I'm bored and pondering. If you were to buy a new seat with these condiderations...

What would you get? I'm not sure that I will get a new seat, but it's on my mind because I have crotch strap concerns with our Radian because of that pesky 30lb rule.

My youngest dd. We are *likely* turning her FF when she turns 4 in November. She is small and could RF for who knows how much longer, BUT we've made the decision based on her begging and our comfort level that 4 is a good age. Stats are 25lbs, but can go up and down as much as a pound or two. 35" and has only gained an inch and half over all in the last year. We travel a lot and she sleeps often in the car. Head flop has always bothered her and makes for a cranky sore kid when she wakes up. We need a short crotch strap that can come from under her somewhat if necessary and no poking in of the crotch buckle system. That's my basic requirements.

I have a Jeep Commander, but so far haven't had an FF install issues with several seats, but it takes some finagling.

So, considering our situation...bring on the suggestions.

Have you tried her out in a Recaro Signo or Young Sport (I think that is the right one)? I have heard that the Signo has a decent recline FF and the YS really cradles smaller riders. I don't know about the buckle on either seat, but maybe fyrfightermomma could help with that (I think she has used both seats with her smaller kiddo). Those would probably the two seats I would try to try out first.

The Cozy Cline No head slump. Not sure on the crotch buckle though. And at 25 pounds, she won't get to the 40 pound limit forever.

Or the My Ride. Nice recline FF. Cup holders. Option to RF.

Britax Marathon. Can often be installed semi reclined (you should have seen it in an Odyssey I had at a seat check.... and it wasn't in recline mode!). People often complain about the short crotch strap.

I was going to say the MyRide too. I'd get one for DD in that same position. It looks really comfortable and I like how deep the seat is especially the back.

What 30 rule are you talking about?

NicoleCPST said:

What 30 rule are you talking about?

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Was just wondering the same thing......

NicoleCPST said:

What 30 rule are you talking about?

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I think she means that if the kid is over 30lbs you must have the crotch strap on the outermost setting, even if your kid is behind that setting. For us, this causes DS to slouch in the seat even after it's buckled tight.

I also think the MR would serve her well. It has a good recline to it FF, so pretty much no chance of head slump. I am also thinking that the crotch strap is closer in. It also seems to cradle littler ones while FF. So this would deffinatly be a good seat for her.

My son rode in it FF while we were in FL & he slept in it one day while we got lost looking for a certain beach. It was like 2 hours I believe. He had absolutly NO head slump at all. He also seems to wake up really grouchy with head slump.

Another good option would be the TF. My son has not had any head slump issues in it when we used it FF. He rode to TN & back in it FF asleep about 1/2 way both times with little head slump. The crotch strap on it in the inner most slot is pretty close to.

menfusse said:

What would you get? I'm not sure that I will get a new seat, but it's on my mind because I have crotch strap concerns with our Radian because of that pesky 30lb rule.

My youngest dd. We are *likely* turning her FF when she turns 4 in November. She is small and could RF for who knows how much longer, BUT we've made the decision based on her begging and our comfort level that 4 is a good age. Stats are 25lbs, but can go up and down as much as a pound or two. 35" and has only gained an inch and half over all in the last year. We travel a lot and she sleeps often in the car. Head flop has always bothered her and makes for a cranky sore kid when she wakes up. We need a short crotch strap that can come from under her somewhat if necessary and no poking in of the crotch buckle system. That's my basic requirements.

I have a Jeep Commander, but so far haven't had an FF install issues with several seats, but it takes some finagling.

So, considering our situation...bring on the suggestions.

Click to expand...

Ds had a lot of those issues and we loved the Signo for sleep support in the car, plus its naturally pretty reclined. No head slump, ever.

the crotch buckle...it depends. DS's button placement seems to be diff than your dd's? Isnt' hers high? Ours is kinda mid way. I can sit him in a Signo and snap a pic if ou'd like, or try to find a pic of him so you can see if it angles in.

Honestly, if she's that small, she'd get a lot of time out of a Signo. Ds only outgrew it b/c of his massive torso.

I will also say the MR is far less comfortable and padded than a Signo, and the cover quality on the Recaros is better too. The shell is also a lot sturdier.

Mama! said:

Ds had a lot of those issues and we loved the Signo for sleep support in the car, plus its naturally pretty reclined. No head slump, ever.

the crotch buckle...it depends. DS's button placement seems to be diff than your dd's? Isnt' hers high? Ours is kinda mid way. I can sit him in a Signo and snap a pic if ou'd like, or try to find a pic of him so you can see if it angles in.

Honestly, if she's that small, she'd get a lot of time out of a Signo. Ds only outgrew it b/c of his massive torso.

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I guess it's more midway? We had a truefit and the problem it caused us was that the way the buckles met the crotch strap, it caught her button all the time and she got soooo sore. We also had head slump to the side because it was so wide. The wimpy little head pillow didn't help much. I did see a MR in person before going for the RN and I liked it, but not loved it. I didn't install it though and seeing lots of the kiddos in it, I'm falling in love with the way it cradles kids. I did see the Cozy Cline or whatever it's called. The 40lb limit doesn't bug me because of her size. I can try her in both of those a BRU to see how the buckles hit her. I wish I could try her in the Signo. I love the looks of it too, but have no idea how it would fit her with her belly and where I could try one.

Yeah, the 30lbs rule...once the child is 30lbs, the crotch buckle must be moved to the outermost position. DD is now at 26 and in a cloth diaper, needs the inner most for comfort. I can't imagine that in 4 more lbs, and if she were to manage to be able to leave the house without a diaper, that we'd be ok in that outer position. She'd slump down some and it would poke in. The center position already pokes in as of now. I love the seat...love love love it....but I'm afraid it won't work for us before too long.

I thought about just looking at FF only seats, but I'd imagine that at her size that in any but the cozy cline, she'd have major head slump. So, it doesn't bother me to buy a convertible, even if we never use it RF. Having the option still at her size I like though, especially for long trips and coming home after hospital stays. Though the cozy cline might fill that same purpose with the recline it provides.

My DD loved the Flair MR ff. The recline is a little more pronounced than the MA & BV, but she loved the fabric, the cupholders, the height to see out the window, and the whole 'barca-lounger' experience of the seat. She liked the Monet TF ff, too, but not as much and she slumped all over the place when sleeping.

My thread from the other day has oodles of comparison pics of her in various seats, inc. the XT, MR, TF.