Monterey for small adults?

[kphil]

This is embarrassing, but I know people have asked this before. Is there any consensus on the safety of an adult using a booster, as long as they meet the size requirements? At 5'3" and 103 lbs I fit in most seatbelts okay, but in some cars the belts are bad on me. My dh drives an Audi A4 and I hate having to ride in it because the belt feels very unsafe to me. The buckle is a rigid stalk attached to the seat itself, and comes out too far forward for the lap belt to lie flat against me. There's actually a gap between my body and the seatbelt, kwim? It's not a height issue, it's a weight issue. Would the Monterey used backless be safe for me in a front seat? The Monterey is the one I'm thinking both because of the weight limit, and because I would use it as my 8yo's backup (or primary perhaps) seat the rest of the time, and just borrow it the couple times a month I ride in dh's car.

Thanks,
Kirsten

[Patriot201]

As long as the booster doesn't impede your ability to safely reach the pedals, I think it is a great idea for you to use a booster. A poorly-fitting seatbelt isn't good.

[LISmama810]

I'm waiting for someone to make a booster for adults. My hips are a little too...ginormous...to fit in a regular booster. But if you fit in one, I would certainly think it's preferable to a seatbelt that doesn't fit right.

ETA: If anyone can fit into a HBB, I wouldn't use it for driving. The wings would probably block your vision. Just putting that disclaimer out there.

[BW1426]

Is it the Canadian Clek that doesn't have armrests? If we had one of those in the US, I'd be all over it.

[christineka]

Me too. I'm trying to figure out a way to shed my width weight. I sat in the turbobooster yesterday. Not correctly, just sorta smooshed in there. I buckled the belt improperly over the arm rest. The shoulder belt fit me great, whereas, it cuts into my neck normally. My kids are doomed with the inherited short torso.

Oh, and I have recently emailed both graco and evenflo asking for wider booster seats for short adults and wide kids. Probably won't change anything, but that's all I could think of.

I might consider importing one of those canadian clek boosters.

[wendy1221]

I'm 5'3, too, and have problems with seatbelts in a lot of cars. I remember my grandma always sat on a pillow b/c of the same problem, but I don't know how safe that is. I don't do it. I think they should do something about the seatbelt heights, like making regulations on how low they have to go. I drive a Toyota Sienna, and the belt is just OK. It would be better if it could go down just a smidge more, though.

[tcottawa]

I'm 5' 1" and the belt is not great on me either...my mom is 4' 10" and always used a fluffy pillow until I told her how they would compress in case of an accident and make the seatbelt useless (too loose!):( I think she uses towels or something like that now. I might look into getting the clek for her though...hmmm.

[emandbri]

I feel so bad for all you small adults out there. I'm 5 foot 8 and I have the seat belt on the lowest setting in my van and the shoulder belt does not fit me right in the back of Brian's camry!

[MissKatie]

I'm 5'2" and 83 lbs and have been considering getting a new booster for M (stats in my signature) and riding in it when she's not around! LOL! I *might* fit into the Monterey as a HBB which would be so cool for long trips (when I'm NOT driving of course). I fit the seat belts fine in the cars I usually ride in but not in every car and definitely not asleep.

[April]

I just sold two CDN cleks. There definitely would not be a problem in terms of armrests, but I wonder if the actual seat width would be too narrow, kwim? I wonder if we can dig up some measurements. Or if the person on here I sold one of the seats to would mind measuring:whistle:

[wendy1221]

What boosters have the highest weight limits? Although I'm only 5'3, the healthiest weight for me is between 130-140. I look TERRIBLE when I weigh less and people think I'm anorexic. I wear a size 5 when I'm between 130 and 140lbs, so I think I just weigh more for my height naturally. I was told I have very dense bones when I had an xray, maybe that has something to do with it. I'm WAY too fat now to ride in a booster (well, I do have an excuse, but even if I wasn't pregnant, I'd be closer to 200lbs now.;)) but i was just wondering. lol

[BudgieStew]

I am 4 11 and unless it is a car that has adjustable petals I cannot drive it in most cases.
Imagine trying to pull yourself forward on the steering wheel to reach the clutch and shift at the same time:eek:

The seatbelts in our van fits me fine though and thankfully has adjustable petals.

[Defrost]

A few months ago I looked up some of the adaptive products made for people with dwarfism and wasn't all that impressed. They're just cushions. I would think an actual booster would be safer. :twocents:

Oh, and BudgieStew? My 13yo was taller than you at age 10. ;)

[BudgieStew]

Oh, and BudgieStew? My 13yo was taller than you at age 10. ;)

Yeah, most people are:whistle:

Most people equate short being young. You have no idea how often I would get the glares and tsked tsked by people when I was pregnant with our first.

[tumblebug]

ETA: If anyone can fit into a HBB, I wouldn't use it for driving. The wings would probably block your vision. Just putting that disclaimer out there.

:yeahthat: Good luck checking your blind spot!

[wendy1221]

I wouldn't ride in a hbb ever! ROFL! I really wouldn't mind a backless booster if it was comfy, though. ;)

[flipper68]

My grandma was 5' with a bad hip. She always had a combination of pillows, cushions, and towels helping to provide comfort and allowing her to see over the dash. [Her driving, car maintainance, and "survival kit" trunk are the stuff of legend among her great nieces and nephews.] She died over 25 years ago and drove an early 70's Dodge something. I'm trying to remember if she even used a seat belt, much less the l/s. :confused: I am confident the l/s won't have been comfortable for her, since she was about as round as she was tall. :rolleyes:

If I was an adult in need of a boost, I'd look into (and I wouldn't worry about expiration date):

Dorel Prospect / Cubb
Dorel Intera
Evenflo Right Fit
Maybe a Graco Air Booster - all backless

I'd also consider a FIRM cushion, dense foam or pillow. To my way of thinking, it would be a "pre crash positioner." There would be some compression, but by then, the seat belt is locked and the airbag deployed. The advantage of increased vision and fit of the l/s belt would be worth it to me. Feel free to blast my logic.

[safeinthecar]

I'm 5'2" and 83 lbs and have been considering getting a new booster for M (stats in my signature) and riding in it when she's not around! LOL! I *might* fit into the Monterey as a HBB which would be so cool for long trips (when I'm NOT driving of course). I fit the seat belts fine in the cars I usually ride in but not in every car and definitely not asleep.

My oldest DD is bigger than you. She's 5'4" and 98#.

(and if you lose 3# you can ride in the Regent)

[Defrost]

Yeah, most people are:whistle:


Oh, I bet you hear stuff like that all the time! I'm sorry - I was just trying to picture you and realized the best way to do so was to picture my kids. :o


Maybe a Graco Air Booster - all backless


Ooo, the Air would be nice! It's not quite wide enough for my hiney, but I bet it would fit you great & be quite comfy.

Too bad it's not sold in just the backless version. :thumbsdown: You'll have to pay full-price for a HBB and just discard the back!

[kangato2roos]

Yeah, most people are:whistle:

Most people equate short being young. You have no idea how often I would get the glares and tsked tsked by people when I was pregnant with our first.

Don't feel bad, Budgie, I get them too, though less so now that my spawn have added some grey to my hair. I have actually been used as an "example" to young girls by random strangers of why not to have premarital sex, seeing as I probably had to drop out of high school and all that to have my first (nevermind that I was 20 when she was born... to be fair, I did look about 15). :rolleyes:

I'm 4'10" and have seriously seriously considered buying myself a booster, if I can find one that doesn't squish my hips. I'd have to drop about 30 pounds and be comfortable using it over the weight limit though. That's the only thing holding me back... not sure how comfortable I am using a booster over the weight limit.

Oh, and forgot to add, one of my very dear friends has tall children. We laugh because her 6 year old is just a few inches shorter than I am.

[kphil]

OP here. Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I'm not nuts for considering it. I think I will either try the Monterey, if I decide to get one for my dd, or look at getting one of the cheapest of the above listed ones. I was only considering using it backless, and only when I'm a passenger. I'm almost always just a passenger in my dh's car, and I fit fine in my Sienna. I think he does have adjustable pedals though, so perhaps I could even use it when driving. I'd have to see how stable it felt to me. It would be nice not to be paranoid and constantly pushing on my belt every time dh and I go out together.

Kirsten

[christineka]

Since our passenger door is broken, I've taken up riding in the back on occasion. I found that the belt hangs even higher in the back than the front. Our van was meant to haul 6 foot tall men! The belt ends up on my chin. I wish I had the van with the built in booster seats.

[brightredmtn]

A few months ago I looked up some of the adaptive products made for people with dwarfism and wasn't all that impressed. They're just cushions.

Someone should contact Matt Roloff. I bet he'd be all over a new business opportunity.

[sunnymw]

Someone should contact Matt Roloff. I bet he'd be all over a new business opportunity.

:ROTFLMAO::2thumbsup:

[Jeanum]

Good luck convincing him. He and his family sadly set a poor example of seatbelt usage in general on their television show. :(