Please vote- Britax or Recaro?

MamaChirpy

New member
I'm about to take the plunge and try another harnessed booster for my 4.5 year old DD. she is 38 lbs and 43" tall.
This seat will have to install with a seatbelt on the back bench of a 2008 Chevy Suburban. I do have a tether hook available.

The bench seat has a very straight back. Almost a 90 degree angle. Any input is appreciated. Thank you!

Also, anyone know of any coupons or sales right now?
 
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Dillipop

Well-known member
I love my frontier click tight for seatbelt installs. It is soooooo easy. If I have to move a seat from one car to another, I always choose that one because the install is really that easy. I have 2 almost 4 year olds and a 4.5 year old that ride in it on a regular basis and they fight over it. They find it super comfy.

I've never dealt with a recaro but does your suburban have headrests for later? If not, the frontier will last longer to provide head protection both with the harness and later as a booster. It's really tall.
 

bnsnyde

New member
I would go with Recaro. For me it's a breeze to install with the seatbelt since it's open belt path. Plus it doesn't mangle the seatbelt. It has super deep sides, too.

It's EASY to adjust the harness. My kids can even do it.

My Frontier90? It's super hard to pull that harness tight. Not a fan. I am thinking of taking my 8 YO (still fits harness) out of it and just putting him in a Recaro booster.
 
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1mommy

New member
How long do you want to harness for? The Britax Frontier 90 doesnt always make a good booster unless your child has outgrown the harness.
 

MamaChirpy

New member
How long do you want to harness for? The Britax Frontier 90 doesnt always make a good booster unless your child has outgrown the harness.

I have actually read that. I don't want to harness way on up. Just until they are about 50 lbs or so? Not like 7 years old. I think I would be comfortable with them in a booster by at least 7.
Good point to think about.
 

MamaChirpy

New member
I would go with Recaro. For me it's a breeze to install with the seatbelt since it's open belt path. Plus it doesn't mangle the seatbelt. It has super deep sides, too.

It's EASY to adjust the harness. My kids can even do it.

My Frontier90? It's super hard to pull that harness tight. Not a fan. I am thinking of taking my 8 YO (still fits harness) out of it and just putting him in a Recaro booster.

Thanks! The seatbelt install is definitely a prime consideration.
 

MamaChirpy

New member
I love my frontier click tight for seatbelt installs. It is soooooo easy. If I have to move a seat from one car to another, I always choose that one because the install is really that easy. I have 2 almost 4 year olds and a 4.5 year old that ride in it on a regular basis and they fight over it. They find it super comfy.

I've never dealt with a recaro but does your suburban have headrests for later? If not, the frontier will last longer to provide head protection both with the harness and later as a booster. It's really tall.

Yes it has headrests on each outboard side on the back seat.
They are not removable but I can adjust them up and down.
 

MamaChirpy

New member
I would go with Recaro. For me it's a breeze to install with the seatbelt since it's open belt path. Plus it doesn't mangle the seatbelt. It has super deep sides, too.

It's EASY to adjust the harness. My kids can even do it.

My Frontier90? It's super hard to pull that harness tight. Not a fan. I am thinking of taking my 8 YO (still fits harness) out of it and just putting him in a Recaro booster.

That's awesome that you have both to compare. Do you have head slump when your kids fall asleep in either one?
 

bnsnyde

New member
I have not noticed head slump, but it's hard to say. My kids don't sleep much in cars. Plus, the seats are in two different cars and each is different in terms of seat slope.

I have not noticed any head slump when they've rested in the past, in either seat.
 

Athena

Well-known member
We love the Frontiers, but we have tall kids and need that height. The FRs are nice and we never had head slump sleeping in the 90. I know nothing of the Recaro, but I think it depends a lot on whether you need that height. Sounds like your kid isn't short, but not super tall either, so maybe the Recaro would last you long enough. HTH.
 

bnsnyde

New member
My 8 year-old still fits in the Recaro in booster mode. It's not a super tall booster, note.
He outgrew the harness mode a little before age 6. It's odd since that same seat in another car was too small booster mode. Something about the Civic where it fit well.
He is a little on the tall side.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I've had both and decided to stick with the Recaro. I think it's probably my favorite FF-only seat ever, and I've used just about all of them. Very easy to install with a seatbelt (not that ClickTight isn't) and easier to adjust. I don't think my daughter ever fell asleep in the Frontier, but she has fallen asleep in the Performance Sport a few times and hasn't had head slump.

I haven't tried either seat in your vehicle, though, so I can't speak to that.
 

MamaChirpy

New member
So I went to Babies R Us today to look at both seats (neither seat was actually there. Ha. I called before I went and the "gear manager" said they were both there. Oh well. Haha) it was a productive trip however because I did try the Britax Pioneer 70 in my vehicle and it installed tightly!!!! And I figured out WHY the Nautilus will not install tightly!!! Because it has a little foot that sticks out the bottom. The Britax has a flat bottom so I could Mash it down into the seat, tighten belt and it STAYED!!!! Yay!

So that lets me know that I'm not crazy. The Nautilus really does have problems withy vehicle. :)
And now I know what type of back/bottom will install properly in my Suburban. I do like the reviews better on the Recaro so I am ordering one today! Looking at its shape, I think it will also install tightly. If not, then I will return it and get the Britax Frontier. I can't wait to get it in. Hoping this will be the answer!

As far as height, IF DD does outgrow the height limit before I'm ready, she has 3 younger siblings I can pass it down to. So no worries there!

Thank you all so much for the comments. They really helped!
 
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Athena

Well-known member
My 8 year-old still fits in the Recaro in booster mode.

That's great! I think you're very lucky to have options and wish we did. Don't get me wrong, I like our FRs and have no complaints. I am thankful seats for tall kids now exist. FYI: Tall to me is when you enter their info into the growth calculator and get, "greater than 97%," for height. ;) My tall 8yo still fits her FR in booster mode. That is amazing! I fully appreciate having these seats and realize if we'd had kids a bit earlier, they would not have had access to seats they needed. For us, I regretted wasting my money buying any of the other combo seats because they didn't last and weren't that useful for handing down because we ERF, so I sold them and bought more FRs and was glad I did. I wouldn't recommend anything but the FRs to parents with those very tall kids, but for more normally sized kids like you and the OP have, get what you like and be very thankful you have options. :dance:
 

MamaChirpy

New member
I ordered a Performance Sport this morning. It won't be here until Tuesday (14). I will report back on the fit in my Suburban after I test it out in case it may help someone else.

Also, DS in the Nautilus has been moved to the middle row captain's chair until I solve the back seat problem. :)
 

YinzerMama

New member
I am intrigued but the recaro... is is nicely padded? Does it require head support when the head is extended? Does it recline at all in harness mode? (the amazon reviews seem to say no??)

My son is asking for a blue seat for DH's car. I had been hoping to snag one of the new Dionos in glacier as an open box but I really don't like how the new material feels on the new Diono colors - plus this would harness taller. I don't think we need the height but would still be nice to have. (Youngest kid is on the small side so I think the dionos will last him till 6)

We have used the FR85s and I just hate how HUGE they are. The 90s I think don't have quite such a huge base but they are still more height than I will need with this little guy. The recaro doesn't look as huge on bottom.

bnsnyde - do/did you use the recaro in your ody? Any spots it doesn't work in? Does it install in the middle seat and let outboard seats move? Husband's car is a 2006 Prius which has never proven difficult for installs but I like seats to work in both cars.

(eta I know the recaro only ff and I know some people think it's a waste to only use a diono ff but I really like a low, easy in/out seat for a ff, and if I can snag an open box deal in blue, I will)
 
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sunnymw

New member
The recaro PS is SUPER plush.

And when it accidentally got unbuckled and I was in a rush, it fit my 5yo great in booster mode too.
 

thepote

New member
I've seen some pics where the headrest looked abnormally high on the correct setting because there are a limited number of slots. Does this bother anyone?
 

MamaChirpy

New member
Ok I have installed the Recaro PS on the driver side in the back bench of my Suburban. Relatively easy install. Just different than your typical "thread through the hole in the back" belt path. My husband was impressed (and that's saying something) with the way it installs. It makes sense. Why don't all carseats install with the seatbelt this way??? The seat belt actually holds the top of the seat in place as well as the bottom. The install IS TIGHT AND SEEMS VERY SECURE. SCORE!

The fabric is NICE. The padding is PLUSH. Although I haven't actually driven with DD in it yet she sat in it several times this evening while I was adjusting it. It SEEMS like she could sleep very comfortably in it with the way the headrest is positioned. She automatically complained about the Hero harness pads. But they are way more padded than she is used to so maybe she will get used to it. She is also very sensitive, though.

We have a shopping trip planned for tomorrow so I will report back on how she rides in it.

First impression: SUPER impressive.
 

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