Question Tall toddler and no LATCH/Tether. What to do?

dubaidane · Jun 6, 2009

Hello all.

I have been gaining information form this wonderful site, thank you so much.

Now time has come to ask a question of my own (or a few rather). Please bear with me if I have posted in the wrong place, misunderstood the FAQ or similar.

My daughter just turned 3 yo. She is 39 inches, weighs 37 lbs and her seated shoulder height is currently about 16 inches. She is outgrowing her current seat and I am on the lookout for the next one up. I want to keep her in a harness for longer as she is not yet ready for seat belt only. This in itself is complicated enough, add to that that I live in the Middle East and most likely will have to ship one in, and it just gets very messy.

For now I have had my eyes on the Frontier and the Regent (Britax). However, it is my understanding that both of these require the use of the tether, another thing that is not used in the Middle East. I also do not have LATCH/Isofix. I will look into having a tether installed but the most likely thing is that I will get a blank stare. My car is newish (Nissan 2003) and would have these things if sold anywhere else in the world, but not in the ME.

What are my options? She is a very tall girl and will likely outgrow harness slots before she reaches the weight limit.

I’m really keen on Britax but could consider Graco Nautilus or the Radians. I understand that the Safeguard also requires a top tether. Is this a lost cause?

I am willing to prioritize this financially, just don’t know where to keep looking!

I would also be keen for recommendations on travel vests as we will be travelling soon. Also, is it an option to get a regular booster and then use a vest?

Thanks so much in advance.

A slightly desperate ME mum

AtTheSouthDam · Jun 7, 2009

I would go with a Radian but it may be difficult to install in the car depending on your seat belts and where they fall. The Radian have very good crash test results with OUT the tether strap and go 65 or 80 lbs. (With her torso height I would go with the 65, she is unlikely to hit that weight before height.) The Radians have fairly high top slot measurements and do allow a child's shoulders to go above as long as their ears are below the seat back.
I am unfimiliar with child restraints laws in the Middle east. What kinds of seats are available there?

wendytthomas · Jun 7, 2009

The Regent requires a tether with the shoulder and lap belt after 40 pounds, or after 50 pounds with a lap belt only installation, so I'd avoid the Regent.

The Frontier requires a top tether after 65 pounds. It's very likely that your daughter won't be harnessed at 65 pounds, so it's still an option for you.

The Nautilus is easy to install and use, much easier than the Frontier. It has higher top slots, but is a shorter booster.

The Radian can be a PITA to install, but so can the Regent and Frontier, so it's right there with the other seats. hehe

The Safeguard Go requires a tether with the harness. I'm not a huge fan of it for a daily seat. And with a seatbelt the installation is very interesting. And it only turns into a backless booster, not a high back. And has the lowest harness weight limit and height of the seats you've mentioned.

A travel vest would be a good idea. We use one. But I wouldn't use it daily. It's a pain, like installing a seat every time.

A booster is not an option. A just three year old needs a harness for at least two years or so. Quite probably closer to three. Kids that young are at risk of internal decapitation, ejection, and submarining in a booster. Not good.

HTH

Wendy

dubaidane · Jun 7, 2009

Wauw, I can't believe I already have replies, thank you

! I will just digest this info and probably be back with more questions.

As to what seats are available, none of the ones mentioned in this thread. We just got a batch of Marathon/Boulevards/Decathlon and I got all exited and ran off to the shops. That was when I found out she was too big

!

I am not giving up on the tether, must be patient when I head to the car dealer.

Wendy, thanks for clarifying the booster thing. That was my feeling as well but it does mean I have to keep looking for options. Ah, just reading through your info again, what you mean is that DD might be more than the 18,25 inches in shoulder height (=harness max) when she hits 65 lbs and hence would be in the booster mode of the seat (= no harness). Then the tether is not required, am I getting that right? Just thinking out loud, will have another look at the manual. Then I might go for the Frontier, I really like the look of it, though I dread having it shipped here and not being able to install it

! Will cross that bridge later...

Girls, thanks a lot for taking the time, your answers really make a difference.

Mette

Maedze · Jun 7, 2009

I would get the Nautilus. It adjusts taller than the Radian, doesn't have the install issues a Radian does, and is very easy to use with a lapshoulder belt and locking clip if needed. Because both the Britax seats you mentioned require a top tether after a certain point, I wouldn't bother.

carseatcoach · Jun 7, 2009

If you can swing a Frontier, I'd consider it -- it is true that because of the lack of tether you won't be able to harness after 65#, but most kids will outgrow the harness by height around that point, so it becomes kind of moot. The reason I would, in this case, recommend a Frontier over a Nautilus is that it adjusts much higher as a highbacked booster, and that could be important for a very tall child.

jujumum · Jun 7, 2009

How about a Britax Two Way from Adventuredad? If I wasn't bound by the US regulations for car seats, I'd buy one from Sweden. Don't know if the TW requires a tether, though, or if it is just recommended. Adventuredad's site is on the Sponsors page & there are links to the manuals for all of his seats on his site.

AtTheSouthDam · Jun 7, 2009

jujumum said:
How about a Britax Two Way from Adventuredad? If I wasn't bound by the US regulations for car seats, I'd buy one from Sweden. Don't know if the TW requires a tether, though, or if it is just recommended. Adventuredad's site is on the Sponsors page & there are links to the manuals for all of his seats on his site.

That is what I was wondering about. What regulations are you looking at. If I could buy a seat from anywhere in the world.. well.. I would have a lot of research to consider

sunnymw · Jun 7, 2009

Do cars in other countries not have top tethers? I thought all newer cars (2000 and newer) had at least top tethers? Or is that just in the US/Europe?

She said her car is a 2003 Nissan.

She might have a top tether somewhere--only one that's not easy to find (I know that I had NO idea where ours was until I read the manual, and even then I had a hard time finding it).

wendytthomas · Jun 7, 2009

Cars in the US have been required to have a top tether since September 1, 2001. Lower anchors since September 1, 2002. Outside the US, no, it's not required. We rented a 2004 Honda Civic (made for the Japanese market, not the US, so it had kph on the speedometer and the steering wheel on the right) in the Caymans and it had no lower anchors or tethers.

Wendy

zeo2ski · Jun 8, 2009

Would a heavy duty tether anchor from EZ-On be an option for her?

dubaidane · Jun 13, 2009

Girls, again you are amazing, thank you. Haven't logged on in a while.

As to what regulations are here, there are NONE. You would not believe what we see here in terms of children in cars but I guess you have to crawl before you can walk. No further comments

.

Will check out the TW and the Britax SE site, I hadn't come across that. I happen to be going to Denmark in a few weeks so will be in the neighbourhood

. I can see the TW goes to 25 kg, that could be a disadvantage compared to the 100 lbs of the Frontier. How about installing these, without technicians or police men to confirm that I have put the seat in right, I am afraid to get it wrong and have a seat that is actually less safe than a properly installed ff, if that makes sense.

I must say it makes me a tiny bit mad that Britax don't sell these here and in Denmark

. I know it's regulations etc. but I feel that I miss out on something that IS available.

My car is a Nissan X-trail 2003. If this was sold in the US/CA/DK it WOULD have tether, Isofix etc. However, because people in general don't care about these things here, they don't put them in when they are heading for this region. At least that it how I interpret it, another thing that makes me

.

Girls, thank you again, will go on another round of research and revert, please keep your tips coming.

Mette

bubbaray · Jun 13, 2009

I thought the x-Trail wasn't sold in the US. It definitely was sold in Canada (not anymore), so you should be able to call/contact Nissan Canada to optain a top tether anchor/bolt.

TTs have been mandatory here for decades, much longer than in the US.

dubaidane · Jun 14, 2009

Bubbaray, I live in the UAE

, Middle East. I just know I would get a blank stare from the car dealer...

Neatfreak · Jun 14, 2009

wendytthomas said:
Cars in the US have been required to have a top tether since September 1, 2001. Lower anchors since September 1, 2002. Outside the US, no, it's not required.
Wendy

Well, yes, they are required in some countries aside from the USA, but not all. Like where I have moved.

I was in a similar situation earlier this year, though I was not able to get permission from the company our vehicle is leased from to permanently alter our vehicle by adding a tether anchor. I was torn b/w the Frontier and Nautilus, and ended up with the Nautilus. I was more confident that it would install properly in my vehicle (a Toyota SUV, but not a model sold in North America). I was not confident that I had seatbelts long enough to install a Frontier using the long belt path, so that would have been an expensive and non-returnable gamble.

dubaidane · Jun 14, 2009

Ahh, Bubbaray, think I might have misunderstood you before...

NF, great to hear from someone else who is also in challenging situations ;-). How hard is it to install a tether hook? How is the Nautilus working out for you? I have the same dilema with the Frontier, what if I can't install it right!

Was looking at the Swedish Britax models and they look great. Frontier would still have the weight advantage and hence be more economical.

Ongoing....

bubbaray · Jun 14, 2009

dubaidane said:
Bubbaray, I live in the UAE , Middle East. I just know I would get a blank stare from the car dealer...

I realize you live in the UAE.

My point was that TTs have been mandatory to use in Canada for nearly 3 decades now. FAAAAAR longer than LATCH has been around in the US (or Isofix in Europe). The retrofit programs at various dealers are very well known here. Generally speaking, you will have greater luck getting the part you need from a Canadian dealer. If you have the part number (someone here with a LATCH manual might be able to help), even better.

In your case, AFAIK the X-Trail was never sold in the US, but it was sold in Canada (i think they stopped a couple of years ago). So, a US dealer will DEFINITELY not be able to help you.

A coworker of mine has an X-Trail and has a FFg MA in that vehicle. IIRC, the TT anchor is on the floor of the cargo area. I know when my DH had his old Nissan Pathfinder, the TT anchors were on the floor of the cargo area and Nissan Canada installed them for free.

My thought was that you could order the part yourself from Nissan Canada and install it yourself. They aren't hard to install, though ideally you would have a torque wrench.

dubaidane · Jul 7, 2009

Hello again girls, I have recently come across the Safety 1st Apex 65, do you have opinions on that? Will search the site for reviews/comments.

Evolily · Jul 7, 2009

dubaidane said:
Hello again girls, I have recently come across the Safety 1st Apex 65, do you have opinions on that? Will search the site for reviews/comments.

It's a decent seat. You have to have tall seat backs or head rests. I'd take the nautilus over the apex any day of the week, though. It's just better quality, plus a 1 inch taller harness. Did you get a chance to look at any swedish seats?

Jennifer mom to my 7 · Jul 7, 2009

dubaidane said:
Ahh, Bubbaray, think I might have misunderstood you before...

NF, great to hear from someone else who is also in challenging situations ;-). How hard is it to install a tether hook? How is the Nautilus working out for you? I have the same dilema with the Frontier, what if I can't install it right!

Was looking at the Swedish Britax models and they look great. Frontier would still have the weight advantage and hence be more economical.

Ongoing....

I just wanted to clarify for you, that the weight limit of the swedish britax models is for rear facing, which is much safer for children. Yes, the seats rear face to 55 pounds/25 kgs. Since our seats in the US have to have the fmvss sticker thing on them, and pass our tests here, we can't legally use them here. Of course, there are some here that use them anyway

Question Tall toddler and no LATCH/Tether. What to do?

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