help me choose a seat please

[Malia]

I have been back and forth to this forum as a visitor for awhile now. I have read many posts. I am STILL confused, lol.

Please please please I need some advice. We have an 18 month old daughter (Lily) who is still in her rear facing Evenflo (I want to say Titan but I'm not usre without going to look at the box) and is fast approaching the 30lbs weight limit.

I HATE how difficult it is to use this seat. I have fibromyalgia and CANNOT use the knob thing to release the belt. I can't go anywhere without hubby.

So we are in the market for a new seat. Actually two since I would like one for my parents' minivan too.

Are there any higher weight limit seats for rear facing for use in Canada?

If not I want to get one of the higher weight limit harnessed boosters like the Apex 65. But from reading the other threads I realize that is now not my only choice.

DD is tall (at least 36 inches) and close to 30 lbs (about 27 or 28). We drive a Ford Focus Wagon ('05) and my parents have a Chevy Venture....

What seat would give us the longest use for the best price? I know I'm asking a lot but I am desperate and I need to find a seat! Thanks so much for reading this...

malia

 

[unityco]

Unfortunately, there are no seats in Canada that RF beyond 30lbs.

From your description, it sounds like you have a Triumph (with the knob adjusters.)

We have an '06 Focus Wagon, and my SIL has a Chevy Venture ('00) and DS is in a FF Radian. Until the much anticipated Graco Nautilus appears in Canada, the Radian holds the largest children. It has a 65lb weight limit, and the highest harness slots in Canada (I think they're 18, but don't quote me )

The Radian can have installation issues, but I can get it into the Focus pretty easily, and have managed to get it into the SIL's Venture, so it might work for you.

HTH!

ETA: I should mention, my SIL's van has no LATCH. If your parents' van does, you'll probably find installing the Radian in it much easier. I believe both GM and Ford have a 48lb limit on their LATCH connectors though, so you'd have to switch to a seatbelt installation when your DD reaches that weight. I've used the seatbelt install in our Focus since the beginning.

 

[Malia]

OK, I didn't think I'd be able to have her rear facing anymore. Good to know for sure. Now I can concentrate my efforts on a forward facing internal harnessed booster. Right??????

I need to go research the Radian....... we are in Edmonton Alberta. Anyone know where I can see one of these seats up close and personal?

Is the Graco Nautilus going to be even better?

Malia

 

[Jewels]

Until the Graco Nautilus (GN) hits the shelves sometime in the next while there aren't really any other seats that would harness to 65lbs and then convert to a booster.

It sounds like you have the Triumph because of the knob adjuster and it does only rf until 30lbs which is what all current seats in Canada rf to. After 30lbs then you will need to turn her ff.

The Radian does have the highest top harness slots of 18" and a 65lbs weight limit. It has some install issues and I myself have a harder time tightening the harness compared to my Marathon (MA).

If you are looking for a seat right now and can't wait for the GN then I would look at the MA, it is extremely easy to install and use. Loosening and tightening the harness straps I find realatively easy as well. The MA has 17" top slots and harness' to 65lbs.

Remember a FF seat is outgrown when one of the following is met:
*the max. ff weight limit is reached
*the shoulders are above the top slots
*the tip of the ears reach the top of the shell

 

[unityco]

...we are in Edmonton Alberta. Anyone know where I can see one of these seats up close and personal?

One of the members here is a CPST in Edmonton, and she has a Radian for her own children. I'm sure she could tell you where you could see them. Hopefully she'll pop in on this thread :thumbsup:

 

[Jewels]

What I like about the GN is that it will have a high top harness, harness' to 65lbs (well it does in the US) and will make a great booster. For the price of the Radian and the GN (assuming it is cheaper then the Radian and even if it isn't) I would go with the GN because you will be able to use it as a booster.

Is there any baby boutiques (e-children etc.) near you? If so they would likely carry a Radian.

 

[snowbird25ca]

OK, I didn't think I'd be able to have her rear facing anymore. Good to know for sure. Now I can concentrate my efforts on a forward facing internal harnessed booster. Right??????

I need to go research the Radian....... we are in Edmonton Alberta. Anyone know where I can see one of these seats up close and personal?

Is the Graco Nautilus going to be even better?

Malia

I'm also in Edmonton. (Nice weather we're having, huh? )

Baby Sam's and E-Children both carry the Marathon and the Radian Premier. If you have a SUTP, there's a $25 off coupon for Baby Sam's that is good on any purchase of $250 or more. I think there's also an E-children $20 off one in there. :thumbsup:

One other thing you might want to check, is where the top of your dd's head is in relation to the top of the shell. There has to be at least 1" of hard shell above her head, otherwise she has outgrown it rf'ing.

 

[CDNTech]

She should still fit in the Triumph for a little while. I would wait until the Nautilus shows up and switch over to that. It is supposed to have a really nice adjuster that is easy to use, which sounds perfect for you. If you can hold out for the Nautilus, I would do that.

The Radian does have the tallest top slots on the market and fits in the Focus really well, but I can see it being harder to tighten for someone with Fibromyalgia.

 

[Malia]

So let me summarize to make sure I've got it.

My options are the Sunshine Radian

The Graco Nautilus (which I'd have to wait for)

the Safety First Apex65

Or the Britax marathon

Out of those seats, I need to make sure it is easily adjustable so that even with my Fibro I can use it. That it will grow with my rapidly growing DD. And is a good value. She is by no means a skinny kid (not fat at all) so I want to be sure it is comfortable for her. I thought I read in another thread that the Marathon squished some kids? That plus the large price tag makes it the least desirable.

Anyone know how much the Nautilus should run?

I am still confused. I want to make the best choice because I feel like we already wasted money on our current seat and on a single income that hurts. The fact that I need TWO seats now makes it even harder.......

More thoughts please!!!!!

 

[desiree_leigh]

I don't know a lot about fibro - what kind of difficulties were you having? In the seats you've had suggested, the method of loosening is to lift a lever and pull the straps out - the tightening is pulling a strap. The Radian and Marathon have a sort-of ratcheting pull - you pull a bit and release, pull a bit and release, or you can buckle, guesstimate how much slack you need out, and then unbuckle and tighten (this eliminates the ratcheting, but still requires that you buckle and unbuckle, which might be difficult for you as well?) Does any of this sound doable? Let us know

 

[cdncasper]

Would you be able to use your current seat in the grandparents vehicle?? Would they be the ones using it? That would save you some money

 

[Malia]

I don't know a lot about fibro - what kind of difficulties were you having? In the seats you've had suggested, the method of loosening is to lift a lever and pull the straps out - the tightening is pulling a strap. The Radian and Marathon have a sort-of ratcheting pull - you pull a bit and release, pull a bit and release, or you can buckle, guesstimate how much slack you need out, and then unbuckle and tighten (this eliminates the ratcheting, but still requires that you buckle and unbuckle, which might be difficult for you as well?) Does any of this sound doable? Let us know

The main difficulty with our current seat is that is has a weird knob to release the belts (instead of that pull strap I've seen on other seats). I can't do it. I've tried.

Buckling and unbuckling is harder on some days than others but definitely doable.

I don't have much experience with car seats so I don't even know what to look for other than to say I need easy. Anything a 95 year old arthritic grandma could use would be ok for me

Thanks for trying to help! Hopefully we'll decide on a seat soon.

 

[Malia]

Would you be able to use your current seat in the grandparents vehicle?? Would they be the ones using it? That would save you some money

Unfortunately not. Hubby takes our car to work so for now we are stuck at home all day, every day. I want a seat for my parents' van so my mom and I can get Lily out occasionally. I would still be the one using the seat. And even if my parents were with me they aren't much better off health wise than i am

Malia

 

[desiree_leigh]

I would say at this point, go with the Radian (the Graco Nautilus will probably take a while, as most seats do coming into Canada) The only thing you'll have to get used to is tightening it before you buckle (or tightening it once and not changing it) - I find the Radian REALLY tough to tighten once it's all buckled up. The chest clip will be easy (DD will probably be able to open it if you teach her) and the buckle release is pretty much the same as any other seat. The lever to loosen the harness is easy as pie... you could always get 1 radian for now for the grandparents' car and then wait for her to outgrow the Evenflo seat you have - if by the time she outgrows it, the Nautilus is here, great - if not, buy another Radian for your car. Just my :twocents: - I hope it helps you!

 

[CDNTech]

The Nautilus sounds perfect for you. The buckle releases by pushing a large button *down* instead of in, which should be easier on you OR easily teachable to your daughter.

The harness adjuster is supposed to be super smooth and easy to tighten as well.

The Nautilus should start showing up here within the month... people have been told by Graco reps the end of January in Walmarts, so I would expect them pretty soon.

If you can manage with the Triumph for another month, I would do that.

You are going to find the adjusters on the other seats difficult to use.

I'm not a big fan of the Apex... I tried DS1 (almost 6 years old, 36lbs, 45" with a 16.5" torso) in one recently and he had next to no strap left over to tighten and he was also right AT the top slot in the store... which means he would probably be over them in the vehicle.

The Marathon is tighter in the shoulder area for bigger kids and has the ratcheting pull, release, pull adjuster that you would probably find difficult.

The Radian also has the ratcheting pull, release, pull adjuster. It does have a wider shoulder area and the tallest top slots, but I still think if you can manage to hold out for the Nautilus that would be your best bet. The Nautilus is also easily installed, which may be important if you ever need to be the one doing the installs. The Radian takes effort that depending on your pain level that day, may not be doable.

 

[Malia]

The baby books don't warn you about how hard it will be to choose the right car seat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:doh:

I am still so confused....

malia

 

[BudgieStew]

FWIW my MIL has Fibromyalgia.
We have a Radian installed in her van for DS. She is capable of using it but finds it is difficult to adjust. Heck there are days I find it difficult to adjust. Although the chest clip is easy. I most likely will be getting the GN for her at some point.

And just in case you do get a Radian we had a 05 Focus Sedan and it installed easy as pie in it by LATCH FF.I never tried the seatbelt or RF.

 

[Malia]

So I just read the thread about Walmart not having a clue about the Nautilus... I wish we could know for sure if it is coming or not

If the Nautilus is not coming, I am down to the radian, Apex65, or marathon...

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like the Radian would get the longest use out of those three right? Marathon would be second best and Apex65 would be third?

It seems like seats harnessed to a higher weight are becoming more popular so maybe they will keep bringing more and more into Canada.... I would assume they would keep getting better.

So if the Apex 65 is my cheapest option right now, would it be smart to go with it and then get a better seat after a few years once there are more on the market? Or should I get something like the RADIAN now that should take her to the end of her car seat years? Or will it even last that long? When do car seats expire?

Sorry for being such a pest

I am just trying to sort trough all of this info AND try to get a seat that I can actually use that is as safe as possible for my munchkin.

On another note, she had her ped appt today and is almost 27lbs so we don't need to turn her FF yet! And I made a mistake with her height...she is more like 32 or 33inches, NOT 36! I was guesstimating off of a piece of furniture she stands next to and was wrong about it's height

Please continue with your thoughts and advice!!!!! Thanks

 

[Malia]

It seems that everywhere i turn there is info on how much safer Britax is. Seems a Radian comes a close second. In terms of safety only, what do you think of the Apex65 and the Graco Nautilus?

Right now I am leaning towards the Radian, but that's just my gut. I will wait and see what we find out about the Nautilus...... I wish Britax wasn't so expensive!!!!!

malia

 

[CDNTech]

I have both the Radian and the Britax and I prefer the Radian. I like the low profile and it lasts *much* longer than the Britax.