Question advice, please! a special Prius three-across challenge

U

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Hi everyone! Please share your advice on our challenge!

The short version:

1. Which of the following (if any!) will work three-across in a 2011 Prius:
(a) RF Britax Boulevard, Maxi Cosi RodiAP, RF Britax Pavilion
(b) RF Britax Boulevard, Maxi Cosi RodiAP, Chicco Keyfit30
(c) FF Britax Boulevard, Maxi Cosi RodiAP, RF Britax Pavilion
(d) FF Britax Boulevard, Maxi Cosi RodiAP, Chicco Keyfit30

(e) Harmony Defender, RF Clek, Chicco Keyfit30
(f) Harmony Defender, RF Clek, Immi Go
(g) Immi Go, RF Clek, Chicco Keyfit 30

2. If some of options (a)-(d) won’t work with the Maxi Cosi, would they work better with a different high-back booster? (which? Harmony DreamTime? Evenflo Big Kid/Amp?)?

3. Which will play more nicely next to either the booster or the RF Clek, an Immi Go (LATCH install) or a FF Harmony Defender?



The long version:

We’re looking for help with three-across solutions for a coming baby. I’ve read all the three-across posts I can find, but am hoping to make use of some of the seats we already own, and we do have some unique twists to our situation.

The car:
A 2011 Prius, in Israel. It does not have a center top tether connector. No center bottom LATCH hooks, of course. And the center back seatbelt cannot be put in locking mode (the side ones can). The dealer doesn’t seem to be able to change any of these issues with the center seat.

The kids:
Kid1 will be 6 years + one month old when baby arrives (in six months). Is currently 37 pounds and 44 inches tall (24” seated height), so add a bit to that to project forward six months. Currently rides FF in a Britax Boulevard G4. We are willing to consider moving her to a high-back booster in the next year, but prefer to maximize her time in a five-point harness.

Kid2 will be 3 years + four months old when baby arrives. Is currently 30 pounds and 36 inches tall (20” seated height), so add a bit to that to project forward six months. Currently rides RF in a Britax Pavilion 70-G3. We will probably consider switching him to FF in the next year, but we’re happy to RF longer.

Kid3 will be born in six months.

The seats we own:
- Boulevard
- Pavilion (expires Fall 2018)
- Immi Go
- Bubble Bum that we use for brief carpooling needs.
- We had a Chicco KeyFit 30 that we used for Kid1 and Kid2 when they were babies, but that’s about to expire.

We’re looking for a sequence of configurations that will carry us through the time when Kid2 swaps to FF and Kid3 outgrows the baby bucket (assuming we use one).

The carseats that are available in Israel are a poor subset of the European options, and I know the US options better than the European ones, but I could also order something from Europe… a skinny baby bucket? A nice Britax extended RF seat?

Sorry for the long, long, LONG post. I am so eager and grateful for your advice!
Kate
 
ADS

lgenne

New member
How does your oldest do in the Bubblebum? Given that you already have it, and the cost of shipping, I would consider using it full time in the center.

I would try both Britax convertibles next to it (seat belt installs, rear facing). If either one works, #2 is covered. If they both work, then so is #3.

If not, I would consider using the Go for #2. I suspect it will work brilliantly next to the Bubblebum. And we can suggest other seats if those don't work.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks a lot for your response! I think Kid1 is ok in the Bubblebum for very short trips, but honestly she slouches and squirms and fiddles with the seatbelt. Also, on longer trips (which we've never tried with a booster), she still falls asleep. I don't think we can do without head support on the booster for her yet, and a five-point harness is still not a bad idea.

I should have said---shipping from the US is not a problem; we'll be going for a visit soon and can bring seats back. But we won't have a lot of leeway to try things out and return them if they don't work (although we can try the seats out in a US Prius of the same year while we are there, since my parents have one!).

I really appreciate the advice!
Kate
 

lgenne

New member
How do you feel about installs using a locking clip? Narrow harnessed seats with locking clips are pretty much limited to Clek (Foonf and Fllo) which aren't my favorites for 3-across, and are not fun to haul through airports.

Other options for that center spot: a Harmony Dreamtime, or a Harmony Youth Booster plus a Cardiff headrest. The Youth booster plus headrest might be the best of both worlds: it makes buckling about as easy as possible, but she still has something to lean on.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks a lot for this advice!

Is the Harmony Dreamtime more narrow than the Maxi Cosi RodiAP? Do you think either of those would fit between the two Britax seats, or perhaps between the Immi and a RF Boulevard? And the Cardiff headrest is an idea I'd never hear of before! Thanks for that!

I have not been happy using a locking clip in the past (for a KeyFit 30 without base in cars without locking seatbelts), but I guess I can get over that if it's our best option and can get us a secure install. I guess you're thinking of a RF Radian in the center instead of a Clek?

Can you tell me a bit about why you're not a fan of the Clek seats for three-across? I agree, we wouldn't travel with a Clek, but with our Immi/Britax/Bubblebum. But could it be a good RF option for the middle seat?

Thanks again!
Kate
 

lgenne

New member
Yes, the Dreamtime is narrower than the Rodi AP. Both are narrow where you need to buckle, but the Rodi AP gets wider up higher, which could make it difficult to puzzle next to a forward facing car seat down the road.

I have a series of ideas if you can use a locking clip. A Radian is a possibility, but unless someone can verify that it works in that spot, I'd be hesitant to haul one halfway across the world.

I just had an aha moment, though. Will the Boulevard work in that spot rear facing? (It has a lock off!) Will the Go work on both sides of it? A second Go would be super easy to haul back on airplanes AND you could verify ahead of time that the plan will work. Plus you could continue harnessing your oldest, since that's your preference (never mind that buckling a booster in a 3 across is generally no fun.)
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Great to know about the Dreamtime being more narrow at the top, thanks! We might try out a Boulevard + Dreamtime + Pavilion combo while we’re in the US next month. If that works, it will probably be our winner.

Go + RF Boulevard + Go is a brilliant idea, though! I will try it and report back (may take a few days; our engine cooling pump died and the car is in the shop), but I think it might work, and it will be nice to have one configuration that I know I can pull off! I’ll need to check/think about a few things. First, I’m not sure how soon Kid1 will outgrow the Go, shoulder-height-wise. Second, the Go is quite uncomfortable for sleeping (head always goes straight forward). And third, I was hoping to not put baby in the middle, for ease of in/out. But at least the Go is easier to reach over than most seats! While I’m at it, I will try out Go + KeyFit 30 + Go, to see if we’d be able to get a sleeping baby in and out in a bucket.

While I’m thinking about baby buckets—has anyone heard anything about the Doona?

US version here: http://simpleparenting.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Doona_seat_user_guide_EN-US.pdf

European version here: http://simpleparenting.co/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Doona_seat_user_guide-EN.pdf

The Euro version allows a seatbelt install without a locking seatbelt and without need for a locking clip. And unlike most other baby bucket seats available in Israel, it has a five-point harness. They are *super expensive*, but I might be able to justify it since it might save me buying a new bassinet stroller (an airline destroyed our last one). Bonus: airlines can’t destroy your stroller if it’s also your carseat and you don’t have to check it! ;)

Thanks again!
Kate
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
You were right! Immi + RF Pavilion + Immi or Immi + KeyFit 30 + Immi will fit! And it's actually not unreasonable to reach over an Immi to get the KeyFit in and out...
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Now I just heart about Chicco's Fit2... if I can make that fit in the middle of two Immis, we'd be (relatively) lightweight for travel for years to come! Travel-wise, I always dreaded the moment where I had to start lugging one of the Britax seats on the plane :)

Should I expect that the Fit2 will do as well safety-rating-wise as the KeyFit 30? Or should I just stick with a known thing?
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Oh, sorry, I meant things like Consumer Reports. Or shouldn't I put much weight on that?
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks again! Now that the main issues seem to be sorted out, I'm going to start a new thread to see if I can find an alternative infant seat for us that installs without the base and without a locking clip in taxis without locking seatbelts.
 

lgenne

New member
Oh, CR. I would probably assume that Chicco wants the business that the CR results send their way, and probably has put the Fit2 through the same (or at least similar) tests. You could try calling them (or contacting them online, since it's an international call) to be sure.

I'm not aware of any US infant seats that have a baseless install that doesn't require locking the seat belt. You might have better luck with Euro seats.
 

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