Choosing a new seat for DS - do I have my facts right?

I am buying a new seat for DS this weekend. He is 2 yrs old, 31lbs and 33inches. I also have a 2 mos old DD - so any seat I buy will eventually be handed down to her if it is not expired.

Because I live in Canada, I think I really only have 3 options (if you know of another, let me know) - Britax Marathon, Safety 1st Apex, or SK Radian.

All of the seats have similar height and weight limits, and similar harness heights.

If I got the Marathon, I would eventually have to buy another booster seat. DS is pretty much too big for RF in it, so I wouldn't get use out of that feature. From what I read, it seems to be an easy install in most vehicles and does not have a huge base.

The Apex would do for a harness and a booster. However, you could only use it in a vehicle with headrests. (Which we do have, but other vehicles may not). I've read a few complaints that the headrest seems wobbly, and that it is sometimes too high to even act as a good headrest. It is easy to install, but it has a large base.

The Radian would do for a harness, but I would have to buy a booster later. I could use it in any kind of seat (do not need a headrest). It can be difficult to install using a seatbelt (which I would have to do). It has a small base.

Okay, do I have everything right here? Did I miss anything? Any opinions on what I should buy, considering everything?

The radian is a convertable just like the marathon. It can NOT be used as a booster after the harness is outgrown.

I personally would get the radian if I were you and you can make sure it fits in your car with seatbelt. It has high top slots and is a really sturdy seat. As you have pointed out, your younger child could use this seat, too, so when that time comes and you feel your older one will sit in a booster properly, you can get a dedicated booster at that time. It has a 7 year expiration versus the marathon and apex 6 year expiration.

Welllll.... they all only technically go to 48 pounds in Canada, but rumor has it that is changing shortly, so they will all go to 65 pounds at that point.
But since you're passing it down to younger sister, maybe a Graco CarGo or Evenflo Generations? The Evenflo is a better booster, if you ever want that feature, but the CarGo is really nice as a harnessed seat. Since the Graco goes to 48 pounds and the Evenflo to 47, you might get 3 or more years out of them. At that point there will definitely be other options (maybe even a Regent for you guys!) and you can reevaluate at that time.
No matter what you do, I'd cross the Marathon off your list. It's too much money (IMO) for the limited use you'll get from it when compared to the Apex or Radian.

Dillipop said:

The radian is a convertable just like the marathon. It can NOT be used as a booster after the harness is outgrown.

Click to expand...

Thanks - I got mixed up! I fixed it in my original post.

I was also going to suggest adding the Graco CarGo and Evenflo Bolero and Generations to the list.