Anybody have a Chicco Strada Booster? And I need booster advice.

momtoo3

Well-known member
For the Chicco Strada, if you have one do you like it? Pros, cons? Could it work 3 across next to a FF MR?

Ds2 is almost even with the top slots on his GN. He has maybe 1/4 in left to grow. We have both a PWSG and SGL that are hard to buckle because of the 3 across in dh's 2010 Malibu. The PWSG does fit well in that spot but buckling is a pain for dh. I tried the Compass B540 but it was a little too wide to be able to buckle. The PWSG was easier than the B540 but not easy enough. I have tried a ProBooster and Turbo in there too. Both were a no-go. I am looking at the Strada and Cybex X-Fix but am open to others. I remember reading something not so good about the Cybex booster but don't remember what it was. I am not a fan of Evenflo hbb's. Ds2 needs good headwings for sleeping. The other issue is not having the headwing up against the roof/door. The shape of the top/side of the car is at a big angle so a seat with good headwings that are not as wide as the B540 is what I need. The Strada looks like the headwings are decent and not so wide. I can't really tell on the X-Fix though. The GN fits perfectly but too wide to use as a booster in there. So advice please!!!
I can also move ds3 to the GN if there is a booster that would work next to it but I doubt that would be better since the MR has such a narrow base and high sides making it easy to get your had down to buckle a booster. Ds1 is in a Big Kid nbb on the other side of the MR.
 
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ntrenary

Active member
I have one. It's in storage right now because it's really hard for my developmentaly delayed 8 year old to buckle due to the closed belt path, so we switched him back to the Monterey in the van and Compass in the car, and we're saving the Strada for my younger son to grow into.

I'm not sure if it would fit next to a marathon. I've only had to do 3 across once and that was with a empty seat for my 14 year old, a complete air, and booster. I tried the compass, no back monterey, no back strada, and no back turbo. The only one that fit with enough room to buckle easily was the Turbo.
Hope that helps. I can measure it for you if you need a specific measurment.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
I have one. It's in storage right now because it's really hard for my developmentaly delayed 8 year old to buckle due to the closed belt path, so we switched him back to the Monterey in the van and Compass in the car, and we're saving the Strada for my younger son to grow into.

I'm not sure if it would fit next to a marathon. I've only had to do 3 across once and that was with a empty seat for my 14 year old, a complete air, and booster. I tried the compass, no back monterey, no back strada, and no back turbo. The only one that fit with enough room to buckle easily was the Turbo.
Hope that helps. I can measure it for you if you need a specific measurment.

If you could measure, that would be great. Measurements of the base at the armrests, the widest part of the back and the headrest, both how wide and how much narrower the headrest is than the sides would be helpful. It will go next to a MyRide, which is wider at the top, so the narrower headwings help both next to the MR and next to the door. The head rest on the GN fits perfectly because it it narrower than the sidewings, almost all of the seats I have tried won't fit because I can't raise the head rest high enough without it hitting the side/roof of the car.
Would it be possible for you to measure the head rest on the Monterey as well to see if they are narrower than the side wings? We had a Monterey but it didn't fit him well in the shoulder belt about a year ago. He has since gone up 2 inches and gained 4 pounds so I could try again. I tried to get dh to go to Buy Buy Baby yesterday when we were close but he refused and he takes his car to work so it is hard to try seats out in it.
Was the Strada hard for your son to buckle because of your son's delays or just hard period? Ds2 has a fine motor delay and can't buckle when 3 across. We have to do it for him and it is easier for me to buckle him than dh but I need a seat dh can manage since it is in his car. Is the belt path just a pain in the butt? Would it stop you from buying the seat again or recommending it?
Thanks so much for measuring!
 

ntrenary

Active member
Sorry I didn't get back to you last night. The booster was in a closet behind a laundry rack so I had to wait for the clothes to dry before getting to the closet.

Here's the measurments.
Base:
-widest point 18". It 's right at the cupholders, even if you don't have the cupholders attached there are still 2 plastic nubs that stick out on both sides.
-narrowest point 15". From back to front it goes 15", then up to 18 at the end of the armrests, then down to 16.5 at the front.
-external armrests width is 17", internal is 13".
-internal width of the seat is 12"
-internal length 15"

Back rest:
-external headwing width 17" (widest point), narrowest point 11".
-headwing length 7"
-sidewings 18" when closed. They also come out 7" from the back like the headwings.

Monterey
-headwings 16"
-closed sidewings 19"
-widest point on base is at the armrests, 18".

This seat adjusts from the bottom so you might be able to get the side wings to fit by raising the back. On the Monterey only the headwings move when you adjust, on the Strada it adjusts from the bottom so the sidewings and headwings move. I hope that makes sense.

And to answer your questions. I think the Strada is just harder to buckle in general, but it's even hardER for my son because of his delays. It just adds one more step to buckling because you have to fish the belt through the little opening at the end of the armrests. It's not that big of a deal and I probably would recommend it to friends, it's just not as easy as the open armrests on most other boosters.
As for buying it again. I didn't buy this one and I probably wouldn't buy it for the price unless it was the only booster that would work because it doesn't have latch, or anything else that makes it stick out from the other boosters in the same price range. But I do like it. I have 2 montereys and I'm selling 1 and keeping the strada and 1 monterey for my youngest son to grow into.

The things I like most about it are. The cover zips off instead of fighting with those little buttons on the monterey, and it doesn't fall apart when you pick it up to move it like the Turbo and monterey.

I'll keep both boosters out for awhile, so let me know if you need anymore measurments.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
I'm still undecided on what to do. I need to go play in dh's car but have not had time. I took pics or the PWSG with the head rest against the side of the car and was told it is safe so I could have at least a year of him in that seat, probably more but it is a pain to buckle, especially for dh. I need something easier and narrower at the armrests to buckle better. The only seats I have not seen in person are the Harmony Baby Armor, Strada and Clek (well saw one at Buy Buy Baby but didn't pay attention because of the price.) The ideal seat would be narrow at the armrest/ where you stick your hand to buckle, and have the head rest be narrower than the seat back so I could raise them without hitting the side/top of the car. Does this seat exist?
 

ntrenary

Active member
I thought you wanted the armrest measurement so I measured the middle of the armrest not where you'd put your hand through to buckle. That measurment is 15 1/2", and the part of the seat that would sit in the seat bight where the buckle would come out of is 15".
 

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