Car seat Q: booster/harness 3-in-1

SusieBW · July 2014

DS is due to arrive in late September. When he's big enough for a convertible seat, I'm going to switch 3-year-old DD to a booster/harness 3-in-1 thing. I need 2 of them (my car and DH's car).

Is the general consensus that the Graco Nautilus is the way to go for such a seat? Anyone have other recommendations? I want this to be the last car seat that I buy for her, so I need it to go from harnessed seat that she can be in at 3.5 or so, all the way up to a booster she can use til she's done (how old is that, generally? 6? 7?).

I'm asking now because Target has a registry deal on where you get a $20 gift card just for creating a registry, and I'm thinking I might create a baby registry and include 2 of these seats on there so that I can use the completion coupon to buy them. I don't really need any baby stuff and I'm not having a shower, but it would be sweet to get the discount on these car seats! Thanks!

ASmallWonder · July 2014

She'll need a booster of some kind until close to 12 but she'll only need the harness part until around six depending on her maturity to booster train. How much does she weigh, how tall and what's her seated bum to shoulder height?

SusieBW · July 2014

She's about 3 feet tall right now (I only know this because we were just at an amusement park last weekend), and I'm not sure what she weighs.

But holy crap, kids stay in some kind of booster until they're 12?!

ASmallWonder · July 2014

I know - it seems crazy but until they reach puberty, the belts don't usually fit them correctly and that combined with an immature skeleton are the reasons they need the booster. One their skeleton matures to that like you and I have, if the belt isn't a perfect fit on their bodies it's not as much of a concern, which is why a short adult doesn't need one but a same height 9 year old would.

Her weight is an important piece to make sure your purchase lasts you but take a guess. I mean, is she thin or on the more solid end of things?

mrsfaz2be · July 2014

I am joining this discussion since I am shopping for the same reason. I am trying to find a 3 in 1 for my 3.5 yo DS who is very big for his age--45 ibs and on the taller side. I want this to be the last seat I buy. Any suggestions or thoughts?

ASmallWonder · July 2014

@mrsfaz2be can you measure his seated bum to shoulder height? A kid can be tall but carry it in their legs, which is less of an issue obviously when talking about harness heights. What's your budget like?

SusieBW · July 2014

DD is pretty average weight (I think at a sick visit in December (the last time she was at the Dr), she weighed 30 lbs, so maybe a couple more than that now). And her height is mainly in her torso.

As far as our budget, it's not so much the money as the fact that I'd like something I can get at Target, so I can use this registry deal with the $20 gift card right now, and buy it with the completion coupon later.

ASmallWonder · July 2014

So she's petite to average (my son is 4, 30 pounds and 38 inches and considered a peanut). The world is kind of your oyster with a small to average kid. The Graco Nautilus is available at Target and widely recommended. It doesn't offer the no rethread harness that the Argos does (which they don't carry) but really, you don't change harness heights all that often when they're bigger. They carry the Evenflo Mastro that would get you to 50 pounds harnessed, which is seriously years. The Evenflo SecureKid is also available there and gets to 65 pounds harnessed. I'd head there and have her sit in some and see what feels good to you both. They're all good seats.

SusieBW · July 2014

Thanks so much for your help!

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Car seat Q: booster/harness 3-in-1

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