Please recommend Second/Spare seats for my 3 yr old and 5 1/2 month old

We have a marathon for our 3 year old (36 lbs and about 39 inches) as his main seat. We love it!
For our 5 1/2 month old (almost 20 lb and about 26in) we have a roundabout. Love it also.

We are looking for a second seat for each for my husband's car.
We have a DOM 2003 belt booster but don't want to use it yet for our 3 year old for we want him harnessed longer. Any recommendations on a second seat for him?
We thought about a Safety First Apex for him but read somewhere about the head rest issue. How high does the seat back need to be to be able to use this seat?
We also considered a FPSVD for him but thought maybe we should get something that would last longer.
Any recommendations or advice?
We saw something that looks like the specs of an Apex in the Big Lots ad online but have no idea what it actually is...??? http://www.biglots.com/Specials/WeeklyAd.aspx?sid=1699&style=f


Then, there is our 5 1/2 month old. We thought about a Cosco Scenera for him. But then also wondered if we should get something like the FPSVD for him...??? It would last longer.

Any recommendations? We were hoping to keep the cost down up front but also wonder if buying seats that might be a bit more expensive would be better in the long run.

Thanks so much for any input!!

I bought a FPSVD for our 3-yo DS to use as a 2nd seat -- it's a great seat, similar to the Marathon in fit and ease of use. (The cover is not quite as nice, and it has different LATCH connectors and no seatbelt lock-offs). PROS: High harness slots; easy to install and use; can also use RF for younger child if needed. CONS: Doesn't look as much like a "big kid" seat as the Apex.

APEX - I think you'd have to try this in your vehicle first to see if it works with the headrests. But it is a nice, full seat--plenty of growing room. I read in a comment on the Babies R Us website that Cosco is going to start making the crotch buckle strap longer--it's a pretty tight fit. (I don't own one of these--but have tried DS in them in the store.) PROS: roomy seat; converts to a belt-positioning booster. CONS: Possible issue with car headrest working with seat; short crotch buckle strap causes possible pinching of chubby little thighs if you're not careful when buckling in.

The two seats I saw in the Big Lots ad were a Cosco Scenera and a Cosco combination harness/booster. Good price on the Scenera. On the combination seat, I believe what I've read here is that Cosco combination seats generally have the lowest top harness slots, so they can't harness as long as some of the other combination-type seats. But it is a good price.

If the 2nd car is a van or SUV, I might give the edge to the Apex since it has a lower profile (easier for child to climb in on his own). If it's a sedan, then the FPSVD.

For the baby, either a Scenera, Safety 1st Uptown (wal-mart has the lowest price($80-90), or FPSVD ($130 @ albeebaby). HTH!

This is the seat Big Lots is advertising http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde...83.2256187.2256193&view=all&parentPage=family

It only harnesses to 40 pounds -- not 65 like the Apex.


Because your ds is tall and already so close to 40 pounds I think a Regent for him would be a really wise investment, along with an Uptown for the baby, when the baby outgrows the uptown or Roundabout you can pass down the Marathon & get a Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe or I am sure there will be many new seats on the market by then to choose from.

You will be unable to use that booster even if you wanted to on the 3 year old as I believe that most states (techs correct me if I a wrong) require that a child stay harnessed until at least the age of 4 and 40lbs.

I agree with the Britax Regent for the older child, you could switch it out and use it as your main seat and the MA as the 2nd seat and a Cosco Scenara for the younger child (rear face to 35lbs, forward to 40lbs).

I guess the Big Lots Eddie Bauer one is out. I want him harnessed longer than 40lbs.
They said they have a Safety First Apex there but did not tell me the price.

Appreciating the help

Any other input? Making decisions this week

Since your son will grow out of the MA before you may want him in a booster I would think seriously about the Regent. Shoulder strap heights will give you an idea about which seat will last longest. Apex isn't any higher than the MA, so nothing gained there. The Radian may have taller highest slots. Go to (Carseat Data website closed - link broken) and look under measurements. Personally I'm waiting to see if Recaro raises the weight limit on the young sport. It won't be anytime too soon though.

I think the apex and the scenera or uptown are great choices for second seats. If you have headrests I think the apex would be a better choice then the fpsv for your oldest just because its a more "big kid" seat and honestly at 36lbs and 3 who knows how long before your dc hits the limit on the fpsv. My ds gained 10lbs in a matter of months when he had a growth spurt so I'm glad that I sprung for the regent instead of another marathon. The regent is a good choice if you're wanting to put out that much money, I don't know that I would spend that much on a seat that was just an extra but that's completely up to you. You can get the nice apex in biltmore which is the one with the eps foam for under $100 at albeebaby and it really is nicer in person then it looks. Yes, the headrest is flimsy, that's why you have to have headrests but other then that its a very nice seat that is easy to install and use.

So, how tall exactly do the seat backs need to be in our second vehicle for an Apex to fit properly?

the seat backs or headrests need to be behind your child's head when he's in the apex (behind the apex). the seat back or headrests must be at least to the tops of your kid's ears/midpoint of their head. the top of the apex is flimsy and doesn't provide much protection/support in a crash, so your car must provide it by way of the seats' back or headrests.

if you can afford it, i'd bite the bullet on a regent or sk radian 65 for your 3 yr old and a fpsvd for your baby. when the baby outgrows the roundabout or 3 yr old the ma, i'd pass the ma down and buy the 3 yr old another seat. who knows what will be on the market then? or to make it all cheaper/regent or radian and cosco scenara.

hths

henrietta

I would get a FPSVD for the 3 yo and a Scenera for the baby. In a few years when the 3 yo outgrows the Marathon and FPSVD, you can pass them down to the baby and get a bigger seat for the older child then. Who knows what great seats will be available by then.