Backless LATCH booster?

[UlrikeDG]

What is the name of the backless LATCH booster, and is it available in the US yet?

[tjham]

Clek?

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/clek_olli_booster_seats.htm

[crunchierthanthou]

yeah, clek olli. Jen-nah has some pictures of her child in it somewhere.

The SK monterey is supposed to convert to a backless booster with LATCH (or come as the backless option, maybe?). Hopefully it'll be available soon.

[UlrikeDG]

That's the one. Holy Cow, $90! I remembered it was expensive, but not THAT expensive.

Anyway, thanks, Ladies!

[joolsplus3]

It's like a Recaro Start.....you can't believe the price until you feel the quality....

[jpzec]

LOL -- Our (OK -- Catie's!) Clek was delivered yesterday. They call it Clek Blue, but it's really Carolina blue! Anyway, Catie unpacked it herself and oldest DD (who is 20, but still barely within the weight limits and should probably be using a booster to drive!) sat in it on the floor! Her comment to Catie -- "Oooh, girl, you're gonna love sitting in this one!" Then, Catie took the seat outside and installed it in my car by herself!! No kidding -- by herself! (She's 8). That's how easily it installed in the center row captains chair in a Mazda 5! Of course, I "made" DH check it and she had done it correctly! I am impressed!

Jamie, Former tech and mom to Zach (21), Emily (20) and Catie (8) in NC

[twokidstwodogs]

How well does the Clek puzzle with other seats?

[Jordynsmama]

I think I will get one of these for J when she outgrows her Regent!
I like how its latched to the car so the weight of it doesnt go against the seatbelt. It seems safer to me.

[joolsplus3]

I think I will get one of these for J when she outgrows her Regent!
I like how its latched to the car so the weight of it doesnt go against the seatbelt. It seems safer to me.
Maybe they will make a wider/deeper/shorter version so it'll fit her well after she outgrows her Monterey (Which is the LATCHED highback booster with side impact protection that is bigger than the Regent...I KNOW you won't want to go to just a backless booster when the Regent's too small! :whistle:)

[sirrahn]

That's the one. Holy Cow, $90! I remembered it was expensive, but not THAT expensive.

Julie's right though. It's very nice. I figured I'll get my money's worth with 4 kids to potentially use it. It has a 7 year expiration.

The seat is really pretty shallow though although DS says it's still more comfy....I guess because it doesn't slope down and is so much better padded.

[UlrikeDG]

I'm considering one of these for Roman in the 2nd row, "center" of my Ody. My big concern is how the shoulder belt might fit. With his Parkway, I can keep the headrest up high enough that the shoulder belt stays very close to his neck. I'm afraid with a backless, the belt will be much closer to his arm, and that's not a good thing in any of the booster crash tests I've seen. Compare:
HTS BeSafe 1-2-3 (http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/htsbesafe.mpg) vs Concord Lift Pro (http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/concordliftpro.mpg).

You can see that the belt is much lower or farther outboard in the HTS video before the "crash" starts, and the child's upper body slips out of the belt all the way. While the Concorde video isn't exactly pretty, the shoulder belt definitely starts higher (farther inboard), and that seems to make a significant difference in how well it holds the child.

[sirrahn]

I'm considering one of these for Roman in the 2nd row, "center" of my Ody. My big concern is how the shoulder belt might fit. With his Parkway, I can keep the headrest up high enough that the shoulder belt stays very close to his neck. I'm afraid with a backless, the belt will be much closer to his arm, and that's not a good thing in any of the booster crash tests I've seen.

I suppose that's really just going to depend on torso height and the belt geometry. DS uses ours in the outboard seat of the 2nd row of our Sienna. Those belts are mounted fairly far behind the seats (we have them slid forward some for 3rd row leg room) on the B pillars and the shoulder belt is very solidly on his shoulder. I really like the way the belt fits him in this seat.

I'm assuming you're talking about a captain's seat moved to the middle though so yeah, I can see how that would affect shoulder belt fit.

[joolsplus3]

Yeah, and there's no shoulderbelt strap/clip on the Clek...hmmmm... I wonder if this would work? http://www.showeryourbaby.com/nahinobose3.html

I can measure mine and compare it to the clek for you when I get the baby off me later (she's lap-napping), but it's super narrow and has a belt strap.

[UlrikeDG]

I'm assuming you're talking about a captain's seat moved to the middle though so yeah, I can see how that would affect shoulder belt fit.

Yeah. I have a backless Evenflo booster here that I may try out. I'm not worried about SIP (side curtain airbags plus the seat is moved away from the door).

[UlrikeDG]

The lack of shoulder strap isn't an issue. I want something where he can completely unthread the belt between uses, because the girls have to be able to get to the 3rd row. Either the belt will fit properly or it won't. I'd just keep using the Parkway, but I'm not impressed with the decrease in visibility since I moved him, and he has to lean forward a little to reach Kira around the SIP wings, which isn't good, either. I was thinking the Clek would let him sit there and reach Kira, but let me see around him better.

[joolsplus3]

Oops, sorry, never mind! I thought you meant super skinny 8 seater center.

Well, in that case...the clek isn't great in my 'slid over to the center' spot, but the nania is, lol...the booster fits the kids much better when it's slid toward the door a tich, while the clek keeps it centered and the belt fit is somewhat poor.

[UlrikeDG]

No. Sorry. 7 seater with the outboard seat slid toward the center (which isn't really centered, but isn't outboard either).

I wonder if the RA will fit better with LATCH than the MA did RF. I could switch Roman & Kira if her seat will work in the "center" without using the seatbelt.