Question Moving to Europe with almost 4 year old, what to do with carseats?

DD almost 3, 30lbs, is now RF in Boulevard. We will move to Europe next year and she will turn 4 month after the move. Difficult age to move as she starts to be too old to buy a expensive new RF seat for her but at the same time I do not want her to sit in a booster yet. I have few problems:

1) I probably have to get her new carseat here when she hits 33lbs, what to get? I was thinking Radian but if we only use it few months something cheaper would be nice.

2) I'm not comfortable moving her to booster at 4, what options do I have? I would want to get a RF seat, which has the tallest harness slots in European seats and how long you think DD could use it? Any europeans here who had a 4-5 year old RF?

3) If I would choose to turn DD around to FF when she turns 4 do I have any other options than boosters? A lot of higher weight limit swedish seats did quite badly when tested FF (ADAC I think).

4) I have noticed some seats have top tethers now are there any which would go over 18kg?

5) how is the kiddy seat, does it make a good booster after the child is 18kg? Has it gone trough any swedish tests? How likely is that 4 year only would be less than 18kg?

Here in Europe, 5 point seats are tested to 18 kilos/40lbs. Then it's expected that you will put your child in a booster seat.

Very few seats have tethers and babies are usually turned around at 9 months of age. Only tiny infants are rear-facing.

I actually saw a baby sitting rfing in a convertible today. I think it was the first time in my 14 years in France.

I personally have decided that my child's safety is more important than the rules. My dd has been in a Radian for about three years without incident. I've been through many police inspections and even installed it into a French police car once. This seat has driven through Germany, Switzerland and Italy w/o problems.

I simply don't trust European car seats for the most part. I feel better with the tether, the 5 point harness and the chest clip.

If you are military, you may be exempt from local laws and can use a seat from N. America. Look into that from your end.

There is a notable exception to Europe; Sweden. I don't know about any testing but I don't know of any other European country which sells rfing seats for toddlers. Even brands who do, don't sell here. I tried in France and Germany and couldn't find any before bringing the Radian over.

There is a poster who sells seats. Google "Swedish car seats Adventuredad" and I'm sure you'll find his site. He'd probably be happy to discuss this with you.

If your child still fits RF in a Boulevard you could have several years in a RF Swedish seat (one of the taller ones.) You could RF to 5 1/2 or 6 and go straight to a booster! Alternatively, you could get one of the Swedish seats that goes RF or FF to 55 lbs. with harness (I think there are 2 or 3? Or is that just one?) and then you could RF as long as you and she want to, then harness until she is a safe booster age, size, and maturity.

AdventureDad's site is carseat.se and he is very helpful with helping you figure out which seat would suit your needs best.

Now, if you're only interested in forward-facing once you get there, there are several combination seats that go to 40 lbs. with high top slots and then booster pretty nicely. I have seen them mentioned here before but don't know all the names so hopefully someone else can chime in. (I know there's something equivalent from Recaro to the Young Sport, which tends to fit well in booster mode for kids who have outgrown the harness, for one.) She's so skinny and small that 40 lbs. with high slots might really be all she needs.

My dd still fits in the Britax Multi-Tech and the Britax Two Way Elite RF at allmost 6 years old and - well she wears clothes size 7-8 years.

Lena

Thank you for all the answers. I talked with DH and he surprisingly agrees that we should keep DD RF at least until she is 5 or as long as she agrees and fits into a seat. Last summer he asked if we could turn her around when she is 3 so I think my constant talk about carsafety has done some good We are moving to Northern Europe and ppl usually RF there for 3 years. I should be able to find RF seats in stores. Which one of the seats has tallest shell and harness slots, Multitech?

I'm thinking of bringing our American seat to Europe, so I have few weeks to go and test which European seat would fit our car. I think European RF seat would offer DD more legroom than the one we would bring from here. I'm bit concerned if she will be booster ready at 5 or 6. At some point she might refuse to RF. maybe we should get Radian now when she grows out of Boulevard and keep it in case we need a FF seat before booster. it would not be legal tough to use it there.

Britax Two-Way and Britax Multi Tech have the tallest seat shells of all the seats. These two seats will allow rear facing past 5 for most kids. Often much longer. Most kids can sit rear facing past 125 cm (49 inches) and the seats need relatively little room. They both fit nicely in standard cars such as VW Golf.

If you're more interested in forward facing, Two-Way is the only European seat which allow forward facing with harness to 25 kg (55 lbs) The rest allow 18 kg (40 lbs)

May I ask if your daughter is very tall? Where in Europe will you be moving? Rear facing past 12 months is a "new thing" in most European countries (except Sweden and Norway) so selection in stores is very limited.

US seats are not legal in Europe, not even for a single day, but you will honestly have no problems with anyone noticing or giving you problems. It's the same as using a European seat in US, it's technically illegal but no one cares.

Adventuredad said:

Britax Two-Way and Britax Multi Tech have the tallest seat shells of all the seats. These two seats will allow rear facing past 5 for most kids. Often much longer. Most kids can sit rear facing past 125 cm (49 inches) and the seats need relatively little room. They both fit nicely in standard cars such as VW Golf.

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Thank you, I think we will go with either one if these seats for her, probably with Multitech as I like the wings around head. I would hope to get at least to 5 before booster. The leg room seems impressive compared to our current seat.

Adventuredad said:

May I ask if your daughter is very tall? Where in Europe will you be moving? Rear facing past 12 months is a "new thing" in most European countries (except Sweden and Norway) so selection in stores is very limited.

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She is not very tall, 70-80% in height and leggy. Now at almost 3 she still can comfortably RF in 33lbs limit Britax Boulevard. We are moving to Finland so I might be able to find the seats in stores. Ppl there seem to rear-face up to 2.5-3 years. I'm quite sure Rf over age 4 is extremely rare in Finland. Here in US I have only seen one other over 2 year old who is RF and recently few 1-2 year olds.

Finland is an interesting case regarding car seats. The people are likely the highest educated in the world but rear facing past 12 months is not common. Some rear facing seats are sold there but the recommendation is almost without exception forward facing even for small kids.

Swedish seats can be used until tip of ears are at top of seat shell which means RF time is greatly increased compared to US seats even if seat shell isn't much higher.

I've got a friend there who has all of the different Swedish seats. She lives near Tampere. In case you are in area that I can arrange so you try the seats. But you will likely live in Helsinki?

Get ready for lots of hot saunas and drinking vodka at all times of the day Finns are also extremely quiet so don't be surprised if they are a bit shy.....