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Booster Seat?

Loves Vintage

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
4,568
We are thinking of moving our almost 5 year old into a booster soon. Any tips on how to pick one? I'm going to venture over to that car seat forum soon, but I find these decisions oh-so-overwhelming.
 
This sounds silly but I might have DD sit in them to try if possible. I did all the usual safety reviews etc. but you still have to find one that fits your kid/car.

We have the Evenflo Chase and I regret it. It was fine at first but the 5 point harness weight limit is low (40 lbs). That's pretty ridiculous considering you don't even move a kid to a booster till 30lbs at least. DS is small for 5.5 and only now weighs 40lbs so we either have to switch him to the seat belt or buy another booster.

So, clearly I'm no expert. :lol: But, you can learn from my mistake and get a booster with a higher harness weight limit.
 
Thanks for your reply. It's always helpful for me to "talk" about this stuff first. I was going to skip the harness and go straight to the seat belt. What are the benefits of continuing with the harness? I thought I read it wasn't necessarily safer? I realized when I just started reading about this today, that my daughter may have a hard time connecting the belt because they are very deep in the seat itself so that's another consideration.
 
We have B in a harnessed booster. He's technically big enough to use a seat belt, but we wanted him harnessed for a while. We did a high back booster in a rental and it was fine until he fell asleep, at which point he was practically folded in half. Staying upright when asleep is a big plus to a harness.
 
Dumb question, but how does a harnessed booster differ from a harnessed convertible? Do they all convert to boosters that can be used with the belt, I'm guessing? Or, they can stay in a harnessed booster longer?

Is there a chart anywhere that lists out specs for all currently available seats/boosters? Like weight/height/etc?
 
LV, I swear I read somewhere harness is safer so I'll dig around. The car seat lady blog has a list of her favorites and comparisons. My 6 year old nephew can now buckle his seat belt but that's a year after being in the booster. It is hard to buckle them depending on your car because you have to lean across their seat and blindly buckle.

ETA- http://csftl.org/recommended-seats/

Blog is otherwise helpful too and there is a post on deciding when your kid is ready for the seatbelt.
 
Loves Vintage said:
Dumb question, but how does a harnessed booster differ from a harnessed convertible? Do they all convert to boosters that can be used with the belt, I'm guessing? Or, they can stay in a harnessed booster longer? Is there a chart anywhere that lists out specs for all currently available seats/boosters? Like weight/height/etc?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if all convertibles can be boosters. I'm sure there are some that can't?
 
B is 7 and tall and is still in his Sunshine Radian as a car seat. We also have a bubblebum booster (it's an inflatable booster they sit on and then use the seatbelt to buckle them in) for quick car pools in other people's cars or when traveling. He loves it and it is super easy but when we are home I just keep him in the radian as he still fits and the 5 point harness is supposed to be safer. I imagine sometime this spring we will switch to the bubblebum full time.
 
Wow, that's great that the Radian has lasted so long for B! I should definitely consider one if I decide to replace one of S's convertibles for B. One is decidedly pink! It doesn't seem so easy to get a replacement cover.

I was looking into this one for S: http://www.diapers.com/p/recaro-per...PDP&ref=pd_cbab_di_de_t7_c_3_im&isCrossSite=Y But, I just read something about it sliding around. Not sure why that would be?? So, I have more reading to do!
 
Maybe the sliding is because it doesn't fit in car well? I think a little movement is to be expected with booster used with seatbelt because the seat itself isn't buckled?
 
Thanks, Puppmom. I reviewed that post about determining when a kid is ready for booster. Very helpful. I think she'd be fine. Re: the booster not being buckled in, that's the point I haven't been getting about boosters! I didn't realize that the booster seat itself isn't secured to the car like a car seat . . . so I understand the sliding now. I think we're going to hold off for a little longer and then I'll try her in a few different boosters for fit.
 
A harness is much safer than a seatbelt especially for a child as young as five. I would look into a high back harnessed booster with a high weight limit. This will keep your child harnessed for quite some time then when she/he outgrows the harness it will serve as a belt positioning booster seat. A backless booster is made for a much older child.
 
We went with Britax Frontier when we switched from convertible car seat to 5-pt harness booster. The Frontier is a convertible booster, meaning the harness can be removed and used as a highback booster. DS can buckle and unbuckle himself in the Frontier at 5. When DS started kindy this past fall, he started riding in a highback booster in FIL's car (FIL does drop-off and pick-up). He still ride in the harness booster in our cars most of the times. The Frontier is cushy, but super wide and take up a lot of space. DS just turned 6 in Feb. He is 47" and 53lbs, for size reference.

ETA: The highback booster we have is the Graco Turbobooster. My 7.5 years old daughter still fit in the Frontier harness too, in case you wonder how long the harness will last you. DD is almost 50" and 59lbs.
 
I didn't want to spend a lot but wanted a 5 point harness so I got the Britax Pioneer. I am very happy with it; the boys love having a cup holder too! We had the Britax Blvd before changing them.

How are you??
 
I didn't want to spend a lot but wanted a 5 point harness so I got the Britax Pioneer. I am very happy with it; the boys love having a cup holder too! We had the Britax Blvd before changing them.

How are you?? :wavey:
 
Skippy|1461504525|4023036 said:
I didn't want to spend a lot but wanted a 5 point harness so I got the Britax Pioneer. I am very happy with it; the boys love having a cup holder too! We had the Britax Blvd before changing them.

How are you?? :wavey:
Click to expand...

We got that for B, and he really likes it. Loves the cup holders...
 
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