2008 F350 Supercab & 2005 Odyssey high slot harness options? Also MyFit, Defender, Grow With You for stocky kids?

[trinalb]

Hi, I'm looking for feedback on installation compatibility and ease of install for high slot, high weight limit harness seats because I have to order online without trying. I'm in Canada.

Also looking for feedback on the general comfort and use features of these seats, as well as the fit for stockier kids, especially hip and shoulder room.

Current vehicles:

• 2008 F350 Superduty Super Cab, centre position, no headrest (2 stocky teens need the outboard headrests)
• 2005 Honda Odyssey, can be any position but it would be great if it could work in second and third row positions
• Optional bonus compatibilities: 2004 Hyndai Sante Fe, 2012 Honda Accord

High slot harness options that I'm aware of:

• Chicco MyFit
• Harmony Defender
• Britax Grow With You
• I'm open to suggestions if you know of another Canadian seat that will keep DD in a harness until she hits 65 lbs. It sounds like she'll be too big for the Titan 65/Sureride harness length before then.

Child specs:

• Age 5y 4m
• Height approx 44 1/4"
• Seated height to shoulder approx 17"
• Weight 55.5 lbs

I expect her to outgrow the harness by weight before height as her older siblings did. Eventual use as a booster is a bonus, but not essential, as I expect to likely need a Skyline or something at some point anyway.

Thank you!
Trina

 

[ketchupqueen]

Any of the seats you list will likely be compatible in those vehicles, some more easily than others.
Since you don't have a headrest center in the truck, I would choose the Britax or Chicco as they are taller, and no one can ride safely without a headrest so longevity is good.
The Harmony (is that still available up there? Lucky) and Chicco are narrower, good when someone is next to them.
The Britax is easiest to install, followed by the Chicco.

Overall, the Chicco MyFit would probably be my choice in this situation.

 

[trinalb]

Any of the seats you list will likely be compatible in those vehicles, some more easily than others.
Since you don't have a headrest center in the truck, I would choose the Britax or Chicco as they are taller, and no one can ride safely without a headrest so longevity is good.
The Harmony (is that still available up there? Lucky) and Chicco are narrower, good when someone is next to them.
The Britax is easiest to install, followed by the Chicco.

Overall, the Chicco MyFit would probably be my choice in this situation.

Thank you for the feedback! I think I've eliminated the Britax for the above reasons, and the lower standing height limit. Do you have any info as to the hip and shoulder room on the Defender vs MyFit, as well as seat pan depth? Are they both comfortable for older kids to sit cross legged or dangle legs to the side?

Someone else said that the Defender can be a challenge with belts that are forward of the bight. Do you have any experience with that seat in a 2005 Odyssey, or one with similar seats?

I've found the Defender only online at Best Buy Canada, so no way to try it or see it in person. I've used one previously but didn't ever try installing it for harnessing because we purchased it for the booster mode only when my son got too heavy for harnessing and our old Chrysler Intrepid had crazy long buckle stalks that hit in the wrong place in every other booster we tried. So is it actually a pain to seatbelt install for the average person?

Thanks!

 

[ketchupqueen]

You can check the CarSeatBlog reviews for measurements.
I have put a Defender in an older Odyssey and it was a pain. A MyFit wasn't actually the easiest install either, but at least it has lockoffs, which help a lot. In either case you may need to pull the seat forward and allow a small gap at the bottom to get it to sit flat in some seating positions, which can cost a bit of harness height.