Split from: Chicco MyFit - worth the 5"?

[Sarah B]

Hi, I have a: 70lb 48” responsible seven year old in Diono Cambria
50lb 42” silly four year ild in Britax Allegiance
20lb long? 3 month ild in Chico Keyfit 30

I also have a couple Diono backless boosters for the spare vehicle.

I’m trying not to buy another car seat. Can I just bump everyone up? Or when the baby gets too long for the Chicco do I need another 5pt harness seat.
Thanks so much, love this site!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Hi! I moved your post to its own thread for you.

If your middle child is 4 and a silly goofball, they aren't ready for a booster seat. When a child moves to a booster they become responsible for their own safety. Most kids aren't ready for a booster for that reason until 5 1/2-7 years old.

I would pass the convertible down to the baby, keep the oldest in the Cambria, and buy a combination seat for the middle child with a high harness height and a 65 lb weight limit. (Chicco MyFit, Graco Nautilus, Britax Grow With You, Graco Tranzitions are a few examples at various price points. If you post info on your vehicle and budget we can make better recommendations.)

That way your child can stay harnessed until they have a bit more brain development under their belt, which will help them be mature enough to stay in place seated properly 100% of the time, every ride.

 

[kay_sera2]

Thanks so much for the advice!
We're driving an '09 Sienna and we're mostly interested in ease/correct installation vs. budget. That said, I've never purchased a Peg Perego or Chicco seat because I couldn't stomach the price.

 

[Sarah B]

Thanks, ketchupqueen, I've been reading your advice for years

We're driving an '09 Sienna and I'd say we're mid-range budget.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Britax Grow With You is certainly the easiest install, but the Graco Nautilus is very highly compatible in vehicles of that era, including yours, and while it won't be super super simple, it wouldn't be DIFFICULT either- a pretty straightforward and standard install at a low end of mid range price tag.

 

[Sarah B]

Sounds good, except I can't source a Nautilus anywhere! I've thankfully got a bit of time before I need to bump up the baby.
Side note - The Britax Allegiance was a beast to install and the seat cover still isn't working!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Graco still has the original Nautilus in stock: https://www.gracobaby.com/car-seats...n-1-harness-booster-car-seat/SAP_2100789.html

They also have the Nautilus 2.0: https://www.gracobaby.com/car-seats...n-1-harness-booster-car-seat/SAP_2184592.html

Target and Walmart also carry the 2.0.

 

[Sarah B]

Ah, sorry, I'm in Canada - we're too far away for anyone to ship to us these days. Even Kleenex and Rubbermaid have left the country!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Oh! Let me look.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Graco Canada lists products but not retailers. How annoying!

 

[Sarah B]

Babies R Us has it in stock but won't ship out of the city, since we're rural.
Best Buy has it but on back order...

 

[ketchupqueen]

What *do* you have locally?

 

[Sarah B]

Most everything else, which makes me think that maybe it’s being discontinued? Is Safety 1st a Canadian only brand? I never see it discussed on forums.

 

[ketchupqueen]

No, Safety 1st is a division of Dorel and we have it here, but they are generally just higher priced versions of Cosco seats, so they don't get recommended much. The few seats they do have that are unique are not often recommended for other reasons.

Graco replaced the original Nautilus with the 2.0; maybe stock just hasn't got to you yet.

 

[Sarah B]

Amazon has the MyFit on sale. The Nautilus is back in stock for $40 more than the Chicco. What would you choose?
And I think you must have a doctorate in car seats to do this job! It’s so much research!!

 

[ketchupqueen]

I think you'll be happy with either, honestly. My son is in a MyFit, because I need a narrow seat in my car setup, but I think I would also be happy with a Nautilus if I were you. A few differences to be aware of are the recline available on the MyFit, and the harness height adjustment; as far as install I would say the Nautilus is slightly easier in many vehicles but not significantly enough to be a deal-breaker on the MyFit if you like it for other features (or price.)