Three Across in a Leaf

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi,
I got some great help here previously and currently have a three across set up in my Nissan Leaf - all Radian RXTs. Two RF with a FF in the middle. It has worked very well BUT my eldest is growing like a week. He is 5 years old, 48" tall and about 48 lbs. His shoulders are at the top harness slots, which means he is rapidly outgrowing his seat. What are my options for him? When I posted about this set up a few years ago, an Evenflo Sureride was suggested. We bought one, but it doesn't fit so have returned it. My first choice would be to keep him harnessed for another year or so, but I'm not sure I have any options for that at his height. A high back booster would be my next choice I guess - do I just convert the Diono to booster mode? I keep reading that they aren't great as boosters. And what happens when he gets too tall for that? Is there a high back booster that will fit in a three across? And will we need to FF the other two so that he can use the seatbelt?
Thanks for any input.
PS. I'm in Canada.
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
You could try the Graco Tranzitions or Harmony Defender.

Harnessing as long as you can does certainly help in a tight 3 across. Once he uses a booster buckling will be more difficult (my eldest used to wiggle under the belt while leaving it buckled because it was so difficult.)

A dedicated booster is likely to have better fit than the Diono in booster mode (and I think the 50 lb minimum applies there too.) Or either of the other combination seats I mentioned, too.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks for the suggestions. It looks like the Graco seat will only give me 1/2 inch extra harness height. I think I'll take him to a store to see how he fits the seat. If I wanted to try a dedicated booster, do you have a recommendation for what is the narrowest? Or would you still recommend those two seats over a dedicated booster?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
A dedicated booster will be tough to fit. You'll likely find a backless is what works best- possibly a Harmony Youth Booster? The Graco Turbobooster and Britax Parkway are fairly narrow as high backs go but they don't play well in a 3 across and fairly narrow as they go doesn't mean actually narrow. Buckling will be rough.

The Defender would be an inch taller than your seat, which is about a year's growth or more for most kids. The Tranzitions is about 1/4 inch shorter than the Defender.
 

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