Combination seats

Mom2Connor

New member
I have a 3 yr old DS who is FF in a marathon 70. His secondary seat which needs to fit in multiple vehicles for occasional use is a FYTF. He is on the lower end of the top slots on both. Always 90+% in height. 5 mo old ds2 is in a snugride 35 with loads of room, but I am ready to switch to a convertible soon.

My plan is: pass down the Britax to baby for RF, use the SR35 for secondary seat until he outgrows it (ds1 fit until 15ish mo old and they are on the same growth curve). Continue to use the TF as ds1s second seat until baby outgrows the bucket, and ten we will RF it as baby's second seat. Ds1 will get a new frontier 90.

So spam me with my options to also look at for ds1's second seat. If I read correctly, the maestro is out because its top slots are only 18", same as the marathon, and it only has a 50 lb harness which isn't going to hold him till 6 or so. I will not booster him in other peoples cars until at least 6. So from about 4 to 6 I need something. The sureride has 19" slots correct? I thought the pioneer would be a good option but it's too low as well I'm afraid.

The secure kid 300/400 (what is the difference?) have complaints about being too narrow for stockier kids. The nautilus is only 18" top slots and the common crotch strap complaint.

The harmony defender seems to be disappearing, why? Would that be a good option?

Is a frontier 90 the only good option, should I just buy 2?
 
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laurengt

Active member
I'm going to watch this thread because I've been working out a similar equation for our seat needs. So far I'm thinking I may need 2 FR90s to get the most for my money but have read some things about the Graco Headwise and the Evenflo sure ride (I think those were the 2, my notes are in the car) being good mid-range competitors. I've also thought of the new Pioneer 70 but that has a lot of features stripped to be only $60 less on amazon than the FR90.
 

Mom2Connor

New member
I'm going to watch this thread because I've been working out a similar equation for our seat needs. So far I'm thinking I may need 2 FR90s to get the most for my money but have read some things about the Graco Headwise and the Evenflo sure ride (I think those were the 2, my notes are in the car) being good mid-range competitors. I've also thought of the new Pioneer 70 but that has a lot of features stripped to be only $60 less on amazon than the FR90.

The pioneer 70 has the same top slots as my marathon I believe.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Secure Kid has gone from 300 --> LX and 400---> DLX, the difference is the LATCH, the 400/DLX has super awesome self retracting LATCH that you just put your knee in the seat and clip the top tether. 300/LX has push-on connectors that you still have to pull the strap tight. I had not heard they are tight for stocky kids, they are based on the old Evenflo Chase, same as the Maestro, just have the cushy headrest (it's a fairly wide seat, always been a decent choice for thicker kids, especially given the roomier crotch room). Having the same top slot height as the Marathon is sort of meaningless when the seat's installed: all these are SO much more upright that you effectively gain more than an inch (like, another year...it's one of the great carseat mysteries that I personally explain that kids are roughly the liquid content of silly putty or toothpaste, they shrink lower to fill the container they are in, when the container is more upright...the Marathon is more reclined so they spread upwards to look taller, lol).
Couldn't hurt to look at the SureRide also, it's actually got super tall slots and is light to move from car to car (that's important... the Nautilus or Pioneer or Frontier are easy to install, but heavy... sometimes lightweight can make things ever so much easier!)
 

Athena

Well-known member
The pioneer 70 has the same top slots as my marathon I believe.

You are correct that it has shorter harness slots.

I have tall kids too and we had to get Frontiers for them. We started off with shorter combo seats and I should have skipped them. Either the Frontier 90 or 85 are good options. The 90 has some newer features and th tallest harness, but the 85 harness is only a bit shorter and it makes the tallest high back booster. They would both be great options for your tall kid.

I've never tried the sureride, but my kids outgrew everything else too soon for me. I like to wait until at least 6 to booster. HTH.
 

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