Are there any harnessed seats out there narrower than the Radian?

[loraxc]

My DS is 3 and very tall. I noticed yesterday that he is getting close to outgrowing his FF Roundabout by height. We own a Radian, but we need to be able to fit 2 boosters (for carpooling) and his seat across a Nissan Sentra, and it just doesn't fit with the Radian in the middle. We have tried and tried. (It works with the RA because of the elevated seat.) We cannot put a booster in the middle because the middle seat only has a lap belt.

Is there anything narrower? Do I need to buy one of the larger Britaxes, maybe? (But will that get me to 4-5 harnessed? I'm not sure of his exact height, but I know he is 95th%+, with a long long torso. He weighs about 34 lbs.) My boosters are a Graco (not sure of the model...dumb manual doesn't say, but I think it's a TurboBooster) and an Evenflo (manual says Evenflo Big Kid)...maybe narrower boosters would do it?? Both have the backs on, but the backs aren't the problem--it's the width at the base. I'm worried we may have to buy a new car.

ETA: could I put my 7yo back in the Radian, maybe?? And...a new seat for DS in the middle? She is something like 4 ft 2, 53 lbs. She would kinda hate that, but oh, well. We would still have a booster available for convenience.
Edited by loraxc - 3/23/11 at 6:58am

[TheGirls]

Would it help if you put the harnessed child in a different position? Maybe put the boosters next to each other so that they buckle in between the boosters? 

THere's nothing narrower than a Radian, but there may be other seats with bases that elevate them enough to make it work. 

The bigger Britaxes don't always get kids to a good booster age, but if your DS made it past 3 in a Roundabout, he might have a shot.

[loraxc]

I can't put a booster in the middle because the middle only has a lap belt.

DS is only just 3--turned 3 last month.

[leighi123]

Is it that the boosters don't physically fit on the seat width wise, or that you/the kids cant buckle them because of the tight fit?  

[loraxc]

They physically do not fit with the Radian. With the RA, it's very tight and the big kids can't buckle themselves, but we make it work.

[DahliaRW]

Is there an upper tether there?  If so, you could use the ride safer travel vest with tether.  It's kind of a pain for every day use, but your booster riders could buckle themselves and such.

[loraxc]

No tether, alas.

[kalamos23]

I don't know about narrower, but the Complete Air, Myride or the True Fit might work for you - I think they both sit up higher than the Radian and both he would have inches to grow into. The only downside is that they are convertible seats so you would only be using half the function of the seat, but they probably would work for you. Normally, I'd recommend the Graco Nautilus or the Frontier but I don't think they will fit well if you can barely get a roundabout in there. Oh, you *could* try the Maestro as well - might buy you some time. 

[loraxc]

Thanks! Yes, if they sit up higher that could do it. But any suggestions on how to try them out without buying? Do places like Target/BRU ever let you try a floor model out in the parking lot or anything?

Of course, I guess this doesn't solve the eventual problem of being able to fit 3 boosters across. Can people usually do that in a subcompact? How??

[Peony]

Originally Posted by loraxc 

Thanks! Yes, if they sit up higher that could do it. But any suggestions on how to try them out without buying? Do places like Target/BRU ever let you try a floor model out in the parking lot or anything?

Of course, I guess this doesn't solve the eventual problem of being able to fit 3 boosters across. Can people usually do that in a subcompact? How??

BRU does, you usually have to leave a driver's license with them and sometimes a sales person has to come with you. 3 boosters across can be tricky, I know some people that have to leave the boosters buckled always and have the kids slide in under the seatbelt every single time. It also can take puzzling different boosters together because of the armrests, something like 3 turbo boosters may not work. If you do 2 and one seat then sometimes you can put child in, slide booster over, buckle, and then slide booster back into place. But either way it is a royal pain. 

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by loraxc 

Thanks! Yes, if they sit up higher that could do it. But any suggestions on how to try them out without buying? Do places like Target/BRU ever let you try a floor model out in the parking lot or anything?

Of course, I guess this doesn't solve the eventual problem of being able to fit 3 boosters across. Can people usually do that in a subcompact? How??

Well, you cannot use 3 boosters in your car, ever, if the middle spot is a lap only belt.  The only safe way to use that spot is a harnessed seat.  So you will have to get a different car at some point.