Big carseat for a 5y/o chunky monkey?

We had an incident yesterday that has shown me that my DD is not ready to go to a HBB full time. (Sigh...I am getting an Oobr when they come out anyway, just because I love it and know eventually we will use it.)

She is currently in a SafeGuard car seat. We getting close to the top height that the SafeGuard can go (It claims 19" but it measures in at 17.5") and we are at almost maximum travel for the straps. That is the biggie....We need lots of strap to go around her.

She is 58 pounds and 44". She is a very chunky monkey, with short legs, so her torso is pretty long and round.

What are some options for our next step? I know the Regent, but anything else worth taking a look at? This isn't a 'need it right now' thing, so is anything new coming out? I think I saw a new Radian80?

Anyone know if any of these have more strap to go around than the SG? I am much more concerned with top slot height and how much strap I have verses concerned with weight limit. I think we have quite a while left before she tops 70 pounds.

Real life info would be most helpful.:thumbsup:


Recaro Signo
Raidan 80
Britax Frontier
Graco Nautilus
Anything you can think of???

Price is not an issue, what fits her and is safe is.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thank you for any help!

I like carseats with alot of strap room too. My daughter used to be a chunky monkey too but has now slimmed out.

I don't feel the Graco Nautilus has alot of strap room. My daughter(7) fits in the nautilus according to height she's short but there wasn't alot of strap room at all so that was my main reason for not buying. She's 48" 53lbs.

The only carseat I have found to have ample amount of strap room is the Regent which we own and it would be the perfect carseat if only not so wide. I was tempted to get the Radian but didn't think it would do either it's alot like the Graco N with strap room if you ask me.

The only taller seat than the Safeguard Child Seat is the Regent-- and I think it only gives you 1/2 to 1 inch more (depending on installation.)

The Safeguard Child Seat does have 19.5 inch top slots which is actually slightly taller than the Regent which has 19.1 inch top slots.

Try loosening the harness all the way and adjusting the headrest up.

Uninstall the seat and try it again if you can't do it installed.

Also, is she wearing bulky clothing or a coat in the seat?

Nope, no bulky clothes or coat. We already took it out to make sure the splitter plate was not getting hung up. We have even called and talked with Julie M. at IMMI, nothing wrong with the seat, just a very rotund little one.

It is not so much the harness height, we have about an inch or so to go there, but strap lenght.

Thanks for all the replies so far, you guys are great.

The straps on both the Regent and the Frontier are very long. As in, I can buckle myself into them. I don't fit in the seats b/c of my torso height but I can buckle in. The Nautilus is shorter, I barely squeezed into it once. It was uncomfortable. I would recommend going to BRU and trying her in some seats, especially since you're somewhat concerned with top slot height and getting varying measurements on your current seat. That way you can see first hand how much room she has in each.