Why do people say regent is "overkill"?

sholoulou

New member
Why do I keep reading that regent is overkill for most kids? I know it is a big seat but isn't just as safe as other seats? I just bought one a couple of months ago because my ds would not stay still in his booster. We are trying the booster thing again with him and so far he is sitting still and behaving. If he shows he can sit properly in a booster over a peroid of time then I was going to put my dd in the regent. I keep reading it is "overkill" and now I am worried it will not be OK to use for my dd. :eek: My dd will be 3 the end of Dec and weighs 32lbs. She is in a marathin right now but I planned to move the marathon and parkway in my husbands car and use the regent for dd and a new booster for my ds. Should I get another carseat for my dd for my car instead of using the regent? Opinions would be greatly appreciated.
 
ADS

Evolily

New member
they mean overkill as in the harness being unnecessary tall for typical children- most kids will be booster ready by 6, but will last in the regent MUCH longer than that. It's perfectly safe when used correctly :)
 

Calideedle

New member
It is a great seat, perfectly safe (when used correctly of course)!

It is "overkill" in some peoples opinion because it is large and most kids don't need to be harnessed as long as it will allow them to be.

I love the Regent for my oldest. He outgrew the Marathon at 3.5yrs.
 

scatterbunny

New member
My dd was 2.5yo, 38 inches and 35 pounds when we moved her to the older version of the Regent (the Husky). It was great for her. :) She was a big (and longer-torsoed) kiddo then, but her torso growth slowed down (her legs caught up) after her 4th birthday. Her overall height growth continued on the 95th+ percentile, and she outgrew the Regent at 7.5yo. She was too tall for a Marathon at 4.5yo. She would have been too tall for the Nautilus and Frontier between 6-6.5yo. We started booster-training right before she turned 4 (too early for most kids, FYI ;) even if they are bigger than average), but she was not mature enough to use a booster full-time until after she turned 6 (we made the switch at about 6y3mo).

Some people find that the Regent doesn't offer enough side support for smaller sleeping kiddos. My daughter was fine even at 2.5yo. She was pretty much even with the second-from-bottom slots at that time, and her head rested on the side wings when she slept, and did not flop forward.

As others said, though, most people find that the overall size/dimensions/bulk/weight/capacity of the Regent is overkill because it can last average kids to age 8-10, smaller kids even longer. If you have a larger child, though, or a child who cannot remain properly positioned at all times using a booster, the Regent makes sense. Most kids can handle themselves in a booster by age 6-7, in my opinion (and lots of other seats can last most kids to age 6-7), so the Regent appeals to a very specific market: larger than average (or longer-torsoed than average) kids, and kids who have immature impulse control, mostly. Certainly parents of smaller and average kids choose the Regent, as well, and have valid reasons for doing so; it just makes sense as the most logical choice for those bigger and/or immature kiddos.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
The regent is a fine seat, there is absolutely no reason not to use it. As has been explained, it's just not necesary for a regular-sized kid, who would probably last until 8-10 years old in it..there is no reason to harness that long, barring special issues. There are a lot of really nice convertible seats and combination seats that will last the average child until 5-6 years old and about 50 pounds, which is a proper, completely safe booster age and size for most kids.

It does have its issues..ALL seats do..the regent is extremely big, and doesn't install well everywhere. But, if you only have 2 kids and don't need 3-across, and it fits YOUR vehicles, then it's fine.

At almost 3, it is a very safe choice for your child. A better choice would be rearfacing, which would be possible in a number of seats, since several now go to 40 or 45 pounds rearfacing, but at nearly 3, forward facing is a reasonably safe choice, and choosing to buy a regent is certainly fine. There are a whole slew of other seats that could also keep your child harnessed for several more years, and it's possible if you looked at them, you might like one of them better than the regent, but there is certainly no reason NOT to pick the regent (unless it doesn't install in your vehicles, lol).
 

sholoulou

New member
Thanks so much everyone! I have not rearfaced my dd because I have an older suv(trooper) that does not have rear air. It is so hot here in the summer that she would be too hot without the vents blowing directly on her. I will try to rearface her since it is cooling down. Seems silly I know but my a/c will not get cool enough when it is 100 degrees outside. I will have to use her marathon of course to rearface her. Can not wait to get my honda odyssey in April!!!! nice rear vents!!!!

I have always been a carseat freak but --- Wow, I have learned so much on this board!

So I am going to keep the regent... I do not mind the big size :) I just wanted to be sure it would be safe for my daughter to use. I would def go buy her another one if there was one that would be better for her. Heck! I would sell something to pay for it! haha My son loves the regent but I know he wants to be in a booster... we'll see how he behaves in the booster before we make the big switch. I'm glad I do not have to go and buy another seat since I just got the regent. I already drive my husband nuts researching which would be the safest for them - then I can not make a decision when I do find ones that I like! (hence all my many questions on this board :eek: )
 

Maedze

New member
So you think it would be ok to put my dd in? she is 32lbs will be 3 yr old end of dec....

I would prefer to see a child of that age in a rear facing convertible :twocents:


The Regent is overkill right *now* because if you need to buy a higher weight harness seat, it isn't necessary to buy the Regent. It keeps harnessed long beyond what most kids need. The Nautilus or the Frontier, for example, will keep most kids harnessed to six or beyond. Most kids don't need anything more than that.

Of course, four or five years ago, there were really limited options if your child outgrew a 'large' convertible like the Marathon and wasn't yet ready for a booster. The Husky was pretty much it.
 

cowgirlsmommy

New member
For people with small kids, it offers more harness height then they need. I love our Regent because it's probably the only seat that's going to get my daughter to age 5 in a harness. She's about to turn 4 and has 1 harness slot left.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
It's a fine seat and there's nothing wrong with it, and anyone who owns one should feel confident using it (as long as it installs well, tethers when it needs to, etc.).

IMnsHO, when I refer to it as "overkill", it's in one of two contexts:

It does make sense, from a business perspective, for Britax to discontinue the seat. There are plenty of combination and even some convertible seats that can get typical kids to safe booster age, and special needs seats for those who need them. A beastly forward-facing harnessed seat only does not meet a need in this market.

When the parent of a 5-6 year old child asks "what next"? Most of us have budget and space limitations. A higher-weight harnessing combination seat, or even a good highbacked booster, is generally a more efficient use of those resources.
 

Maedze

New member
For people with small kids, it offers more harness height then they need. I love our Regent because it's probably the only seat that's going to get my daughter to age 5 in a harness. She's about to turn 4 and has 1 harness slot left.

Not just small kids. My 97th percentile five year old is STILL (after two years) in the second to top slot on the Nautilus. He'll probably be close to 7 before he outgrows the harness on that seat.
 

scatterbunny

New member
Not only did she cover the RF angle, she also said that she already owns the Regent, it was her older child's seat, he is moving to a booster now. IMHO it makes perfect sense to use the Regent for her almost-3yo (if RF is not an option), instead of buying a brand-new seat. :twocents:
 

Maedze

New member
Not only did she cover the RF angle, she also said that she already owns the Regent, it was her older child's seat, he is moving to a booster now. IMHO it makes perfect sense to use the Regent for her almost-3yo (if RF is not an option), instead of buying a brand-new seat. :twocents:

I understand that. Perhaps I wasn't clear :confused:

I was talking about people who are purchasing a HWH seat *now*. I even put cute little asterisks around it to emphasize that.

It's overkill for someone who is looking to purchase a HWH seat for a developmentally typical child. It's not wrong to use it if you all ready have it.
 

Amaris

New member
When Michael outgrew the marathon he was 4 years old. We tried him in a booster, and it went ok for a while as long as someone sat next to him. Then dh's work schedule changed and I had him in the car by myself. He could not sit still, and when I looked in my rearview mirror and saw him on his knees, turned around looking out the back window, I knew he could not stay in a booster. He had turned 5 at that point, and the regent was the only option. He was harnessed in the regent until he was nearly 7 and outgrew it. Fast forward to Isaiah. He outgrew the marathon around 5 years old, but I had already talked to dh and we decided that we would try him in a booster at 6. I already had a regent in the basement, but I hated that seat. We got a nautilus for Isaiah, and he was harnessed in it until 2 days after his 6th birthday. He sits wonderfully in a booster, so the regent was overkill for him. Honestly, I would have kept it for Kaitlin, but it would have expired when she is 4 or 5, so a nautilus or frontier or whatever happens to be out at the time will work if the radian doesn't harness her till 6.
 

doriansmummy

New member
I just purchased a second Regent for my son to keep him harnessed and he just turned 7, I am overkill.:p We have a Radian and Regent for him and he prefers the Regent as it is more comfy for him. I am not sure when he will be able to sit in a booster correctly, my best guess would be 8 but we will have to wait and see.
 

Amaris

New member
I don't think it's overkill for a child who cannot sit correctly in a booster. There were many in our family that thought it was overkill for Michael at 5, but he couldn't sit still and it was the only option available at the time that was taller than a marathon. Isaiah behaves perfectly in a booster, and for me at least, the regent was overkill for him.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
If a child cannot sit correctly in a booster, that child should be harnessed. There's no question about that. That's not overkill.

The vast majority of children can sit properly in a booster by 65# and/or 18.5" torso height. That's why we describe the Regent as "overkill" -- it is simply not necessary for most children.

Using it if you have it? not overkill

Taking up shelf and production space? overkill
 

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