Skinny, tall car seats with high RF limit?

[noahs.mom06]

In a few months we'll need to fit 3 seats across in both of our vehicles. We're selling DS's Apex 65 because there's no way it'll fit. Technically, he could still rear-face, since he's only about 33/34 lbs, but he's also 41 inches tall, so finding a seat he could RF in is next to impossible. And I'm sure he'll be 35 lbs by the time the baby is born in July.

So ideally, we would have one seat FF, and two seats RF. They need to fit in the back of a Ford Escort... We have fit 3 seats across before, using a Scenera and two ComfortSports, but I'm concerned DS will outgrow his Scenera FF soon. What other options do we have? Any advice?

[mama2soren]

2 Radians for RF and a Maestro (inexpensive at $80, narrow) for FF!

Radians are the narrowest on the market, RF to 45 pounds, have very tall shells, but can be a bit tricky to install in some vehicles... what car do you have?  They fit most average size newborns from birth.  BUT, in a Ford Escort, they might not fit well at the 45* angle needed by newborns and young babies because of their long shells.  You'd have to see if you could get a good install in the center seat, with the Radian coming in between the two front seats.

The Maestro does convert to a decent booster, but it is outgrown in booster mode right about the same time it's outgrown in harness mode.  You'll need to eventually get a dedicated HBB.  It's a great FF seat for the price.  Comfy, easy to install, narrow, and nice a nice tall harness/shell.

If you cannot get a good install RF with the Radians, look into the Complete Air.  They're a bit wider, but easier to install more upright for older babies who have good head control (young babies need the full 45* angle).  They have equally tall, if not taller shells, and RF to 40 pounds.  However, they do NOT fit newborns.  You'd need an infant seat for the newbie.  Check out the Baby Trend and Chicco seats.  They are quite narrow.  

The Coccoro might be a good choice for your newborn.  It is quite narrow and has a short shell, making it easy to fit at a 45* angle in a small car.  It will be outgrown RF much sooner, of course (around 2 years).  But, in 2 years you could put your oldest in a booster, move your 2nd into the Maestro, and pass down the Radian or Complete Air to keep RF your then 2 year old!

So:

Radian/CA-Radian-Maestro

Radian/CA--Maestro-Coccoro

Radian/CA-Maestro-Infant Seat (then another Complete Air)

Just wondering.....At 41 inches, it's quite possible your son already outgrown the Scenera.  Are the straps still coming from above his shoulders?  Are the tops of his ears below top of the shell?

[mama2soren]

Wait, just saw the part about the Scenera.  That seat would fit your newborn well too!  Sub it out for the Coccoro I mentioned, maybe?  

[noahs.mom06]

Is the ComfortSport not a good seat? We have two of them, it's what my 2 year old currently rides in RF...

[an_aurora]

Check that your 2yo has an inch of hard shell above her head.  The ComfortSport has a very short shell which means it's outgrown by height earlier than most other seats.  

[noahs.mom06]

Ugh. It's all so complicated! That short shell on the ComfortSport is the only reason we can fit a RF car seat in our little car! Does her head need to be an inch below the shell against the shell, or parallel to the ground?

[Llyra]

Remember, with the longer shell seats, that a rear-facing seat doesn't have to be at the 45 angle, once baby is no longer an infant. You can install it more upright, which means it takes up less room front-to-back.

[an_aurora]

It's an inch perpendicular to the back of the seat, measured like this :) 

And don't worry--at a more upright angle, you will be able to fit a bigger seat!