Carseats for older kids

[justhat]

My daughter just turned 5yo and is 39 lbs and 45 inches. At home we use Britax seats, but for travel we have Cosco seats simply because they are much lighter and therefore easy to carry around. I think the name of her current seat is the Gotham (though I could be wrong...) and I noticed on our trip last month that it said it goes up to 40 lbs. I believe this is with the harness and that I can still use it as a BPB, but I do need to check on that.

Anyway, my question is, are there any lightweight carseats with an internal harness that are for kids over 40 lbs? If not, I guess I'll just go with the BPB for travel (or use the Cosco seat as a BPB if that is okay), but I would prefer her to be in a harness if at all possible. We don't typically drive a whole lot on vacations, but still, I feel much better with her in the harness.

 

[LisaNJ25]

My 2 use the Graco Nautilus which goes to 65 pounds in the 5pt

 

[tanyaandallie]

There are a few options that are lightweight but they are not really traditional carseats. One option is the Safeguard Go. It's very lightweight and portable. However, my guess is that your dd is close to outgrowing the Go by height. The other option is the Ride Safer Travel Vest. Very easy to travel with. Not all that cheap, though.

I would check your dd's fit in the Cosco seat you have. Even though she is not over the max weight limit yet, my guess is she outgrew the seat by height long ago. If her shoulders are over the top harness slots, then she is too tall for the harness and must use the seat in booster mode.

At her age and weight, I would either get the RSTV, use the seat you have in booster mode (assuming it's a combo seat) or buy a dedicated high back booster for travel. At 5+ and a smidge away from 40 lbs, a booster is a good option, esp. just for occassional use.

FWIW, I would also check her height in the seat you use at home. If it's a Marathon, Boulevard or Decathalon it's very possible she has outgrown it by height as well. My dd is 44 inches and outgrew her MA a few months ago by height. A forward facing seat is outgrown when any of the following occur -

1. Tips of the ears hit the top of the seat
2. Shoulders go over the top harness slots
3. Max weight limit is reached.


ETA - The Graco Nautilus that the pp mentions is a great seat BUT I would not consider it lightweight at all!

 

[justhat]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll be checking into them. We're not going anywhere again until June, but I'd rather look around now rather than be pressed to buy a seat while packing for a trip.

Tanyaandallie - Thanks for pointing that out as I know many people are unaware of that and it's always a good reminder. Particularly with travel seats, as I never check that one at home, but did take note of her height in the seat on our trip last month.

She's fine height-wise in both the Cosco seat and the Britax Marathon she's in at home. In the Cosco seat she's got about 1/2" to go to be level with the top harness slots (and her ears are well below the top of the seat) and in the Marathon she's got over 1" before she's level with the top slots and again her ears are well below the top of that seat too. I am looking into a new permanent seat for her to use at home too, but I've got more time for that search.

The current seat is a combo, but I do need to check on the weight/height requirements for use in BPB mode. My son is about to outgrow his Scenera in height (which is interesting to me as he's only 50th percentile in height and I think the seat should last past 2.5yo, but anwyay) so I think I'll just use my daughter's seat for him when we travel and get her something new.

 

[SGTex]

Honestly at just barely 40 lbs I'd be hesitant to just use a BPB. I would suggest getting a higher weight harnessed seat to use regularly (and then have the MA available to pass down to your DS).

Your best bet for high weight seats aren't going to be lightweight though. Britax offers both a Frontier - which harnesses until 80lbs and then becomes a belt positioning booster until 100 lbs and 60". Or the Regent - which is bigger and harnesses until 80 lbs and a little bit taller than the Frontier - I believe it's around 52-53" tall while the Frontier is closer to 50"? I could be a little off on those exact heights and of course they do vary per child. The downside to the Regent is that it doesn't turn into a BPB.

The Graco Nautilus is a great option too - it's less expensive than the Britax seats and very comparable. There is the Sunshine Kids Radian and a few others, if you'd like more info on them, just let me know - I'm a bit car seat obssessed!

 

[MNdisneymom]

The Graco Nautilus is wonderful, I've had it since my son turned 5, so about a year. The buckles are easy enough for him to strap himself in, so that is a bonus.

He is tiny for his age (right around 40 lbs. and 44 inches tall), so I just feel he is safer in this seat. Since it harnesses to 65 lbs, he could be in it for a long time....He hasn't complained about being in a carseat yet, but I know he is one of the only kids in his class that isn't in a booster.

 

[justhat]

I too am carseat obsessed, SGTex! Everyone thinks I'm weird. Both kids were rearfacing till they were over 2yo, our seats are installed tighter than the techs could even get them in, etc. So at home, no way are we going to a BPB. I've been looking at the Frontier for our cars at home, but also checking into some others.

But when we fly, it's just kinda hard to carry the 2 carseats on my back now (both very lightweight Cosco seats), so I can't imagine adding something like a Britax to the mix. Not to mention I doubt my son's travel seat would fit in the same bag with a Britax.

Also, since my daughter is no longer sitting in her seat on the plane, we have to check it. Though we do gate check it, I still am not comfortable with checking a Britax as I would not be happy to replace one of those if it gets damaged. My Cosco seats were $30/$40 or so. If one is damaged, I can replace that without feeling ill over it.


Question about that RSTV: That's safe? It looks a little sketchy to me, but the world outside the harness seats is unknown to me, so what do I know. If I can't get a lightweight harnessed seat and have to get a BPB, would an actual seat be safer than the RSTV? I know Britax discontinued their dedicated boosters, but don't know much about other dedicated boosters to know if they have SIP or not.

I saw the Nautilus is 26 lbs, which does seem pretty heavy to lug on my back along with my son's seat so I'm not sold on that one yet.

Off to look into it all some more.

Oh, and MNDisneyMom, my daughter is 1 out of only 2 5yos in her class still in a harnessed carseat. Now, there are only 8 5yos in the class, but there are also 3 and 4yos and many of them are in BPBs already. In fact, one little girl has been in a BPB at least since I met her in 9/07 and she didn't turn 3yo till 1/08 and she was not a large child!!

 

[MyZoeJane]

LOVE our Nautilus seats! Using a booster with a shoulder belt with a child under 70 pounds is not acceptable for my child!

If you're unsure what the difference is, here's a youtube video that shows the range of movement ina shoulder belt versus a 5-point harness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

 

[tanyaandallie]

The RSTV is safe. It test much more like a harnessed seat than a booster seat. You do lose some of the the sip protection that you get from a seat with an actualy shell but it is very safe. So easy to travel with as well. I believe they might even have crash test videos on their site? I can't remember. One of our fellow dis members actually has the RSTV for her ds. Hopefully she will hop on here and give you her opinion.

You are correct, Britax is currently not making a belt positioning booster. However, rumor has it the Parkway is going to be back on the market soon with some modifications. The parkway is a great fit for smaller kids so if you want to go the booster route, you might want to hold out and see if it's out before your trip.

A booster seat is an acceptable and safe option for a 40 lbs 5 year old that can sit properly in it. However, if the seat is specifically for travel purposes, I'd look at the RSTV! Can't get easier to travel with it than that. But, if you need an alternate seat that you can actually use at home, a booster might be more practical.

 

[jessica52877]

We got the Graco Nautilus specifically for travel.

I take an umbrella stroller to the airport specifically to put the carseat on. I can get 2 to balance, one goes in like a child sitting but tilted and the other flipped upside down on top. I hold onto both with the latch strap wrapped around the stroller handle!

 

[tanyaandallie]

LOVE our Nautilus seats! Using a booster with a shoulder belt with a child under 70 pounds is not acceptable for my child!

If you're unsure what the difference is, here's a youtube video that shows the range of movement ina shoulder belt versus a 5-point harness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kO8AxKbrM

The Nautilus only has a 65 lb weight limit so if that is the seat you have, your child will have to go to a booster before 70 lbs. In addition, please keep in mind that most kids outgrow their seats by height well before they hit the weight limit. My dd is 5.5, 44 lbs and sits in a Frontier. She is 36 lbs away from the weight limit but there is no possible way she will make it to 80 lbs in the sat. Nor would she make it to 65 lbs in the Nautilus. If I had to guess, I'd say my dd will outgrow both of these seats by height by the time she is 55 lbs, probably sooner. Kids DO NOT need to be 70 lbs to go to be safe in a booster seat. If that is your personal goal, wonderful, but just keep in mind that most kids will not make it to 70 lbs in the seats on the market today.

While most car seat advocates would love to keep kids harnessed past the minimums, a booster seat is a safe and appropriate option for kids who are at the right age and weight.

 

[MyZoeJane]

The Nautilus only has a 65 lb weight limit so if that is the seat you have, your child will have to go to a booster before 70 lbs. In addition, please keep in mind that most kids outgrow their seats by height well before they hit the weight limit. My dd is 5.5, 44 lbs and sits in a Frontier. She is 36 lbs away from the weight limit but there is no possible way she will make it to 80 lbs in the sat. Nor would she make it to 65 lbs in the Nautilus. If I had to guess, I'd say my dd will outgrow both of these seats by height by the time she is 55 lbs, probably sooner. Kids DO NOT need to be 70 lbs to go to be safe in a booster seat. If that is your personal goal, wonderful, but just keep in mind that most kids will not make it to 70 lbs in the seats on the market today.

While most car seat advocates would love to keep kids harnessed past the minimums, a booster seat is a safe and appropriate option for kids who are at the right age and weight.

You're so right, I'm sorry I wasn't clearer. I actually meant to put 80 pounds... for my child anyway.... She turned 5 in December and is 43 inches and 40 pounds. She has plenty of room to grow in her Nautilus, but I do not expect the Nautilus to be our last seat. I buy a new seat every 2 years or so. It gives me peace of mind to know the seat has not degenerated in any way and I have a current market seat with current safety testing. (I know a bit about plastics and I don't buy the "5 years" they say a seat will last before the plastics are compromised. I live in a climate with extreme heat/cold shifts.)

When my DD outgrows the Nautilus, she will move into a Radian, which is an EXCELLENT option for those who put safety at the top of their list when traveling. It folds up beautifully, and though we do not have one yet, we have used the one that belongs to my cousin's child who is currently 8 years old. I figure we've got at least a few more years in a 5-pt, and although I see what you mean about the child's height opting them out of the seat before they reach the weight, I doubt that is the case with the average child. Maybe many don't make it to 80 pounds, but I'll bet most will make it to 65.


Here's a peek at the Radian for those who are interested:

http://www.skjp.com/products/Radian/80/

 

[justhat]

Jessica - I like your carseat carrying strategy and have done that twice when I took our double stroller and made my daughter walk, but I hate using that double stroller! Without it, no way can I manuever through an airport alone without my son restrained somewere. He does not listen well and will run off in his own direction if he sees something appealing so I try to keep him contained when travelling alone with them. I'm usually with my husband, but probably once or twice a year a fly alone with them and that is a whole different ballgame cause then I'm stuck will all their gear and the crazy 2yo! Knowing you use the Nautilus though makes me think it's do-able.


I think the height and weight of kids is so variable, but I would have to agree that many kids outgrow their seats by height or weight while the other variable is still okay to use the seat. Does that make sense?

My daughter would never get anywhere near the 65 lbs. max of her Marathon, my guess is about 45 lbs before she's outgrown it. At a max. Right now she's barely 40 lbs., but is 45 inches, so she doesn't have much more than an inch to go for the top slots. And this kid is mostly leg. My son is much more torso than her, so while he's shorter proportionally (50th percentile compared to her at 90th), he's had to move up slots faster than her cause his shoulder height is higher. Right now, at 2.5yo, he's at the 3rd slot on the Decathalon and she's on the 4th of her Marathon. She didn't hit the 3rd slot till about 4yo.


I'm going to check out the Radian now and read more about the RTSV. Then maybe go to the store and physically pick up a Nautilus to see how heavy it would be. And if Britax is going to sell the Parkway again, that would be a good option too. And yes, it would be just for travel, and perhaps occasional playdates/field trips cause we usually use the travel seat for that to avoid installing/uninstalling the regular seat.

 

[tanyaandallie]

You're so right, I'm sorry I wasn't clearer. I actually meant to put 80 pounds... for my child anyway.... She turned 5 in December and is 43 inches and 40 pounds. She has plenty of room to grow in her Nautilus, but I do not expect the Nautilus to be our last seat. I buy a new seat every 2 years or so. It gives me peace of mind to know the seat has not degenerated in any way and I have a current market seat with current safety testing. (I know a bit about plastics and I don't buy the "5 years" they say a seat will last before the plastics are compromised. I live in a climate with extreme heat/cold shifts.)

When my DD outgrows the Nautilus, she will move into a Radian, which is an EXCELLENT option for those who put safety at the top of their list when traveling. It folds up beautifully, and though we do not have one yet, we have used the one that belongs to my cousin's child who is currently 8 years old. I figure we've got at least a few more years in a 5-pt, and although I see what you mean about the child's height opting them out of the seat before they reach the weight, I doubt that is the case with the average child. Maybe many don't make it to 80 pounds, but I'll bet most will make it to 65.


Here's a peek at the Radian for those who are interested:

http://www.skjp.com/products/Radian/80/

Ali, not trying to get in a carseat debate with you, but just want to point out again that most kids are going to outgrow a seat by height before weight. A forward facing seat is outgrown when ANY of the following occur:

1. The max weight limit is reached
2. Shoulders go over the top harness slots
3. Tips of the ears are even with the top of the seat

The very large majority of kids outgrow their seats when their shoulders go over the top harness slots. This is why the height of the tallest harness setting is as important, usually more important, than the weight limit of the seat.

What all of that means is the generally the Radian is not the next step after the Nautilus or the Frontier. The top harness slots of the Radian are about the same as the Nautilus and the Frontier. So, unless your child actually hits the weight limit of the Nautilus before the height limit, the RAdian 80 would not do you much good. Sunshine Kids does allow the Radian to be used once the shoulders go over the top harness setting but not everyone is comfortable with that. It could give you a bit more time but not much if any. In addition, SK makes both a Radian 65, Radian 80 and the new Radian XT. Unless you have a very heavy kid, the 65 lb weight limit is what works for the large majority of kids. Only a very small number of children actually make it to 80 lbs in the Radian.

If you want a seat that will last the longest, you should get a Regent. The Regent has 21 inch top harness slots. It is the tallest seat on the market and it has been discontinued by Britax. Once it is gone, there will not be a seat, other than special needs seats, that harness longer than the Froniter/Nautilus/Radian.

 

[SGTex]

Yes - I have a Nautilus, Regent and Frontier (and expecting my Radian to be delievered by Fedex this afternoon) - did I mention I was obssessed? The Regent has the highest harness slots of those 3 I currently have. My 53" son has room to grow in the Regent, does not fit in the Nautilus Harness and fits, but has little to no room to grow in the Frontier. So really when a child outgrows those seats by height the only option other than going into a special needs seat is a Belt Positioning booster.

I do believe that Britax is coming out with a new dedicated booster seat to replace the Parkway/Monteray boosters, but I'm not sure what it is and when it will be out.

OP I think doing the RTSV or a Nautilus if you feel more comfortable with a true car seat - I have no experience with the RTSV, so I can't give any opinions on it. The Nautilus is heavy, but would be a WAY better option to gate check than a Britax seat. I haven't encountered having to fly with my britax seats and we're road tripping to FL this year, so I won't have to worry about it this year either!

 

[bumbershoot]

We love the Nautilus, but it's heavy. But that's not a huge deal...we don't carry it by the straps, and we're happy to snag a cart at the airport to tote it around. Then it gets gate checked (b/c DS is very good in the lap belt on the plane).

We could have bought the Regent, but decided on the Nautilus b/c I'm SURE that by the time he outgrows it by height or weight, there will be something else even more fabulous to put him in. We didn't buy it as the "last seat" or anything, just as a seat after outgrowing his Roundabout and Scenera, to last for a couple/few years.

 

[MyZoeJane]

Ali, not trying to get in a carseat debate with you, but just want to point out again that most kids are going to outgrow a seat by height before weight. A forward facing seat is outgrown when ANY of the following occur:

1. The max weight limit is reached
2. Shoulders go over the top harness slots
3. Tips of the ears are even with the top of the seat

The very large majority of kids outgrow their seats when their shoulders go over the top harness slots. This is why the height of the tallest harness setting is as important, usually more important, than the weight limit of the seat.

What all of that means is the generally the Radian is not the next step after the Nautilus or the Frontier. The top harness slots of the Radian are about the same as the Nautilus and the Frontier. So, unless your child actually hits the weight limit of the Nautilus before the height limit, the RAdian 80 would not do you much good. Sunshine Kids does allow the Radian to be used once the shoulders go over the top harness setting but not everyone is comfortable with that. It could give you a bit more time but not much if any. In addition, SK makes both a Radian 65, Radian 80 and the new Radian XT. Unless you have a very heavy kid, the 65 lb weight limit is what works for the large majority of kids. Only a very small number of children actually make it to 80 lbs in the Radian.

If you want a seat that will last the longest, you should get a Regent. The Regent has 21 inch top harness slots. It is the tallest seat on the market and it has been discontinued by Britax. Once it is gone, there will not be a seat, other than special needs seats, that harness longer than the Froniter/Nautilus/Radian.

I guess my daughter is all legs then, because at 5 years old she is 44 inches (just measured her) and hovers between 39.5-40.5 pounds depending on how full she is. LOL

But she is not in the top slot on her Nautilus yet, though the one it's set at is just AT her shoulders.... But IIRC, the Radian we used when visiting my cousin, there were TWO slots above her shoulders? I wont deny I could be wrong, but it was a mental note I recall making.

Either way, I only intended to stress the need to keep a child in a 5-point as long as possible and that means buying a bigger, better seat, not just switching a child to a cheaper booster because they surpassed the crappy 40 pound limit that most 5 pt seats have, KWIM?

I certainly hope there is a better option on the market in the next year or so when she reaches the top slot on her Nautilus. I already have a family friend whose son was killed in a relatively minor accident because his booster failed to keep his little 4 year old body correctly positioned. Most children do not have the mental restraint to keep their backs pressed against their seats and not leaning from side to side. For this reason, I stil vry much doubt the safety of a belt positioner even if the child is tall enough for it.

 

[all4fun]

I have the RSTV, used it on our last trip, and up until recently was letting MIL use it when ds was with her. She has switched to a booster though due the arthritis in her hands making it difficult for her to unbuckle ds from the vest (ds hands are also too weak to unbuckle himself from the vest, although he can easily undo the vehicle seat belt).

Here's the scoop on the RSTV from my pov:

• Not quite as easy to use as a traditional 5pt, but restrains children better than a booster seat w/adult seat belt.
• Very easy to travel with. The whole thing weighs maybe 2lbs and is easily stuffed into a carry on bag.
• Requires the use of a top tether for children under 6yrs old or when using with a lap only belt.
• Never expires, so if you have a younger child, you could "pass it down" when outgrown. I plan on reselling ours on ebay probably, when ds outgrows it.
• I also found the crotch strap to be a little difficult to use but I contacted Safe Traffic System and was advised that the strap is optional, it's just to help train the child to sit up straight.
• You can leave it partially attached to the seat belt and tether anchor in the car, and the child can still put it on and take it off without totally detaching it from the vehicle seat. You just have to rethread the seatbelt through the metal guide before buckling up.
• The small vest is rated from 35#.

Check out the crash test videos on www.safetrafficsystem.com. DS is my only, and he is my "miracle baby"... I take his safety in cars very seriously. So take that FWIW.

I wouldn't use the RSTV for every day use, or for a child that would be tempted to unbuckle themselves from the car when it was in motion. It is awesome for travel though.
hth

 

[MyZoeJane]

I have the RSTV, used it on our last trip, and up until recently was letting MIL use it when ds was with her. She has switched to a booster though due the arthritis in her hands making it difficult for her to unbuckle ds from the vest (ds hands are also too weak to unbuckle himself from the vest, although he can easily undo the vehicle seat belt).

Here's the scoop on the RSTV from my pov:

• Not quite as easy to use as a traditional 5pt, but restrains children better than a booster seat w/adult seat belt.
• Very easy to travel with. The whole thing weighs maybe 2lbs and is easily stuffed into a carry on bag.
• Requires the use of a top tether for children under 6yrs old or when using with a lap only belt.
• Never expires, so if you have a younger child, you could "pass it down" when outgrown. I plan on reselling ours on ebay probably, when ds outgrows it.
• I also found the crotch strap to be a little difficult to use but I contacted Safe Traffic System and was advised that the strap is optional, it's just to help train the child to sit up straight.
• You can leave it partially attached to the seat belt and tether anchor in the car, and the child can still put it on and take it off without totally detaching it from the vehicle seat. You just have to rethread the seatbelt through the metal guide before buckling up.
• The small vest is rated from 35#.

Check out the crash test videos on www.safetrafficsystem.com. DS is my only, and he is my "miracle baby"... I take his safety in cars very seriously. So take that FWIW.

I wouldn't use the RSTV for every day use, or for a child that would be tempted to unbuckle themselves from the car when it was in motion. It is awesome for travel though.
hth

Thank you for posting this. When I was reading "RSTV" in this thread I was not registering it as what is actually is. I was not aware of this product! Can't wait to go read more about it!

 

[all4fun]

Thank you for posting this. When I was reading "RSTV" in this thread I was not registering it as what is actually is. I was not aware of this product! Can't wait to go read more about it!

You're welcome. I forgot to mention, that the vest is outgrown when the bottom edge of it doesn't touch the childs thighs when they are sitting down. I bought the small size since my tall for his age 5yr old only weighed about 45lbs at that time and he's almost too tall for it now. He is 48" tall and has about a 16-17" torso now. I believe the Lg is rated from 50lbs.

I certainly hope there is a better option on the market in the next year or so when she reaches the top slot on her Nautilus. I already have a family friend whose son was killed in a relatively minor accident because his booster failed to keep his little 4 year old body correctly positioned. Most children do not have the mental restraint to keep their backs pressed against their seats and not leaning from side to side. For this reason, I stil vry much doubt the safety of a belt positioner even if the child is tall enough for it.

Ali, If she is not even using the top harness slot in the Nautilus yet then she may well fit in this seat in harness mode for a good 2-3 more years. Kids growth slows down a lot as they get older, and on average, their torsos tend to grow about 1" a year... at least that has held true for my 5yr old in the last couple of years. I was also thinking about your comment about not trusting the 6yr expiry dates on car seats. I actually do trust them, and they do, in fact, build temperature variations into their dates. I wouldn't worry about replacing a seat every 2-3yrs "just because", not if the child still fits in it.

I am sorry your friends experienced the tragedy of losing a child in a way that may have been preventable. Fact is, that most 4yr olds are simply not mature enough to sit properly in a booster 100% of the time and sadly, this is why a booster may not restrain a younger child properly. When a child is moved from a 5pt seat to a booster, the responsibility to keep them positioned properly in the seat shifts from the parent to the child. By the time they are 5-6yrs old, their bodies and minds are usually mature enough to handle it. Also, another point, backless boosters don't help position the shoulder belt as well as a high back booster, and doesn't provide any side impact protection. High backs provide 70% more SIP than a backless or no booster in side impacts according to CHOPS and PCPS. I see a lot of kids in my ds school in backless boosters that are clearly still little enough to fit in even a smaller High Back booster seat. I just think a lot of parents are ill informed on this subject. I don't know why, it's just sort of become a little hobby of mine, so I am abnormally educated about it. lol