Recaro Como with 6yo (pictures)

thepote

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #1

Yeah - it has tall top slots (19")... but here's a pic of my DS2 squished into it.
He's 6y2m old, 47lb, 16.5-17" torso.

He was literally turned sideways in it before I asked him to sit straight. His shirt is one layer of cotton, and he is squishing the fabric cover on both sides of his shoulders. The Como measures 11" at this point (it's 12" at the bottom).

Leg support... or lack thereof (seat depth is 10"):

 

Genevieve

CPST Instructor

• Mar 4, 2010

• #2

I so want to love this seat (high top slots, looks so comfy I could just cuddle up and take a nap), but the narrowness and lack of leg support just turns me off. I don't even have big kids, but I still think it would be an issue for them.

 

steph_s

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #3

This is exactly why I dislike this seat so much and try to steer people FAR away from it unless they are willing to purchase another seat later!

My 6yo has about a 19in torso and it just at the top slots of this seat. That said, he is TINY weight and width wise. He is only about as wide as my friends 2yo. He is so squished in this seat he can't sit all the way back so there is no way to secure him properly in it while at the top harness height. I have tried several kids in this seat and most of them outgrow it before reaching the second slots from the top because they just can't sit back anymore and their legs dangle so much that they fall asleep, slip forward in the seat, and generally complain about being uncomfortable. Add to that the seat depth is so tiny that it makes a horrible rf seat for any child with long legs or past about 15m old and it puts it on one of my most hated list right next to the crappysport!

 

thepote

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #4

Yeah, now that I see the pic again, you can see how his left arm is in but his right is out. I had asked Owen to sit all the way back.

The darker tan in the middle is in line with the sides of the seat, so he's not really all the way against the back of the seat at all.

SO MANY better options now. It drives me crazy when people say this seat is on their short list of seats.

I use it for DS3 (3.5y 32lbs), forward facing in DH's car. Good thing he's skinny

 

Jhockley

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #5

I have a similar pic with my 60lb 4.5yo dd squished into it. Yeah it's got 19in slots, but it sits so reclined in the car she was out of it with a 17in torso. Well actually probably out of it comfort wise she was about 2yrs, but it was ds's seat and she insisted she fit b/c it was new and soft.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Mar 4, 2010

• #6

Haha, yeah, I wedged my dd1 into the Como for a picture... http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/RandomCarseats#5111639649978471794
Bummer it's so narrow, those top slots are divine!

 

AtTheSouthDam

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #7

I have a picture somewhere of DD1 wedged in it as well. It does have wonderful top slots, which is why I sold to my friend for her belt eater booster boy.

Here:
She is 5.5y in this picture and just under the top slots. About 50ish # and 49" tall, IIRC.

 

Last edited: Mar 5, 2010

A

abigaylebelle

Active member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #8

Are these just the original comos?

 

thepote

New member

• Mar 4, 2010

• #9

abigaylebelle said:

Are these just the original comos?

Click to expand...

Nope, newer ones have the same shell with the differences being in the padding, belts, and hardware on the seats.

 

cookie123

New member

• Mar 5, 2010

• #10

Too bad the new seats are no different. You guys should email your photos to Recaro.

 

monzogary

Senior Community Member

• Mar 5, 2010

• #11

At least the Signo is a tad bit wider in the interior. My 60+ lb 6 1/2 yo still just fits in her Signo. I tried her in the Como at the same time as we got the Signo last year, and it was definitely smaller width wise.
This is a pic of her in it just this past fall:

 

A

aimeeandaaron

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #12

I wish I had pictures of my 7 year old in the Como I could show. He fit great in it. He moved to a booster shortly after his birthday because his shoulders were at the top slots. He is pretty skinny, but his shoulders are probably the biggest part of him, his legs are pretty short though. He was around 45 pounds, 48 inches and all torso when he grew out of it.

I put a friend of his who was around 60 lbs and about the same height in the seat a few times and it was a tighter squeeze, but he seemed comfortable enough (they would both want that seat and would fight over who got to ride in it).

It does work well for some older kids.

 

Dave88LX

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #13

joolsplus3 said:

Haha, yeah, I wedged my dd1 into the Como for a picture... http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/RandomCarseats#5111639649978471794
Bummer it's so narrow, those top slots are divine!

Click to expand...

Er...not my business, but does your 12-year-old ride in a car seat? Or was that just a fun pic?

 

M

Maedze

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #14

Dave88LX said:

Er...not my business, but does your 12-year-old ride in a car seat? Or was that just a fun pic?

Click to expand...

That picture was of an 8 year old, not a 12 year old. :thumbsup:

However, that being said, many 12 year olds still do need backless boosters. It's all about height, not age. Most kids will be ok in a seatbelt alone by 10 or 11, but smaller children, particularly girls, won't be near passing the 5-step test at that age.

By the time a child is eight or so, as long as the vehicle has head rests, you can move from a high back to a backless booster, but the booster must be used until the seatbelt fits correctly without it


ETA: Oh, I bet you scrolled through and found the picture of the Frontier in booster mode with Jools' 12 year old in it, right? The Frontier makes a great booster because it works in high back mode until the child five-steps without one. A high back booster with good head protection is safer in a side-impact crash than a backless.

I won't speak for Jools, but if I remember correctly her 12 year old is in a booster to provide added support so that he stays in position.

 

Dave88LX

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #15

Maedze said:

ETA: Oh, I bet you scrolled through and found the picture of the Frontier in booster mode with Jools' 12 year old in it, right? The Frontier makes a great booster because it works in high back mode until the child five-steps without one. A high back booster with good head protection is safer in a side-impact crash than a backless.

I won't speak for Jools, but if I remember correctly her 12 year old is in a booster to provide added support so that he stays in position.

Click to expand...

Correct, I hit 'view all' to see what else was in there and saw the boy in the seat. I just looked odd to me, like his head is almost against the ceiling. That's why I was wondering if he actually uses it, or if it was just a "look, see" picture. I was 13 when I started high school...I'm just thinking out loud I guess. Nothing personal. I am curious about it though.

 

M

Maedze

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #16

Really, age, high school, etc, have nothing to do with whether a child fits safely in a seatbelt without a booster. It's just as dangerous regardless of age, especially for people who haven't completed puberty and thus have less formed hip bones.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #17

I know her son's height and weight was mentioned... as well that he passes the 5-step test... I believe she uses the frontier either as a harnessed seat or booster for one of her daughters... and that her son now goes in a seatbelt...

but that pic would have been taken to show that it does work as a booster past the point where a child passes the 5-step test... meaning it's great for kids who aren't leggy (all Jools' kids are pretty leggy) and have long torso's... as well as for vehicles without head support where you want to use a highback booster until you absolutely can't and there is no other option... to prevent whiplash as well as give extra side protection.

age really has nothing to do with it, though... and children should stay in a booster as long as may be.

 

Angela

New member

• Mar 6, 2010

• #18

We have a Signo also. It may be wider, but not a great fit for tall torso kids. My 4 1/2 yr old, 17.5 inch torso DS will be growing out of it any day now. His shoulders are just short of the top slots. We're hoping he's able to stay in it for another month until we can check out the new Frontier (if that doesn't work, I don't know what will).