Has anyone actually USED the Harmony Defender?

I have seen lots of pics and comments with the seat in someone's living room...but none about actual installation (pics) and everyday use. How is it doing so far? Thinking about one as a spare in my husband's car. Does it have clip or push-on LATCH connectors? How is the seatbelt install? How do the kids in the seat feel about it?

Thanks!

Clip on latch and seatbelt installation was a pita in the third row of my 98 venture. I still don't have ta yet but I've never had problems with any other seat I've put back there and I have alot of seats. With the defender everytime I turned the seat tilted and the recline knob didn't help at all. Ds3 is 43ish lbs and average height hated it and only rode in it a couple times. He complained about the crotch strap and the strap covers. Dd is 2 and 27lbs fit fine in it, but she's not ffing so it's pointless for her.

I would also like to know what anyone who has actually used this seat thinks of it. Also, has anyone measured the width of the seat at the base? The measurements on here say it is 15" at the armrests, but I would like to know how narrow it is at the base. The pictures make it look like it tapers down towards the bottom of the seat so I'm guessing it is more narrow at the bottom. I wanted to measure today, but even though it said the Walmart near me had some in stock when I checked online, I could not find any in the store. There definitely wasn't a floor model to play with.

Now I can sort of answer my own question. I drove way the heck out to Walmart with both kids and picked one up. When I set it down next to my RXT in the car (after assembling it, which took two people) they looked like car seat cousins. They are very similar in size just from looking at them, though I didn't think to take any measurements. Sorry about that. The bottom is indeed narrower than the seat itself and it is a rounded, smooth bowl shaped bottom. That is actually one of the reasons I intend to return it. It would have been for my parent's Mini Cooper which has scoopy leather seats. I couldn't get it in there tight enough and it slid around a lot. Also, the crotch buckle was quite short and it was hard to get my rather small daughter buckled in. The third reason was that once my Dad saw the push on LATCH connectors on the CA we are also thinking of using in their car, he said he vastly preferred those. If he is the one who will be installing and using the seat, I want him to be comfortable with it.

So, aside from the short buckle, the issues I had with it were vehicle/user specific. Overall, I really liked it and am sort of sad to see it go. It feels very solidly built and I like the headwings. Too bad it is so darn ugly. Hopefully there will be some nice cover options soon.

Here is a thread with pictures

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=237986

I wanted to keep it for my CRV but I couldn't get a tight install

I actually have one, use it, and love it! I got it for my mom's car because DD outgrew her Tribute V in there. It was slightly difficult to assemble, but the 4yo and I did it just fine. Installed with seatbelt using locking clip and got a super tight install! Installed it in a different car with locking seatbelt just to check and it was a little harder but also worked great. Have not tried it with LATCH yet, but plan to. She LOVES the seat and says it is super comfy! I am actually kinda jealous and wish I had the money to replace her symphony, but I have no actual need to because it is fine too lol. Sorry I dont know how to post pics but it fits her great and she has tons of growing room even at 41ish inches tall

mybabybean said:

I actually have one, use it, and love it! I got it for my mom's car because DD outgrew her Tribute V in there. It was slightly difficult to assemble, but the 4yo and I did it just fine. Installed with seatbelt using locking clip and got a super tight install! Installed it in a different car with locking seatbelt just to check and it was a little harder but also worked great. Have not tried it with LATCH yet, but plan to. She LOVES the seat and says it is super comfy! I am actually kinda jealous and wish I had the money to replace her symphony, but I have no actual need to because it is fine too lol. Sorry I dont know how to post pics but it fits her great and she has tons of growing room even at 41ish inches tall

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has she fallen asleep in it? just wondering if her head slumps forward at all.

my large almost 4 yr old dd sat in the one at walmart last week and said her legs felt fine(which surprised me with the 2" long crotch strap-crazy) but i wonder about headslump.

thanks!

vmmatula said:

has she fallen asleep in it? just wondering if her head slumps forward at all.

my large almost 4 yr old dd sat in the one at walmart last week and said her legs felt fine(which surprised me with the 2" long crotch strap-crazy) but i wonder about headslump.

thanks!

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No, she has not fallen asleep yet, but the head wings seem deep enough that her head will fall on them. Don't really know for sure sorry
Also, she has no issues with the crotch strap either