Please just tell me what to do!!

[hollyh]

Ok... I have spent umpteen hours researching and configuring...

2011 Honda odyssey - 8 seater
5 kids
Preference is for 2nd row OB driver's side to be empty and able to flip down
Preference is to NOT have any child RF in the 3rd row

8yo 49", 54lb, 17"seated ht
5yo 45", 43lb, 15.5"seated ht
5yo 45", 46lb, 16" seated ht
3yo 36", 26lb?, 12.5" seated ht
15mo 21lb, 28.5", 11.5" seated ht

Here is what I have already to work with (I have several Britax seats expiring... hence the craziness). I'll work on getting our main car figured out...then move onto the other. (a Yukon XL with bucket seats and only 1 tether!! I need to save at least 1 FF radian for the middle back seat of that vehicle)

6 Radian XLTs
1 Britax Frontier 85
1 backless turbobooster

I know the 3yo can RF still, but we may just put her FF... or you can provide me some working options. Hubby wants her FF.

How risky for the 8yo is it to be in a LBB? Should she be in HBB? She has always been harnessed... IDK what she should be in at this point? She has been in a radian, but the wings don't stay in place and fall on her shoulders which drives her crazy. Also, her shoulders are at or above the highest harness position, but diono says it is ok??

Thank you for any help. I am about to throw in the towel from researching.

Clek is out of my budget. I'd like to stay under $300 per whatever seat(s) I need to buy.

 

[bubbaray]

I would do a LBB (Harmony from WM) for the 8yo, buy a second HB turbo and put both 5yos in HBBs. You might get all three in the third row. If not, buy narrower HBB. I would put the 3yo in the FR and use one of the RNs RFg for the baby. If the FR and RN don't work in your second row, try two RNs.

 

[lgenne]

There are a few options, depending on exactly what you want to do with the older 4.

8 yo: is she developing typically? Unless she has special needs, she should be fine in a booster, backless or high back. Does she still fit in the Frontier? You could use it harnessed or in booster mode in the passenger side captains chair. Or use a backless.

5 yos: boosters are an option for them, too, but I'm not sure boosters would make your life easier, given that at least one of them will be in a tight 3 across in the 3rd row.

3 yo: RF or FF?

The two basic scenarios I'm envisioning are:

1) 3 across Radians in the 3rd row. Technically you could RF one for the 3 yo, but it definitely would be a hassle. Then you have to figure out the oldest and youngest in one captain's chair and the +1 seat. My preference (I have a 2013 Odyssey and 2 RFers) is to have the baby in that +1 seat, which means you need a RF car seat that works there. Or else you need a booster or very tall FF harnessed seat that works there. (We can help with details if you want to choose one of these. I'm assuming it's time to get the 8 yo out of the Radian.)

2) Booster the 8 yo in the 3rd row with 2 FF Radians. I think having the 8 yo passenger side with the 40 seat to herself would probably work best. You'd need a narrow booster, and it probably means using a backless, which is fine. Then you can RF the 3 yo if you want in the 2nd row, and you just need a RF seat that works in the +1. Or put a FF Radian in the +1 and RF the baby passenger side, and all you're buying is a narrow backless booster.

 

[bnsnyde]

Ooh, your post made me smile. I've spent hours and hours researching configurations. I drove my DH nuts. He calculated there are like 700 something possible configurations for our 6 kids in the 2011 Honda Odyssey.

Here is what I might do (of course, you're free to disagree!). You have more wiggle room than we do.

2 5 YO's in the third row outboard. Any FF harnessed seat (could use your Frontier). Or, two high-back boosters that latch. Graco Affix is a reasonable price. I would only want them that latch back there as it's a breeze not worrying about projectiles.

15 month-old behind driver for ease of placing in van/and for when the toddler stage hits and child won't get in van. Any RF seat that gives you enough room. Maybe a Radian since you have one (ours fit and was braced).

3 YO RF on the 8th seat. (Scenera Next perhaps to buy some inexpensive RF time)? I heard it fits. Then can do FF Radian with latch whenever. (seatbelt didn't install well there but latch did FF!).

8 YO in a backless outboard behind passenger. Low back so the kids in back can easily get out. I like Clek Olli since it has rigid latch (and you CAN move the seat with it latched, it's just not smooth).

FYI, Right now I have 3 across our third row. 7 YO highback Harmony Dreamtime, 4 YO FF Sure Ride middle, 8 Year-old Cosco Topside)
Second row is 5 YO Clek Olli behind passenger, baby RF in middle in Graco 40, and 2 YO in a Clek Flo behind driver, RF. Our reasons are complicated. I can't have each child in the seat I might like (couldn't use all highbacks for example) but we did OK. Some it depended on who still falls asleep in the car, who fights with whom, and who needs to exit for a possible carline. They are tall too and even our 3 YO at the time didn't seem to fit the Radian FF, so we sold ours. We had like 4? Our 5 YO doesn't fit a harness except the Frontier but it's too wide fpr us anyway and sold that. I did have 8 YO harnessed in it before but kids in back loaded through trunk and that stunk.

 

[bnsnyde]

And I've never gotten a good FF install of a Radian 3rd row outboard. Too much front to back movement.

So, either two high-back boosters (with latch) or Evenflo Secure Kids would be my choice. The Secure kid is pretty affordable and fits taller kids as they grow.
I find it easy to install with seatbelt. I had to teach my kids where to push on the buckle though, to unbuckle. My almost 6 YO is really tall (height of your 8 YO) and I think just outgrew this seat's harness, but it appears your 5 YO's would fit for longer.

 

[lgenne]

And I've never gotten a good FF install of a Radian 3rd row outboard. Too much front to back movement.

Really? I never had an issue. I don't remember trying passenger side, but driver side was straightforward. Recline seat back, have Radian in recline mode, install with seat belt as tight as possible, put seat back back in upright position. Center was a little trickier but doable.

There's a recent thread with 3 Radians across in the 3rd row of a 2015 Odyssey. Seating positions didn't change 2011-2015:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=278265

 

[bnsnyde]

Ah, the days of wrestling with Radians are over for me!
It's been at least a year since we had a Radian there. Mine was never great. Maybe it was not horrible. But it wasn't great. And I remember reading others had trouble too.

Not to say it can't be done! I just...get an awesome (and easy) install with seats other than Radians there.

OP, what did you end up doing?