Anyone seen this booster by Britax or used it yet?
http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Fronti...462&sr=8-5
We just moved Asher's straps up to the top level of his marathon (wow!) and although we are probably a year away from having to get him a new seat, I would still like to keep him in a 5 point harness as long as possible. I like how you can keep it a harness, but can also change it to a booster. Curious if anyone else has used or seen it and what you think of it.

I heard about this seat awhile back (though I think it was just released in April or May), and was pretty interested.  I think it's now the seat with the highest harness weight limit (80 lbs, right?) and booster mode to 100 lbs.  We bought the Safety 1st Apex for Sophie because at that time, THAT was the seat with the highest harness limit (65lbs), and booster to, I don't know, 80, maybe?  There aren't many other seats out there that can go harness to booster.  My only real misgivings are about the price.  It's substantially more than twice the price of the Apex.  I don't know if that's worth the extra 15 or so pounds(to us). (How old is a kid who's 65 lbs anyway? We're not even halfway there!)  I've also heard that it installs really easily compared to the Apex (which I don't think is hard), but again, can it be THAT much better?  I don't know.  I want to get something else for Will, because I hate hate hate his seat, but that $280 would be hard to pony up.

I'd be curious to see one in-store, maybe BRU or Target will have them eventually? 

A friend of mine recommended this:
http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/pr...er=8J00BRV

I like the side impact protection on the Britax. I almost bought the convertible with true side impact protection, but decided against it because it seemed really intrusive and Asher was such a bad car rider anyway I wasn't about to try something crazy like that. It doesn't seem as intrusive (from pictures) on the frontier. And he is big (already almost 40 lbs) and I really do want him in a harness as long as possible, it is much safer, especially for squirmy little kids, IMO.

I wonder if USA Baby has them, they carry britax seats. I'll have to call them and ask.

Car seats are such a tough thing for me - while ALL car seats have to be safe to be sold (right?) some seem to be safer and better made than others, but they are so expensive.

Yeah, I agree with you on the side impact protection, and on being in the harness as long as possible.  I can see the Frontier being a good choice for a bigger kid, especially.  I was thinking about the expiration date, too-presumably it's 5-7 years?  I can see myself spending all that money and then the seat expires before my kids outgrow it! (I looked at some growth charts, and an average girl at 80lbs would be 11 yrs old!) I imagine that the Frontier also doesn't have the headrest issues that the Apex does.  (Maybe the Nautilus doesn't either).  I can say that I've heard nothing but good things about the Nautilus, but I've had such issues with the ComfortSport that I can't see myself getting another Graco.

I always feel torn about the car seats.  On one hand, yes, they do all have to conform to the same federal safety standards.  On the other hand, I'm not totally convinced that I didn't cheap out on my kids' safety.  How come Britax is the only one with side impact protection anyway? Is it a cost issue? A patent thing? I've tried to google and couldn't find anything. 

I want to know that too.  I've wondered, since other car seats actually do seem to have those wings, and make claims  similar to "side impact protection."  Update us if you find out!

I may be jumping the gun on this, since Babyfish hasn't been born and actually ridden in the seat yet , but we bought the Radian 80 from Sunshine Kids. It goes from birth to 80 pounds with a 5 point harness the whole time, and is on a steel alloy frame, which is almost unheard of.  It also has side impact protection. 

I did a TON of research on car seats this time (I totally know how you all feel about safety vs. cost, etc.), and even though the Radian 80 was pricier, it worked out to be the same or less as the three seats I have had to buy for my now 4 year old.  I suppose the major drawback is that there is no car seat carrier, but we are fine with using slings instead.   Also,  I think there would be an issue if you put it rear facing in a smaller car with a taller driver.  I'm 5'7" and my DH is 5'5" and we drive a Mercury Sable and the seat fits in with not much more room to spare.

Bottom line, I think it's great if you find it as a first carseat, but I don't know if I could justify to myself spending that much on it later.  For example, I would love, love, love to have one for my 4 year old as well.  But they are $300!  So of course, then I feel like an awful mother for not providing him with the "absolute best carseat"... blah blah.  It never ends!  I like to joke that when your baby is born it's "Here's your baby.  And here's your guilt."

We really wanted to keep our kids in 5-point harnesses for as long as possible. When I was looking at seats, Britax didn't make something that fit into our car! We're moving to a Prius and won't be able to have two Marathons or even this new seat in our car...

So, we went with these: http://www.albeebaby.com/sa1stap65boc1.html

It's by Safety 1st and it's called the Apex. It's up to 65 lbs in the 5-pt harness and then up to 100 lbs as a booster. We have both of our kids in them now, and they are GREAT! We've been very happy with them, and to say that they are MUCH cheaper would be an understatement!

Jacqui

yeah, i dont think britax is the only brand with SIP, recaro also has it, and the sunshine kids seat.

my baby trend infant carrier has pretty awesome sip as well. (not that weve "tested" it out.)