the middle. It took a lot of mental and physical effort, but they are all independently rock solid. I think I still have enough room to install the Scenera RFing outboard if I need to.

Sorry for the ramble, but I certainly appreciate your opinion both from a tech and parent perspective. Thanks so much!

 

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Maedze

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #2

rearfacing Scenera, hands down, if you can fit it in there.

 

TheQueenMother

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #3

I am not a tech but I voted for the FFing MA. I like the idea of a tethered seat for larger children.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #4

TheQueenMother said:

I am not a tech but I voted for the FFing MA. I like the idea of a tethered seat for larger children.

Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if it's tethered, rear facing is still safer than forward facing.

 

Louisa

CPST Instructor

• Oct 31, 2009

• #5

rfing scenera, definitely.

 

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*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #6

RFing Scenera! RF is much safer

 

Andie

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #7

I voted RF Scenera.

 

swtgi1982

New member

• Oct 31, 2009

• #8

RF scenera, I can tell you from personal experience with a RF scenera in an accident, that even though there is no EPS foam, it is still very safe. My little focus rolled three and a half times and DD was in it RF and came out with no bumps or bruises, so the lack of EPS foam did not harm her in any way. (This was 3yrs ago, before most seats had EPS foam, but still). Rebound was not bad either with it, but my car only hit the ditch on the front end before rolling, but ditch vs car I do not know how much difference that would make I looked in rear view mirror on impact to see her and her seat did not budge but like and inch or two (rebound wise).

 

Heather86

Member

• Nov 1, 2009

• #9

I'm not a tech but we opted for the rf scenera un-tethered for quite sometime before I got a seat that had a higher rf weight limit. Rebound or not I have to believe that rf un-tethered is safer than ff for a child that size :twocents:

 

Evolily

New member

• Nov 1, 2009

• #10

RFing Scenera

Rebound looks scarier than it is- the injuries associated with rebound are similiar to the fractures children get learning to walk.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Nov 1, 2009

• #11

Rear facing Scenera. Rear facing is safer than forward facing.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Nov 1, 2009

• #12

rf scenera... definitely... heck, I did that for Ruthie when she was little so her brother could have the Marathon I had to be harnessed again.... she outgrew it rf when she got her Marathon back... and road ff in the marathon before dropping weight and rfing in it...

point is... I never worried enough about it not being tethered to move her brother back to a booster (even though he never gave a problem about using one).

rearfacing is so much safer... no question that I'd rearface rather than tether.

 

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Mommy090804

New member

• Nov 2, 2009

• #13

Hi! OP here again. Thanks so much to everyone for posting their responses. I knew the answer to the question, but I was truly curious what most people would do. I am definitely asking in the right place, because DH just rolled his eyes at me when I said that DS might have to be turned FFing.

As an update, I can't fit the Scenera RFing outboard. I am very frustrated. I am frustrated by the puzzling that is required, and most of all, I am frustrated that I have two beautiful carseats (MA and RN) that only RFto 30lbs in Canada!!!!!!! UGH! It looks like DS will have to FF in this car.

I am definitely going to order the Radian XTSL once it is available in Canada. It looks like it wil be a very useful carseat for us for so many reasons.

Thanks again everyone!

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Nov 2, 2009

• #14

I'm assuming this is for the 3 year old? I hope the XTSL will work for you!

 

Splash

New member

• Nov 2, 2009

• #15

How old is the kid? Over 2 I would say MA hands down. A Scenera wouldn't really be an option for my kid unless it was dire circumstances or the only possible thing that would work. In this case, since you have a MA, I'd go with that.

 

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Mommy090804

New member

• Nov 3, 2009

• #16

Splash said:

How old is the kid? Over 2 I would say MA hands down. A Scenera wouldn't really be an option for my kid unless it was dire circumstances or the only possible thing that would work. In this case, since you have a MA, I'd go with that.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's for my 3 year old. I have installed the MA FFing outboard. I will have to move up the harness straps back up to the top slots though, which is surprising because he is a little peanut.


Ironically, you have raised an interesting point about using the Scenera. I went back and viewed the TC videos. There are no videos of the Scenera, but there is one video of the Scenera cousin, an Eddie Bauer Touriva. TC tested the seat with a 6yr old 51 pound dummy installed with LATCH and tether in a 2002 Nissan Maxima, and it appears to have performed better than the MA installed with LATCH and tether in the 2006 Civic. The difference is that the former was a type 2 crash, and the latter a type 1 crash.

I like my MA, but am glad that my 30lb 3 year old is sitting in it FFing rather than my 40lb 5 year old. Also glad we have another car besides the Civic to install it in. Thanks to everyone for your help!

 

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Maedze

New member

• Nov 3, 2009

• #17

A 51 pound dummy would significantly exceed all weight and height limits on that seat. You can't put any credence by that test result.

Some people may feel strongly about particular brands or manufacturers, but (although I deeply love the some people in question ) that does not negate the fact that rear facing in a Scenera is safer than forward facing in a Marathon.

Now, given that your child is three years old, there's a top tether available, and you can't get the seat in rear facing anyway, it's not something I'm going to get bent about.