Brigala
CPST Instructor
Yeah, I know it's "caregiver choice" and it doesn't really matter. But I need to decide.
Long story short (and I do mean LONG story cut short) I have a FR85 on the way and I sold the booster seat I had for my husband's granddaughter to use. I thought it made more sense for me to keep a FR85 around than a Monterey, since the Frontier would be more versatile for a wider range of kids of various ages. Ok, that's the end of the short part. LOL.
G turns 6 in a couple of weeks, she rides just fine in a booster, but also rides harnessed in a FR85 in her mom's car. Weight is around 50-55 lbs I think. She rides in a Radian 80SL in my car, but she's oh-so-close to too tall for it (shoulders slightly above the harness slots, ears coming close to top of the shell). I'd actually feel more comfortable with her in a booster than the Radian, but I can't fit a booster in my Civic. When she outgrows the Radian I'll have little choice but to use the Suburban when she's with me.
Her seat, whatever we use, will need to come in and out and in and out of the Suburban. I'm constantly filling that Suburban up with teenagers, and need every seating position. 90% of our rides with G in the car are <10 minutes, to and from kindergarten (typically 2-3 days per week I drive her to school and pick her up) So the question is... should I put the FR85 in harness mode when it arrives or booster mode? I have top tethers, but no LATCH in the Suburban. I have one lap belt and I'd love to be able to use it there, but there's no top tether in that location and I'm not sure the FR85 would leave enough realistic passenger space on either side to make it worth installing there anyway.
In the event that we were going to, say, take a trip to the mountains or the beach, I would use it in harness mode and I could convert it as needed. I'm just wondering which way I should set the seat up for day-to-day use.
What would you do?
Long story short (and I do mean LONG story cut short) I have a FR85 on the way and I sold the booster seat I had for my husband's granddaughter to use. I thought it made more sense for me to keep a FR85 around than a Monterey, since the Frontier would be more versatile for a wider range of kids of various ages. Ok, that's the end of the short part. LOL.
G turns 6 in a couple of weeks, she rides just fine in a booster, but also rides harnessed in a FR85 in her mom's car. Weight is around 50-55 lbs I think. She rides in a Radian 80SL in my car, but she's oh-so-close to too tall for it (shoulders slightly above the harness slots, ears coming close to top of the shell). I'd actually feel more comfortable with her in a booster than the Radian, but I can't fit a booster in my Civic. When she outgrows the Radian I'll have little choice but to use the Suburban when she's with me.
Her seat, whatever we use, will need to come in and out and in and out of the Suburban. I'm constantly filling that Suburban up with teenagers, and need every seating position. 90% of our rides with G in the car are <10 minutes, to and from kindergarten (typically 2-3 days per week I drive her to school and pick her up) So the question is... should I put the FR85 in harness mode when it arrives or booster mode? I have top tethers, but no LATCH in the Suburban. I have one lap belt and I'd love to be able to use it there, but there's no top tether in that location and I'm not sure the FR85 would leave enough realistic passenger space on either side to make it worth installing there anyway.
In the event that we were going to, say, take a trip to the mountains or the beach, I would use it in harness mode and I could convert it as needed. I'm just wondering which way I should set the seat up for day-to-day use.
What would you do?
