Help with a travel seat - untethered FF harness seat?

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gigi

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #1

We go abroad frequently to visit family. When we are there, we ride in a car that has no top tether, no latch anchors, and no locking seat belt (8-9 year old Volvo XC70). I need a FF harnessed seat for my son (who will be 3.75 and probably 37-40 pounds on our next trip) that will hopefully also be easy to travel with. In the past I've brought my Britax convertibles, but since our last trip I've become aware of their less-than stellar head excursion rates without a tether).

When we are there, we are in and out of the car frequently and I don't want to get a RSTV for that purpose. I've considered a booster b/c my son would definitely sit properly in it (he is a major rule follower and a safety cop LOL) but I think he'll still be too small for my comfort.

I've thought about a Maestro but am wondering about other suggestions that anyone might have. I'd like a seat/system that is as safe as possible without the tether.

 

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #2

The Nautilus performs well without a tether.

Is the vehicle owned by a family member? Would they be willing to get a tether anchor retrofitted on the car? I am not sure how realistic that is because I don't know the geography.

I am just thinking it might be available because I can't see Volvo bothering to make that many separate vehicles for the entire world - and U.S. and Canadian top tether anchor requirements are older than 8 or 9 years old.

 

amyd

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #3

If the trips in the car are of reasonably short duration, your child will sit properly in a booster, and he fits in one, I would choose that for my child, even though I would never recommend that a child of that age & size be in a booster here at home. I am really quite uncomfortable with an untethered FFing seat. Alternatively, if I felt my child didn't meet the minimum requirements to be in a booster safely, I would take my Radian & RF him. I know that Radians FFing & the Graco Nautilus both do well untethered, though. So my personal choice if it were my child in order of preference would be: (1) Booster, (2) RFing, (3) FFing untethered in a Radian or Nauti.

Another thing to think about...how are you getting the seat to your destination? Will your child sit in it on the plane? You won't want to check a seat because it could be damaged and then you'll be without. If not, what about getting your family to purchase a seat to keep there for your child if you travel frequently? (depending on country, standards, etc.). If a good booster is available there, you would be set for your child when you are over there.

 

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gigi

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #4

Thanks for the replies so far!

We always carry our seat on. Always. No checking for us.

We can't retrofit a tether anchor. Last time I was there I was horrified to discover that this Swedish kid-moving car had no ISOFIX, no tethers, and no locking belts. I thought they must be there and I was not seeing them, so I read the manual...all of those were optional equipment in England on this car. For all previous visits my son had been RFing and my seats had lock offs, so I never really thought about it before that visit. The boy that rides in this car on a regular basis has been in a booster since age 3 (which is the norm there).

I don't know about a booster. I am fairly sure he'd sit well in one, but he's such a thin kid and he sleeps in the car a lot. I normally would just think I'd lock the belt on him to keep him sitting up, but the belts don't lock!

I really don't like Radians. I really don't want to buy one, as I think my son will be in a booster sooner rather than later - so I was banking on getting about 18 months more out of my Boulevard and then moving him to a good booster. But it seems like there are very few other options for this situation (and I could put the Radian in the overhead box and let my son sit in the seat with a CARES, which would be nice). No way I'm traveling with a Nautilus - too big!

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

Murphy's Law

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #5

In this situation I would still go with the RSTV. Honestly, once you get used to it, it doesn't take much time at all to use.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #6

Murphy's Law said:

In this situation I would still go with the RSTV. Honestly, once you get used to it, it doesn't take much time at all to use.

Click to expand...

I agree with Murphy. It really doesn't take more than a few seconds to slap it on and buckle him in, once you get the hang of it (I'm beginning to feel like an RSTV salesman, but ever since getting my grubby little paws on one, I'm sold!)

 

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gigi

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #7

These are 2-3 week long trips with multiple, multiple car rides per day. I don't think I want a vest. Plus, I'm not always the one supervising him and there is just way too much margin of error on a vest vs a seat. I'd rather have a seat.

Actually, what I'd rather have is something like the Go Hybrid, but the whole no top tether thing has me flummoxed. When my nephew was in a 5 pt, it was un-tethered.

I go to the UK, if that makes any difference in recs. Maybe I'll post in the international thread too to see if they sell seats there that would fit the bill. I'm happy to buy there, if they have a solution we don't have here.

I think I'm going to also cross my fingers that this car dies and they get a newer one with tether anchors before we are next there.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #8

You could also consider a rear facing seat

 

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gigi

New member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #9

Well, to be honest, I'm trying to figure out a way to avoid buying this kid a 4th convertible car seat (we have ONE car and one seat is at my moms) in 3 years. I really struggled to turn him FF at 3 and 35 but I felt that with 100% correct usage 100% of the time he was reasonably safe that I wasn't going to let my horrific fear of something happening to him frighten me into yet another seat that we don't technically need. But if that Radian is my only "safer" option in the travel situation, I'll switch to it in my car too and suck up the fact that it doesn't install wonderfully and takes up hellacious amounts of room.

No way the Radian would fit RFing in the Volvo though...both front passengers in the host family are about 6 feet and even my Boulevard installed really upright made the front passenger seat uncomfortable. I'm really hoping they get a new car so I can justify a Go Hybrid (and that Safety 1st comes out with cooler color combos). I travel a lot with my son and I'm really, really looking forward to the day I can ditch the convertible. Although now that he can't RF in the Boulevard, I travel with my Diplomat and that makes it loads easier (he outgrew it RFing at about 18 months but still has room FF at 3.5ish).

 

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SusanMae

Senior Community Member

• Jul 16, 2010

• #10

I'd get a seat with built in lock offs, just to avoid dealing with a locking clip.

The Graco Nautilus Elite has lock-offs....and is the only harness to booster that I can think of that fits that bill.

Susan

 

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gigi

New member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #11

You are right. I *can* use a locking clip, but I forgot that the Radians are so tricky to install with the seat belt. I'll have to do some investigating on if they work with the older Volvos.

I really don't think I can travel with a Nautilus by myself with my son and enough of our luggage for 3 weeks. Way too big. I mean, it could be done, but it seems like major overkill for a nearly 4 year old. Silly, silly car!

In the meantime I'm really, really, really hoping this car dies a quick death.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #12

I really can't comment on foreign cars, but are you absolutely certain the Volvo does not have SWITCHABLE locking latchplates? Those were common in US Volvos of the same model year. If you look at the latchplate, there is a little button on it that you have to shove over when you use it in car seat mode. This turns the free-sliding latchplate into a locking latchplate: no clips needed.

 

Louisa

CPST Instructor

• Jul 17, 2010

• #13

i have had several volvos and often they have strange looking switchable latchplates.
i have also used a radian, both RF and FF in many different volvos and have been able to get decent installs in all of them. sometimes it is a matter of putting the belt on the retractor side behind the edge of the radian. i can take some pictures if you need a visual. we currently have a v70 and an s80

 

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mytwobugs

New member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #14

Is the car the same model as any sold in the u.s.? If so maybe you could buy the tether anchor from a Volvo dealer here and take it with you to install once you arrive there?

 

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gigi

New member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #15

I did not know about the switchable locking latchplate. I will try to google one and ask my cousin if she has it in her car. She never locked the belt, only used the lock-offs on her Priori.

If she *does* have a switchable latch plate, can I lock him in place in a booster? Or does it not work like that?

I'm not sure I'd be comfy doing it on our next trip, but the trip after that I'm about 99% sure would be fine (he'll be 4.5-5 and at least 40 pounds). This kid is a rule follower. I mean serious rule enforcer. And he is crazy for safety and understands about not doing dangerous things, so I'm actually not even worried about him being able to sit properly *while awake* in a theoretical booster now at under 3.5. I'd never put him in one, EVER, at this age but I'm sure in a year-18mos he'll he totally, totally fine in one for this type of situation (not at home).

 

amyd

New member

• Jul 17, 2010

• #16

gigi said:

I did not know about the switchable locking latchplate. I will try to google one and ask my cousin if she has it in her car. She never locked the belt, only the lock-offs on her Priori.

If she *does* have a switchable latch plate, can I lock him in place in a booster?

Click to expand...

No, you wouldn't be able to lock him into a booster with a switchable latchplate. That will only lock the lap portion of the belt, not the shoulder portion.