Question Does my dream combination seat exist?

[bairnns]

I do childcare and use my 2011 Kia Sedona minivan sometimes to transport kids. I have an infant only seat installed in the passenger side captain's chair. Currently have a SafeGuard Go in the driver's side captain's chair. It has just under a year left before expiring. I have a Dorel Scenera and a Sunshine Kids Radian 65 in the 3rd row, and occasionally squeeze a Harmony booster back there on the driver side (a major pain, as I must do the buckle-first, then slide child under belt maneuver). There are no lower anchors in the third row, and tether anchors are only available on driver side and center seats.

I may need to transport a child between the ages of 2- thru booster size on a given day. I'm not inclined to do an outing unless I have a slow day, so when possible, I much prefer NOT to climb into the third row. I'm 52 and not as agile as I once was!

What I would love is a combination seat which starts at 2 years/20 lbs. and goes to 65 or more lbs. I want all adjustments possible from the front - so either single position crotch strap or one that can be adjusted without re-installing.

And when needed, I want to use it as a booster for older kids leaving the LATCH straps attached- because I may need it for a 2 year old tomorrow. I understand that removing the harness straps will be specified in the instructions and know I will have to accept responsibility for my 'caregiver decision' not to do so. These are short local drives with kids I have known for years (I don't accept older kids in my childcare, those that I have here are visiting 'alumni'), and I have a child view mirror- so I am not worried that they will try to put on the straps unnoticed.

As for extended rear-facing, I do it with kids that start with me as babies and preach it as much as I can get away with to all. But if a child's parents choose to FF and that child is 2+, then I follow the parents' lead, because I transport any individual child only infrequently.

So, does my dream seat exist? Or can I expect one before my Go expires?

Thank you!

Lori

 

[Mary_Ann]

Have you looked at the new britax frontier ct? Although you can not use latch with child over 40 pounds (as any other seat), it will fit child from 2 to 6-7 yo.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Yeah, the Frontier 90 allows use as a booster without removing straps, you just tuck them in.

 

[joolsplus3]

Frontier 90 is just super duper easy to install with the click tight (no real point using the LATCH at all, the belt just goes in the seat to install for harness mode, then over the seat and child in booster mode, quick as a flash, easier than trying to reach around the side to click one side of the LATCH).

http://carseatblog.com/21567/britax...-review-features-and-clicktight-installation/

 

[bairnns]

I would want to install with LATCH so that the seat belt would be available for quick and easy use as a booster, as I may use the seat for a 2 year old in the morning and a school age one just hours later. My goal is simplicity and speed. So far I haven't had any issues with kids reaching the vehicle belt to play with; with the design of the captain's chair it's not easy to do. But I keep an eye on it and use 'know the child' also. Some kids will find a way to get into ANYTHING, others don't even try.

I've been going up to 50 lbs or so with the Go installed with LATCH, but am basing that on the fact that the 40 lb limit assumes that the child restraint may add up to 20 lbs., and the GO itself adds very little weight. I seem to recall that Britax allows use of LATCH to higher limits 'if the vehicle manufacturer allows'? But I admit I haven't yet researched the Kia's limit. Will certainly do so before making any purchase!

Thanks for the rec, everyone! I will look more closely at the Frontier.

Any ideas among the super-pricey seats, like Clek? Those are pretty much impossible to find around here, I would probably have to drive an hour for a hands-on, and would want maximum info before doing that.

 

[MommyShannon]

The Frontier 90 would be that easy. You'd unbuckle the seatbelt, open the click tight panel, close the panel, and poof its a booster. Like any seat, you will need to adjust the headrest up too so mo solution would allow the school aged child to do it on their own though the FR90 is pretty close. It installs in a few seconds to go back the other way. There are videos on the blog of a 7? Year old installing it in a few seconds. Alternately, its the tallest harness available at 20.5" and up to 90lbs so chances are a lot of the kids you get could just move the harness up and use it that way.
ETA: I don't think any other combo seat's booster mode is taller than the FR90's harness. I might be wrong, but not by much if I am. So basically any child you couldn't harness in it, couldn't use booster mode in anything else either so you'd have to use a dedicated booster for them.

 

[bairnns]

Thank you! That one will be at the top of my list then. And it's one I can look at locally. I was wondering if perhaps one of the less common brands had something that I should look at as well, and was hesitant to make a decision without knowing. I don't mind moving the headrest, nor do I expect the child to do it all himself- that part's no problem. Awesome that the straps are that high. The 5.5 year old boy (admittedly very tall for his age but fairly well-proportioned- not a total string bean) has been too tall for the Radian 65 for some time and now is too tall for the Go harness as well, but he only weighs maybe 53 lbs. I know that most kids do outgrow by height before weight, so that kids who are stocky but young can be protected, but it will be nice to go up to at least age 6 or so in the harness.

Lori