Converting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

[Andie]

I was really bored today, so what does a car seat nut (job?) like me do? Convert the Nautilus to booster and take pics, of course!! Here is how the Nautilus converts and then I will post pics of my son in it in booster mode.

1. Remove the harness straps from the junction plate
2. Pull aside harness adjuster and push the crotch strap up through to remove

3. Pull the adjuster strap all the way out so the plate locks (I really like that it locks, no flying metal pieces, and I don't have to take the whole adjuster strap out)

4. Pull harness out from the front

5. On the rear of the seat detach the seat pad elastic straps
6. Also detach the straps that are threaded through the red vehicle belt guides on the side

7. Pull seat pad out of the way to reveal the red buttons
8. Slide buttons back to release the back support, the whole sections with the buttons go too, so you'll have to lift up as well as slide back

9. Remove harness straps from arms, they are held in in a T-slot

10. Lift the back up while holding the seat pad out of the way and push it until it clicks

Now you are ready for booster mode!

 

[Andie]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

My 50 pound, 46", 15.75" torso-ed, 6 year old. I wasn't too impressed, maybe in a different car it would be different.

(Please excuse the hair, he needs a cut, and the headband didn't help!)

I think that it rides up too high on his tummy:

I had to lower it 1 click to make it fit him properly in booster mode, still not liking the fit:

He was being really wiggly, and this is how it ended up on his tummy:

I just am overall not impressed with how he fits in booster mode. I put the harness back in. In fact, he was asking for the harness back, he feels safer that way. Of course, I'm all too happy to oblige. Maybe it will fit him better when he is bigger, I do not know. I would like to get some more pics of bigger kids in booster mode and pics of him in different cars to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Maedze]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

That is what it looked like on my kid when I tried it in booster mode! I didn' tlike it either. Great pictures...!

 

[Defrost]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I took some pics of my guys in the GN as a booster a few months back.

Sam, (11 at the time? Might've been 12 - he's small for his age; was about 60lbs at the time) I thought it was a pretty good fit:

Here's Macha in it - still on the 2nd-from-top-slots in the harness, but I was also impressed with the seat belt fit for her:

I wonder if it's your car? Or that he has to "slouch" a bit to get comfy if the GN's a bit too deep for him?

Love his outfit, btw. He's so cute!

 

[Andie]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

That is what it looked like on my kid when I tried it in booster mode! I didn' tlike it either. Great pictures...!

Thank you! I'm glad he still has room in the harness, or I'd be buying a new HBB.

I took some pics of my guys in the GN as a booster a few months back.

Sam, (11 at the time? Might've been 12 - he's small for his age; was about 60lbs at the time) I thought it was a pretty good fit:


Here's Macha in it - still on the 2nd-from-top-slots in the harness, but I was also impressed with the seat belt fit for her:

I wonder if it's your car? Or that he has to "slouch" a bit to get comfy if the GN's a bit too deep for him?

I think it's because he is pretty small. It may be the way my belts are too. I do have middle shoulder belt, but I don't like it much, it connects with a peg type thing to the lap belt, I'm afraid it would come loose too easy in a crash. Either way, he still has 1-2" growing room in the harness and 15 more pounds to go. I'm hoping it will fit different once he is bigger.

Love his outfit, btw. He's so cute!

Thanks! He really wanted to wear his Halloween costume-he's going to be a pirate, so I told him if he'd model for me, I would let him wear it.

 

[Kat_Momof3]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I've done that before just to detail the seat... it really isn't hard and I agree... I like that the splitter plate locks in place!!

the fit is definitely his size... when I did my review on the seat, I posted a pic of Jeffrey using it as a booster... he was much bigger... like 1/2" below the top slots, 60lbs, you get the idea... and he fit beautifully. I think it just doesn't fit small booster riders as well because the belt is allowed to sit closer to the seatback.

 

[thepeach80]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I didn't think it fit too bad on AJ, but he was just over 40# so it'll probably get better. I'll have to try him in it again w/out his jacket on to see. He's so narrow at the shoulders that that's where most of our problems are w/ boosters.

 

[Andie]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I've done that before just to detail the seat... it really isn't hard and I agree... I like that the splitter plate locks in place!!

the fit is definitely his size... when I did my review on the seat, I posted a pic of Jeffrey using it as a booster... he was much bigger... like 1/2" below the top slots, 60lbs, you get the idea... and he fit beautifully. I think it just doesn't fit small booster riders as well because the belt is allowed to sit closer to the seatback.

My mom was looking at me like I was crazy, taking the seat apart. From the instructions, it looked complicated, but once I got into it, it was pretty easy. :thumbsup:

I'm hoping that once he grows out of the harness he will fit. It may be my vehicle belts though, I'm going to try him in it in a couple other cars to see if that makes a difference.

I didn't think it fit too bad on AJ, but he was just over 40# so it'll probably get better. I'll have to try him in it again w/out his jacket on to see. He's so narrow at the shoulders that that's where most of our problems are w/ boosters.

See, and Al is around 50 lbs right now, and it just rides up too high, he was way too squirmy for my liking. I have a couple extra boosters that we can use if needed, he fits the Bodyguard and the Protek really well.

 

[thepeach80]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I have a picture of him using the AO as a booster and it's just awful, just what that last big news article was all about. So maybe it just looks better compared to that?

 

[Unregistered1]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

M is 9 years old and 70 lbs and I still don't like the way the lap belt fits in booster mode. Not enough that I wouldn't recommend the seat (at least until IIHS pipes up) in that mode but I would prefer if the lap belt were positioned similar to how it is in the turbo, it sits way lower on M in the Turbo, similar to how it fits in the Frontier.

 

[Kat_Momof3]

Re: Coverting Nautilus to Booster Mode w/Pics

I think it just goes the same as any booster... gotta try it with your kid and your vehicle to know how well it will work for you.

No booster is going to fit every car and every kid (even the turbobooster, as popular as it is)

 

[sunnyflower417]

Great pictures! I have a feeling I am going to be putting Bradly into booster soon. I think I may go with a cheapie turbo booster. Gotta research all that!

 

[RN4KidsOhio]

The nautilus actually does not fit well in the belt positioning booster just as you have shown here. It proved to have the same problem when studied by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They used the low back option for the study, but it still had the same issue. Knowing this, I will continue to use my nautilus with the 5 point harness. Here is the link if anyone wants to check out the latest ratings based on this recent study.......http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/default.html

 

[Andie]

The nautilus actually does not fit well in the belt positioning booster just as you have shown here. It proved to have the same problem when studied by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They used the low back option for the study, but it still had the same issue. Knowing this, I will continue to use my nautilus with the 5 point harness. Here is the link if anyone wants to check out the latest ratings based on this recent study.......http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/default.html

A few people on this board have found that once the child outgrows it in harnessed mode it does fit well. It really depends on your car and child. I would use it in booster mode with no qualms if it did fit my son correctly.