recs for FF seat for seatbelt install?

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   OK, in the IL's ancient car i need to handdown Sol's marathon to Eve and get him whatever's next (started him FF a few month ago).

graco nautilus?
britax frontier?
sunshine radian?
other ideas?

I'm drawn to the britax out of familiarity and if it's similar to the Marathon less room for ILs user error! and just cause i'm wired to think $$$ = safer -- which may or maynot be true.

but i like that the graco is so much cheaper! concern: how easy is it w/a seat belt install?

radian is on my radar too. but feel like i've heard that can be a tricky install.

got a tall skinny guy so more concerned about lasting him through the torso height than weight.

whaddya think? want to get something soon. just had to interrupt work to shuttle her over myself -- tried putting her in w/her KeyFit infant seat using the belt and it was totally not working.  Kludgy FIL: "MIL can sit back there and *hold* it steady." Douh! (he's an engineer but he still so doesn't get the safety stuff...i could go on...)

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ambrose Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'investigator Joined: 25 Sep 2007 Location: PDX Points: 9001	Post Options Post Reply Quote ambrose Report Post Quote Reply Topic: recs for FF seat for seatbelt install? Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 3:10pm
	OK, in the IL's ancient car i need to handdown Sol's marathon to Eve and get him whatever's next (started him FF a few month ago). graco nautilus? britax frontier? sunshine radian? other ideas? I'm drawn to the britax out of familiarity and if it's similar to the Marathon less room for ILs user error! and just cause i'm wired to think $$$ = safer -- which may or maynot be true. but i like that the graco is so much cheaper! concern: how easy is it w/a seat belt install? radian is on my radar too. but feel like i've heard that can be a tricky install. got a tall skinny guy so more concerned about lasting him through the torso height than weight. whaddya think? want to get something soon. just had to interrupt work to shuttle her over myself -- tried putting her in w/her KeyFit infant seat using the belt and it was totally not working. Kludgy FIL: "MIL can sit back there and hold it steady." Douh! (he's an engineer but he still so doesn't get the safety stuff...i could go on...)
	Katherine mom to Solomon, 7/07, and Eve, 2/10.

Sarah2106 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'inspector Member Rating(20) P'insane Perennial Pinner 4 years 354 days Joined: 29 May 2008 Location: Rocky Mtn High Points: 24772	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sarah2106 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 3:22pm
	I have Radian's and have never had a problem with the install (FFing or RFing) with latch and with seat belts. Maybe I just got lucky but I have installed in 5 different vehicles and never had a problem. That being said I would probably go with the Nautilus because it will last a long time, since it can also become a booster (high back and backless) DD is FFing in a Radian65 right now and fits great; but when baby #3 gets big enough for a convertable DD will probably go into a Nautilus and baby will go into her Radian. I like that the Nautilus will last until she is ready to be out of a booster, and in our state that is the age of 8, instead of purchasing a seat and then having to purchase a booster at a later time. DD is 43" tall and around 40#'s and it is my understanding that the Nautilus and Radian65 both have some of the taller harness heights and both FF harness to 65#'s. She has plenty of room to grow in height in the Radian so it looks like she will for the nautilus too.
	Wife & Mom to my amazing 3 “Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Nuttygirl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Member Rating(14) Perennial Pinner 5 years 87 days Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: United States Points: 6598	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nuttygirl Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 3:47pm
	I only have nautilus's so I don't know about the others. I like them. My ds was in a minor accident with it and had not whip lash or anything unlike me and his seat looked perfect afterwards, no buckling, cracked plastic, or anything. I could drive away from the accident so I kept the seat. anyway I have used it with a seat belt install many times (one of our vans is old and doesn't have latch). It goes in nice and tightly and isn't too difficult. sometimes it is a tight fit with the seat belt clip against the seat but it works fine, I just don't exactly follow directions and take the seatbelt completely out of the carseat to put on the clip and then put it back so it is partly my problem. But anyway it goes in fine for me with a seatbelt in the mercury villager, and in the jeep that I put it in with seatbelt install. I think I have done it with a seat belt that didn't need a clip and that was fine too. Nice and tight.
	Mom to DS1 1/06, DD 3/08, and DS2 10/10

musicmama Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'inspector Member Rating(8) Perennial Pinner 5 years 94 days Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Location: United States Points: 21864	Post Options Post Reply Quote musicmama Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 4:54pm
	I have G in a Frontier, and I like it a lot. I'm using the belt install--no latch, and it's fine. It is rather wide though, so not super, super easy. We're also going to have to switch soon. I haven't decided to get D a Frontier or a Nautilus. The Nautilus does look pretty comfy in person when I saw it at BRU.
	Christine DS1-G (1/06), DS2-D (1/08), DS3-S (4-10)

Mom2Miles Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Member Rating(8) Perennial Pinner 4 years 354 days Joined: 29 May 2008 Location: 7000 feet Points: 5734	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mom2Miles Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 5:15pm
	Haven't tried the install w/seatbelt with my Nautilus, but I am really happy with it as a carseat and it was super easy to install and get a snug fit with the latch.
	Laurie, SAHM to Miles 1/07 and Leah 7/09 There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one. ~Jill Churchill

Jake&MattsMom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Perennial Pinner 4 years 264 days Joined: 27 Aug 2008 Points: 4229	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jake&MattsMom Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 6:54pm
	We have a nautilus installed w/ a seatbelt in our little car that doesn't have latch in the middle. I almost think it's more secure that way and have thought about switching our other nautilus in our van to seatbelt install.
	Amanda~ Tandem nursing, homeschooling mom to- J(8), M(5), C(3) and C(1)

babygirl242006 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'insightful Perennial Pinner 6 years 330 days Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Location: Canada Points: 2513	Post Options Post Reply Quote babygirl242006 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2010 at 10:13pm
	We have a Radian and it installed amazingly well with the seatbelt in our van, too old for LATCH:( I love the radian b/c of the height, dd is 4.5 years, probably at least 46" tall and only 36 lbs. It's one of the few car seats that will last. And I'm planning on passing it down to a sibling so I'm okay that it doesn't become a booster. It also has one of the longest expiry dates which makes it worth even more:)
	Debi Mommy to Savannah Marie (02/24/06), Spencer Joel (02/24/08) , Preston Ray (04/27/11) and the "Unexpected One" Expected in April 2013to,488px);}");