Put to the test and ??'s

AYospe

New member
Hi all, I am a lurker coming out because unfortunately we were in an accident yesterday and my kids carseats got to do their job and they did it with flying colors. We had 2 MA's that now need to be replaced. So I am just not sure what to get now. Insurance is allowing them to be replaced. I just need to turn in the seats, but can keep the covers (yay!). DS1 is 4.5, 34lbs w/ a 14" torso, and DS2 is 2.25, 28lbs w/ a 13.5" torso. Both boys were on the 3 slots up. I don't know if I should get 2 more MA's since they both loved them and their covers. DS1 is no where near ready to be out of a harness (nor do I want him to be after that), but I was thinking maybe Frontier or Nautilus for him. Is there anything else out there? What about all the problems with the Frontier?
 
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carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
My vote: Nautilus for the older, TrueFit RF for the younger (or another MA, since you liked them and the boys don't seem to be especially long-torsoed).
 

monstah

New member
A Nautilus or Frontier would be great chioces for your DS1.

I would also consider a Radian for either boy. The Radian 65 is my personal favorite seat.

For DS2 - is he FF or RF?
 

Loves2sing

New member
I think I would replace the seats with a Nautilus or a Frontier and another marathon. That way you can use the covers still, (unless you want to sell them), and you already have the booster for when you older son outgrows his harnessed seat down the road.

However, depending on whether your younger son is already FF, you could possibly get 2 Frontiers or Nautilus. He of course is safer RFing, though, which is why I *personally* would get a Frontier and Marathon.
 

Maedze

New member
For your older boy, I would get a Frontier or a Nautilus. Both very good seats.

For the younger boy I would purchase another Marathon, a True Fit, an Evenflo Triumph Advance or a Sunshine Kids' Radian and turn him back rearfacing until he reaches 35 pounds :)
 

Misty-Bug

New member
I personally would get a Nautilus and a radian. The radian will keep the younger one RFing and I believe in the US it goes to 35lbs RFing. Someone can correct me because I may be wrong. I love my radian but there is also the option of the truefit for the younger one. But the older one I would go Nautilus all the way. :twocents:
 

scatterbunny

New member
I'm so glad no one was seriously injured in your crash!

I agree with most others, my personal choice would be a Frontier or Nautilus for the older, another Marathon or First Years True Fit, rear-facing to 35 pounds, for the younger.

I prefer the Nautilus to the Frontier as a harnessed seat, because I feel it's generally easier to install and use properly. However, the Frontier offers more leg and shoulder room (this didn't make a difference for my 97th percentile for height and 90th-95th for weight child, she was comfortable in the Nautilus when we tried it out at 7yo, even though she had technically already outgrown the harness), and the Frontier makes a better long-term booster. It tends to position the lapbelt better than the Nautilus, and it adjusts taller as a highback booster. With the Nautilus, I'd probably plan on buying a dedicated highback booster once the harness was outgrown, with the Frontier I don't think I'd need to do that. The Nautilus is significantly cheaper, though, so it might not bother you to need to consider another seat down the road.

If your 2.5yo will continue forward-facing, I'd go ahead and get him a Nautilus or Frontier, as well. To me, it's a waste to buy a convertible seat to harness an already-forward-facing child. He'll outgrow the convertible seats sooner (by height, generally) than the combination harness/boosters, so it seems like a waste to buy a convertible when you won't be utilizing the rear-facing capability.
 

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