Need recommendation for a seat for DS (primary and secondary please!)

ama223 · Aug 23, 2010

DS is 44" and 44lbs, will be 4yo next week. He's almost outgrown his Marathon.

We need a new carseat for our 2008 Sienna (Since he's over 40lbs, am I right to assume that he should no longer be latched, but use the seatbelt for install??) I'd like something that will last, since I plan on 5-point harnessing him until it's no longer safe to do so. We like Britax products, but are open to others that can accomodate his height.

My parents will be driving him to and from preschool 1 day a week and I need to get them a 5-point-harness carseat that also won't cost me an arm and a leg

Safety is my #1 concern though!!

Thanks!!

aeormsby · Aug 23, 2010

Is he outgrowing the Marathon by height? (shoulders even with/over the top slots) For your Sienna I would look at the Britax Frontier85, the Graco Nautilus & the Recaro Prosport, they are all harnessed seats that make decent boosters in the future.

For a secondary seat I would usually recommend the Evenflo Maestro, but it only has a 50lb weight limit and your DS may or may not reach 5-6yo (if you would be comfortable having him use a booster on occasion when he would reach that weight limit it would be a good option at under $100) Booster training (riding in boosters occasionally for short trips to learn to sit correctly in a booster) would be perfectly acceptable once he's 5.

I'm not positive (hopefully someone with a Toyota or a Latch manual can verify) but I believe Toyota defers to the carseat for a Latch limit. So check your carseat manual, they usually have a limit listed for if the vehicle doesn't specify a limit.

Maedze · Aug 23, 2010

Unless the Marathon is brand new, you can install it with LATCH to 48 pounds in that vehicle.

Long term combination seats that will harness for a while longer and then convert to a good booster are the Graco Nautilus, Recaro Probooster and Britax Frontier 85.

A 'cheap' seat that would be a temporary option for your parents would be the Evenflo Maestro. It has nice tall top slots, but only a 50 pound weight limit, so make sure that 44 pounds is fully dressed with shoes!

ama223 · Aug 23, 2010

Thank you both!

I did NOT know that about the Marathon! I will have to check the manual again. I believe I purchased it early 2009.

ETA - if he is a tall kid (my DH is 6'8" so this boy is gonna be tall) - which of those 3 for my car would you recommend then? Are they all equally comprable?

Yes, he is almost outgrown the Marathon in height. He is probably closer to 46lbs fully dressed, so can you recommend another seat for my parents that he might not outgrow too quickly? I don't mind spending a bit more for something that will last?

He isn't even 4 yet - he will be 4 on Sept 3, so he has a ways to go until I would feel comfortably letting him sit in a booster.

Maedze · Aug 23, 2010

After the Maestro, the next combination seat I would recommend is the Graco Nautilus.

ama223 · Aug 23, 2010

Thank you.

Would the Nautilus still be a safe, good carseat for my Sienna as well? Is there a reason that I should choose the Britax Frontier over the Nautilus?

Maedze · Aug 23, 2010

ama223 said:
Thank you.

Would the Nautilus still be a safe, good carseat for my Sienna as well? Is there a reason that I should choose the Britax Frontier over the Nautilus?

No particular reason. The Frontier has a harness height of about an extra 1.5", but the Nautilus is tall enough to harness even taller kids usually to around six.

TerisBoys · Aug 23, 2010

I'd find somewhere to try both seats - some kids find the Nautilus confining, others like it just fine.

firemomof3 · Aug 23, 2010

For your primary seat I would choose the ProSport and for your secondary I would choose the Maestro :thumbsup:

Maedze · Aug 23, 2010

firemomof3 said:
For your primary seat I would choose the ProBooster and for your secondary I would choose the Maestro :thumbsup:

I'm assuming you meant ProSport, not Probooster, as the Probooster is really not an appropriate seat for a not-yet-four year old.

The ProSport is nice, but there's no particular reason based on the information she has provided to say it is the 'best' option out of the combination seats for the primary seat :twocents:

firemomof3 · Aug 23, 2010

Maedze said:
I'm assuming you meant ProSport, not Probooster, as the Probooster is really not an appropriate seat for a not-yet-four year old.

The ProSport is nice, but there's no particular reason based on the information she has provided to say it is the 'best' option out of the combination seats for the primary seat :twocents:

:doh: Yes, I meant ProSport. I'll change it :thumbsup:
And its just my opinion that the ProSport is my #1 but yes, the GN is also an excellent choice.

Need recommendation for a seat for DS (primary and secondary please!)

ama223

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aeormsby

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Maedze

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ama223

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Maedze

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ama223

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firemomof3

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