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Carseat Experts ?

rosesandpeoniesrosesandpeonies member
in Pre-School and Daycare

So my daughter is currently 40 inches tall.  

She is still fitting in her Sunshine Kids (Diono) Great.

However, for our secondary carseat she seems to be outgrowing it.  She is over the shell of the seat now.  

What is the rule on this?  Her seat says 45 inches, but does that really matter if she is outgrowing the shell?

What do we go to next?  Since this is my backup seat for travel and daddy's car any suggestions.

 Thanks! :) 

DD (8/12/09), DD (2/8/11)
BFP 12/16/14| EDD 8/19/15 |MMC 1/15/15 (9 weeks 1 day)
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Re: Carseat Experts ?

  • jlw2505jlw2505 member
    Most states have a 40 pounds/4 year old rule in place before moving from a 5 point harness to a booster seat so if yoru DD is outgrowing (by height which is more important than weight) than I would find a 5 point harness that handles taller heights.  She is too young to move to a booster seat.
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
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  • LoveEeyoreLoveEeyore member

    Many seats, when FF say when the tops of the ears are higher than the shell, it's time to switch.  I would check the manual, because I nearly tossed out my 2 radians because the kids are an inch from the top, but they still have space.

     

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  • brewcitybridebrewcitybride
    Get a combination 5-point harness that eventually turns into a booster seat. The Graco Nautilus is one example.
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  • PhilsWife07PhilsWife07 member

    imagefredalina:
    RF the rule is an inch from the top of the shell. FF the rule is the ears can't go past the top of the shell. It sounds like she has space to FF in the current seat. I wouldn't buy a new one until you need one, and then decide if she's ready for a booster or not.

    In addition to the tips of her ears being above the shell, if she's on the uppermost harness slots and the straps are coming from below her shoulders, the seat is outgrown by height. If either one of these conditions is met, the seat is outgrown: (over the weight limit for the seat, or ears above the shell, or straps on uppermost slots and coming from below shoulders).

    If she really has outgrown her seat by height, you need to look at a combination seat with taller upper harness slots (that later converts to a booster) like the Evenflo Maestro, Evenflo Secure Kid 300 or 400, Graco Nautilus, Graco Argos, or Frontier 85.

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  • Angela814Angela814 member

    imagefredalina:
    RF the rule is an inch from the top of the shell. FF the rule is the ears can't go past the top of the shell. It sounds like she has space to FF in the current seat. I wouldn't buy a new one until you need one, and then decide if she's ready for a booster or not.

    This. Plus ffing the shoulders can't be above the top harness slot (except in the Radian - it's the only seat that allows it). I wouldn't put a 3 yo in a booster at all. I'd consider putting a 4 yo in one for very occasional use, but I don't think most 4 year olds can sit in one correctly for long car trips.

    Annalise Marie 05.29.06
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  • penguingrrlpenguingrrl member

    Ditto the PPs that a FF seat is outgrown when the weight limit is hit OR the tops of the ears are even with the tops of the shells OR when the shoulders are above the top harness slots, whichever of the three happens first.

    If your daughter has hit one or more of those criteria it's time for a combination seat, which is a 5 point harness now and will become a booster when she's old enough (usually around age 5). For a secondary car I would look at the evenflo maestro or the evenflo securekids line since they are the least expensive but have decent top harness slots and weight limits.

    I would avoid the cosco harness to booster seat. It has ridiculously low top harness slots (she has almost definitely outgrown it already) and the booster provides a deadly fit (positions the lap belt directly over the soft tissue on the abdomen on most children).

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  • penguingrrlpenguingrrl member
    Oh, and yes, overall height limits on seats are largely irrelevant. It matters how they fit in the shell. My daughters both have long torsoes so they outgrow seats for harness height long before hitting the "official" height limit and light years before getting near the weight limit.
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