Pictures of our Cybex Solution X-fix!

jackthlion

New member
They actually (accidentally, I imagine) sent us the "plus" (+) version, which has better fabric and would have cost $20 more so wheee, yay for that.

Pros (in my non-professional-at-all opinion!) - awesome design, LOVE the rigid latch, love the way the body SIP stuff moves up as the kid grows, really nice headwings. Fits smaller kids wonderfully.

Cons - It's heavy (I wouldn't want to use it as a travel seat nor in a non-latch position, personally) and kind of narrow for older kids (8+). I didn't have the "tipping forward" issue another member here had, but I can still see why this wouldn't be a seat someone who preferred using a HBB until seatbelt age or for those with bigger than average kids. You would most likely need a LBB after this is outgrown since it doesn't convert to one.

Okay, pictures! Lots of them, since I had trouble finding many when I was deciding what to buy. Please do ignore my dirty car. We have a million trees dropping junk all around our driveway and I can't keep it out.

Lowest position
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Rigid latch - latched in w/ the booster still pulled away from the seatback
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Latched and pushed back against the seat until it locks there
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If I had a girl I would have been all over that purple seat but nope, another red seat it is.
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Lowest position - 12" shoulder height? Maybe more like 13" because the seat cushion is quite padded. I didn't push it down when I measured.
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DS - 4yrs next month, 33lbs, 2nd position from bottom - Currently RF in a RN but this will be his seat when we have to pass the Radian down to DD (2yrs). She might get a different seat in the meantime so that DS can stay RF longer, but once he goes forward it'll be into this and not a harnessed seat. It fits him wonderfully and as long as he uses it properly (which he has so far) I trust that he'll be as safe as in a harness. I think it's a really good option for people who don't want to do extended harnessing... Well except that you can't get it at Walmart. :D
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14" torso
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Lap belt fit
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Side view
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Tallest setting
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19.5"? It's kind of hard to get this exact because of the cushy padding and the fact that the shoulder slot thing is in the back and not really visible from the front. This is my best guess though.
4654194087_d1fc5f1cc1.jpg


8.5 year old DS - 4'5", 66lbs, 17" torso height. He should've had it pushed down a notch or two but as you can see, his shoulders are too wide to sit comfortably in it. It's too bad that the width isn't adjustable at all. He rides in a TB on the highest setting and would've probably had another year more growing room in the Cybex if it was wider. He does have pretty broad shoulders, for what it's worth.
4654196663_fff25ac100.jpg


Overall I really like it though! The rigid latch and the SIP? Awesome, awesome, awesome. I don't have any other boosters besides the TB to compare it to, but this makes the TB seem flimsy.

No regrets here. :thumbsup:
 
ADS

Maedze

New member
Very nice. :)

I recommend raising the head rest one setting on your four year old. The shoulder belt is very close to the edge of his shoulder and moving the headrest up will correct that. It will also likely center the wings around his head more accurately :)
 

jackthlion

New member
Very nice. :)

I recommend raising the head rest one setting on your four year old. The shoulder belt is very close to the edge of his shoulder and moving the headrest up will correct that. It will also likely center the wings around his head more accurately :)

Thanks! I was thinking that too.
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Did your 8 year old say he was uncomfy? He does look a bit squished but not too bad. I wonder how my 6 year old would fit. No cup holders?
 

jackthlion

New member
Did your 8 year old say he was uncomfy? He does look a bit squished but not too bad. I wonder how my 6 year old would fit. No cup holders?

Well, he doesn't love it... It would work, you know, I would definitely use it for him if I needed to, but his back isn't 100% flat across the back of the seat and that bugs him. I can measure his shoulder width in a bit... He's pretty average sized (height/weight) for his age but I have a feeling his shoulders might be wider, seeing as the other person with the Cybex's 9 year old fit fine with room to grow width-wise.

No cup holders, sorry. :(
 

firemomof3

New member
Do either of your kids feel like they're being launched out of the booster? I tried 3 kids in the Cybex and none of them liked it :confused:
 

jackthlion

New member
Do either of your kids feel like they're being launched out of the booster? I tried 3 kids in the Cybex and none of them liked it :confused:

No, not at all... Did you see the different recline positions on the headrest? Maybe try one of the less upright ones if you still have it? It could also be your vehicle seat perhaps? The booster itself isn't angled forward at all (it's straight up and down, same as the turbobooster which is the only thing I have to compare it to myself), so I'm not quite sure why they would feel that way. I'm sorry they didn't like it :(
 

jackthlion

New member
Just one more picture :) With the headrest in the recline position DS had no trouble falling asleep. I promise he's not actually slouching... I was messing with the height and forgot to move it back down a notch before we drove somewhere, whoops. :whistle:

4657317671_070475333c_b.jpg
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
OK, I have to ask, are you using this seat for your 33 lb 3 year old? If so, why? He is FAR too small and young to be sitting in a booster seat, even part time.

ETA - ok, I see you are not planning on moving him to a ff harness after you pass down his current seat? IMO EH would be considered harnessing past 4 and 40 lbs. I just can't agree that your child is as safe in this seat at 33 lbs as he would be in a harness.
 

jackthlion

New member
OK, I have to ask, are you using this seat for your 33 lb 3 year old? If so, why? He is FAR too small and young to be sitting in a booster seat, even part time.

ETA - ok, I see you are not planning on moving him to a ff harness after you pass down his current seat? IMO EH would be considered harnessing past 4 and 40 lbs. I just can't agree that your child is as safe in this seat at 33 lbs as he would be in a harness.

Thanks for your concern! He's actually still rear-facing for now (the Cybex is a backup in DH's car since both boys can use it). Regarding forward-facing, I haven't seen any research to show that 1) a harness is safer than a properly fitting and used booster and 2) that weight makes a difference as long as the meet the requirements for the seat. If anything, while he is younger I'm more concerned with the neck excursion issues in a harnessed FF seat. The seat fits him well and he sits properly. I ABSOLUTELY agree that we shouldn't be recommending boosters for 4 year olds on a board like this because of the likelihood of misuse... but that doesn't make it a bad decision for all parents and all kids.

I think it's totally fine to harness as long as you'd like, but I don't feel it's necessary and I don't want to buy a FF harness seat only to use it for a year.

Ideally, I'd like to keep him RF for another year in the Radian but I'm still working out the logistics with my husband. Not so much the cost of getting another RF seat but more him feeling like we've done better than most people getting him to 4 RF and that it's overkill to get another seat at this point.

All that aside... it's still good for people to see how the seat fits young and/or small kids. There are a lot of people out there who are going to choose a booster for their 4 year olds and I would at least hope they'd be able to find the info to pick one that fits well. :thumbsup:
 
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emandbri

Well-known member
I agree he needs a harness seat for your dh's car. I honestly thought you were posting the pictures in the first post to make fun of cybex "look at this crazy seat that cybex made where a young, light child, fits so well."
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
Sorry, I just cannot agree that your 3 year old should be sitting in a booster. He is very very tiny and not even 4 yet. It is very odd to me that you would keep him rf in one car and have him boostered at only 33 lbs in another.

ETA - We do not recommend boostering before 4 and 40 lbs because it is simply not the safest option for a child before 4 and 40. It has nothing at all to do with the possibility of misuse.
 

finn

New member
Thanks for the pics, I have been debating between this and the Recaro Monza (Pro booster). My son is 3 years 4 months and I'm pretty sure he will be going into a booster at 4. I figure I've gone with the Swedes so far (rf till 4) that I will continue to go with them and booster at 4.

The cybex looks like it fits your son really well and I love the adjustable head rest for sleeping, he looks more comfortable than ds does in his multi tech sleeping!
 

canadiangie

New member
Just one more picture :) With the headrest in the recline position DS had no trouble falling asleep. I promise he's not actually slouching... I was messing with the height and forgot to move it back down a notch before we drove somewhere, whoops. :whistle:

4657317671_070475333c_b.jpg

This picture has me worried, a bit. It seems like in the van the lap belt fit lower over his thighs, but in dh's car (the above pic) the lap belt is riding too high and over his tummy. It just goes to show that a booster can work fairly well in one vehicle, but not provide correct seatbelt placement in another.

FWIW, he is a little on the young side at just approaching 4, and is certainly a wee little man at 33lbs. While neck loading in a 5 point harness may be a concern for some, internal abdominal injuries/bleeding from a booster used too soon cannot be overlooked, either. I realize you have your mind made up, but I guess my point is that you might be trading one potential injury (injury from neck loading which is absolutely debatable in my opinion) for another more likely injury... abdominal injury. Clearly he is just on the borderline for meeting the minimums, and I don't think you can fault any of us for voicing concern.
 

jackthlion

New member
Sorry, I just cannot agree that your 3 year old should be sitting in a booster. He is very very tiny and not even 4 yet. It is very odd to me that you would keep him rf in one car and have him boostered at only 33 lbs in another.

ETA - We do not recommend boostering before 4 and 40 lbs because it is simply not the safest option for a child before 4 and 40. It has nothing at all to do with the possibility of misuse.

Well, like I've said, I agree that a booster is not ideal for him. Rear-facing is. He's going to be four next month, by the way and he's thin, but not tiny or short. I would love to read any information or studies you can point me to regarding how weight plays a part in the harness vs booster issue though. I personally have not been able to find anything regarding the differences between a lighter 4 year old and a heavier one.

Regarding being RF in my car and FF in DH's... That's mainly because the kids are in my husbands car very very rarely. It makes sense for us to have a seat there that CAN be used by either of our two older children should the need arise.
 

jackthlion

New member
This picture has me worried, a bit. It seems like in the van the lap belt fit lower over his thighs, but in dh's car (the above pic) the lap belt is riding too high and over his tummy. It just goes to show that a booster can work fairly well in one vehicle, but not provide correct seatbelt placement in another.

FWIW, he is a little on the young side at just approaching 4, and is certainly a wee little man at 33lbs. While neck loading in a 5 point harness may be a concern for some, internal abdominal injuries/bleeding from a booster used too soon cannot be overlooked, either. I realize you have your mind made up, but I guess my point is that you might be trading one potential injury (injury from neck loading which is absolutely debatable in my opinion) for another more likely injury... abdominal injury. Clearly he is just on the borderline for meeting the minimums, and I don't think you can fault any of us for voicing concern.

I checked when I put him in and took him out and it seemed to me to be on his thighs, not stomach. Maybe it's the overalls making it look that way? As you can see in the first pics, he doesn't really have belly "rolls".

I hope I'm not coming off too defensive... I've gotten a lot of great help here and I honestly do appreciate the concern. It's how we learn, you know?

Like I've said, I really would like to keep DS RF and use this seat a year from now. Might end up with a Scenera for DD, which I don't love at all, but I'm not sure I can convince DH to let me buy a whole new full-featured high-RF weight seat. Would love an Alma MyRide for her, to be honest ;)
 

emandbri

Well-known member
Would your dh be swayed if you posted a poll saying "do you think it is a good idea for me to put my 33 lbs almost 4 year old in a booster?"

I assure you the poll would be very one sided. ;)

I can't speak for others but for myself it isn't a matter of weight but the fact that I firmly believe that 4 year olds are not mature enough to ride in booster seats. They simply can't be trusted to keep the belts in place, not unbuckle, not reach for stuff, etc.

If your dd is outgrowing the roundabout rear-facing and needs the radian to stay rearfacing can you put him in the roundabout? With a 14 inch torso he should fit for quite some time.
 

jackthlion

New member
If your dd is outgrowing the roundabout rear-facing and needs the radian to stay rearfacing can you put him in the roundabout?

Unfortunately, no. It's an old-style Roundabout and is pretty short shelled. DD has another half inch or so to grow in it, but since it expires next year (or possibly early 2012) anyway I'm giving it to my sister who is in town this weekend so she can use it as her spare. (I can trust her not to use it past it's expiration.)
 

jackthlion

New member
Thanks for the pics, I have been debating between this and the Recaro Monza (Pro booster). My son is 3 years 4 months and I'm pretty sure he will be going into a booster at 4. I figure I've gone with the Swedes so far (rf till 4) that I will continue to go with them and booster at 4.

Thanks Chrissy. This is pretty much the conclusion I've come to as well. The swedes have a pretty good track record so far! :)
 

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