Need a new carseat!

Beth0707

New member
I have two MA's and a keyfit30. I am needing a new one for the baby or for the oldest and the baby will move up. I was wondering if I need something bigger than the MA or if that will be fine until we hit the highback booster?

DD1-3yr, 34lb, 40'
DD2-2yr, 24lb, 35'
DS-1yr, 21lb, 31'

Basically my question is can I get away with buying another MA until booster days. Has anyone done 3 marathons in a single row seat? two RF, one FF, or two FF, one RF??

TIA!

-Beth
 
ADS

gecikuh

Senior Community Member
There are several seats with taller shell heights than the MA and would be more suitable possibly last until your highback booster days. I don't think many kids make it to an acceptable booster age/weight in a MA. How much room does your oldest have left in the MA?

The First Years True Fit, Sunshine Kids Radian, and Safety First Complete Air are some convertibles to look at that will last longer than the Marathon.
 

scoutingbear

New member
Since it looks like you are trying to do a 3 across and have a seat last until booster age/readiness, I would stay away from a 3rd MA. The Sunshine Kids Radian is a nice, narrow, tall seat with tall top harness slots (taller than the MA...my 3 y/o is on the top slots in the MA and on the 2nd to top in the Radian with room still before he has to move up).

I also believe that the Complete Air is a narrower seat with a nice high back and high harness slots.
 

romanoma

New member
I agree, I would definitely pass down the MA and get your oldest a different seat. So your oldest is now FF? At her height and weight, there are now seats that would allow you to keep her RF if you want to. At her age, it's not as big of a safety risk, but I wanted you to know that the radian just announced a 45lb RF seat, and it is narrow so may work for your 3 across situation. For your DD2, At 24lbs, she sounds like she has a long time still in the MA for RF, and she is the one who really needs to stay RF due to her age and size. But you don't really have to worry about a higher weight RF seat for her just yet. The new 45lb radian is the 80SL or the XTSL and they are set to be released this month.

But for 3 across, I think you are going to need a narrow seat that sits low to the car seat, not up on a base so that it will puzzle well with the MA. I know that the sunshine kids radian seats do puzzle well with RF MAs. If you tell us what kind of car you have someone may be able to help you with other 3 across options as well.

So I would suggest - If you plan on FF DD1, get a radian 65 and put her in the middle b/w the 2 RF marathons outboard.

If you want to keep them all RF, get a radian XTSL and try to puzzle all three together. The safety first complete air also will RF longer, up to 40lbs, and is narrowish, but the radian is narrower and has higher weight limits.

Hope that helps!
 

Beth0707

New member
Well DD1 I just moved up to the 4th slot on the MA but I think i need to move her back down. I dont think its right. When I get another carseat I am going to find a tech to check them. We have a Yukon right now so space isnt really an issue, but we are looking at getting a 4dr jeep because I have had two Yukons and they just seem to be Lemons or they arnt made as well as they use to be.


So should I try to RF DD1 or should I just let her be FF? Also, the radian doesnt seem very padded at all. Is it safer because of the 5pt harness? I looked at Recaro vivo for my husbands truck for when she turns 4. I looked at their other seats as well, but my point is even the booster looks more padded as far as side to side head support goes. Or is it just the way the picture is?

Thanks for all of your help!!

Beth
 
So should I try to RF DD1 or should I just let her be FF? Also, the radian doesnt seem very padded at all. Is it safer because of the 5pt harness? I looked at Recaro vivo for my husbands truck for when she turns 4. I looked at their other seats as well, but my point is even the booster looks more padded as far as side to side head support goes. Or is it just the way the picture is?

Thanks for all of your help!!

Beth

for an almost-4YO, I'd *definitely* pick a 5-pt harness over a booster, here is a link that explains why. Short answer - while more padding and a booster might 'look' safer, the 5 point harness significantly reduces the amount that the child's head and body would be thrown forward in the event of a collision.
 

Beth0707

New member
I am not going to go with the booster, I just wondered on the radian since its seems really small. I have convinced DD that she is staying in a 5pt we are just going to call it a booster;)

Thanks!

Beth
 

henrietta

Well-known member
The Radian isn't small at all, and fits larger toddlers and preschoolers really well. There are loads of posters here who's bigger kiddos are in Radians and can show you. I would buy the newest Radian that rearfaces to 45 lbs and use it right now *either* forward facing OR rearfacing for your oldest. Since rearfacing is so much safer, I personally would rearface her again *unless* you couldn't fit the seats all in rearfacing. If the 2 Marathons (one on either side of the Radian) and the Radian won't all fit rearfacing, I'd put your oldest in the Radian forward facing in the center b/t the 2 Marathons. The Radian will last her quite a bit longer than the Marathon, both rear facing and forward facing. It is taller, has taller top slots, allows kid's shoulders to go over the top slots up to one inch, and offers more leg room and leg support. It's possible that your oldest dd will be mature enough to use a high back booster after she outgrows the Radian, and that will be easier to fit three across than one to fit of the other higher weight, taller combo seats like the Graco Nautilus.

If the Radian won't install in your car well, you can always try and see if something like the Graco Nautilus or Evenflo Generations 65 will fit, but those are only forward facing seats.

hths

henrietta
 

Jan06twinmom

New member
I am not going to go with the booster, I just wondered on the radian since its seems really small. I have convinced DD that she is staying in a 5pt we are just going to call it a booster;)

Thanks!

Beth

Beth -

I had the same concerns when I originally bought this seat, but I've changed my mind. My DS is about 46 in tall and weights 51lbs (at 4 3/4 years old) and the Radian fits him wonderfully!

He told me months ago that he didn't like the Decathlon (I think he was too squished) and he liked the Radian better. So when we moved car seats around, he went into the Radians and his much smaller twin sister went in the Decathlon seats. I just checked him out in the Decathlon yesterday and he has maybe 1/8 in of torso growth room in the Decathlon and about 1/2 in or more in the Radian.

My DS is so big he'll probably only make it to about 5 1/2 years old in the Radian - if I'm lucky. His much smaller twin sister will probably stay in the seat until it expires since she's a pip-squeak:)

Melanie
 

romanoma

New member
if you are concerned about the support/padding in the radian, look at the Radian XT SL. The XT has head wings, which I think are a major improvement over the radian 65. If you are forward facing your DD, I would go with the seat with more side impact protection, so the XT. Plus, that way you have a good high weight RF seat for the other 2 kids, as your DS sounds like he may be bigger than your girls. Radians have an 8 yr life span, so longer than most other seats, and it will last all the way through even your sons car seat days.

At 3.5, you DD may actually prefer RF. My DS went back to RF when he was alomst 3 and has loved it ever since (he is in a radian XT). He is 3.5 now. If he begins to complain much or really fight me that he wants to FF, I decided I will let him. I have 2 40lb radians and he is just now hitting 35 lbs, so my seats will last him a while still, I hope until he hits 4. That's just MHO. Many here try to RF until 4, and that's my hope, but beyond 3 I'm not going to make him and me miserable over it. For now, we're all still fine and happily RFing...

Good luck with your search!
 

Beth0707

New member
I thought all carseats were good for 8yrs? Do the marathons expire before then. Mine is the end of 06 I think. I would have to go look. I thought it would be good for 8yrs?!?

I thought it was the same on all carseats? Do I need to go to Britax and ask or do I call someone else. Thanks everyone, I guess we will go with the radian xlst. DD like the SL with the pink flowers better but I would rather have the head support.

Thanks again to everyone!

Beth
 

romanoma

New member
most seats are good for 6 years, that includes britax. So a britax seat made in 2006 would expire sometime in 2012. (the exception to this is the britax frontier, but I'm not sure exactly how long it's good, booster is for 9yrs but I'm not sure on the harness...). But the marathon is only good for 6 yrs.

The other exception is the first years true fit, which is good for 7 years.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Most seats are good to 6 years.

The Britax Frontier is 9 years for the whole seat.

The Graco seats are good until Dec. of the 6th year, except for the backless booster portion of the Nautilus, which is 9.

The Radians are good 8 years.

SafeGuard seats 7 years.

Dorel seats (Safety 1st, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, etc.) are 6 years except for the Uptown, the Avenue, and some of the 3-in-1 seats, which are 8 years.

The True Fit is 7 years.

Peg Perego infant seats are 5 years.

The Ride Safer Travel Vest has no expiration.

There may be a few other exceptions.
 

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