Help me pick a "travel seat"

mpk3

New member
Right now I have two Britax Frontier 85 seats (for my 5 1/2 year old and 3 1/2 year old) and one Britax Marathon (rear-facing) for my toddler.

Our car is a 2010 Acura MDX. The Frontier seats fit nicely in the 3rd row. It's tight (for legroom), but my kids are small and haven't had any complaints or issues.

My Marathon rider is behind the driver's seat, rear-facing. The 2nd row is a 60/40 seat, so this allows me to slide the second row "40 section" of the seat to allow my oldest girls to get into the 3rd row.

For trips, I would ideally like to have all three kids in the second row so we can have trunk storage space. I'd like to keep my Marathon rider outboard (drivers side OR passenger side) because she is antsy and it's a million times easier to get her in and out of her seat if I can do it with ease from the outboard position. I really don't want her in the center, if possible.

I'm not convinced my two Frontier 85 seats will fit next to eachother in row 2. In fact, I'm quite certain it won't happen. The seats are too wide.

So, I'm looking for a seat that I can use occasionally (for example, trips) that is not very wide, but is safe. I was thinking of getting a backless booster for my oldest. She is 5 (almost 6) and about 40lbs. Is a backless booster safe for her??? I feel confident with her in the Frontier 85 on a day-to-day basis, but wasn't sure if she meets the criteria for having "less seat" by using a smaller booster or backless booster.

Does anyone have any ideas for me? Money is not an issue, so I don't mind getting a "travel seat" or two in order to make something work where I can get all three of my kids in the 2nd row for special trips.

Suggestions? Sorry this was so long!

Thanks! :D
 
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Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I'm not familiar with your vehicle, so I don't know how wide your second row is; do you think you could fit one Frontier up there with the Boulevard? (I'm finding 59" for that row, which is gobs, so it may well work.)

If so, you might consider getting a Radian, and putting your 3yo in it. She could probably ride either RF or FF in it (depending on her weight,) whichever way it puzzled better. Also, if you install your seats with seatbelts, you usually get a few more inches because you can set them more to the outside of the seats. You could do BLVD/RN/FR. The Radian is heavy, however it folds for travel and you can get backpack straps for it.

I would not put your 5yo in a backless, short of an emergency. If you must, I would put her center, if the shoulder belt fits her well. In fact, age 5-6 is what we consider a minimum for boostering at all around here, but I would definitely want to booster train her in a high back booster first. The sides help immensely in helping new riders learn how to sit properly.

I think the narrowest booster currently available is the Graco Turbobooster. Also on the narrow side is the Britax Parkway SG (and the SG would be great for a child just booster-training.)

HTH :)

ETA: I just looked up the measurements, and @ 19 inches each, with 59 inches of hip room, you *might* be able to fit all three seats in there. What would be more important, though (based on my Pilot anyways) is how much space is on either side of that 60/40 split. If the 59 is, say, 40 and 19, then you can probably make it happen, but if it's 36 and 23, it's a no-go.

Measurements aren't everything (says the girl who has one of the widest seats known to man in a super-narrow 3-across,) but in this case it may be a good jumping-off point. Could you measure the 60 portion of your second row? That's where you'll need to find two seats to puzzle.

ETA2: It dawned on me after I posted all of this that the MDX and Pilot are near-clones. I know nothing about cars or else I would have realized that sooner, lol. So, I don't know how similar their interiors are, but my second row is 34" and 20". Assuming the measurements in the spreadsheet are correct, and yours is similar, you should be able to fit the Frontier on the 40 portion, and Blvd plus Radian on the 60 portion. I'm not sure if anything other than a Radian is going to work if you only want to buy one new seat, though. :)
 
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mpk3

New member
Carrie, thank you!

Okay, I just went to the car to measure the seat. I got 32 inches for the "60" portion and 23 inches for the "40" portion. That's 55 inches, not 59. I'm not sure where 59 came from...but I'm guessing that is the entire length of the 2nd row (including the non-seat spaces from the outboard sides from seat to the door). Not sure though. :confused: When I measured JUST the seat, it's a total of 55 inches.

ETA: Just like you said...this link says 59.1 inches of hip room in 2nd row? I'm confused as to where that is!
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/tech/163_0907_2010_acura_mdx_tech_specs/dimensions_weights_capacities_towing.html
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
We cross-posted, so I'll move my ETA2 down here...

ETA2: It dawned on me after I posted all of this that the MDX and Pilot are near-clones. I know nothing about cars or else I would have realized that sooner, lol. So, I don't know how similar their interiors are, but my second row is 34" and 20". Assuming the measurements in the spreadsheet are correct, and yours is similar, you should be able to fit the Frontier on the 40 portion, and Blvd plus Radian on the 60 portion. I'm not sure if anything other than a Radian is going to work if you only want to buy one new seat, though. :)

//

They may count hip room as door-to-door and not seat cushion, I dunno. I know that that room can be useful, depending on the seat... for instance, in my 3rd row I have the Radian "toes" on the seat, but the seat itself overhangs a bit. Likewise, the MR has a "base" and then cupholders that are "wings," so you can utilize the space next to the door for the "wings."

If you can get to a specialty store or a BuyBuyBaby to try out a Radian with the Blvd, I would give that a shot. I really think it's your best bet, if you're not opposed to the price. Otherwise maybe an Evenflo Maestro or a Complete Air, depending on how they puzzle with the Boulevard.

But 19" (Blvd) + 14" (RN) = 33, so you'd need to have either some overhang or puzzling. Anything else is wider than the RN.

How much does your 3.5yo weigh?
 

mpk3

New member
Okay, I just measured again...this time measuring from door to door. The "60" portion is 35 inches and the "40" portion is 24 inches, giving that grand total of 59 inches that is stated about the car online. Makes sense now! :D


How much does your 3.5yo weigh?

34 pounds
 

Laurette

New member
Radian for sure! I love my Radians. You could use the Radian in place of the Frontier for the 3 year old or in place of the Marathon for the 1 year old.
 

JerseyGirl'sMama

New member
Um, sorry to burst your bubble, but it is impossible to get a Radian upright in the outboard positions of your MDX. :( I fought with it for a couple hours, tried every trick I knew of, and just couldn't get up more upright than 45.
 

mpk3

New member
Um, sorry to burst your bubble, but it is impossible to get a Radian upright in the outboard positions of your MDX. :( I fought with it for a couple hours, tried every trick I knew of, and just couldn't get up more upright than 45.

That stinks! :(

I thought I had solved my issue...oh well, back to the drawing board!
 

canadiangie

New member
I've worked in so many MDXs I've lost count.

Your '10 MDX has three full sets of LATCH in the 2nd row, with the middle set being slightly off centre towards the driver. I have successfully installed Radians side by side using LATCH; one driver's side, one middle, and there was a Marathon on the passenger side. It was a very nice set-up, actually. I would do two Radians for your ff'ing children, and keep using the Marathon rear facing.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Angie, does she NEED to do the two Radians? There's no chance of keeping one of the F85s?

JerseyGirl'sMama, I was thinking having the RN FFing is a liklihood, since the 3.5yo FFs f/t. I was thinking the 60 part would have the RF Marathon (toddler) outboard and FF RN (3.5) center, and the 40 the F85 (5.5). Or, if necessary, the RN could RF center (for 3.5 w/Blvd outboard for the youngest,) does it install there?

Unless you guys are certain that won't work, I would think it makes more sense for the OP to order just one RN and see what she can do before ordering two. (Or, better, try it in store, but I know sometimes it's hard to take the time you need to finagle a 3-across in a parking lot.)

ETA: (I'm doing that a lot today lol...) Well gosh darn it I have spent this whole thread thinking she had a Boulevard, not a Marathon! Where is my head! Excuse all of my Boulevardness...
 

JerseyGirl'sMama

New member
JerseyGirl'sMama, I was thinking having the RN FFing is a liklihood, since the 3.5yo FFs f/t.

Oops, I was talking about not being able to get a Radian RFing outboard, but I don't think you'd have any issues FFing. I don't know where I got that. Maybe from our PM's?
 

canadiangie

New member
Angie, does she NEED to do the two Radians? There's no chance of keeping one of the F85s?
JerseyGirl'sMama, I was thinking having the RN FFing is a liklihood, since the 3.5yo FFs f/t. I was thinking the 60 part would have the RF Marathon (toddler) outboard and FF RN (3.5) center, and the 40 the F85 (5.5). Or, if necessary, the RN could RF center (for 3.5 w/Blvd outboard for the youngest,) does it install there?

Unless you guys are certain that won't work, I would think it makes more sense for the OP to order just one RN and see what she can do before ordering two. (Or, better, try it in store, but I know sometimes it's hard to take the time you need to finagle a 3-across in a parking lot.)

ETA: (I'm doing that a lot today lol...) Well gosh darn it I have spent this whole thread thinking she had a Boulevard, not a Marathon! Where is my head! Excuse all of my Boulevardness...


She may be able to get a Frontier85 outboard with LATCH, a forward facing Radian middle with seatbelt, and then the Marathon outboard with LATCH.

It tends to come down to getting that Radian in first (with the seatbelt, so a few tricks needed.. mainly pulling it away from the seatbite), and then puzzling the remaining seats on either side.

The backseat of the MDX and Pilot aren't actually that similar. They are cousins for sure, but more like distant cousins if you will. Space wise you lose a little with the MDX. Still, it's in my top 5 for sure when it comes to SUVs and 3 across... and man do I do a lot of 3 acrosses. :thumbsup:
 

mpk3

New member
I have only got a second here before I have to rally up the kids for school, but just wanted to pop in really quick to say THANK YOU to everyone who is working so hard to help me figure this out and make this work! :love:

I guess my issue is that my Frontier 85 seats are new...my kids LOVE them...and I'd like to get as much use out of them as possible.

My toddler is 16 months and 21 pounds. I want to keep her rear-facing for as long as possible. We're doing fine with the Marathon, but I'd be open to get something new for her if it worked for a 3 across configuration...but it's looking as though it's the Frontier 85 seats that are the issue since they're so big.

Also, it would be GREAT to have her outboard because she is hard to get into her seat (she's already a "terrible two" :p) but I'm thinking that if getting a "three across" is just for special occassions, it wouldn't be a big deal having her center. I just wouldn't want her center on a day-to-day basis.

On a day-to-day basis I'd like the configuration I have now (both F85 seats in the 3rd row, outboard rear-facing marathon in 2nd row). Also, I'd like to have the ability to do a 2nd row configuration where a child is outboard with another child center- giving me the ability to slide/push the 2nd row seat forward to access child #3 in the 3rd row.

The three across would probably end up being JUST for trips...probably.

Okay, there goes my "quick message" before the kids get up. :D

Thank you!!!
 

mommycat

Well-known member
It is possible that your toddler would be more content than usual on those special trip if she was in the middle, facing her sisters and getting their full attention and help in retrieving toys, etc. (hope they get along well, heh).
 

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