Convertible or combination seat 4 -6 yr olds?

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

I keep trying to plan through 6 yrs old (when I think convertibles are probably outgrown) as I buy my 2 new seats, but is that realistic and something I should even worry about? Do the convertibles get too narrow and not have enough leg support? Are some better than others for older FF kids? When I look at seats like the Peg or Britax, I feel like a 5 yr old is going to be sprawling out of them. The Foonf/Fllo seems so narrow, but I get a feeling more comfortable for an older kid.

Basically I am trying to figure out whether I should bother with long term planning with convertibles or just plan on getting through the rear facing stage and buying combination seats at 4!

Cnidaria · Oct 21, 2014

How old are your kids? How big/tall are they? What size shirts do they wear?

It does depend on the seat. Something like an Evenflo SureRide will get many/most kids to booster age. With others it might depend on how big the kiddo is. A very petite child could get to booster age in almost any convertible.

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

Cnidaria said:
How old are your kids? How big/tall are they? What size shirts do they wear?

It does depend on the seat. Something like an Evenflo SureRide will get many/most kids to booster age. With others it might depend on how big the kiddo is. A very petite child could get to booster age in almost any convertible.

They are 2.10 yrs and 8.5 months. Average sized, DD1 is 36.5 inches and 3 in early December and DD2 is 27 inches. DD1 has wide shoulders and torso. I don't worry about outgrowing the limits as much as the comfort factor with things like dangling legs, too much recline, or smushed shoulders. Is that not really a problem?

It would be great to go all the way to a booster since I am buying new convertibles so late in the game. I think most people would just get combination seats now for DD1, but I have the RF to 4 drilled in my brain and am scared to turn her!

HappyHoo · Oct 21, 2014

Since you have 2 kids, I'd try to maximize the passing down factor.

So you need a new RF seat to keep your oldest RF to 4? Buy that and pass her seat down to youngest. When youngest outgrows that seat RF, buy oldest a combination seat and pass down longer lasting RF seat.

When youngest needs combination seat, buy a dedicated booster for oldest and do the passing down again.

At that point you should be about done except maybe some cheaper lbb seats.

Jackie010307 · Oct 21, 2014

What seats are they currently in and do they need to be replaced now? How much room do they have in them?

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

HappyHoo said:
Since you have 2 kids, I'd try to maximize the passing down factor.

So you need a new RF seat to keep your oldest RF to 4? Buy that and pass her seat down to youngest. When youngest outgrows that seat RF, buy oldest a combination seat and pass down longer lasting RF seat.

When youngest needs combination seat, buy a dedicated booster for oldest and do the passing down again.

At that point you should be about done except maybe some cheaper lbb seats.

You make it sound so simple, lol! Why am I finding this so hard!?

I need two new convertibles as my husband and I share pick up and drop off duties at preschool and use his car often. So I was thinking I should get ones that are the most comfortable and easy to use FF so not buying/selling seats in a year?

I also like the thought of using the REACT in my Foonf if it's comfortable for that 4+ age range.

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

Jackie010307 said:
What seats are they currently in and do they need to be replaced now? How much room do they have in them?

Right now I have a Keyfit for the baby and a Foonf/Britax Advocate for DD2. The baby has a few months left (27 -28 inches)if I went to the limits of the Keyfit, but it's a struggle to lay her back and get her strapped in. She really wants to sit up. I have been using the Britax in my car for her and it's great, but now DD1 has no seat in husband's car and that's been a huge pain.

When I get new seats I am going to put the Britax back in his car (he needs the SIP more and I can put the baby in the center in the minivan anyway) and the Foonf is his car because he doesn't care about lifting DD1 50 feet in the air!

So will look like this:

DH car: Britax for baby, Foonf for DD1.
My car: ? ?

There you go! Made your simple question into a long old answer, my new speciality!

1mommy · Oct 21, 2014

I'd look into a Graco Headwise/Size 4 me, its a good seat with a no re-thread harness and should last your child until booster age, according to the car seat blog review it has enough shoulder room to be comfortable for an older child.

http://carseatblog.com/18372/graco-size4me-70-convertible-carseat-review/

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

1mommy said:
I'd look into a Graco Headwise/Size 4 me, its a good seat with a no re-thread harness and should last your child until booster age, according to the car seat blog review it has enough shoulder room to be comfortable for an older child.

http://carseatblog.com/18372/graco-size4me-70-convertible-carseat-review/

Thank you! Might work well - is it very comfortable/enough padding? We go on a lot of road trips and long flights.

1mommy · Oct 21, 2014

Hazelandlucy said:
Thank you! Might work well - is it very comfortable/enough padding? We go on a lot of road trips and long flights.

Graco seats aren't known for the most padding, but most kids don't complain, if yours will or not is hard to say. When I think of the most padded/cushiest seat I think of the Maxi Cosi Pria. It's top slots are about the same height as the Graco ones above, and while they dont test it out with an older model as they did with the Graco they do mention it has a deep seat pan which is great for leg room for extended rear facing.

http://carseatblog.com/11231/draft-dorel-maxi-cosi-pria-70-convertible-review/

I know nothing nor have I heard anything, but looks like there is a new Pria that is rated to 85 pounds! I believe I read that due to new regulations anything rated above 65 pounds has to fit an older bigger heavier test dummy (hence why a lot of convertible seats that used to be 70 are now 65), so I would think that it would be a very good seat for older children.

http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/products/car-seats/convertible/pria-85.aspx

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=266842

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S3NkGkYHH0"]2015 Maxi Cosi Pria 85 - YouTube[/ame]

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

1mommy said:
Graco seats aren't known for the most padding, but most kids don't complain, if yours will or not is hard to say. When I think of the most padded/cushiest seat I think of the Maxi Cosi Pria. It's top slots are about the same height as the Graco ones above, and while they dont test it out with an older model as they did with the Graco they do mention it has a deep seat pan which is great for leg room for extended rear facing.

http://carseatblog.com/11231/draft-dorel-maxi-cosi-pria-70-convertible-review/

I know nothing nor have I heard anything, but looks like there is a new Pria that is rated to 85 pounds! I believe I read that due to new regulations anything rated above 65 pounds has to fit an older bigger heavier test dummy (hence why a lot of convertible seats that used to be 70 are now 65), so I would think that it would be a very good seat for older children.

http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/products/car-seats/convertible/pria-85.aspx

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=266842

2015 Maxi Cosi Pria 85 - YouTube

I love the Pria and it's my DD1's favorite (I think because of the cup holder, lol).
It's really the one I really want for DD1 because of the width and legroom and comfort. The only thing holding me back is I have heard the harness on the Pria 70 is sticky and the chest clip I don't find as easier as the Foonf or Peg. And the plastic frame...seems the new seats have all moved to steel. But I LOVE that it's tested to 85 pounds even if I only use it to 50! Makes me feel like it's a sturdy seat.

Does anyone know if the Britax Max Fix 2 in Europe that passes the Plus Test has a steel or plastic frame? That would give me some reassurance!

Going to watch the video now, thanks so much!!

Jackie010307 · Oct 21, 2014

I'm always looking for the most cost effective option, so if I were in your position I would get 1 nice, long lasting seat to rear face your oldest till 4 and one less expensive seat that would last your younger one until the oldest is 4. At that point I would pass the nice, tall seat to the youngest and get a nice forward facing seat for your oldest. By the time the baby reaches 4 it is possible that your oldest will be booster ready and you can pass the forward facing seat to the baby.

kam1011 · Oct 21, 2014

My kids always preferred the combination seats at that age. I suppose maybe a different convertible could win them over, but it's the fact that they're lower and more upright that they liked.

Hazelandlucy · Oct 21, 2014

Jackie010307 said:
I'm always looking for the most cost effective option, so if I were in your position I would get 1 nice, long lasting seat to rear face your oldest till 4 and one less expensive seat that would last your younger one until the oldest is 4. At that point I would pass the nice, tall seat to the youngest and get a nice forward facing seat for your oldest. By the time the baby reaches 4 it is possible that your oldest will be booster ready and you can pass the forward facing seat to the baby.

The problem is that I need two new seats and my oldest is 4 in a year! So that would be buying new seats now that I sell in a year and then buying 2 more new combination seats. I feel like I should make at least two of the convertibles last until 6 - if that is possible - and then sell two and buy boosters for DD1. At least then I will have gotten some good use out of them.

I am really trying to find good ERF convertibles that also are comfortable for the 4-6 yr old time span. I worry that the two I have will not have enough leg support (Britax) or too narrow( Foonf) but again I have no experience!

Dillipop · Oct 21, 2014

My almost 4 year old (in 2 days) has plenty of room in the foonf. I think she will easily make it to 5 or 6 in it. My niece who will be 5 in March is on the same settings and should make it to 6 as well. My daughter is pretty slender. My niece is slender as well but she's a bit beefier overall- her frame is larger than dd's.

Jackie010307 · Oct 21, 2014

I think I may not have explained myself very clearly. What I was suggesting is that you buy 2 convertible seats now, one nice, tall one, and one less expensive. Use the tall one for the older child and the budget seat for the baby. Once the older child is ff pass the nice convertible to baby and buy a combo such as a nautilus or frontier. You can sell the budget seat or keep it for an extra. Later, when baby is older and ready to ff pass the combo down and buy a booster for the older child. That means you will always have a seat to pass down to the little one and won't have to buy 2 seats again.

nannykates · Oct 22, 2014

I would look at the diono convertibles, graco clones, graco 4ever, maxi cost pria and evenflo sureride. I'm also with the others that 2 different seats would be best, that way you aren't outgrowing seats at the same time/disliking multiple seats. If it were me I'd buy a diono Pacifica and a graco 4ever, but dd1 in the diono and baby in 4ever then use either the diono or foonf for the baby once dd1 is forward facing.

Hazelandlucy · Oct 22, 2014

Thanks for all the help!

I have very little time so can't respond to everyone (sure you are all disappointed not to read a novel!), but just had a quick question

I read the Pria needed bolsters to pass the Canadian rebound test - does that mean the US version did NOT pass or is it just standard to add rebound control to any seat in Canada? I am trying to be ok with no tether or bar, but the thought of it having too much rebound for Canada makes me nervous.

Is the Foonf comfortable for babies? Hadn't considered mine for DD2, but she would love the view. It seems so spartan and upright though....

Thanks again!

P.S. I tried to involve my husband is the great carseat debate last night and showed him one of my threads. He was like "you are a nutcase, I can't follow what you are going on about, why are you writing so much??" So I want to really thank everyone who has attempted to sort me out!!!! I think I am enjoying the learning about seats process more than I will the actual using! It's actually really interesting all the differences in crash management and safety to me.

bnsnyde · Oct 23, 2014

Depends on the seat and child.

I like the Recaro combination seats. My 3-year-old is on the top click! Yikes. He does have room to grow to at least 4, I can see. My other son outgrew that one at 5, and it's one of the tallest on the market, so they say.

My kids are tall and I don't think I used any convertibles past rear-facing, but the head protection seemed superior on some of the combo seats when the kids got bigger, so we went with that.

I don't convert the combos to booster seats though. It's a pain, and then if I need to change it back, another pain if I can even find the straps. So we just get a booster when that time comes. Recaro Performance Booster is my favorite right now.

Convertible or combination seat 4 -6 yr olds?

Active member

New member

Active member

New member

New member

Active member

Active member

New member

Active member

New member

Active member

New member

New member

Active member

Well-known member

New member

New member

Active member

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics