No re-thread harness suggestions

Hello, CarSeat experts, it's been a few years since I last posted. I am a daycare provider and my much-beloved carseats are set to expire one by one over the next couple of years, beginning with one that expired in August, and the next (a Scenara) to expire in December. The market has changed, my Truefits are no longer available, and I need some recommendations. I have 3 main needs for carseats - 1 rf narrow (currently a Scenara, exp. Dec/14), 1 ff narrow (currently a Radian, exp. Aug 2015), and 3 easily adjustable seats (currently 2 Truefits exp. next year sometime, and 1 radian which just expired).

I need recs to replace the Scenara (possibly with another Scenara), and my other 3 seats. They can be as wide as a Truefit (will fit in 2 captains chairs middle row, and on the 40% of a 60/40 split in the back row, of a Kia Sedona).

Ease of use: Looking for no-rethread harness like the truefit, and preferably a one-hand release chest clip like the Truefit and Radian, (not like the 2-hand button release on the Scenara) as I often have a baby in my arm when releasing the preschoolers. Must RF and FF, highish limits (most have that now anyway). I'm even open to suggestions of a 3-in-1 if that meets my needs, even though I'd never use it as a booster. I'm partial to the red/black UAS clips rather than the metal hooks, somehow I have a history of bending the hooks or flipping the closing bit outside the hook.

Budget would prefer to be under $200 (except for the Radian of course). Fave colours are black and grey - I know that doesn't matter, but there's always a chance, isn't there?


I did go the cheap at first, talked myself out of the no-re-thread harness and bought a EvenfloTitan 65. It was horrid to install (I could be tight to the seat back, or the seat bottom, but not to both?) and I absolutely could not get the buckle or chest clip undone with one hand - in fact the buckle took 3 hands - my 2 thumbs pushing the button, and the daycare preschooler pulling up on the harness straps, because one thumb would not unlatch the buckle.) I'll return that, and get something I actually like?

Recommendations have been the evenflo symphony, but I'm unsure of the chest clip. Someone also suggested I just hunt down one of the few remaining Truefits and suck up the depleted life-span. I'm open to any suggestions - getting a bit desperate as I have a new baby started Sept. 22.

Have you looked at the Graco convertibles (Size4Me/MySize/maybe another name)? I'm not sure about the LATCH style, though. Chicco has the NextFit, which is very nice. Although, I don't know what the current pricing is on that one. Britax just came out with new models, so you might find some sale prices on some of their previous generations.

I know that wasn't very specific, but you might find something to meet your needs in that list.

Dorothy said:

Have you looked at the Graco convertibles (Size4Me/MySize/maybe another name)? I'm not sure about the LATCH style, though. Chicco has the NextFit, which is very nice. Although, I don't know what the current pricing is on that one. Britax just came out with new models, so you might find some sale prices on some of their previous generations. I know that wasn't very specific, but you might find something to meet your needs in that list.

Click to expand...

We don't have any of those Graco Clones in Canada


Safety 1st complete air LX ( you need the LX for the no-thread )might be one to consider, no re-thread harness, light weight, 2 level recline for RF & it's quite slim. Downside would be the 36" max RF height limit. I don't recall if it has premium UAS connectors.

I don't know much about the symphony but it would likely work & has the premium features you want - 37" RF height limit though.

I just seen a 2013 TF at a target near me so there's a few out there with better DOM's if you can find one

I think I might try to get a TrueFit - maybe even sweet talk someone at Target and point out the older dates and get a better price.

Alternately you could pick up a Classic Marathon at Target, for around $165 on sale. Does not have the no-rethread but does have premium connectors, lock-offs if you need them, and the one hand chest clip you want.

The Safety 1st Complete Air would be okay for forward-facing (I wouldn't jump to it for rear-facing with the size of it, unless you have oodles of room), but has a two-handed chest clip. I saw it on sale recently...I think.

The Radians have been on sale at Amazon - purple is in stock. http://www.amazon.ca/Diono-RadianRX...8&qid=1409831906&sr=8-1&keywords=diono+radian

Someone recently also mentioned Sears is clearing them out, but that might not be advertised and store by store.

If you can hold out for the new Britax seats they are looking very promising, but definitely not under your $200 budget.

Britax pioneer is easily adjustable and can be found on sale for $169. Do you need your easily adjustable seats to be convertibles or can they be ffing only?

I live outside of Ottawa, so am trying to do most of my research online (very frustrating!) before I drive in to the city again. I had not thought of Target, so I will look up where a couple of them are, and check on Sunday. I have gotten no-where with their Canadian website - I can't even see which seats they carry. I wish there was a way to know if any locations had a truefit. There is one available on Amazon for around $270, which I think is excessive for a partially expired seat. If it had been closer to $200 I would have nabbed it.

Canadian Tire has the Evenflo Triumph on sale right now, but apparently the UAS connectors are a bit of a pot-luck depending on the model. And different models show different chest clips. I have suffered my Scenara chest clip for 5 years now, so that might be a feature I could suck up and cope with. I did write Evenflo to ask why the photos for different Triumphs have different chest clips, and have not yet received an answer - I have a CanTire local to me,

My daycare needs are -
Back Row
1 narrow RF (Currently Scenara, expires this Dec.)
1 narrow FF (Currently SK Radian good 'til August 2015
1 convertable, any size - currently use a Truefit rear or forward, or the Radian that just expired.
Middle row
2 FF seats, currently use Truefits or the FF Radian - usually FF, so I could use a combination seat instead of a convertible.

My most immediate need is for a convertable in the back wide space. I tried a Titan65/Sureride FF and hate the install, and can't manage the buckles. Contemplating the Symphony or the Triumph - worried that I won't be able to reach the adjusters in a tight 3 across for the Triumph. I might just put my Truefit back there, and put a Symphony or Triumph in the middle row (I have only 2 Truefits). The middle row gets uninstalled frequently to transport my 12-y-o twins to after school activities, so the SureLatch is a bit of a draw.

Thanks for the advice - I still wish there were a comprehensive list of all the no-rethreads. Apparently some seats have them on some models and not others - I wish I was a seat designer, I have lots to say, LOL.