# Need convertible car seat with high height limit available in Canada



## Boot (Jan 22, 2008)

My little DD is only 6 months and still in her infant seat however I'm starting to think about what convertible seat to get her. DS (3) is in a Radian which we are happy with but is $$$. He is a tall boy and I think DD will be tall too. Are there any new, cheaper seats on the market in Canada that have higher height limits?


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

I'm pretty sure that the Complete Air is available in Canada with a 40lb RF limit and a nice tall shell (taller than a Radian actually). I know that the CA is much cheaper than the radian in the US, I'm not sure about Canadian prices though.


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## NorthernPixie (Dec 14, 2007)

The Complete Air is available here, at Babies R Us and I think Walmart, if not other places too. It's a bit cheaper, but not as much as a difference as in the US I don't think.

This list I discovered and is pretty handy, I think it was last updated in April, scroll down past the infant buckets to get to the convertibles:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=39989


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

For a tall child I'd agree the Complete Air is the way to go if not the Radian.

Is your 3 year old rear or forward facing? If she is forward facing (or if he will be before you move your baby into a convertible). I'd probably skip buying another convertible and move the baby into the Radian rearfacing and buy a new seat for your DS. The Nautilus or Frontier will both harness longer than the convertibles (they are forward facing only combination seats) and then they will turn into a highback booster afterwords.


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## Boot (Jan 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *triscuitsmom* 
For a tall child I'd agree the Complete Air is the way to go if not the Radian.

Is your 3 year old rear or forward facing? If she is forward facing (or if he will be before you move your baby into a convertible). I'd probably skip buying another convertible and move the baby into the Radian rearfacing and buy a new seat for your DS. The Nautilus or Frontier will both harness longer than the convertibles (they are forward facing only combination seats) and then they will turn into a highback booster afterwords.

This is a good idea I hadn't thought of. DS is forward facing. I need to keep him harnessed as long as possible as we only have lap belts so an even higher height limit would be great. Off to check out the nautilus and frontier. Thanks.

ETA: How do people feel about the True Fit? It's cheaper and with a high height and weight limit.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

I know the radian is pricey but it is the only seat on the market that when ff the shoulders can pass the top slot. the seat is useable until the ears are at the top of the shell. so if you have tall children then this is the seat for them.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlemizflava* 
I know the radian is pricey but it is the only seat on the market that when ff the shoulders can pass the top slot. the seat is useable until the ears are at the top of the shell. so if you have tall children then this is the seat for them.

Even with shoulders above the top slot, the Radian can't be used past 53" -- and most kids will be really, really uncomfortable in it long before that. The Frontier85 will harness significantly longer than the Radian.


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## nutritionistmom (Jun 16, 2007)

If you watch for sales you can get a Nautilus at Sears for 30-40% off which will even beat Walmart's price. ToysRUs is usually the most expensive, but they just ran a sale on Britax. If you check their website it may still be ongoing.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Even with shoulders above the top slot, the Radian can't be used past 53" -- and most kids will be really, really uncomfortable in it long before that. The Frontier85 will harness significantly longer than the Radian.

from what i know they have to put a max hight. i feel that you must look at where the slot hight is because matters about the torso lenght not leg.

my dd is 8 and is 53" and she is still under the top slot.


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlemizflava* 
from what i know they have to put a max hight. i feel that you must look at where the slot hight is because matters about the torso lenght not leg.

my dd is 8 and is 53" and she is still under the top slot.

I know this is true for rearfacing, I'm not sure about forward facing so I will let a tech jump on that.

But still... there are always going to be exceptions (really tall kids, really short kids, kids with proportions that are different than the average) for any seat regardless of which way it is facing. All that aside the tallest slots/shells of a convertible seat are not going to get you as far as the tallest slots/shells of a combination seat. Again comparing the biggest model of each. Obviously not comparing something like the ComfortSport (which has a ridiculously low shell/slot height for a convertible) or whatever would be comparable for a combination seat that was short.

So for this poster if her child is already forward facing it still makes more sense to buy a tall combination seat than another convertible if she needs to harness for the longest time.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

OP is looking for a 6 month old so a convertible will work for her situation.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *triscuitsmom* 
So for this poster if her child is already forward facing it still makes more sense to buy a tall combination seat than another convertible if she needs to harness for the longest time.




Boot said:


> My little DD is only 6 months and still in her infant seat however I'm starting to think about what convertible seat to get her. QUOTE]
> 
> triscuitesmom dont take offence
> 
> ...


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## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

littlemizflava said:


> OP is looking for a 6 month old so a convertible will work for her situation.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlemizflava* 
from what i know they have to put a max hight. i feel that you must look at where the slot hight is because matters about the torso lenght not leg.

my dd is 8 and is 53" and she is still under the top slot.

Sunshine Kids states that the seat can be used with the shoulders above the top slot UNTIL THE STATED MAXIMUM HEIGHT IS REACHED. If your child is 53" and still under the top slot she can continue to use the seat until she reaches the top slot, but she cannot use it over the top slot.

I agree that the most efficient solution is to use the excellent convertible for the baby and get a combination seat for the oldest, which will harness far longer than even a Radian.


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## Boot (Jan 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
I agree that the most efficient solution is to use the excellent convertible for the baby and get a combination seat for the oldest, which will harness far longer than even a Radian.

So let me get this straight. The Nautilus and Frontier will harness for longer than the Radian? Is this true even if you allow the top harness slots on the Radian to go below the shoulders?

Nutritionistmom - thanks for the tip on Sears. I will definitely wait for a sale if I decide to go with the Nautilus.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

The Radian has top slots at 17"-17.5". It does allow use over the top slots, but only to 53" overall (and many kids are quite uncomfortable in the seat by that size).

The Nautilus has top slots at 18.5" and the Frontier (I think it's the FrontierXT in Canada) has top slots very close to 20". It will definitely get you more harnessed time than the Radian, even allowing for use above the top slots. (A person usually has a 20" torso at around 55"-58".)


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

The OP asked about a True Fit. We have one (the old style, not the Premiere) and I like it for the most part. When we bought it, it had the highest RF limit available in Canada so I definitely don't regret my choice. I am not sure if I would buy it now though, as there are other, higher RF choices available.

The harness adjuster is certainly a huge PITA, as most reviewers will agree with. We end up just not adjusting it very often. It was harder in the winter with our crazy all-over-the-place weather (we live outside Calgary) when some days she would be wearing a t-shirt, and the next day a thick sweater (never a puffy coat)... but in the summer it is easy to just adjust it once and leave it alone.

Overall, we like it and DD is very comfortable in it. And the price is right for sure.

But all that being said.... I would probably do what the PPs are suggesting and hand down the Radian and pick up a Nauti for your son. I have heard a lot of stories of little boys loving the look of Nautis and like their "race car seats" which could be a bonus if you plan on keeping him harnessed as long as possible.


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## NorthernPixie (Dec 14, 2007)

Just to pipe in that Babies R Us is having a sale right now where if you bring in any used/expired 'equipment' (take a look at their website) you get a 20% off coupon on any new piece of equipment. This could mean bringing in a $5 umbrella stroller and getting a car seat for 20% off. I think this promotion is good until the end of the week-ish.


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## nutritionistmom (Jun 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *just_lily* 
I have heard a lot of stories of little boys loving the look of Nautis and like their "race car seats" which could be a bonus if you plan on keeping him harnessed as long as possible.

Lol, this is true. My 10 yr old ds covets his 3 yo brother's seat because "it's so cool!" Mind you HE could technically still be harnessed in one and then maybe it wouldn't be so cool.


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