Disappointed in the Nautilus - need advice!

ntepper

New member
So I had been struggling with trying to decide what seat to get my soon to be three year old daughter who has just about outgrown her Roundabout. After reading EVERYTHING on this site about the Nautilus and the Frontier I decided on the Nautilus. I had never seen either of them in person, just the pics on here. I went to Babies R Us this weekend with my daughter and my husband excited to finally buy it . . . plus, I had a 15% off coupon so that was even better! I put her in it and we immediately noticed that the back was way too narrow for her back and shoulders. Now, she is not even three yet and although she is very tall (40 inches) she is very very skinney (just barely 30 pounds!). And by no means is she broad at all! If she, at 3, seemed to be too broad for it, how is it working for all these other older bigger children? Was I just imaginining it or is this seat really narrow in the back/shoulder area? She could not get her whole back into the area that seemed to be for the back . . . does anyone know what I mean or has anyone experienced this?
I ended up buying the Regent but think I will probably return it. I really like it but its so big and we move our car seats around a lot so it does not seem like it would be the right seat for us. I am going to take a trip to the Right Start this weekend to see the Frontier. I hope I like that one better!
 
ADS

drey

New member
Just a quick thought - did you remove the insert when you tried DD out in the Nautilus? It made a difference when I tried my 5-yo DS in it, too. But I took it out & voila! He fits. =) He's 5, 41.5 lbs. Or is it 43 lbs? I can never remember.
 

ntepper

New member
Yep, we did remove the insert. Maybe I was just expecting her whole back to fit into the back area of the seat when that is not how its suppose to be. I looked at some pics on here of bigger kids in it and it seems they also do not fit totally into the seat but rather their shoulders rest on the sides of the back. Not sure that I am even making any sense!
I think I am going to get the Radian. I need to just make a decision already!
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
IMG_3126.jpg


That's AJ in it at 42# and 42", I thought he fit well and this will be his new main seat.
 

Gena

New member
I have a Nautilus for my son. He just turned 4 and is 41.5 inches and 38 lbs. The seat is more cradling than other car seats. My son's shoulders rest against the back and sides of the seat. At first also I thought maybe it was too narrow, but then I noticed that the Nautilus is shaped similarly to the captains' chairs in my minivan. These seats are not perfectly flat, they curve out at the sides, although not to the extent the Nautilus does. When I sit in my driver's seat, my shoulders rest against this outward slope (and I am not broad shouldered at all). This provides me with a lot of body support and I realized that the Nautilus was doing the same for DS. He loves this car seat and is very comfortable in it.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
I have a Nautilus for my son. He just turned 4 and is 41.5 inches and 38 lbs. The seat is more cradling than other car seats. My son's shoulders rest against the back and sides of the seat. At first also I thought maybe it was too narrow, but then I noticed that the Nautilus is shaped similarly to the captains' chairs in my minivan. These seats are not perfectly flat, they curve out at the sides, although not to the extent the Nautilus does. When I sit in my driver's seat, my shoulders rest against this outward slope (and I am not broad shouldered at all). This provides me with a lot of body support and I realized that the Nautilus was doing the same for DS. He loves this car seat and is very comfortable in it.

:yeahthat: That's an excellent explanation, thank you! I've been unable to describe it.
 

houseofboys

New member
:yeahthat: Here is a pic of DS#2 in his GN.


It does cradle them more than some seats. He loves the fit & is very comfy in it. DS#1 (obviously bigger) tried it as a booster and did not like the way it curved around his body.

FWIW, I think some of the complaints about the are actually coming from the kids. But it seems to me that some parents don't like the way their child *looks* in the seat and assume the child won't be comfortable. Ever kid is different - thank goodness for all of the seat choices out there!
 
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ntepper

New member
houseofboys i think you are right! i think i just did not like the way she looked and thought she could not be comfortable sitting like that. i never really even asked her! maybe we need to take a trip back to BRU this weekend and put her back in it. although i think i have almost convinced myself to get the radian. i am actually on another site right now about to buy it! aaaahhh . . . decision!
 

ginny4

New member
i too think the nautilus is too narrow. my DD at almost 4yo just fit (like the kids posted on this thread). she said she was comfy & looked liek she was. BUT when my sons sat in the seat (would fit as booster when in the car) didn't like it. i was looking for long term fit & if my boys didn't fit & liek it there was no way i was keeping it for a main seat. i'd consider if i needed a 2nd seat. so i returned it & got the regent. MUCH better fit for us.
 

Mommy2Five

New member
I have a Nautilus for my son. He just turned 4 and is 41.5 inches and 38 lbs. The seat is more cradling than other car seats. My son's shoulders rest against the back and sides of the seat. At first also I thought maybe it was too narrow, but then I noticed that the Nautilus is shaped similarly to the captains' chairs in my minivan. These seats are not perfectly flat, they curve out at the sides, although not to the extent the Nautilus does. When I sit in my driver's seat, my shoulders rest against this outward slope (and I am not broad shouldered at all). This provides me with a lot of body support and I realized that the Nautilus was doing the same for DS. He loves this car seat and is very comfortable in it.

I completely agree!
My kids are very comfortable in their GNs, and really like the "cradle" of the seat! (and you can see in the 1st pic that my captains chairs are shaped exactly the same.)

IMG_0051-1.jpg

IMG_0023.jpg

IMG_0021.jpg

IMG_0044.jpg
 

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