Question Fr85 vs Fr85 SICT

Current set up: FF RnXTSL in 2nd row captain chairs of '09 Ody, & RF Avenues in '02 BMW 530 (secondary car/travel seats).

DD is reaching RF wt limit on Avenue. DS is reaching RF ht limit on Avenue. They'll be 3 in mid-May. DH turned the Rn's when they were 2 1/2 y/o, and there's no going back to RF in the Ody. I'd like to keep them RF in the BMW.

Finally got chance to check on angle adjuster, and the Radians now fit RF in the BMW! So, am looking for combination seat for Ody because I will transfer the Rn's to the BMW. Was thinking about Fr85, but was wondering since I've read about the Ody TT limit of 40 lbs, hence the reason for asking about the SICT. I like the idea of no-rethread harness of the FR in general, and the easy off cover of the SICT, since we're heading into serious potty training. Budget isn't really an issue. Just looking for something that will work, preferably last for a while, and won't be too difficult for DH.

I would leave a seat tethered past the weight limit in a heartbeat, especially for young forward facers. IF it failed (and there are no mentions of one failing ever), it would have already done its job. And what it does is so beneficial that there's really no downside.

I'd go for the regular Frontier 85. I don't think the airbags are worth the cost. However, if the more easily removable cover is, then go for it. That's a good reason.

Otherwise I'd look at the Graco Argos, which should last you plenty of time, and I find easier to install in general. I like the long belt path on the Frontier, but it's a huge learning curve. And if you're concerned about your DH getting seats in properly, I'd go for the Argos rather than the Frontier.

Wendy

Just so you know, while it is a no re-thread harness, you can't adjust the height of the harness while it is installed. I made the mistake of thinking the FR85 adjusted like the convertible seats (MA70, BLVD70), but they don't. If they did, they would have been perfect for me since I have different kids riding in it all the time. Otherwise, I love the seat!

We just bought the FR85 (for a steal from BRU--love the trade-in deal going on right now) We are currently using it in my hubby's truck and the only location it works is in the middle of the back seat with a lapbelt. It was an easy install with hubby's herculian help to pull the strap tight. That seat will not budge an inch. DD loves it! She has slept in it and didnt seem to slouch forward at all. She is the only one riding in it, but if we had multiple kids using it that would not work. Good luck!! There are some great deals out there.

Hmm, so "no re-thread" still means uninstalling the seat? Sigh. Still, it still wouldn't be as challenging as moving the harness on the Rn. Thankfully I replaced the older style harness straps with the newer style longer loop ones, so at least I'm not cursing as I'm trying to get them on the splitter plate. Also changed out the older style headwings to the newer style so it doesn't interfere with the harness when FF. We don't have other kids who'll be using those seats, so I suppose it's not a deal breaker to have to uninstall to adjust harness height. Besides, it gives a good reason for cleaning the crumbs that have accumulated under the seat, right?

I think the only reason why I was looking at the SICT was due to not needing the TT and the supposed easy off cover. Otherwise, it just seemed like it is a bulky wide seat, much like an Advocate. I'll have to look into the Argos too. Is the cover easy to get off? I do like the colors on the regular Fr85, but I think DH would prefer some drab color...Ody is black with black interior. Rn are the grey mesh cover. I'm sure DD would love a pink seat.

I'm not too concerned with DH installing the seats, since he usually leaves it up to me. He just doesn't like the harness adjust on the Rn, and when they were RF in the Ody, DD's seat was forcefully braced due to issues with recline and with DH needing legroom. Mainly I want to make sure harness is easy to tighten.

Eventually the combination seat in the Ody will move to the BMW whenever they outgrow the Rn RF, only because I can use the superlatch on the Ody's captains chairs. BMW is too old to take advantage of SL and I was planning on just using a seatbelt install anyhow for that car. DH tends to take co-workers out to lunch (and they sit in the 3rd row), and that makes seatbelt install of seats in 2nd row a bit of a pain because people have to maneuver around the seatbelt of the passenger side installed seat. We did that briefly when he turned the Rn FF and I couldn't find the SafeStop to put onto the harness. Currently passenger side seat is shifted towards middle and Plus one seat is removed. Are there any compatibility issues between the BMW and Fr85 or Argos?

None that I know of.

BRU will let you take both seats out (one at a time) and put them in your car, to get an idea.

Wendy

Any issues with head slump? I had thought the GN (which I assume is very similar to Argos) had issues of that nature? (and buckle issues?) Not that any seat is perfect...I had enough issues with Rn over recline and SL getting loose when RF (though thankfully not while FF).

I haven't heard of buckle issues, and some kids have head slump, others don't. My daughter never did in her Nautilus.

Wendy

cats2 said:

Eventually the combination seat in the Ody will move to the BMW whenever they outgrow the Rn RF, only because I can use the superlatch on the Ody's captains chairs. BMW is too old to take advantage of SL and I was planning on just using a seatbelt install anyhow for that car.

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Not sure if you're aware but the lower anchor limit on your odyssey is also 40# per the latch manual even though it's not stated in your vehicle manual. The radian says you can use the super latch but I think you will find many people on this forum would be uncomfortable using SL past the 40# on a Honda. That is a whole other thread though.

I think some people don't like the new buckles on the nautilus. Not sure if the Argos are the same. The Argos can be adjusted without uninstalling just not the FR85. We have a FR85 and nauti we use in our '06 Ody. The FR85 doesn't require TT until 65lbs anyway so the difference between it and the sict is really just over 65lbs as far as TT goes. I suspect my DS will outgrow by height prior to 65lbs.

Syllieann said:

Not sure if you're aware but the lower anchor limit on your odyssey is also 40# per the latch manual even though it's not stated in your vehicle manual. The radian says you can use the super latch but I think you will find many people on this forum would be uncomfortable using SL past the 40# on a Honda. That is a whole other thread though.

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Yeah, I'm aware of Honda doing that, but I also have to deal with a stubborn DH whose answer to what will we do when we reach LATCH limits is "then they'll go to boosters". Same guy who refused to let me RF them past 2 1/2 yrs in the primary car. He doesn't care what the data shows or what the recommendations are, and refuses to view any crash videos. He thinks I'm just an overly protective paranoid mom. He tolerated me RF them in the Ody to age 2.5 y and then promptly turned them, against my loud protests. They still ride RF in my car, but it is the secondary vehicle. I was hoping to get at least to age 3 in the primary car...that's partly why I got the RN in the 1st place. Did I mention that I'm a physician, and the hospital I work at is the local trauma center??(no I don't work in the ER, nor am I a trauma surgeon).

DD has only been going up and up on her weight percentile whenever we go to the pediatrician, so I can't quite predict how much she'll weigh @ age 5-6y/o when I would anticipate booster training. Her twin brother has remained about in the 75th percentile for height & weight for a while now. I think she's around 34# fully clothed, @ age 33 months, so I really need to get her out of the Avenue RF in any case. I really don't get much support from the pedi, who confided in me at the their 2y checkup, that she had just turned her 18 m/o, in spite of the AAP recs that came out earlier in 2011. Sigh. I'd rather at least have a possible option for LATCH based on the seat, even though Honda says otherwise.

It also might just be me, but I think I get a much better install with the Frontier using the long belt path, the LATCH never seems tight enough.