Needs seats for 4yo and 2yo

[akp780]

My husband was in a car accident and we need to replace the two car seats that were inside at the time. Here are the details:

His car is a Prius (2009). We aren't sure if the car is totalled or will be fixable, but we would replace it with another Prius.

Our kids are: 4 years 9 months, 42" tall and 34 pounds; and 2 years 3 months 36" and 26 pounds.

We were using a Graco Nautilus and a Britax Boulevard. I don't like the new style buckle on the GN at all, so I refuse to buy another one, which is a shame because the seat is otherwise perfect. The Blvd is fine, but I think I'd like to replace both seats with something similar to the GN (converts to a booster). We bought a Britax Frontier and my husband wasn't impressed and will be returning it (it came out of the box with a broken cover clasp).

ETA: We would really like the seats to have head protection side to side (like both the nautilus and the boulevard).

We really want to keep both kids in a 5 point for as long as possible. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Just because the clasp was broken, he didn't like the seat? Sounds like a retailer/shipper, not a seat issue!

Your only other options for combination seats that are decently tall are the Recaro ProSport and the Evenflo Maestro or Evenflo Secure Kids 300/400. How tall is your 4 year old's torso?

Is your 2 year old rear- or forward-facing? How tall is 2 year old's torso?

(To measure torso height- sit them cross legged against a wall. Mark top point of shoulder. Measure from there to floor.)

 

[wendytthomas]

A Frontier would be fine for your older child. You could also look at the Recaro ProSport and the Evenflo SecureKids.

For the younger child, I wouldn't look at combination seats yet. I'd look at rear facing seats for another year or two. Given that they're so lightweight, just about anything will work. Graco My Ride, First Years True Fit, Evenflo Triumph 65, Safety 1st Complete Air, Maxi Cosi Pria, Diono Radians with angle adjuster would be my first choices.

Wendy

 

[akp780]

When the kids wake up, I'll measure their torso heights.

As for the Frontier, yes the clip was broken (and if I had to guess, someone else returned the car seat to BRU that way). But his dissatisfaction went further than that. The red plastic belt pathway has a very rough finish, almost sharp. We are used to Britax's being built like tanks (we've owned two BLVD) and the cloth is plush and soft and the finishes are very nice - worth the money. The frontier just didn't feel like it measured up.

We also own a 2012 Sienna. I drive the kids around in this on a daily basis and they are both in Graco Nautilus'. We bought my DD a few years ago and we love it. We bought my DS just a few months ago and we hate the new buckle. If it weren't for that, I'd buy another set of GN for the Prius. And to answer, yes, my son is FF now.

Are we being too picky about the Frontier?

 

[ketchupqueen]

Hmm, I have a Frontier and my belt path is not sharp. The Frontier might be worth another look- maybe in a different cover, even? I like some of the covers (Livia and Maui Blue, for two) much better than others on the Frontier, fabric-wise.

 

[Stelvis]

I think you're being too picky about the Frontier. I've never noticed the belt path seeming sharp. Another vote for the Maui Blue cover.

 

[akp780]

Updated for torso height information:

DS: 11.25"
DD: 14.5"

 

[wendytthomas]

Holy smokes your DS has a short torso. They both do. Neither needs the harnessing time in the Frontier, and your DS would fit rear facing in anything (remember, you can sit the seat more upright if that was the issue). Yes, at two, he meets the bare minimum to forward face. The ideal is closer to four.

Wendy

 

[akp780]

Thanks for the responses and for all of the info. My husband is leaning towards the Recaro sport for my DD.

And as a side note, as we were packaging up the Frontier to bring back to BRU, I noticed that the straps were dirty and the cover smelled like Febreeze... so obviously someone had used and returned the seat after they broke the clasp on the cover! We brought this to the attention of the customer service desk at our local BRU.