Question Skinny 5yo - best next seat?

U

Unregistered

Guest
My 5yo DS is skinny - weighs around 35 lbs. He's a little shorter than average, but not especially short. Given his weight, I think we can keep in him a five point harness basically forever, or until he heights out of it. We have two kids (the younger is 3, a little less skinny but shorter (for age)). We just turned the 3 yo front facing (weighs 28 lbs). We currently have the following set ups:

CRV:
3yo Radian front facing (the model w/ 85 lb limit)
5 yo in cheap seat that used to be a spare seat that we need to replace, the Safety First, harness limit to 40 lbs

RAV4
3 yo is in Britax Boulevard
5 yo is in Marathon

both of the Britax seats are from late 2008 so we probably will need to replace them next year.

I definitely want to replace the safety first ASAP and keep that as a back up seat for guests or travel. I love the narrow profile of the Radian - right now it is a tight squeeze for an adult to sit between the Radian and the Safety First. But I have not found a similarly narrow seat to the Radian for older kids (harness to booster seat). My husband wants to just get a Radian, but I feel like that is way more seat than a 5 yo needs! Also, will he outgrow it by height (currently 42 inches)? We do need to sit an adult between the kids on a semi-regular basis. Is there any seat that any experts can recommend?
 
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nannykates

New member
First, Are the straps coming from at or above your 5 yr olds shoulders in the Safety 1st seat (i'm guessing it's an alpha omega of some sort)? If not switch the three yr old to that seat and put your 5 yr old in the radian.

If you like the radian I would actually consider another one. Your 5 yr old can use it until the Britax seats expire and then you can replace those with boosters (assuming she is ready) and the radians will be for your 3yo.

Other seats to consider: Evenflo Sureride, Frontier 85, Nautilus and Secure Kid.
 

thtr4me

New member
Now may be a good time to look at the Frontier 85 if the seat will not be too wide. Britax is releasing a new seat soon (Frontier 90) and the 85's are at a really good price. I have my peanut of a 7yo in one and he loves it. He sat in a Nautilus a week or two ago to see how it felt, and complained that it was squashing him. If there is enough harness height, the Radian is not a bad choice either, but you are right, it is a lot more seat than you need for a 5yo. But, I have one and do like it. My 7yo is at the second from the top harness slot in the Radian.

Link to Frontier 85 ;).
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Frontier-Combination-Booster-Rushmore/dp/B0038W0JI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366067306&sr=8-1&keywords=britax+frontier"]Amazon.com: Britax Frontier 85 Combination Booster Car Seat, Rushmore: Baby[/ame]
 

cookie123

New member
The Evenflo seats are narrow and have a tall harness height - the Maestro has a 50 lb weight limit and the Secure Kid 300 or 400 which has a 65 lb weight limit. My grandson rides in the Secure Kid 400 and is 5 years, 40 lbs. He likes the cupholders and is comfortable in it. They do have a continuous harness, if that's an issue for you. I don't mind it.

Also nannykate's plan is a good one. Your son might like the cup holders though.:)
 

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