WWYD? (kids, seats, carpool)

carseatcoach · Apr 6, 2008

I may be driving two other kids in a way-too-complicated carpool situation this summer. I have a Subaru Forester and a spare Radian and a Compass B510. I will never have both kids at the same time -- it would be one kid to camp and one kid home from camp. There would be: six-year-old boy who rides in a backless booster in his parents' car and who I think would fit in my spare Radian, and eight-year-old girl who seems to be too tall for the Radian.

I don't want to be juggling seats every day, but I want to keep the kids safe. I'm willing to buy a new seat if I have to (but I'm NOT looking for an excuse to go seat shopping).

Would you:

swap out the Radian and the Compass every day?
let both kids ride in the Compass?
get a Monterey?
get a Nautilus? (would I have to actually remove the harness to use it as a BPB for the older girl?)

Defrost · Apr 6, 2008

I'd probably try them both in the Compass to start out. As long as the 6yo fits and follows the rules about staying in position, he could use that.

If that's a major problem, I'd get the GN and see if I could use it harnessed for both of them. The GN's top slots are quite a bit higher than the Radian's, so there's a decent chance the 8yo would still fit in it with the harness.

And yes, to switch the GN from harness to booster mode, you have to remove the harness as well as undo LATCH (if it's installed that way) and the top tether.

carseatcoach · Apr 6, 2008

She's a very big girl -- I haven't asked, but I'm certain she's over 65 pounds. (And while I would be willing to spend $150, I'm not willing to spend $250 on a Regent or Frontier.) I knew I'd have to unhook the Nautilus, but if I have to unthread the harness too, that's not very appealing to me. I'll try the Compass first, and then think about the Monterey.

Defrost · Apr 6, 2008

chickabiddy said:
She's a very big girl -- I haven't asked, but I'm certain she's over 65 pounds. (And while I would be willing to spend $150, I'm not willing to spend $250 on a Regent or Frontier.) I knew I'd have to unhook the Nautilus, but if I have to unthread the harness too, that's not very appealing to me. I'll try the Compass first, and then think about the Monterey.

I wouldn't be all that keen on buying a seat just for a carpool kid, either. I'd only look into harnessing the 6yo if he was truly incapable of using the booster properly.

carseatcoach · Apr 6, 2008

Yeah. Now that some of my daughter's friends are getting too big for our harnessed seats, a good dedicated booster might not be a frivolous expense, but I just can't justify another high-end harnessed seat.

WWYD? (kids, seats, carpool)

carseatcoach

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Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

Defrost

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