Car seat quandry - need multiple options!

[ilovetosleep]

Don't really know what to do about moving onto the next level with car seats.

At the moment DS1 is 15kg 3yrs7months and is comfortably in the maxi cosi priori fix. Reckon he has another 12 months in there as he's only 9/25 centile for height (97cm).

DS2 is coming up to a year and much longer and heavier than his older bro. he is in a Pebble in a family fix base.

So, soon we'll need to move DS2 into DS1's seat and get DS1 into a new seat. On top of this, we need a second seat for DS1 in DH's car as at the moment I'm always having to drive to DH's office to pick up the seat if he's done nursery drop off etc.

I don't want to move DS1 up prematurely but equally don't want to fork out for a second group 1 seat and have 2 of them.

Also DS1 still often sleeps in the car so I need his next seat to be reclinable.

My thoughts are:
a) Get DS1 an Evolva or similar so he's technically still in a group 1 seat for the foreseeable and move DS2 into Priori fix. Get a second evolva for DH's car. Only prob with this is I think group2 specific seats are more comfy than evolva type seat in group 2 mode, and it doesn't recline?

b)Get DS2 a Pearl to use on family fix base and keep DS1 in priori until he outgrows it. Get an evolva for DH's car and then end up having to buy a group 2 seat later down the line for DS1. Will have to spend more money but at least they'll all be comfy.

Any inout welcome!

I have a joie stages car seat for my DCs it's suitable from birth to 7. So it's perfect for them to both use. (14month age gap) :)

I'd go for option a). Makes more sense financially.

The Britax Evolva is one of the better Group 1-2-3 seats. It does have a recline position, but you have to select it before you belt the seat into the car and can't alter it without taking the whole seat out again. When we had one we installed it reclined and kept it that way, it was upright enough not to annoy DD1 when she was awake but reclined enough so that she could sleep without her head falling forward. It has a big headrest, the child just needs to get used to resting their head to the side when they want to go to sleep.

In terms of using the Evolva as a high backed booster, it's no different to a dedicated Group 2-3 high backed booster (one without a removable harness). I think it's more the Group 1 stage where there are compromises, these seats are labelled as suitable from 9kgs/9 months but they are too upright for a baby and often the headrest doesn't come down low enough. At your son's age it's a perfectly good seat for him.

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I should get an evolva for my car and a joie stages for DH, then he can take either of the boys in his car,

Are there at alternatives to a evolva with a proper recline?

I'm not sure any of them do have a decent recline. I think it's just the design of the seat - since you can also use them as high backed boosters they are never going to have a massive recline otherwise if people though they could use the seat reclined in high backed booster mode the child is at risk of just sliding out under the seatbelt if you have a crash.

We tried an evolva but it just didn't fit our car when reclined.

We've ended up with a Recaro Monza Nova? with the impact shield. DD is 3.5 but light, so I wanted a group 1,2,3 not just group 2-3. So far DD loves the impact shield that she uses as a table.

We are able to recline our car seats themselves slightly so use this as a recline, and the headrest apparently inflates/deflates to hold their head back.