Question Combo seat vs. HBB and potential 3 across in 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan

[alwaysamama]

Greetings all!

Looking for a little advice here. We have three kids and are needing to purchase another seat since one is expiring in October. Here are the specs:

DS 1: 5.5yo, 47.5lb, FF Diono Radian RXT
DS 2: 3yo, 38lb., FF Recaro Signo (expiring in October)
DS 3: 14mo, 23lb (I think), RF Diono Radian RXT

Options as I see them:

1. Buy an expensive, high weight combo seat for DS1 and pass down the Radian to DS2. Is this overkill given his age/weight? Britax Frontier 90 vs. one of Diono's new releases? Does anyone know how the Diono Rainier compares with the Radian RXT in booster mode?

2. Buy a HBB for DS1 and pass down the Radian to DS2. How do I know when it is time to booster him vs. harness? Recommendations?

One consideration is that we may want these seats to puzzle 3 across the back of our 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan one day. We will probably have a 4th child, maybe even a 5th, with this vehicle. Also, if we get a more expensive combo or all in one kind of seat, it could be passed down at some point if we have more children. Thinking long-term here.

(I should mention I had already ordered a Frontier 90 for $234 when I realized Diono had some new options and also realized just a booster might be an okay option for DS1. I think I can return it unopened if we change our minds.)

 

[CTPDMom]

Hello!

That's a lot of questions and requirements rolled into one there! Let's see if we can start to break this down a little.

I'm attaching your other thread re: the use of the Parkway or Fr90 as HBB for continuity sake:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=269844

And our Successful 3 Across thread:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=33226

Ok, so, first you need to decide if you're ready to full time booster your oldest.

At 5.5 and almost 48lbs, it's a totally reasonable and defensible position should you choose to do that. It's also reasonable to choose to keep him harnessed for a while longer. It really depends on what you're comfortable with, what kind of child your ds is, etc.

Once you've made that decision, then you have to decide how important the 3 across is. Because that might narrow things down considerably. I'd check the thread to see what kinds of combinations are available for your vehicle. Buckling of boosters is sometimes an issue in tight 3 across situations.

 

[alwaysamama]

Thank you! I do tend to make things that could be simple far more complex than they need to be.

Okay, I am working on the booster vs. harness decision. I am actually borrowing a HBB from my brother - I know its history and it is not expired - for a week or so to test and train DS1 for readiness. More than likely, we will go the booster route - he is very aware of car safety and the first 20 minute ride went well.

So now, it is on to choosing a HBB, with my considerations being, in this order, safety, comfort, cost and 3-across potential.

 

[alwaysamama]

Here are a couple pics from the borrowed seat on his maiden voyage in a booster. I discovered he likes to sit cross-legged as he did in his harness. Is this okay? Perhaps the SecureGuard clip will help to ensure the lap belt stays in proper position if he does this.

 

[CTPDMom]

Here are a couple pics from the borrowed seat on his maiden voyage in a booster. I discovered he likes to sit cross-legged as he did in his harness. Is this okay? Perhaps the SecureGuard clip will help to ensure the lap belt stays in proper position if he does this.

He's super cute!

I personally don't have an issue with the cross-leggedness if it doesn't change the belt fit. It doesn't seem to in that seat. But it also could be he doesn't like his feet to dangle, and there are a few things you could do to help with that.

So if you're going to booster, the next question would be LATCH or no-LATCH? The LATCHable booster list is smaller, but in my opinion LATCHing boosters is a huge safety benefit. If you don't have one with LATCH, you need to have your ds rebuckle each time he exits the seat, so it doesn't become a projectile and potentially injure you or any other passengers when ds isn't in it.

The Parkway offers the SGL, which has the Secure Guard clip AND LATCH.

 

[alwaysamama]

He's super cute!

I personally don't have an issue with the cross-leggedness if it doesn't change the belt fit. It doesn't seem to in that seat. But it also could be he doesn't like his feet to dangle, and there are a few things you could do to help with that.

So if you're going to booster, the next question would be LATCH or no-LATCH? The LATCHable booster list is smaller, but in my opinion LATCHing boosters is a huge safety benefit. If you don't have one with LATCH, you need to have your ds rebuckle each time he exits the seat, so it doesn't become a projectile and potentially injure you or any other passengers when ds isn't in it.

The Parkway offers the SGL, which has the Secure Guard clip AND LATCH.

Glad to hear your thoughts on crossing his legs. I mean, I like to sit that way, too, sometimes. I figure if he doesn't like the dangling, we can put something under his feet to help with that.

Is the added safety of latch mainly the projectile issue?

I would like the option to latch, as well as to not be required to have a head rest behind the booster (ours have ... issues ... so not every seating position has a good one right now).

Two other issues I am noticing:

1. The Compass we are borrowing doesn't seem to share the same seating angle as the seats in our '06 Caravan. The head rest makes it worse, seeming to create a bit of gap between the booster and the seat back. Is this an issue? perhaps a latch install would help snug it closer?

2. Positioning in the 3rd row is not great. I can't use latch there because the anchors are offset from from the belts, the seat slopes up toward the outboard side resulting in the booster leaning, and the shoulder belt sort of folds as it enters the belt guide since Dodge has the shoulder portion placed pretty far forward. (I've read that is an issue with Caravans). Are the leaning and the belt folding, if it is flat on my ds chest, safety issues?

I would really like to be able to use the booster we choose in the 3rd row, mainly because his 3yo brother is back there (RF again for now until he outgrows the Radian limits) but booster has to be outboard as there is no center shoulder belt.