[mackysmama]

I have a tall and skinny 5 year old. He's 38 lbs after a big meal and about 44". In our main car, he is in a Regent. We need a car seat/booster for our 2nd car because he is WAY too tall for the one he is in. But, we are buying the (expensive) boulevard for our daughter and can't afford another expensive Britax. He isn't in this car often - maybe 2x a week. I would like to keep him in a 5-point but I need one that has HIGH harness straps (he's on the 2nd from the bottom in the Regent, so most of his height is in his legs but he's still quite tall.) I'm willing to do a booster if I can't find a car seat option that will accomodate his height.

Suggestions? Thanks mamas!

 

[LynnS6]

We have the Graco Cargo for our tall son. (He's 6, 48 1/2" tall and about 45 lbs)

It was fine as a 5-pt seat, so-so as a belt-positioning booster. For the belt positioning part, the slots for the belt are too narrow and hard to thread, so I don't use them. The good news is that our son, while tall and thin, has most of his height in his torso, and so the belt hits him at the right spot.

I've also heard good things about the Costco Apex. It also goes from 5 pt to belt positioner.

 

[alegna]

Maybe a radian... I think they're a bit less expensive.

-Angela

 

[mackysmama]

how can I find out how high the straps are? Also, I've heard that on some car seats, the top row of straps isn't reinforced and therefore isn't safe? Could I find the Radian locally and have him sit in it to test it?

 

[Novella]

We also have tall kids and got a Safeguard Go:

http://www.safeguardseat.com/go/index.htm

"The SafeGuard Go may be used in harness mode for children that are at least one year of age, weigh 30 - 60 lbs, and are 34 - 52 inches in height. The SafeGuard Go may be used in booster mode for children that are at least three years in age, weigh 40 - 100 lbs, and are 43 - 57 inches in height."

It's $180 at Elite Car Seats (great customer service). That price includes free shipping. It's not cheap, but it is a fair bit less than the Britax seats and the portablity of it is certainly a nice feature.

One note: this seat MUST be used with a rear tether, since it doesn't have a rigid shell the way other car seats do.

 

[mackysmama]

This one looks good. The height thing is so confusing because it lists the harness height as 17", less than the boulevard I'll be buying for my dd. The Regent is listed as 20, the highest of all, and the radian at 18". I like the price and size of the Safeguard a lot better than the others. I'll mesure my son's torso tomorrow to see how much growing room he'll have in the Safeguard.

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManitobaMom We also have tall kids and got a Safeguard Go: http://www.safeguardseat.com/go/index.htm "The SafeGuard Go may be used in harness mode for children that are at least one year of age, weigh 30 - 60 lbs, and are 34 - 52 inches in height. The SafeGuard Go may be used in booster mode for children that are at least three years in age, weigh 40 - 100 lbs, and are 43 - 57 inches in height." It's $180 at Elite Car Seats (great customer service). That price includes free shipping. It's not cheap, but it is a fair bit less than the Britax seats and the portablity of it is certainly a nice feature. One note: this seat MUST be used with a rear tether, since it doesn't have a rigid shell the way other car seats do.

 

[L&IsMama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnS6 I've also heard good things about the Costco Apex. It also goes from 5 pt to belt positioner.

If her ds is already in the 2nd from the bottom slots on a Regent, I don't believe the Apex would hold him in the 5 pt harness mode. It has pretty short shoulder slots, especially compared to the Regent.

 

[s_kristina]

This site has some info on measurements for car seats http://www.carseatdata.org/measureme...tun=home#combo It really helped me out when I was getting concerned about my dd outgrowing her turbo booster. Thanks to them at the helpful ladies here, at http://www.car-seat.org/ and that site I discovered that the Parkway booster is a good 3" taller. That's a very good thing for a 48" 5 year with a very long torso.

 

[mackysmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by L&IsMama If her ds is already in the 2nd from the bottom slots on a Regent, I don't believe the Apex would hold him in the 5 pt harness mode. It has pretty short shoulder slots, especially compared to the Regent.

From what I can tell, the cosco apex highest slot is 17.5 inches, a little higher even than the Safeguard. And the price is lower. Has anyone used this? What do you think?

 

[christiab]

I have a Regent and an Apex. DS is 41 lbs and 42" and in the 2nd from the top in his Regent and the 2nd from the top in his Apex. Worst case w/ the Apex, you end up using it as a booster soon.

 

[mackysmama]

How high do the headrests need to be in a car to accomodate the apex? We have what I would call "mock headrests", they are more humps than true adjustable headrests. They measure 28" from top to bottom of seat. Is that high enough for the apex?

WOW, this is just way too complicated. There are SO few seats that can accomodate him but he is only 38 lbs. so shouldn't be in a booster yet. There seems to be a real void for tall skinnny kids.

 

[mackysmama]

oh, and what's the difference between the COSCO Apex 65 and the Safety 1st Apex 65?

 

[christiab]

They are the same seat, made by the same company. The cover will be the only difference.

 

[thepeach80]

Our Apex has 19" slots. YOu have to have headrests fo get the full use out of this seat though. IF he's in the 2nd slot, his torso is probably 15" or less so that gives you more options, but at 38# you'll still need a higher weight harness. The Apex would definitely be your least expensive. I have pics of my ds, 40# and 40" in both his Apex and his Radian.

 

[mackysmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thepeach80 Our Apex has 19" slots. YOu have to have headrests fo get the full use out of this seat though. IF he's in the 2nd slot, his torso is probably 15" or less so that gives you more options, but at 38# you'll still need a higher weight harness. The Apex would definitely be your least expensive. I have pics of my ds, 40# and 40" in both his Apex and his Radian.

Can you send me a pic of your ds in his Apex? How do you have an Apex that has 19" slots? Is there a way to order that one? I keep seeing 17.5 as the max. I think I'm going to get this one either way. It has the highest slots of any that conver to a booster. This is for a 2nd car so won't be used often and if he outgrows the harness straps, we can use it as a booster. And, I like what I'm getting for the price.

 

[Kleine Hexe]

Good thread for me. I need a seat for DS for DH's truck.

 

[L&IsMama]

I would test them out at babies r us. I tried my ds who is 4 in an apex, and he only had the last slot to grow into, the slot under the headrest. His shoulders were at the 3rd slots I believe, actually a smidgen over. In a regent, though, he is at the very bottom slot still, maybe a hair over depending if he is sitting up straight or slouching a bit.