How much longer can we RF?

Kaffy · Oct 7, 2014

My son is 2yrs and 2 months old. He is not terribly tall (last measured at 37") but I think he has a long torso. He sits RF in a Diono Radian RXT and I'm measuring that he only has about 3 inches left between the top of his head and the top of the seat, but he will outgrow it once he reaches 1.5inches from the top of the seat (correct?). How much longer do you think we have? He still has tones of leg room and is within the weight limit. Was really hoping to keep him RF beyond 3

Thanks!

ketchupqueen · Oct 7, 2014

1.5”, with a long torso, at that age, will probably JUST make it to 3.

It's hard to know of course but that's based on my kids.

If he's well below the weight limit there are taller seats but mostly they max out at 40 rf.

featherhead · Oct 7, 2014

Wow, tall 2 year old! Do you by any chance still have the extra padding in?

Kaffy · Oct 7, 2014

We don't have the extra padding, but do have the waterproof seat pad.

Ketchupqueen - do you know what some of these taller seats might be? hes about 32lb now, and may reach 35lb by the time he's 3? I did ask Diono if their newer seats were taller and they said no, just wider which doesn't really help us. Don't most kids outgrow by height first than weight so wouldn't it make sense to make the seats taller?

ketchupqueen · Oct 7, 2014

Sure! The new Britax ClickTight convertibles and the Graco MySize/Size4Me/Headwise/etc (there are a bunch of different seats all with the same shell) or 4Ever will all get any kid all the way to 40 lbs rear facing by height, even very tall long torsoed kids.

Kids come in all shapes. Diono has chosen to up weight limits and make seats wider for shorter heavier kids. Britax, Chicco, and Graco are going the other direction and catering to taller skinnier kids.

safeinthecar · Oct 7, 2014

You may be able to gain some height by installing the seat more upright.

Kaffy · Oct 7, 2014

ketchupqueen said:
Sure! The new Britax ClickTight convertibles and the Graco MySize/Size4Me/Headwise/etc (there are a bunch of different seats all with the same shell) or 4Ever will all get any kid all the way to 40 lbs rear facing by height, even very tall long torsoed kids.

Thanks for those suggestions! I will check them out

safeinthecar said:
You may be able to gain some height by installing the seat more upright.

Good idea. It is currently installed with the angle adjuster. Do you think there's a way to make it even more upright?

This has been a good seat for us- we moved my son into it when he was 3 months old because I hated the Graco snugride we were using when he was born. Sad that he may be growing out of it sooner than I had expected.

Kaffy · Oct 7, 2014

Also, assuming he fits till he's about 3, would you be comfortable turning a 3 yr old FF?
Mother's guilt tells me RF is safest, just go buy another seat, but the practical side of me wonders does it really make sense to get a new seat for that extra 1-2 inches ?

safeinthecar · Oct 7, 2014

Kaffy said:
Good idea. It is currently installed with the angle adjuster. Do you think there's a way to make it even more upright?

I put lots of pressure on the toes and pull the vehicle seat back slightly toward the front of the car as I tighten and get it pretty much bolt upright in my captain's chairs without the angle adjuster. I can't get it nearly as upright even with the adjuster in my third row no matter what trick I use. Maybe a different seating position will be more upright for you too.

ketchupqueen · Oct 8, 2014

Kaffy said:
Also, assuming he fits till he's about 3, would you be comfortable turning a 3 yr old FF?
Mother's guilt tells me RF is safest, just go buy another seat, but the practical side of me wonders does it really make sense to get a new seat for that extra 1-2 inches ?

It can be significantly more than 1-2 inches in some of these seats...

It's up to you. 3 is a very safe age to FF.

In my house we do not FF until 4 if there is any way in the world to do that- in the primary car. In Grandma's car I'm ok with 3. So I'm more comfortable with it than 2, but less comfortable with it than 4. (Or longer... There are theoretically potential benefits even to 6. But at 4 I feel the gap between FF and RF safety is small enough that if kids want to FF I let them.)

But, I mean, a properly installed and used FF seat that is tethered is still super safe for a 3 year old. (Or a 2 year old... Or really even a 1 year old, in absolute terms.) There are still benefits to safety to continue to RF, and the official best-practice recommendation we have is 4, but that recommendation also acknowledges that kids outgrow seats- 4 or to the limits of the convertible seat. So, yeah. It's really up to your personal comfort level, preferences, and abiliities.

seb3244 · Oct 8, 2014

Kaffy said:
Also, assuming he fits till he's about 3, would you be comfortable turning a 3 yr old FF? Mother's guilt tells me RF is safest, just go buy another seat, but the practical side of me wonders does it really make sense to get a new seat for that extra 1-2 inches ?

That mothers intuition gets me every time. If it were me I would buy another seat to rear face him longer when he gets close to out growing your current seat. For me age four is my goal and I would not be able to forgive myself if my child suffered injuries due to me forward facing when they still fit (are within the height and weight limit) in a car seat rear facing. But that is just me.
Age 3 is perfectly acceptable to ff and way longer than most

How much longer can we RF?

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