Tempted by the Frontier 85... for me!

So I was just looking through the stats for the Frontier 85. Have to say, I'm tempted to track one down and try sitting in it to see if I'd fit in booster mode--I'm within the weight limits and am actually shorter than the maximum height requirements (though I know that's just a guideline and actual fit is the requirement). I've had trouble sitting up in cars for a long, long time (low tone) and seatbelts never fit me. I'll be driving (well, I'll be the passenger) from Canada to Texas sometime this spring/summer/fall and I have to say, I'm tempted, if it fits me, to pick one up just for the drive. I know in Canada it's the XT, not the 85, but it should be the same seat. Might be handy...

Would anyone else be tempted by it?

I am 5'7" and my shoulder is under the shoulder belt guide. Just saying.

One thing I would caution is a trial. Despite being padded as much as some of the more padded seat on the market, it's still a FAR cry, comfort-wise, from an actual upholstered, padded, springy vehicle seat. Kids are not used to anything but hard plastic under their butts, but as an adult, I'm afraid you will find yourself in pain after a few hours. Although, if you have low tone, the tradeoff might be worth it.

I'm thinking the trade off might be worth it. I absolutely cannot sit straight for more than about twenty minutes--I end up pulling my knees up and leaning forward to rest my elbows on them to hold myself up, or leaning over to lean sideways against something, or both. Even on the couch that I'm on right now, my butt is nearly at the edge of the couch, my spine is curved so that it's supported up to mid-back by the seat with my shoulders propped up and I'm also leaning against the couch arm to keep me 'straight.' Honestly, my inability to sit straight in a car didn't bother me until I started hanging around here. Prior to that, I thought that if I was older than eight and had my seatbelt done up, it didn't matter how I sat or how I held my body, I'd be safe. I used to take the shoulder belt off and lie across the back seat on long trips. That's definitely NOT an option for me anymore, now that I know better. And we're talking two days of driving to get down there. I'm more used to sitting on the floor than on chairs because I can just flop over on my side on the floor, which I can't on a chair, when I get tired, so I'm not sure that I'd be TOO uncomfy.

I've been seriously considering the Harmony boosters up until now, to get the belt positioning better, but the idea of having a high back booster really appeals to me...

I was reading through the manual last night. I read something about attaching the versatether in booster mode. I can't find it now. Does the seat HAVE to use the tether in booster mode, or is this just optional?

They say to use the full LATCH system (upper and lower) or nothing in booster mode. You can try a regular FR, it's just as tall (a little taller, Darren said) than the FRXT/85, but the stated height limits are higher on the 85/XT.

What was the booster weight limit on the original Frontier? I'm only a few pounds below the Frontier XT/85's weight limit.

No stated weight limit in booster mode for the original.