what seat would you get?

[VBMama]

I've been out of the loop on carseats for a while but it just dawned on me that two of my seats are expiring soon or already expired and I probably should get something new! 6yo ds is in a new-ish high-backed CompassPoint (I think?) booster, he's good for now. 3.5yo ds just moved into a Radian65 which probably still has 2 years of use left in it. FYI, I really dislike the Radian because I find the straps incredibly difficult to adjust and I don't think they look very comfortable around the neckline, but it is a good seat and installs well so I'm keeping it. I won't buy another one, however. Almost-2yo dd has been in a Britax Roundabout (love) but a recent potty accident meant I switched her into a Britax Marathon (love). I also turned her FF with this switch. Yes, I know I could have kept her RF longer but the fights to get her buckled in were getting bad and I feel okay with this decision. So the two Britax seats are the ones that need to be replaced. If it matters, I drive a '04 Honda Odyssey that only has latch in the two middle captain's chairs, no latch in the back bench seat. 3.5yo ds & 2yo dd are in the middle at the moment, with 6yo ds in the back. I have also in the past put 6yo ds & 3.5yo ds in the back together with 2yo dd in the middle and one middle chair removed, and that has also worked well, but I find installing seats in the bench much more difficult without latch.

So what seat do you think would make the most sense? I haven't been on top of any new releases for a while and I'm not sure what's considered great these days? I'd like to keep 3.5yo ds in a five-point harness till he is five or so, and I like having dd in a seat higher than the Radian so she can see out the window better.

[DahliaRW]

The Radian car seats were first made in 2005, so the earliest that will expire is 2013. They have an 8 year lifespan. The britax seats are good for 6 years from the date of manufacture.

If you want to keep your kiddos ffing (and I would highly suggest trying to rf your 2yo in a different seat with more legroom) I would look into a graco nautilus or britax frontier. If you're open to re-rearfacing your 2yo, I would look at a graco myride, first years true fit, or safety first complete air (all of those have more leg room than the britax seats ) or use the radian rfing, it has a lot of leg room as well.

[Katie T]

I'm not a expert, but if it were me I would get the 6yo a turbo booster (Graco) and the the other two each a Nautilus (Graco).

The Nautilus harness' and then turns into a belt positioning booster.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-Naut...-Bravo/8112222

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-High...erfly/13227380

[VBMama]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will take a look at those seats! I didn't know the Radians had a longer lifespan, that's great info for me, DahliaRW.

[alegna]

I would not be comfortable with a barely 2 ff. I would find something comfy enough to put them rf again.

My ds is nearly 2 (will be 2 in June) and a big strong boy (27.5lbs) and there is no way he will be ff for even one car ride for at least a year.

-Angela

[mamadelbosque]

For the 3.5 yr old, definetly a nautiuls. For the 2yo I'd think about RF in which case I highly, highly recommend the evenflo triumph, and am liking the complete air that I bought for DH's car a couple days ago... not that its hardly been used, but at least you can get the dang thing upright.

Actually if I was you, I think I'd stick 3.5 yr old in the radian FF and get the 2yo a triumph or complete air or something to Rf again. If your dead set against rfing, I'd get a nautilus though for them Good luck!!

[VBMama]

Okay, for those of you who are encouraging me to put dd back in a RF position, at what age do you plan to turn your children FF? I am the only person I know IRL who has kept a child RF until 22 months, everyone I know turns at 12 months on the dot and I thought I was doing pretty good keeping her as long as I did. Seriously, are you all really keeping your kids RF until 3yo?

[hookahgirl]

Yeah. I kept my DD RFing till almost 4 (and she would still be RFing if the Radian fit in my car) and DS is RFing at 20 months with NO plans to move him FF. Even if he pitches a fits because his sister is FF.

[DahliaRW]

The recommendation in Sweden, which has the lowest rate of injuries/deaths in automobile accidents, is to rf until 4-6 years old, and then go straight to a booster. My personal goal is 4.

[alegna]

My dd (now 5.5) was rf until 3.5 when she maxed out her seat.

My ds (nearly 2) will be rf until at least 4.

-Angela

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by VBMama

Okay, for those of you who are encouraging me to put dd back in a RF position, at what age do you plan to turn your children FF? I am the only person I know IRL who has kept a child RF until 22 months, everyone I know turns at 12 months on the dot and I thought I was doing pretty good keeping her as long as I did. Seriously, are you all really keeping your kids RF until 3yo?

Yes DD1 RF'ed until 4 and DD2 just was turned FF this past week, at 3. Three years is my absolute bare minimum.

[mama2soren]

My goal is 4, and with our Radian XT and a peanut-sized boy (24 pounds and 33 inches at 23 months), I am sure we'll make it! Seeing videos on Youtube of toddler dummies in crashes RF vs FF was more than enough to convince me to keep DS RF as long as possible. It makes me sick imagining his little neck and head whipped forward like that...

DS seems perfectly happy RF. He has lots of legroom in the Radian. He barely has to bend his knees to fit. We also have a Boulevard, which has NO room for his legs at all.... he's very scrunched up, but still doesn't seem to mind it for the short trips he takes in that seat. I had him FF in the plane once, and he actually seemed uncomfortable without any place to rest his feet and support his legs!

I can think of only one friend that still has her 2 year old RF. Most of my friends have turned their kids by 18-24 months (which is still much longer than average in this area). It certainly doesn't change my view of extended RF for my son. It does make me a little sad and worried for my friends' sweet babies...

[MJB]

I'd keep the 3.5 yr. old in the Radian or get a Nautilus or Frontier. I'd get the baby a Safety 1st Complete Air.
My oldest son was turned at 14-15 mos. I didn't know better 7 years ago. My middle son RF to the limit of his seat (a Radian65) which was 33 lbs. at the time. My new baby will RF to 4 years or 40/45 lbs., whichever comes first (I'm guessing 4 years).
I was terrified when I had to turn my second FF at 2.5/33 lbs., knew it was too young but at the time (<2 years ago!) there weren't any seats that rearfaced past 35 lbs. Thankfully I have never been in an accident but I am extremely appreciative of all the seats out now that will allow me to keep my new daughter rear-facing until 4 (and save me a lot of worry and anxiety!)

In real life, I only know a few people who rear-face past 2, and most people have their 3 yr. olds in boosters. That won't make me endanger my own kids though, and I just hope they don't wreck.

[VBMama]

So what I'm thinking now is maybe I should try ~2yo dd RF in the Radian to see if there is more legroom for her than in the Marathon or Roundabout. She won't be able to see as much, but big brother is sitting right next to her now and that's good entertainment too. And probably get a Nautilus for FF 3.5yo ds, because the Nautilus does not RF, is that correct? I love the multiple use of that seat if it is really a good seat!

[DahliaRW]

Yes, that's a great choice. The radian has more leg room than the britax seats for sure. And actually isn't as hard to see out of as you'd think.

[mamadelbosque]

DS1 is 3+ and still rfing with plenty of room and we have no plans to change that anytime soon... He's happy that way (I honestly think its because his legs don't dangle - he can cross them, or kick the seat, or whatever, and they aren't just dangling in mid air going to sleep, yk??), and I just see zero reason to change I really don't know when I'll FF him... probably ~4-5 assuming he doesnt max out his seat before then :P

[an_aurora]

The Radians has loads more legroom than the Marathon. Heck, my infant seat (Safe Seat) has more legroom than the Marathon.