Which seat for small FF child??

So, I have a friend that is willing to buy a new seat for her small 3 year old. She had him in a sheild seat tonight & I told her how unsafe that was. She also has a Comfortsport that she will put him back in untill she gets the new seat for him. So, she has put me in charge of what seat & where to get it from. I am however going to show her the options. I think $150 is going to be the top of the budget for her though, but I know there is plenty of options in that price range.

I think he is weighs about 25lbs. He might be bigger, but I am unsure. He is about a head shorter than Marcus, still has quite a bit of growing room in the Comfortsport, but it is looking rough for sure. He is very small for his age. She did have him back RF for awhile, but has chose to turn him back FF. At 3, I am not going to fight that battle. I just want him in a properly installed FF seat. She does have top tethers to, so that is a plus.

She also needs a seat that is REALLY easy to install & use. I am trying to make sure that she gets that. I will show her how to install & use it, but do not want anything that is to hard.

Here are the seats I am thinking of:
Nautilus: Should be the last seat he would need, but she may still need a HBB later. However that is okay with her. It would keep him safely harnessed for a good long while to come. It is the top of her budget, but she liked Marcus' tonight when she seen it.

Evenflo Meastro: Also should be the last harnessed seat she would need. The 50lb harness limit should be more than enough to get him to a good booster age. Is it easy to install & use? This is the biggest point for me. It is well under her budget.

Evenflo Generations 65: This should also fit him for a good long while. It has shorter top slots & higher weight limit. Which I am not to worried about. I do think the Meastro would be a better option though, mostly b/c of price.

Safety 1st Avenue: Yes it has a 40lb weight limit, but this little guy is TINY, so he should be set for awhile. However would you go for it or one of the others listed. Again, how easy is this seat to install & use?

Is there another seat I am missing that would be a good option. I am thinking it is really between the Nautilus & Meastro for sure, but wanted to make sure that there was not a seat I was missing.

Also can anyone help me find the best deal on the Nautilus. I am thinking this would be a really good option for him. It would be the longest lasting option for sure. Thanks! I appreciate it. I should be able to get the money from her this week & get it ordered. She is supposed to come look at it on Sunday if she is off, so maybe she will order it then.

It's unlikely that she'll need another HBB if she gets a Nautilus: most 9yos are okay in backless boosters.

chickabiddy said:

It's unlikely that she'll need another HBB if she gets a Nautilus: most 9yos are okay in backless boosters.

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True. I am tired, so was not thinking of that. So...the Nautilus should be the last seat she would need then for him, right?

I'd vote for the maestro, after installing 9 of them yesterday at a educational event for a crisis pregnancy center, i thin they are a great option with top slots that rival the nauti- at a much smaller price, i think with either seat you would want a booster later on , but it sounds like a lot of later for a 25 lb kid. i was suprized by how much i liked the seat and being so much lighter, i think it is easier for parents to deal with.

I really like the graco nautlus. My tall 6 year old still rides in it harnessed with him on the top slot but just over the one below it so he will be good for a while. Also my son likes it and says it is compy and he likes he is able to strap himself in by himself he also really likes the cubby holders on the sides (cosmetic but if he likes and doesn't complain i am all for it) I also like that it has a cup holder for there drink

I just put my 26lb 4.5 year old in the nautilus and we really really love it. She's very proud of it and thinks it's a seat for big kids and it fits her so well. It really is a great seat for little FF's. It was also extremely easy to get a good install. Amazon has the matrix cover right now for $145 with free shipping.

menfusse said:

I just put my 26lb 4.5 year old in the nautilus and we really really love it. She's very proud of it and thinks it's a seat for big kids and it fits her so well. It really is a great seat for little FF's. It was also extremely easy to get a good install. Amazon has the matrix cover right now for $145 with free shipping.

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I seen that last night when I was looking. I was wondering if I could get Diapers.com to price match & the use their 10% off. That would bring it to $130.50 I believe if I did the math correct.

We have both the GN and Maestro. Both are nice seats, but the Maestro is way cheaper AND you don't have to worry about the overhang(if there is any)on the vehicle seat like with the nauti. I think there may actually be less head slump in the Maestro too.

Thanks everyone! She is supposed to come over on Sunday for the kids to play. I will let her try the Nautilus in her car & put her little man in it to see how she likes it. I will show her both & see which one she likes the best. I might steer her towards the Meastro if he still sleeps in the car alot. We'll just have to wait & see.

If anyone else has any other ideas let me know. I am still watching this thread. Thanks to all that have replied.