Question Need help with next seat - moving from FPSVD

[my2boys]

Right now DS2 is in a FPSVD. Room left on the shoulder straps depends on which car he is in. In the truck he seems right at the top slot. In the Explorer, he has a little more room.

Stats and info
DS2 - 3 1/2 yo, about 38#, 41.5-42" tall, 14.5-15" torso (measured sitting cross legged against the wall with sewing measuring tape, not a yard stick)

Cars - 1997 Ford Explorer 4 door
2001 Dodge Dakota quad cab (not sure how long we'll have this one)


I am looking to find out *ALL* the options I have to move him to. Ideally, I'd like to get a Frontier but I don't know that finances will allow that. My only complaint with the Frontier is how close the neck straps are to each other.
He doesn't fit the best in the Nautilus but I may not have had it set up right. But the seat seems *way* too short for him. (We've only tried these in the store, not in the cars).

But, like I said, I'm willing to look at all options, even if it doesn't convert to a booster.

I'd also like to know what *you* would pick and why.

Thank you.

 

[jjordan]

You can probably find a frontier for around $200 if you can shop around - last I checked, Amazon had them for $210 with free shipping.

I'd recheck the nautilus. It is possible that you didn't have the harness adjusted all the way up. It has top slots of about 18", which should give him several inches of growing room. At age 3.5 now, you're really looking for a seat that will keep him harnessed another 2 years or so, at which point he should be ready for a booster (unless there are unusual circumstances).

You can try the evenflo maestro, although it is a little shorter than a nautilus.

Another option is the Recaro Prosport, although it is expensive (similar to a frontier).

You *might* be able to find a Regent somewhere. They have been "retired" by Britax, and I don't know of anywhere that is selling them, but if you found one it would likely be in the nautilus price range and would keep him harnessed about as long as a frontier 85.

You could also consider a safeguard child seat, although I don't have any personal experience with those and don't know much about them.

 

[bensmom]

I agree with the PP, did you lift the back up enough on the Nautilus? My DS2 is reaching the top in the FPSVD, but he's not at the top slot yet on the Nautilus.

 

[my2boys]

It's not that the slot weren't high enough. He just didn't seem to fit well in the seat. It seems to small. And the seat depth was short. I don't think it even came half way out to his knees on the backs of his thighs.

 

[jjordan]

Ah, okay, I think both of us assumed that you meant the harness slots didn't give him enough growing room. Sorry!

Knowing that was the issue, another seat to try might be the Apex 65. I didn't recommend it originally because the harness isn't as high as some of the other combo seats. But I think it is bigger, overall, than the nautilus.
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[Jennifer mom to my 7]

THen you were not looking at a nautilus.

Here is a decathlon (twin to fisher price safe voyage deluxe). Dd is 2 years old, 36.5 inches, 33 pounds here.

and here is the nautilus, same child, about 2 months later.

And for good measure, same child at 4, who outgrew that decathlon at 3.25 years (after I got it as upright as possible).

 

[jjordan]

OP - did you take out the extra padding in the nautilus?

 

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

Ah, okay, I think both of us assumed that you meant the harness slots didn't give him enough growing room. Sorry!

Knowing that was the issue, another seat to try might be the Apex 65. I didn't recommend it originally because the harness isn't as high as some of the other combo seats. But I think it is bigger, overall, than the nautilus.
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Her ds would not have much, if any torso growth room in the apex if he is at the top of the fisher price save voyage deluxe.

Oh, but 1 question op, do you have the fpsvd as upright as possible, in the upright mode? I ask because he should have closer to a 16 inch torso, at least if he is at the top slot of the seat.

 

[my2boys]

I know I had the Nauti at the store but I don't remember if I had all the padding out. I know I moved some but maybe not enough. It's been a while since I've taken Ds to try it. But it was short in the seat depth. I'll have to try him again. And really take my time.

I do have the FPSVD upright but it seems more so in the Explorer than in the truck. Not sure why though. The seats in the Explorer are stiffer.

Thank you for the help.