Carseat recs for large 3.5 year old?

[KnittingTigers]

Hi all,

My very big 3.5 year old has outgrown the Cosco Scenara we use in our second car. She's also nearing the height limit, forward-facing, on her Britax Marathon. (We turned her a few months ago after realizing that she was several pounds over the rear-facing limit. Oops!) Thoughts on where we should go from here? To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what's "supposed" to happen next. One final thought- we are currently TTCing number two, so I'm open to something that DD can use for a few years, that could then be used for the new baby. And, DD is very tall- close to 40 inches.

Thanks!

[AdinaL]

We move to a Graco Nautilus when our daughter started to get too tall for her Marathon.  I can keep her harnessed for a bit longer, and then it transforms into a high back booster and a backless booster after that.  

[MariesMama]

I would get something like a Graco Argos or an Evenflo Maestro for her.  They are forward-facing only, but your next LO can use the Scenera and Marathon (after infant seat) for RF until they expire. 

How much does she weigh?

[TiredX2]

How tall is she?  I just ask because the stated top heights of the Scenara and the Marathon are a couple inches apart so I'm surprised that she is outgrowing them so close to the same time. 

You can find measurements here:

http://sites.google.com/site/carseatmeasurements/

With a larger child, you'll be looking for both a high harnessed weight (how much does your DD weigh) and high top slots for the harnessed seat.  Do you have any space issues in either car?  Do you want a seat that you can easily fly with or is that not an issue?  Do you want one or two new seats (will you be moving the seat from car to car often)?

You will probably want to get a combination seat that goes from a 5-point harness to a belt-positioning booster.  You have lots of options!  Unless you specifically want to hand it down to your 2nd child (congrats, btw) you don't need to get a convertible car seat (one that goes both forward and rear facing).

[KnittingTigers]

Thanks, everyone. She's about 42 inches and weighs 39 pounds. She's outgrowing the Scenera by weight, though as I look at that chart, also by height. According to that chart, she's got a ways to go in her Britax on the height, but I CANNOT IMAGINE her adding seven inches and still fitting in it properly. I do think it'll fit her for another year, and then hopefully we'll have a baby to put in it.

What do y'all think of one of the Radians as an option? I want something very safe, and preferably with a long shelf life so it can be used for number two. Pros? Cons?

[Maedze]

At 42", she probably outgrew the Scenera a long time ago.  It was outgrown when her shoulders went over the top slots.  Since the top slots are about 2" lower than they are on the Marathon, she doesn't fit anymore.  

The 49" Britax gives as a forward facing max is just a overstated projection, nothing more.  49" children do not fit in that seat.  It is outgrown when the shoulders go over the top slots.  

The Radian would be a good choice :-)  

Originally Posted by AngelaM 

Thanks, everyone. She's about 42 inches and weighs 39 pounds. She's outgrowing the Scenera by weight, though as I look at that chart, also by height. According to that chart, she's got a ways to go in her Britax on the height, but I CANNOT IMAGINE her adding seven inches and still fitting in it properly. I do think it'll fit her for another year, and then hopefully we'll have a baby to put in it.

What do y'all think of one of the Radians as an option? I want something very safe, and preferably with a long shelf life so it can be used for number two. Pros? Cons?

[Thandiwe]

We moved onto the Britax Frontier after the Marathon and have been really happy!  We have 2 of them now, one harnessed for my 4.5 year old and one in belt-positioning booster mode for my older son.

ETA:  It does have a nice long shelf life and is rock solid, but you can't use it rear-facing so it wouldn't work to hand-me-down during the rear-facing stage.  But it's incredible all the same.  As for the Radians, I have known many moms who've been very, very happy with them!