Convertible seat for grandpa's truck

[aimee123]

I need some input on what kind of seat to get for my dad's truck. He drives a 1999 Chevy Silverado. It's an extended cab, so the back seat isn't huge. It doesn't have LATCH, so he just uses the belt for the car seat base (she's in an infant carrier right now). I just got a Marathon for my car, and DH got a Decathalon. I'm trying not to spend as much on the seat for my dad's car, since Isabelle doesn't ride in there nearly as much. It's still about once a week or once every two weeks, though.

I'm buying his seat for him, because if I don't, he'll go out and buy his own and I'd feel better picking it out myself. Plus, I'm just trying to be nice.

So, any suggestions on a reasonably priced seat for his truck? Also, can she still be RF in his truck? I wasn't sure because it's an extended cab....

 

[AdventureMom]

Well, we just bought an Uptown for a spare seat for friends or maybe to pass down to my niece. I really like it, although some people complain that it's hard to adjust when rear-facing. I tried Nolan in it rear-facing earlier today and didn't have any trouble adjusting the harness - it was "awkward" but not difficult at all. It's online at Target and it's at some select Wal-Mart stores. It can be used RF to 35 lbs but when RF it should work better than the Marathon/Decathlon in your dad's truck b/c it doesn't have the high base that those seats have (so it's less likely to hit the front seat as much). It's very cushy! Here are some pics of Nolan in it:

 

[wendytthomas]

How old and heavy is your daughter?

My thought would be the Scenera or the Uptown. But I've heard concerns over RFing seats that aren't tethered in trucks, since if the seat cocoons then the child may hit the glass right behind them. Or conversely that the glass may shatter and hit the child in the face and chest. So I'd probably go with another Britax, since I'd be surprised if a Radian could fit RFing back there.

Wendy

 

[aimee123]

How old and heavy is your daughter?

She'll be a year old on April 13th, and she was about 19 pounds at her 9 month appointment. I can't remember for sure, but I think she was about 28 inches long at the same appointment. I know she's very tall (95th percentile), for now, anyway.

So, should I have her be FF in my dad's truck? My only concern with that is that she'll be RF in my car and DH's car, so I'm wondering if it would cause problems since she'll get a taste of FF in the truck. Obviously, what's safest for her is the most important thing, but I'm curious to see if anyone has had their baby RF most of the time, and FF some of the time.

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the input.

 

[wendytthomas]

She'll be a year old on April 13th, and she was about 19 pounds at her 9 month appointment. I can't remember for sure, but I think she was about 28 inches long at the same appointment. I know she's very tall (95th percentile), for now, anyway.

So, should I have her be FF in my dad's truck? My only concern with that is that she'll be RF in my car and DH's car, so I'm wondering if it would cause problems since she'll get a taste of FF in the truck. Obviously, what's safest for her is the most important thing, but I'm curious to see if anyone has had their baby RF most of the time, and FF some of the time.

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the input.

NO. NO NO NO. She shouldn't FF for another 14 or so pounds. At least another year or more. At not even a year I wouldn't even consider it. Never. Check out <a href="http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=13&topic_id=44503&mesg_id=44503&page">This picture</a>. It shows the neck bones of a one and six year old. You can see how the one year old's bones are still in three pieces. Held together by cartilage. It is not safe at all for her to be FFing.

Wendy

 

[aimee123]

Oh, I definitely understand that. I had no intention of having her FF until she reaches the limits of the MA. I think it was this part that confused me:

But I've heard concerns over RFing seats that aren't tethered in trucks, since if the seat cocoons then the child may hit the glass right behind them. Or conversely that the glass may shatter and hit the child in the face and chest. So I'd probably go with another Britax, since I'd be surprised if a Radian could fit RFing back there.

I don't think I'm understanding what you mean here... Is my dad's truck totally unsafe for her because the glass can shatter? Or are you talking about it only being unsafe if I can't tether it? Can you not tether the Uptown? I thought you were saying that RF in a truck is unsafe because of the glass.

Wow... I really feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I think I'm very nervous because his truck is a little bit older and the extended cab part makes me wonder if there won't be room. She drives with him quite a bit, and I want her to be safe. He's a VERY safe driver, but obviously, I understand that it's not just about the driver. So, I certainly want to take all the precautions I can to keep her safe.

 

[wendytthomas]

The glass is a concern in a truck because it is much closer to a baby's face. I don't think it causes a truck to be less safe, but I would be more comfortable with a tethered RFing seat, rather than an untethered one that will cocoon back into the glass.

You cannot tether any convertible RFing except the Britaxes and Radian. So the Uptown cannot, the Scenera cannot. And given the restricted space in most trucks, the Radian may be too big front to back. If his rear seat is quite angled a Radian may work, but otherwise it would likely squish the front seat quite near the dashboard.

So for all those reasons, in a truck, I would recommend another Britax. Costly though they are, that's what I would be most comfortable putting my daughter in.

Wendy

 

[Gypsy]

Are there headrests for the back seat? if there ARE headrests, a Scenera should be ok, it will cocoon into the headrest and not the glass.

Alternately you could have her in the front seat, rear facing AS LONG AS THERE IS NO AIR BAG.

It's not ideal, but it's cheaper then a Britax, and safer then cocooning against rear glass.

 

[scatterbunny]

If there's no headrests, just a low bench seat, I'd also go with another Britax. Possibly a Roundabout, since it's shorter, but a Marathon should work fine (and is more cost-effective long-term because it can be found online for scarcely more than a Roundabout, and will last years longer) for your daughter since she's old enough to be more upright than 45 degrees.

 

[Murphy's Law]

We use our spare seat (an Alpha Omega) in "Papa's" pick up truck. I insist that she rear face when in the truck and that the air bag is turned off. This particular seat doesn't tether rear facing but since the seat has a higher back (with head rest) I feel confident that the cocooning action would be against the back of the seat, not the glass.

Dd is 26 months and 26 pounds.

I wanted to add that our WalMart had the Uptown on sale last week for $89. I might go with that one if the seat backs in the truck are high.

 

[mylittlet]

We actually just looked at a early 2000 Chevy extended cab this week. We have Brtiax RAs and it installed great. You could actually have the middle seat in front in the upright position. Which is something we really need, because we will need to put 6 people in DHs truck. If you can have the middle thing down I don't see why the MA would not fit. I think it would be great.

I also second the wanting to tether rearfacing. That is one thing that I told DH was a must in the truck. We currently have a Ford crew cab. We are expecting a baby anyday. I am thinking that I will use one of the RAs in the truck rearfacing in the back from day one instead of the infant seat, because I can't tether the infant seat.

Stefanie

 

[beeman]

It's going to be a tight fit to RF a seat back there. It might fit if you put it on the passenger side in the back, and move the passenger seat all the way forward. The other option is to turn the airbag off (if this feature is available) and install it in the front seat. If you go this route, make sure not to move the seat back too far, because the seat belt stocks may become ahead of the seatback, making it imposible to get a safe install. Trucks are very tricky for RF, and I wish you luck.

 

[aimee123]

Thank you SO much for all the responses!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I have to say....it's so nice that people are willing to take the time to help someone that they don't even know. Makes me feel a little bit better about the world! I've been giving this website out to people that I know, because of how much help I've received. I gave it to a co-worker today. He has a two year old niece and he told me they were getting ready to move her to a booster. I told him that I didn't know for sure, but I was fairly certain that she shouldn't be in a booster. Well, after talking for a bit, we realized that he thought FF meant "booster." He said she's about 30 pounds and she's been RF up until now. I gave him the website to give to his brother, because quite frankly, I know nothing when it comes to car seats. But I'm doing my best to learn! Anyway, back to the topic....

Are there headrests for the back seat?
Alternately you could have her in the front seat, rear facing AS LONG AS THERE IS NO AIR BAG.

I went and looked at his truck today. It's a bench seat, but it has headrests for the back seat (in the outboard seats only). You can turn the passenger air bag off. And the center piece in the front seat folds down. Oh, the front seat has headrests on the outboard seats, also, but I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

I really have no problem spending the extra money on a Britax, if that's the safest option. I just want to make the best decision on this and keep her as safe as possible. So, with that additional information (I hope it was helpful...), what's the safest way to go? I trust everyone's judgment here, so I'd like to know what you'd do if you were in my shoes.

 

[scatterbunny]

Since there are outboard headrests in the rear seat, I would be fine using an untethered RF seat there.