Making a booster choice: SIP or child can buckle self

[christineka]

You have 3 across and can either pick a seat with great sip, but you have to move the booster out, buckle, then move the kid/booster back. (All the while the child is whining and complaining about how they can't buckle themself. or you can choose a thin booster with little sip, but the child can buckle themself easily without throwing a screaming fit. Which to choose?

[jen_nah]

Sorry can't vote because I would vote for both. We have the Britax Parkway which gives us both the SIP but also allows my dd to buckle herself up. Can I ask what boosters are you looking at?

[christineka]

There are 16 inches of physical space from the plastic underside of the car seat to the edge of the bench. The parkway's seat would hang 1 inch off the bench and the buckle would be smashed up between the booster and the car seat.

I'm looking at them all!

[MomToEliEm]

What are the seats you currently have in the vehicle. What vehicle do you have?

[christineka]

I change the rfing seats between vehicles. (We have 4 rfing seats, but I play musical car seats all the time.) Currently the seats are rfing avenue, rfing scenera, and a turbobooster. The turbo kid has some issues with buckling, but is usually okay. She's next to the window and tends to hang her head way down when asleep. I have this idea of getting her a seat with great sip, but I fear it won't fit- or if it does it will be barely.

Recently we had the nautilus in the middle with boosters on the sides. It was awful how much crying and screaming took place while I had to do the trick with moving the seat, buckling, then sticking the seat into place.

We are planning to get a Sienna in about 6 months. Then we could put the booster kiddos in the middle. Or, one in the middle with the fp and one on the side. Not sure we could fit with something with sip.

I know those rfing seats that are up on bases free up space to buckle, but there is no way I could convince dh to shell out that kind of money for seats that might fit in the van- plus, the little ones are really little and will likely be 40 pounds by age 7.

Oh, and the bench is 50 inches long. There is a 2-seater bench with more room, but If I buy one booster with good sip, I want it to be the one by the window. The child who sits in the middlish position sleeps beautifully in her turbo and is not near a window.

[jen_nah]

Supposedly the new Clek Oobr will be the narrowest booster that offers SIP on the market. It's supposed to released by the end of the year.

[ZephyrBlue]

After watching crash test videos of a regular HBB w/shallow side and head wings compared to one with deep wings, we're all about the most SIP possible. It is a pain to have to climb in, move stuff around and buckle, but IMO, it's worth the hassle. The Parkway might work for you- I think the only place that still has them is www.buybuybaby.com. If you can hold out for the Clek Oobr, that would probably be your best bet.

Here's a link to the thread where I asked for the videos- links are there

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=59407

[christineka]

Unfortunately, I don't think dh will go for spending $200 on a booster. $100 is a stretch. I'll have to try out the parkway to see if it would even fit.