Convert. Carseat 50 lbs vs 75

Re: Convert. Carseat 50 lbs vs 75

• gimmietimmies member

  December 2012

  I don't think the weight limit is going to matter as much as the height limit. I had to go looking for a high rf weight limit convertible, since Canada doesn't have as much choice (dd4 was about 32lbs at 12m - most of our seat have a 35lb limit rf). Beyond that, I looked for something with a tall shell, she's very much like her sisters and growth curve at or over 100%ile. I didn't worry so much about the top end ff weight, since by example my older girls didn't even come close to the limit weight wise once they outgrew their seats for height.

  As a comparison, we weight dd2 the other day, she's 53lbs now at 6 1/2. She's in a Britax Frontier, on the last harness slot. If I sat her in a Rounabout, it wouldn't come close to fitting, kwim? And she's my shorty (it's relative, really).

  So, no it doesn't pay to necessarily buy a seat with such a high weight limit, even if lo lands on the heavier side, it's more likely he'll outgrow it by height. It does pay to buy a seat with longer rf potential and a higher shell, you might as well get the most out of it. And yes, you'll likely need another seat after, depending on lo, a harnessed booster and/or highback/lowback booster. At the very least until he's 4'9" and 8 years old.

  What other seats were you looking at?

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• tinyhouse member

  December 2012

  You may want to consider something with a higher weight/height limit for rf since your son is already 21 lbs and not even a year.  The Roundabout has a 35lb rf weight limit which is pretty good but from what I've read on car-seat.org, they have shorter shells so if your DS is on the taller side too, he'll outgrow it rf before the 2 year recommendation.  There are several seats out there that are taller and right around the same price range as the Roundabout.  Britax are expensive and not any better than a number of the other brands out there. 

  Keep in mind also that car seats do have expiration dates so you're going to eventually have to get a new seat (harnessed booster at a minimum) before you are done with car seats completely but I would imagine DS will outgrow the Roundabout long before he would something like a Radian (high rf limit, tall shell and longer "shelf" life). 
  

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• Angela814 member

  December 2012

  The problem you'll find with a lower weight limit seat like the Roundabout is that the height limit is lower too.

  DD1 was 50 lbs at 6 years, but she was also almost 50" at that point. (75th for weight and 99th for height) For reference, she was almost 19 lbs and 29-30" at 7 months.

  I think it really depends on what you want to do with the seat. If you plan to do extended rfing, you'll need a seat with a higher rfing height and weight limit. If you think you'll turn the seat to ffing around 2 years, then you can probably get away with a lower weight limit convertible seat and plan to buy a 5pt harness-booster seat when he outgrows that.

  I'm waiting for the BRU trade-in event to buy the Graco My Size 70. It has a 40 lb rfing weight limit but an adjustable head rest so DD2 should be able to actually rear face to that weight limit. She should be able to rf to close to 4 years. After that it will last until we move her to a high back booster.
  

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• LolaBelle515 member

  December 2012

  This is all so very helpful-thank you!

   
  

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