new RF seat for 3-year-old

rkpearson

New member
Hey everyone,

I have a very lightweight just turned 3-year-old. She is 24 pounds, 35.5 inches tall. Her seated height is 13".

The doctor highly recommends she stay RF until she is at least 30 lbs. Which looking at the growth chart, (she is at .5% for weight) might not be until she is somewhere between 4.5 and 5. Height seems to be the real concern when picking out a new seat, as she would be able RF until she is 6 or 7 in terms of when she gets to 40 pounds!

Anyway, she has almost outgrown her Maxi Cosi Priori - she has a little over an inch left in space above her head. Her other seat, the Coccoro, has some more space, but probably not a ton - she will also outgrow it this year.

When I bought them, I kind of figured I would turn her around when she turned three.

So I'm looking at getting a new seat to replace the MC Priori and then the Coccoro when that time comes. (I LOVE the Coccoro for traveling!)

Last night my favorites were the Britax Marathon and the Chicco NextFit. I hear the MC Pria is good, and I have a friend with a similar height child who fits well in it RF, but it is too pricey.

The NextFit is on sale for under $250, and the Marathon is around $200. They are both a bit more than I would like to pay but they sound like great car seats. I am looking for something that is upright-ish, recline is nice, but she can sleep even more upright just fine. Letting her look out the windows is also a plus. Also, something that is compact so we have some legroom up front is also important (especially for the Honda).

However, I am interested in more affordable extended RF models, too. Maybe get one that is cheaper, and one fancier one. I also was looking at the Graco MyRide 70 but the manual was adamant about keeping it at one angle -- although I think I've read on this forum that you can put it a bit more upright?

And finally, we have a 2005 Subaru Outback and a 2003 Honda Civic. In both she is in the rear passenger seat.
 
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bree

Car-Seat.Org Ambassador
For height, the Graco MySize/Size4Me/Headwise (different names depending on the retailer but the same seat) is very tall, and if I recall correctly, tends to install fairly upright and would be more affordable than the Marathon or NextFit. The My Ride that you mentioned also installs upright (in my experience), but it is not as tall as the other Graco seats. The My Ride has a level indicator with a ball and a zone where the ball needs to be to be at a safe angle, so there is a range of angles available on the My Ride for install, so I don't know if maybe you were thinking of another seat that only has one permitted angle; I'm not sure what the angle indicator is on the MySize/Size4Me/Headwise.

The NextFit is fairly tall in terms of shell height. Generally speaking, the Marathon isn't as tall as other rear-facing seats, but if at 3 years old, your daughter has room to grow in her Coccoro, then she should have a good amount of growing room in a Marathon. Other seats to consider include the Diono Radian convertibles; you may be able to find good deals on them to get them under the $200 range. They are tall, and when installed with the Angle Adjuster accessory, they tend to install very upright. :)
 

MommyShannon

New member
If you want to make use of the weight limits, I'd go for taller seats. The Britax seats aren't that tall depending on if the child has a short or long torso. I'd look at the True Fit. It's big and bulky but has lots of legroom, is very tall, and has a 35lb rf limit which is why it isn't mentioned more often.
 

rkpearson

New member
I think I meant MySize. I hadn't had enough coffee this morning when I posted. :)

For height, the Graco MySize/Size4Me/Headwise (different names depending on the retailer but the same seat) is very tall, and if I recall correctly, tends to install fairly upright and would be more affordable than the Marathon or NextFit. The My Ride that you mentioned also installs upright (in my experience), but it is not as tall as the other Graco seats. The My Ride has a level indicator with a ball and a zone where the ball needs to be to be at a safe angle, so there is a range of angles available on the My Ride for install, so I don't know if maybe you were thinking of another seat that only has one permitted angle; I'm not sure what the angle indicator is on the MySize/Size4Me/Headwise.

The NextFit is fairly tall in terms of shell height. Generally speaking, the Marathon isn't as tall as other rear-facing seats, but if at 3 years old, your daughter has room to grow in her Coccoro, then she should have a good amount of growing room in a Marathon. Other seats to consider include the Diono Radian convertibles; you may be able to find good deals on them to get them under the $200 range. They are tall, and when installed with the Angle Adjuster accessory, they tend to install very upright. :)
 

rkpearson

New member
I will check out the True Fit as well, thanks for the suggestion. And thanks both for letting me know bout the relatively short height of the Britax -- I want one where I don't have to worry about her outgrowing it yet again before she reaches 30 lbs.

If you want to make use of the weight limits, I'd go for taller seats. The Britax seats aren't that tall depending on if the child has a short or long torso. I'd look at the True Fit. It's big and bulky but has lots of legroom, is very tall, and has a 35lb rf limit which is why it isn't mentioned more often.
 

rkpearson

New member
The Radian is looking pretty nice. I like how my daughter could climb in easily, and it looks like she will be able to easily look out the windows. It's still over $200, but I like how it is a RF, FF, and then a booster seat. I should have bought one when my friend recommended it to me when my daughter was 1!
 

1mommy

New member
The radian will most likely not be useable as a booster for your daughter because it has a 50 pound minimum weight limit, and your daughter will probably outgrow it be hight before reaching the weight minimum. It is still a good seat just keep in mind that it won't be useable as a booster, and some people have a hard time installing and adjusting it in their car (and others love it) so you may want to try it out at a store before you buy, or buy from a place with a good return policy if you end up hating it.
 

mom2ari

New member
Keep in mind though that the Radian can only be used as a booster if your child is over 50lbs, so for your petite LO this probably wont be an option.

I do love our Radian, even though we probably will never use it in booster mode either. I bought it so I could get my kiddos to at least 4 rear facing, and so far we have been able to accomplish that!
 

rkpearson

New member
Good point about the booster seat. I don't think I can try the seat in person, unless I can find someone I know with one.

The only store that stocks them is Wal-Mart -- I wonder if they let you try it out? Or find some online store with a great deal on return shipping...
 

1mommy

New member
Amazon has free return shipping within 90 days for most baby products, I think toysrus, target, and kohls, don't have free return shopping but you can return it to any store for a refund (at least in the U.S.) not sure about Canada.
 

rkpearson

New member
Ah of course -- forgot about the possibility of returning to a store. thanks for the reminder. I've emailed my baby group to see if anyone has a Radian I can try in person before purchasing.

Amazon has free return shipping within 90 days for most baby products, I think toysrus, target, and kohls, don't have free return shopping but you can return it to any store for a refund (at least in the U.S.) not sure about Canada.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I love how my truefit fits in my Honda. Mine is a 97 so smaller than your.
The only negative is how big and bulky. I would never want to fly with it.
The rebound bar give an extra peace of mind over safety
This seat should last for as long as you would want a harness
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
I have a 2005 Honda Civic, which I believe has the same back seat as the 2003. I have a Radian in the center position in my back seat. My 3 year old rides rear-facing and is quite comfortable. I have the front seats all the way back. The Radian does press into the front seats a bit, but because I don't have advanced air bags with sensors, this is allowed in my (and most likely your) vehicle with the Radian. It's not allowed with other car seats.

The Radian works fine in that position with or without the optional "angle adjuster." I choose not to use it, because it limits my visibility to have the Radian up higher. I can see right over it if I don't use the adjuster. My husband, who is taller, prefers it with the adjuster; but I'm the primary driver of the Honda so I get final say in that car. :)

I do have to twist the female end of the buckle 1 full turn to shorten it in order to get the Radian in tightly. You cannot use LATCH in the center position in the Civic. I also have to use a little muscle to get it down nice and tight, tighter than is technically necessary, because if I don't the seat is a little over-reclined (a little past 45 degrees). But other than that, the install is simple and straightforward. These "tricks" to get it in are minor and if you choose to get a Radian we can help walk you through them with more detail if necessary.

Anyway, the Radian gets my vote in the Civic because the back seat is so tiny and the Radian takes up a minimal amount of space. I can fit my adult children in the back with my daughter and although buckling is always a little challenging once everyone's in it's comfortable. I'm not a small Mama and I am even comfortable riding next to her in the back seat.

For your less-expensive seat, I think the Safety 1st Guide 65 would be a good choice. It would definitely last your little one until she is big enough to use a belt positioning booster. It's not always the easiest seat to install (which is just a fact of life with budget seats), but it's compact and will fit in almost any vehicle.

I don't in any way want to discourage you from keeping your daughter rear-facing. After all, my 41 lb, 41" 3.5 year old is still rear-facing in our primary cars and only forward-faces in other cars (I don't move the Radians to other cars and she's too big to RF in anything else). But I do want to mention just for the sake of accuracy and informed decision-making that unless your daughter has a medical condition which makes her more fragile in some way than other children her age, her weight doesn't have much direct bearing on how safe she would be forward facing. As long as she meets the minimum size requirements for forward facing (which she does in everything except the Britax Frontier/Pinnacle/Pioneer line, I think), she should be about as safe as any other 3 year old in a forward-facing position. Your child's doctor may know more about her specific health and safety requirements than I do, but speaking in generalities as a child passenger safety technician I would not have any particular reason to suggest that you should feel you have to buy her a higher-capacity rear-facing seat once she outgrows the rear-facing height limits of the seats she already has. As a parent, however, I envy your small child. I would have liked to have been able to keep my daughter rear-facing full time until at least age 4, maybe longer. If she were MY child, I would be thrilled that I even had the option of keeping her in the safer rear-facing position that long. :D
 

wavegal

New member
Most likely the true fit won't fit so I would skip that one, it takes a good amount of room front to back and isn't allowed to touch the seat in front of it. I would look at the mysize70, that seems like it would be your best bet in the subaru and honda.
 

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I have an 03 Civic and have had a few seats in there. The TrueFit goes in nicely but I don't have a picture.

Here's a Radian (brown) outboard with an angle adjuster with a Britax Marathon (grey) in behind it. Both fit nicely.

12061521246_0bcc448d7a.jpg


And here it is in the centre with the angle adjuster. It's okay if it (and only it!) touches the front seats as there are no advanced air bags. The Marathon allows the front seat to be all the way back; not quite so with the Radian.

12061027544_7fee067c1c.jpg


Disregard the tethering, as that is not required in the US (but you can do it if you want to) but this is the Britax Advocate fully reclined for a newborn and the front seat can be all the way back, or possibly one click up, I can't recall.

DSC00311.jpg


I don't know what kind of deals you might find on a Foonf in the US (it would be way, way more than your budget in Canada) but just in case here it is in the centre of the Civic - fits really nicely.

Foonfreview08.jpg
 

Brigala

CPST Instructor
At the moment, the Clek Foonf in Flamingo can be found on Amazon for $290. I don't expect that deal to last long. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Clek-Foonf-Convertible-Seat-Flamingo/dp/B00BOS0PUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390270740&sr=8-1&keywords=clek+foonf+flamingo"]Amazon.com: Clek Foonf Convertible Car Seat, Flamingo: Baby[/ame]

The Foonf does fit well, but personally I find that it doesn't offer much room to squeeze the kid in and out of the seat in the Civic. Which is why I don't own one.
 

rkpearson

New member
Thanks for the details on how the seat is in the Honda - I will try the Radian in the middle - I have not been able to install a seat in the middle in the past due to the hump, but the Radian may be narrow enough!

I decided to keep her RF partly because the doc encouraged it till she weighs more, and also because during the brief period I had her FF, I felt *SO* guilty!!! I was like, what if we got rear-ended, would I want my 3-year-old to get whiplash (or worse?). And I guess I secretly wish I lived in Sweden. :)


I have a 2005 Honda Civic, which I believe has the same back seat as the 2003. I have a Radian in the center position in my back seat. My 3 year old rides rear-facing and is quite comfortable. I have the front seats all the way back. The Radian does press into the front seats a bit, but because I don't have advanced air bags with sensors, this is allowed in my (and most likely your) vehicle with the Radian. It's not allowed with other car seats.

The Radian works fine in that position with or without the optional "angle adjuster." I choose not to use it, because it limits my visibility to have the Radian up higher. I can see right over it if I don't use the adjuster. My husband, who is taller, prefers it with the adjuster; but I'm the primary driver of the Honda so I get final say in that car. :)

I do have to twist the female end of the buckle 1 full turn to shorten it in order to get the Radian in tightly. You cannot use LATCH in the center position in the Civic. I also have to use a little muscle to get it down nice and tight, tighter than is technically necessary, because if I don't the seat is a little over-reclined (a little past 45 degrees). But other than that, the install is simple and straightforward. These "tricks" to get it in are minor and if you choose to get a Radian we can help walk you through them with more detail if necessary.

Anyway, the Radian gets my vote in the Civic because the back seat is so tiny and the Radian takes up a minimal amount of space. I can fit my adult children in the back with my daughter and although buckling is always a little challenging once everyone's in it's comfortable. I'm not a small Mama and I am even comfortable riding next to her in the back seat.

For your less-expensive seat, I think the Safety 1st Guide 65 would be a good choice. It would definitely last your little one until she is big enough to use a belt positioning booster. It's not always the easiest seat to install (which is just a fact of life with budget seats), but it's compact and will fit in almost any vehicle.

I don't in any way want to discourage you from keeping your daughter rear-facing. After all, my 41 lb, 41" 3.5 year old is still rear-facing in our primary cars and only forward-faces in other cars (I don't move the Radians to other cars and she's too big to RF in anything else). But I do want to mention just for the sake of accuracy and informed decision-making that unless your daughter has a medical condition which makes her more fragile in some way than other children her age, her weight doesn't have much direct bearing on how safe she would be forward facing. As long as she meets the minimum size requirements for forward facing (which she does in everything except the Britax Frontier/Pinnacle/Pioneer line, I think), she should be about as safe as any other 3 year old in a forward-facing position. Your child's doctor may know more about her specific health and safety requirements than I do, but speaking in generalities as a child passenger safety technician I would not have any particular reason to suggest that you should feel you have to buy her a higher-capacity rear-facing seat once she outgrows the rear-facing height limits of the seats she already has. As a parent, however, I envy your small child. I would have liked to have been able to keep my daughter rear-facing full time until at least age 4, maybe longer. If she were MY child, I would be thrilled that I even had the option of keeping her in the safer rear-facing position that long. :D
 

rkpearson

New member
The Foonf is so stylin!

I have an 03 Civic and have had a few seats in there. The TrueFit goes in nicely but I don't have a picture.

Here's a Radian (brown) outboard with an angle adjuster with a Britax Marathon (grey) in behind it. Both fit nicely.

12061521246_0bcc448d7a.jpg


And here it is in the centre with the angle adjuster. It's okay if it (and only it!) touches the front seats as there are no advanced air bags. The Marathon allows the front seat to be all the way back; not quite so with the Radian.

12061027544_7fee067c1c.jpg


Disregard the tethering, as that is not required in the US (but you can do it if you want to) but this is the Britax Advocate fully reclined for a newborn and the front seat can be all the way back, or possibly one click up, I can't recall.

DSC00311.jpg


I don't know what kind of deals you might find on a Foonf in the US (it would be way, way more than your budget in Canada) but just in case here it is in the centre of the Civic - fits really nicely.

Foonfreview08.jpg
 

rkpearson

New member
I ordered the Radian R100 earlier this week, and it arrived today. I'm going to try it in the Honda and the Subaru tomorrow. If I like the fit in both cars, I'll buy a second, otherwise I might check out something else.

I have an extra half inch in our Coccoro still, (over the Priori), so I can keep her in the other seat for a little while longer. I might even keep the Coccoro for traveling and planes (FF), unless I can get used to wearing the Radian as a backpack!
 

rkpearson

New member
So I installed the Radian in both the Honda and the Subaru, both with seatbelt installs and with the angle adjuster. It installed nicely in the Honda in the center (with the seatbelt, of course). The front seats can go all the way back with no problem.

I installed it in the Subaru (not too bad, was worried!) I had to install it outboard because the driver seat must be able to go back far enough for my husband to drive the car.

However, with the leather seats and the angle adjuster, it's pretty easy to move the seat along near the seat edge (back of the car seat). Is this a problem? Do I need something grippy on top of the leather? It doesn't move near the belt path.

Although I'm not sure it really matters. I don't like the limited legroom up front. I'm thinking I should get something a tad shorter for the Subaru. I think if I'm going to continue RF, I need to do it both cars, or she will rebel and always want to FF.
 

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