What carseat for a 20kg 3 year old?

Hi, as the title says i am looking to find the best option for my 3yo ds who weighs 20kgs and is very tall. He is currently in a maxi-rider AHR, but apparantley these are no longer safe once they reach 18kgs. The suggested option is then to add a safe and sound harness to this, using the car's lap and sash belt, but this is a total PITA. Honestly, it is making me not want to go out anywhere as i hate putting him back in the car.
Is there any other option? I am more than willing to move ds2 into the maxi-rider and buy ds1 a brand new car seat if there is something less annoying and easier. Anyone have any suggestions?

wow -he is going to think N is a pipsqueak!!!!
no idea about car seats - sorry... we are in Safe and Sounds still.. I agree the harness looks BLOODY annoying

Isn't a maxi-rider designed to fit up to 26kgs? :dunno:

how's that break going JM????


yeah i also thought the maxi was to 26kg

:lol: just a break from threads that require my brain to work today. Kids asleep. And i find myself here..... :rolleyes:

We bought a Hi pod. It anchors in as usual and you use the normal seat belt in the car. I use this for my DS2 as he is solid. The sash that goes across can be put between the head rest so as it doesn't go too close to the neck area. Although by sound of it, you wouldn't have a problem with positioning of the sash.

The maxi rider does go to 26kg but the 5 point harness is up to 18kg I think

Copy and pasted from a review site

5 point harness to 18kg and then adjusts to using lapsash belt Easy to install and adjust shoulder strap tightness


and this is what someone wrote at the bottom

I bought this carseat as I wanted a seat with a 5 point harness that then adjusted to using lap sash belt after 18kg. I really don't like the seat in booster mode and have purchased a SnS HiLiner SG instead. If I had researched more thoroughly I would have purchased another 0-18kg seat when needed and gone straight into a HiLiner rather than my thinking that buying one booster would do both functions just as well, it doesn't.

Yeah i just looked that up too Nic, so the Maxi-rider is ok with a normal belt then? from 18-26kgs? Is that what it means?

But the new laws say that children under 4 must be in a car seat with a harness?! So maybe you have to use that thing that sounds like a PITA ginge?

My 20kg 4yo is in the maxi rider with the regular seatbelt and the anti submarining clip. We didn't get the harness as her eyes are already at the top of the seat.
But, that said I agree with Nics post. If I had known I'd just need the booster bit I would have bought just the booster that looks narrower and easier to use. But at the time we bought there weren't as many options availble.

I would double check with the car seat laws.. but really if your child has outgrown the 5 point harness then it shouldn't be a problem.. (they are meant to be in a 5 point harness until 4)

I think it is meant to be used with a harness?? or so I thought. I haven't got that far with mine yet. and DD is still tiny so I think she will be in for a while yet.

I have a AHR booster for my son who is 5 and seems easier to use with a harness as I have used a harness in it for a friends DD who was too big for a normal 5 point seat (over 18kg) and it worked really well and easy to get her in and out of it..

i'm even more confused now! LOL

just to clarify- the maxi-rider is suitable up to 26kgs, but once your kid reachs 18kg they no longer can guarnatee the strength of the straps so you need to start using the actual car seatbelt with a Protecta harness. They can then stay in this until 26kgs. The problem i have, is that the protecta harness is uper fiddly and a PITA to get them into.

i looked at getting the safe and sound hi-liner seat- but you still need to use the protecta harness, so i don't see any advantage in using this seat over a maxi-rider (except for the fact that if your kid is super-tall, they may actually outgrow the maxi-rider height wise and then you would need to move them into a hi-liner as this can go higher).

"Children grow at different rates between the age of 6 months and 4 years, so a child may use EITHER a rearward facing child restraint OR a forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness." From Vic roads website.

What a crock of ****. There is no car seat with an inbuilt harness for a child over 18kgs. So it's no possible to follow the law.....

so...i guess my question is....is there any carseat that i can use in which i would not need the protecta harness or is this an unaviodable side affect of having a solid boy?

wrong info

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so...i guess my question is....is there any carseat that i can use in which i would not need the protecta harness or is this an unaviodable side affect of having a solid boy?

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The Hi Pod and the Maxi Rider, pretty sure they were both on the Choice safest list too.

but i have the maxi-rider and he has exceeded the weight limit for using the inbuilt harness.

OMG this is toooooooo confusing!

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I would double check with the car seat laws.. but really if your child has outgrown the 5 point harness then it shouldn't be a problem.. (they are meant to be in a 5 point harness until 4)

I think it is meant to be used with a harness?? or so I thought. I haven't got that far with mine yet. and DD is still tiny so I think she will be in for a while yet.

I have a AHR booster for my son who is 5 and seems easier to use with a harness as I have used a harness in it for a friends DD who was too big for a normal 5 point seat (over 18kg) and it worked really well and easy to get her in and out of it..

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hey nic, can i ask you...which AHR booster are you talking about here that your 5yo ds has? thanks