Travelling and big boy seat (harness)

[mommyoftwoboys]

So we switched (i know crazy) back in Feb from my mini van to a saturn outlook. Not as big by any means.

I'm trying to find a seat that is smaller than the Regent as far as width, but still harnesses my oldest (5) in the seat. He's 48 pounds(at last sick appt in April) and If I remember right, he's at 42 in. I need to double check that since its been awhile since I've measured him.

Right now he's in a Regent, but I want a smaller seat back there but thats still safe. Just a little smaller width wise. The regent will end up in my husbands truck.


Also, I need more info on the travel vests.
We are heading to Florida in July to visit my family/ vacation. Usually we drive, but we really want to fly this time. I know our Regent is flight approved and he could sit in it, but really with three kids a somewhat disabled husband, I think it would be easier to have my parents have seats ready for us when we get there.
So I was thinking of the travel vest for both my three year old and my five year old. We will be driving from Jacksonville to Orlando the following week, and I know I DONT want to use a booster seat for my oldest. But I was wondering if the vests are a safe alternative. I know I could use these for traveling purposes and grandparent purposes making the purchase more than a one time use?

 

[NannyMom]

The Britax Frontier and Graco Nautilus are both great seats that can keep your 5 year old harnessed. THe Frontier can harnes up to 80 pounds, and the Nautilus 65, but they have similar harness heights so will last about the same lenght of time for him with the harness. Both seats convert into a high back booster after the harness is outgrown, and the Nautilus also converts to a backless booster after the high back is outgrown. THe Frontier is the tallest high back booster on the market. The Nautilus has a 6 year lifespan (9 for just the backless booster) and the Frontier has a 9 year lifespan.

I don't know anything about the vests, but I do know the Regent can not be used on an airplane. Not only is it too wide, but it's not FAA approved. I know the Nautilus is FAA approved and I think the Frontier is too.

 

[wendytthomas]

Provided your three year old is over 35 pounds the vests would be acceptable. They can't be used on the plane, but they're fine in cars. The Regent is not FAA approved, so you can't take it with you.

Wendy

 

[mommyoftwoboys]

I thought the Regent was?

It's been awhile since I did any of this, so glad I mentioned it and didn't end up doing that.

He's 33 pounds as of last appt which was like 6 months ago, he'll be going in for his three year old check up soon. I'm not sure that he's 35 pounds yet.
so it looks like thats outta the question. He's not big like my oldest.

The frontier is the new Regent right?

Is it wider than the Regent?

 

[wendytthomas]

The Frontier is drastically different from the Regent. The Regent is a harnessed only seat to 80 pounds with 19"+ top slots. The Frontier is a combination seat (harness to booster) with 18.25" top slots, an 80 pound harness, and no weight limit as a 24" high back booster. It's FAA approved with the harness. It's not wider than the Regent (which I suspect isn't FAA approved due to width, but I'm not sure). It's heavy and hard to install in a lot of cars, but if you have a Regent already you're a step up on parents new to the idea of the long/short belt path options.

For travel seats I'd look at maybe a Radian for your three year old and a vest for your five year old. You can put the Radian on your back and the vest in the luggage.

Wendy

 

[mommyoftwoboys]

awesome thanks, I'm going to look into the Frontier

Does anyone know with the new rules for flights (its been several years since I've flown) if they count a seat as the carry on item? Cause I know there's new things with checking in baggage.
I'm just worried we'll be paying an arm and a leg for checking in baggage if we can't use some of our carry on space for things.

 

[mommyoftwoboys]

I went to the britax site to double check the width. The width is actually bigger than the Regent. So I should just stick with the Regent since I already have it.

For our trip in July, if at his three year old check up he's 35 pounds I'll get two of the vests, (the small one for him and large for my oldest) and then the baby (he's a lap baby for the flight )will go into a cosco scenra for the car rides.

 

[Mommypooh]

I had a Regent and Tried out a Frontier and the Regent is wider than the Frontier. I ended up getting a Nautilus to replace my Regent but I remember the Frontier being less wie than the Regent

 

[all together ooky]

The Frontier is narrower than the Regent. The Britax site's measurements can be a bit wonky sometimes.

 

[wendytthomas]

You can bring the Regent, but they have every right to refuse to allow you to use it. It's not FAA approved.

Two vests sounds good. Hope for an open seat so you can use the Scenera on board!

Wendy

 

[DahliaRW]

Car seats do not count as carryons. Additionally, you can gate check one car seat per child for free. So if you want to bring the regent, gate check it.

 

[mommyoftwoboys]

Car seats do not count as carryons. Additionally, you can gate check one car seat per child for free. So if you want to bring the regent, gate check it.

Really? Awesome!


I do hope there's an open seat to put my youngest in His seat. It's just sooo expensive to fly now that theres five of us, but of course this time, we're a entire days travel away from my family, so we never had a real need to fly before.

 

[ketchupqueen]

I would not want to gate check a Regent. There's a chance it will be damaged, destroyed, or lost, even with a gate check, and that's an expensive replacement to make (they won't cover it.)

If you want to bring the Regent I'd suggest packing it in a box and shipping it ahead, if you MUST bring it on the plane, check it as regular luggage in a well-packed, sturdy box.