Would you buy a Frontier 85 for a 7 year old?

mykidsmom

New member
My dd is 7 and has been in boosters for the last year or more.

She is about 48-49 pounds and probably about 47 inches or so.

She rides in a recaro vivo in her dads car. She rides in a Turbo booster in my car.

in the Turbo booster, she sometimes has trouble staying in the seat when she falls asleep and there isn't room outboard in my car for the headrest to go any higher (it hits the curve of the roof). I looked at a Monteray, but it is too tall for my car (again due to hitting the curve of the roof) . The Frontier 85 seems to install just fine (short belt path is what I tested). She was not with me, so I will have to double check the head rest height to see if it will fit where she needs it.

Would it be silly to get her a Frontier 85? Or should I just try to find another deeper booster (that she might not fall out of when asleep)? Is the Frontier 85 a seat that she would stay in better in booster mode? She actually would still fit harnessed too, but I am not sure if she would want to be harnessed again at 7.
 
ADS

icnee

New member
I would in your case. it would be better to harness her then have her fall out when she falls asleep.

I actually plan to buy one too for a seven year old cause I need to put her in the 3rd row and boosters tend to tip back there ( not sure why). so I am planning to get one for my 7yo DD and then whe my 5yo DD goes FFing perminatly she will get one too and they will stay in the 3rd row till DD3and DS2 go FFing then they will go in the 3rd row FFing and the 2 biger ones will go into booster mode in the seconed row where it can use latch so no tipping.

OK that turned out to be long . but atr least you can see that you are not the only one. and for my DS1 I did put him back in a harness at 7 for the same reasons as you DD until her out grew the seat. ( and he had been FFing since 3 before I knew better)
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I would :eek: But... remember the headrest goes up a LOT higher when you take the screw out and raise just the headrest in booster mode. Not sure if it'll work (I can't put it in the highest position in the back of my van due to the curved roofline, but then again you may never need it THAT high, anyway!).
 

mykidsmom

New member
The vivo has deeper wings than the turbo. How does she sleep in the vivo?

honestly, she has never fallen out of the wings of the vivo. I was hoping to buy another vivo, but she is insistent that she likes the butterflies on her turbo booster and doesn't want another vivo.

But maybe.... Maybe I can convince her to use a Vivo for the long car rides when I expect her to sleep and the turbo for normal day to day use. Maybe I will try that route with her if she is agreeable. A Vivo certainly is much cheaper than the Frontier.
 

babyherder

Well-known member
I understand why she likes the TB but a Frontier isn't going to come with butterflies either. I don't think there's anything wrong with re-harnessing her. I just thought the vivo would be a cheaper option if you don't want the cost of a frontier.
 

DaniChildcare

New member
honestly, she has never fallen out of the wings of the vivo. I was hoping to buy another vivo, but she is insistent that she likes the butterflies on her turbo booster and doesn't want another vivo.

But maybe.... Maybe I can convince her to use a Vivo for the long car rides when I expect her to sleep and the turbo for normal day to day use. Maybe I will try that route with her if she is agreeable. A Vivo certainly is much cheaper than the Frontier.

How often is she in dads car? If she's in dads car often, but not sleeping, why not just switch them?

To answer your question, no, i wouldn't buy a harnessed seat for a child that's capable of using a booster. She's staying in place while awake, you just need to get a different booster for her to sleep, since she sleeps fine in her vivo.

What about a Turbo Elite? The wings are adjustable, and the regular turbo's cover might fit? I'd probably just buy that, or another vivo.
 

justhat

New member
My 7yo is harnessed in her Frontier 85, and I bought it in August, I think, so she was 6.5yo. So I guess, yes, I would buy one for a 7yo is my answer.

BUT, we initially bought the old Frontier when she was 5.5yo, when my 3yo was outgrowing his Roundabout so we needed her Marathon for him. So we got it then, to use harnessed, then as a booster. We got the 85 nearly a year later when my daughter's other Marathon was expiring and we needed a seat for her. I was going to just get the Parkway SGL, but my daughter said she preferred being harnessed so I just went with a 2nd Frontier. I gave my husband the old one for his car and I kept the new one since I drive her more and it has the accessible cupholders (as opposed to the pull out kind in the old model).

I just reinstalled it tonight (we were out of town) and asked her if she wanted it as a booster or keep the harness and she chose harness. At least I'm getting my money's worth out of it!
 

luckyclov

New member
I bought my DD a FR85 a few months ago, at 6.5. Previously, she had been harnessed in a Regent, but, well, we just wanted something new and she's still not quite mature enough (she has high functioning Aspergers and low tone) to sit in a booster fulltime. Just to give you an idea, she's currently 47 inches tall and 55-57 lbs. She's on the last harness slot, with about 1/2 - possibly a tad more - inch left to grow. It could be awhile...or it could be next month before she outgrows it, who knows. But I don't regret the decision because she still needed to be harnessed. And since the FR85 converts to a highback booster that provides a great belt fit (we tried before we bought it) on her, I think it was a good choice for us.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
to sum up all the replies... it depends on the child. Your daughter is doing fine in a booster, she just needs more support for when she sleeps.

I'm not sure what vehicle you have, but I know the vivo is able to go to full height in my sloping third row, where most other boosters can't.

Also, since she has no issue sleeping in the vivo, the decision seems easy. If she wants butterflies, get her some butterfly patches and iron them onto the cover... problem solved.
 

Mom-of-Two

New member
Would a Recaro Probooster fit in your car?

The easiest option of course is to switch boosters! The Vivo may make a better everyday booster for her, if she is a sleeper.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
If the issue is the height of the restraint, a Frontier is not going to be shorter than a Monterey. If she rides well in boosters, I'd probably get a deeper booster.
 

mykidsmom

New member
Also, since she has no issue sleeping in the vivo, the decision seems easy. If she wants butterflies, get her some butterfly patches and iron them onto the cover... problem solved.

That's not a bad idea. Although it will probably start a trend between both kids wanting things ironed on!

lol!
 

mykidsmom

New member
This is what we are doing for now:

I ordered the Frontier 85 in the Blue since that is what color my 3 year old wants and ultimately this one I ordered is for her.

We may check it out and fool around with it for my 7 year old first. Then decide.

The only other issue with the Vivo is no cup holders. I know it sounds stupid, but she is spoiled by the ones in her Turbo booster. She uses them as places to store little toys.

The Probooster I have thought about, but there is no where local that has it so that I can try it to see how it fits in the car and with her and I have heard it can be very tippy.

The monteray set to a similar belt height (i.e. above her shoulder) as her turbo was too tall to fit in the car.

I can't just use the vivo in her dad's car for a few reasons.
1. I gave it to him because his car is old and less safe and I felt the deeper wings made her safer in his car than the turbo would (no proof of this of course, just my feeling).
2. Anything in his car reeks, so even washing it, I couldn't be guaranteed it doesn't smell like cigarette smoke (although he claims he quit back in September). She doesn't want to use it because she says it smells.
3. We are in the middle of a hotly contested divorce, so there is no niceness on his part. So it isn't like I can just borrow it for the trips she where she would sleep.
 

abbi_n_nadia

New member
I would! I dont see a problem with it. If you want/have a need for one and have the money then I don't see any reason not too. :)
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,656
Messages
2,196,896
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top