Carseat recommendation?

[StephandOwen]

I'm looking for a carseat for an almost 4 year old, probably 40ish inches and maybe 35-40 pounds. I'd like a 5-pt that can turn into a booster. I also need something that's not too pricey (no britax this time around). The smaller (width wise) the better (I'll need to get my Marathon, a snugride, and whatever this one is in my backseat : ).

[wifeandmom]

It's hard to say what would work best with your weight estimate of 35-40 pounds if you're in the US. 5pt harnesses on anything other than Britax (and maybe one other new brand?) are only going to go to 40 pounds, so if DC is already very close to that, I see little point in buying a harness/booster combo seat if the child is already right at 40 pounds, kwim?

If DC is more like 35 pounds, you could theoretically get some use out of the 5pt harness depending on how quickly they gain weight.

For boosters only, we're going to use the Britax Parkway. At $99 with free shipping all over the place online, it's cheaper than many of the combo 5pt harness/booster seats you'll come across.

How soon do you have to make the switch? That also would factor into my decision.

If you're in Canada, I believe the seats are rated up to 48 pounds for the harness, so that obviously changes things and I'd definitely go with a harness/booster combo.

[Drummer's Wife]

I have the Apex 65 for my 44 lb 5 yr old. It will keep her harnessed until 65 pounds and then can be used as a belt-positioning booster until 100 lbs. I really like it, not as nice as the Britax Regents but it only costs $130 at babiesrus and is a lot lighter and pretty narrow.

I was able to fit it in a small Mazda protege along with a peg perego infant seat and a Graco Cargo Booster and then later on we replaced the infant seat with a Britax marathon and the Apex seat still fit.

[pacifica]

We just bought 2 Sunshine Kids carseats for our twin boys who are almost 40 lbs. They have a 5-point harness that goes to 65 lbs. It's a more narrow seat, so we have more room in the car now. It also has a look of a booster, no high sides (nice for older children).

It weighs 23 lbs (heavy) and I was disappointed with the padding. It's not a cushy as reviews lead on. But I do like the seat. It also folds for storage/travel. $179.00-199.00. I also looked into the Apex 65, but was scared away from reviews saying the buckle strap on bottom was too short. Good luck, you don't have many choices for the 5-point harness.

[Joannarachel]

Cosco Apex? It's a five point restraint to 65 lbs, then a BPB. It retails for about 120. Only works if you have head rests in the back seat, though.

[Cinder]

Originally Posted by StephandOwen

I'm looking for a carseat for an almost 4 year old, probably 40ish inches and maybe 35-40 pounds. I'd like a 5-pt that can turn into a booster. I also need something that's not too pricey (no britax this time around). The smaller (width wise) the better (I'll need to get my Marathon, a snugride, and whatever this one is in my backseat : ).

For cheap I'd go with a tubo booster...you can even get them in fun girly prints from every major store. She is really close to outgrowing the 5pt system unless you go with a britax...I know the husky was 5pt to like 80lbs, but I don't even know if they make that anymore.

[Mrs489]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

I have the Apex 65 for my 44 lb 5 yr old. It will keep her harnessed until 65 pounds and then can be used as a belt-positioning booster until 100 lbs. I really like it, not as nice as the Britax Regents but it only costs $130 at babiesrus and is a lot lighter and pretty narrow.

I was able to fit it in a small Mazda protege along with a peg perego infant seat and a Graco Cargo Booster and then later on we replaced the infant seat with a Britax marathon and the Apex seat still fit.

I also tried the Apex 65 for my DD and it was TOO BIG to fit in my Ford Explorer along with a r/f roundabout and a f/f cosco high-back booster. I put it in the seat and couldn't even close the door with the three seats in a row. The seat fit DD fine (she's about 42 lbs, 42 inches at 5years 10 mos.) and I liked everything about it excelt that it wouldn't fit in the car.

In our situation, we went with the turbobooster, which I really like. DD sits comfortably in it, and she loves the cupholders. When we were transitioning to the booster from a 5-pt harness, we engaged the automatic locking retractor on the seatbelt so she wouldn't have any wiggle room, but she knows how to sit properly now, so she buckles and unbuckles herself.

ETA, I've tried several seats that say they can be used as a 5-pt harness and transition to a booster seat, but have not found a combo one that works WELL as a booster seat. Often, they have very narrow belt paths at the shoulders, so the seatbelt can get caught in them, and the shell of the seat can hold the vehicle belt too far away from the child.

[StephandOwen]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to look all those up. I went to see her today and she's 35 pounds and 39 inches. I really want her in a 5pt, I don't trust her in a booster yet (she's not quite 4- she turns 4 at the end of July so she would be a very young 4 when she starts riding with me). It might take her a while to gain the 5 pounds, she's not a big eater, so I might even be able to squeeze another year or so out of a harnessed one to 40 pounds. I really wish I could get another marathon (I love ds's!) but can't shell out the money for that.

I need the carseat by September.

The other idea I had was to buy one of the less expensive ones that harness to 40 pounds then turn into a booster. She can use that until she hits 40 pounds, then when she rides with me I could put her in DS's marathon and put DS in whatever I got for my sister, since he's smaller (29 pounds, 35.5 inches). That would keep her harnessed longer, which I would like.

Too many decisions :

And slightly OT..... I went to a carseat check today and ds's carseat was perfect! Perfectly installed, perfectly used. Woo-hoo! I was shocked when the lady told me that I was only the *3rd* person to come in with a carseat installed correctly They had already been open for 3 1/2 hours, and doing steady business (her guess was they'd already seen over 150 cars). There was a huge pile of carseats that they took to destroy, and of course replaced them all, which is good!

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by Joannarachel

Only works if you have head rests in the back seat, though.

Really? Why is that? I've got a bench seat that it's going to be used on with no headrests (older car).

[lasciate]

The Apex is outgrown when the midpoint of the child's head is above the seat back (as specified in the manual) - so if there aren't headrests in your backseat, you won't be able to use it for long (if at all, your daughter may already be too tall).

[thepeach80]

Originally Posted by StephandOwen

Really? Why is that? I've got a bench seat that it's going to be used on with no headrests (older car).

The back of the seat, the headrest part is not strong enough to w/stand crash forces, it will break. Coscos fix for this was to only use it w/ a high back seat or a headrest or just not use the carseat at all once the child's ears got above the seatback. The Cosco Cubb booster is the same way.

At 35# and 4, you have some time w/ some normal 40# seats IMO. A good one I think would be soemthing like the Evenflo Generations.

[Throkmorton]

If you want another Britax-like 65-lb limit seat, who not look at the new Fisher Price made by Britax? It's a stripped down Marathon with a 55 lb limit