Question 2009 Subaru Outback Britax Marathon vs Recaro Young Sport

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi! We have a 2009 Subaru Outback and are going to need a new carseat for our DD who will be 1 year old in October. I am trying to decide between a Britax Marathon 70 or a Recaro Young Sport. We have a Graco Snugride right now and it has been a disaster. Though the seat seems comfortable and safe, it only fits behind the passenger side or driver side and not in the middle (where the safety folks think it's best). I called Subaru & the customer service rep told me he had the same issue and that they do not recommend putting it in the middle. We ended up putting it behind the passenger, effectively eliminating any legroom that we gained by buying this 'family' car. Ugh! Anyway, please help me not make the same mistake. Any pertinent advice welcome!
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Welcome.

You *can* install in the middle of a Subaru, but it can be tricky.

The Young Sport is both discontinued (it's now the ProSport), and forward facing only, so it's not an option for a one year old. Kids should rear face until their fourth year, ideally.

The good news for you is that you can sit a convertible much more upright than an infant seat, so they fit well. I've put a Boulevard rear facing in the center of a 2005 Outback with the seatbelt just fine. I've tried out a True Fit outboard and it worked just fine.

Check out this link as to why rear facing is so much safer (up to 500% safer). http://carseatblog.com/?p=5168

A Safety 1st Complete Air would work, I should think. Maybe an Evenflo Triumph Advance 65 as well.

Wendy
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
How is your little one fitting in the snugride? She needs to be under the max weight and have an inch of carseat shell above her head.

I recently helped a mom with a snugride32, which is bigger then the regular snugride. It installed in the middle very easily. It helps that it has a built-in locking clip. Makes install easier. She had bought a flex-loc first and it fit but the handle was a pain. So, I would try a locking clip in the middle seat if you get one without a built in clip.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi! Thank you very much for the info, Wendy! I honestly had never even heard of rear facing for longer than 1 year. I am educated, read every book about childbirth prep and baby sleep and several about baby rearing, but nowhere have I heard of doing this. We were really looking forward to turning DD around because she absolutely hates HATES being in the car. For the first 5 months, I endured every trip to the grocery store, doctor, etc. with screaming tears. If the trip was longer than 15 minutes (most were not), she would 'crash' fall asleep fitfully and wake up a few minutes later screaming. My nerves are frayed! I know she is comfortable because if I ride in the back with her while DH drives, she is fine - happy and laughing. It's simply because she can't see us. I have a baby mirror (plastic/intended for this purpose) in front of her so that she can see me when I turn around. Singing, music, toys, snacks help, but she just hates it.
I am not looking forward to having to explain this to friends and family - we have done everything differently (natural birth, babywearing, extended bfing, no pacifiers, no juice, no sugar, yada yada). The facts listed on the blog are hard to refute, but why have I never heard of this?
Is there any way to be sure that these models will fit ahead of time? I'll kick myself if I have to return one! (Young sport is still for sale on Amazon - I read about it elsewhere online, so I didn't know it was discontinued - thanks!)

Pippi - I don't remember what model Snugride we have - I'll have to go look. She still has plenty of room above her head, but we are on the highest slot for the restraint. She seems very comfortable in it (aside from aforementioned). She is 28" and 22lbs. now.
Thank you!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
She may just want to sit up more. A lot of babies in the infant seat do.

BRU will have most of the seats (Complete Air, Triumph Advance, Boulevard, My Ride, Momentum) that we generally recommend. At her age she doesn't need a 45 degree angle at all, so they can sit very upright (in their reclined positions) and not take up as much room as the infant seat. BRU will let you try them out in your car. So go there, touch the seats, sit her in them, see which one, two, three, or four seats you like, then take those out to your car and install them (you need to either drop your license at the customer service desk, or have an employee come out with you).

I don't know why the message hasn't gotten out yet. It's been around since 2002. Eight full years. It's certainly more around now than it was then, but it's still like shouting into the wind.

A lot of people here are in the realm you are. Very educated parents. Stick around. You'll love it. Many homebirths, unassisted births (me included), extended nursers (I'm nursing my nearly 11 month old as I type), cosleepers, cloth diaperers, babywearers, etc. Most people who live outside the mainstream seem to not do it in just one aspect.

Wendy
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
She may just want to sit up more. A lot of babies in the infant seat do.

BRU will have most of the seats (Complete Air, Triumph Advance, Boulevard, My Ride, Momentum) that we generally recommend. At her age she doesn't need a 45 degree angle at all, so they can sit very upright (in their reclined positions) and not take up as much room as the infant seat. BRU will let you try them out in your car. So go there, touch the seats, sit her in them, see which one, two, three, or four seats you like, then take those out to your car and install them (you need to either drop your license at the customer service desk, or have an employee come out with you).

I don't know why the message hasn't gotten out yet. It's been around since 2002. Eight full years. It's certainly more around now than it was then, but it's still like shouting into the wind.

A lot of people here are in the realm you are. Very educated parents. Stick around. You'll love it. Many homebirths, unassisted births (me included), extended nursers (I'm nursing my nearly 11 month old as I type), cosleepers, cloth diaperers, babywearers, etc. Most people who live outside the mainstream seem to not do it in just one aspect.

Wendy


Totally agree with Wendy. We extended rearfaced all our kids. Our older 2 are now 8y and 9y old. I found a board very similar to this back then. Now a days our kids would make it to age 3.

We had 2 natural births with midwives, extended nursed 3 kids to 3+y, baby/kid wearing (still wear our 3y, 40# dd), co-sleeping tonight with our 3y and 4y, didn't learn about cloth diapers until dd2 was about 18 months, but liked them too.
 

Maedze

New member
I just want to confirm everything that's been said. Kids often go through a 'i hate the car seat phase' first in the early months and then as young toddlers. All of my kids got over it around 20 months. My oldest rear faced to 2.5 years (the max weight on the seat at the time), my daughter rear faced to 4 years, and the baby just turned three and is still rear facing.

You just need to grit your teeth and get through the "I hate the car seat" phase. Think of it like this: no matter how loudly your child screamed and carried on, you wouldn't let her stick a butter knife in an electrical outlet, right? LOL.

For the record, I wear my babies, homebirthed my third, breastfed until two, and they don't drink cow milk or juice, so I know what you mean about being the odd-ball. LOL.
 

T4K

Well-known member
This is me 3 months ago :) Many of our "experts" are misinformed on the safety of rearfacing. Pediatricians often make remarks about turning children as soon as they hit the standard "1 and 20." The tide is turning thanks to the wonderful folks in forums such as this one. Even then AAP has revised their stance on RFing. You will also probably need to start formulating responses to questions about cramped legs, being unhappy, etc. Truth is, MANY kids love being rearfacing (you can youtube many videos). Toddlers legs aren't meant to dangle and are often more comfortable propped up in their chair. Many people will also say their legs will snap in a crash, please let them know that this is better than their not fully developed neck and spine snapping.

I am also looking at an Outback (need an AWD). SO thanks for posting this and good luck :)
 

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