5YO: Harness-to-Booster or Simply Booster?

I have a 42 lb., 45" tall 5.5 year old daughter.

She has been in the center rear seat her whole life, as we have only 1 child. In her current Orbit Toddler car seat, she can now kick us in the elbow while we drive our new 2015 Ford Escape. Although she is still under the height and weight limits of the Orbit, it sits fairly high and she's just getting too tall for the car's back seat configuration.

Since she will eventually need a booster anyhow, we are looking to get a new car seat that gives her more leg room and will hopefully take her through another few years.

I was looking at the Britax Pinnacle G1.1, but is that a waste of money since it does not go all the way to a backless booster? Is a backless booster stage even necessary since the Pinnacle's height and weight limits (both harness and booster) are so high? Should we just go ahead and get a Clek Oobr or Britax Parkway (and give up the 5-point harness)?

Both my husband and I are engineers and we will always err on the side of physics and safety over convenience. She was still rear facing at age 3 while most of her friends were already (shockingly) in booster seats at that age.

Thank you so much for any help!

Rebecca

Hi Rebecca,

If you feel she would sit properly 100% of the time, a high back booster is an option. The Evenflo Big Kid, Graco Turbobooster, Graco Affix, Britax Parkway, Recaro Performance Sport, Diono Cambria, Diono Monterey, Clek Oobr are all nice options. The Dionos require head support from the car behind them.

If not, a combination seat would work. The Harmony Defender, Evenflo SecureKid, Evenflo Advance Transitions, Graco Nautilus, Graco Argos, Britax Pioneer, Britax Frontier, and the Pinnacle are all options. Of them, the Defender, Advance Transitions, Nautilus, and Argos become backless boosters. For the rest you will likely want a backless as your little one gets older (something light to take to other people's cars, something that doesn't look so "young" as she gets into upper elementary and middle school.

Wendy

I wouldn't consider a seat a waste because it doesn't go to backless. If you need to harness longer because your daughter isn't booster ready then a combo seat is a good choice, whether it becomes backless or not. You can buy good backless boosters for less than $20.

Even if you get one that becomes backless there is no guarantee it will fit her well in LBB mode or as she grows she may find it uncomfortable or too babyish and you could end up having to replace it for another backless anyway.

I would definitely take her to a BBB or BRU if you have one and have her sit in the different seats. See which one she prefers and then of the ones she likes, see which one fits best in your vehicle.

We were away for the holiday weekend, but I want to thank you both for your responses and help.

I think she would sit properly in the regular booster most of the time, but sticking with the 5 point harness a bit longer certainly won't hurt her.

I'm fairly lucky that without older siblings, she doesn't seem to notice who is sitting in what type of seats and hopefully the "babyish" conversation won't come into play for a while.

Again, thanks!

Rebecca

It also just doesn't seem to bother some kids. My 9 yo prefers a hbb to a lbb and was harnessed until 7 without argument. She outgrew it or would have happily stayed harnessed. My 7 yo would prefer a harness but can't unbuckle himself in one and I need him to be able to get out himself from our third row. They both know that other kids don't use car seats but just don't seem to care.