Booster full time or new harness seat?

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veralevitt

New member
My just turned 5yo (11/9) has been HBB training since May due to travel and needing to be able to bring 3 seats flying across country (packed her turbo) She has done really well, and sits properly 95% of the time (occasionally reaches for something, but sits back whem reminded) and sleeps well with seat belt in place in the turbo. It was only in DH's car so she rarely rode in it and only for quick trips. She has been in a MA full time in my Sienna. She complains of leg pain and discomfort in the MA (only remedied when she was able to rest her feet on a suitcase, so i assume the seat length is too short) She rarely falls asleep in her seat, maybe 1-2x per month if we are out late.

Should I keep her in the Turbo full time or get her a Nautilus or Frontier or something else? I am all for the SAFEST option and she is ok with being harnessed. She is 44lbs and 43"
 
ADS
wendytthomas

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
If she sits well, sleeps well, and uses the booster properly (and it has a back on it), go for the booster.

Wendy
 
luckyclov

luckyclov

New member
At 5 years old (brand new, at that) and 44 lbs, I'd probably opt to keep her in a harness for another 6 months to a year (longer if needed or desired) in the primary vehicle. And continue to booster train on short trips or in the secondary/lesser used/sometimes vehicles. It's awesome that she's sitting properly 95% of the time, but you guys should still work on improving her safety awareness and booster rider responsibility/maturity. Does she always remember to buckle her booster back in when she gets out? I have my kids buckle ALL of their boosters, even the LATCH'able ones, when they get out as part of "training". That also factors into maturity/readiness.:)

The Britax Frontier 85, Recaro ProSport, and Graco Nautilus are usually the most recommended HWH combination (converts to booster) seats.

I, personally, prefer the FR85. It has the highest harness top slot (20"), it's comfortable (no head slump), has fantastic leg support, a 9-year (from date of manufacture) lifespan, and converts to a great highback booster, which also happens to be the tallest HBB. It also doesn't have to be replaced after a crash that meets all of NHTSA's Minor Crash criteria, so if someone rolls into your rear at a stop sign going 4 MPH, you don't have to stress out about how you're going to get your kids home "safely".;)
 
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henrietta

Well-known member
My 6.5 yr old is a similar size, so I can picture how your dd probably fits in a booster. It's probably a good fit, esp in the Turbo. In others, you definitely want to double check in all the cars she rides in.

Personally, I'd feel more comfortable w/a barely 5 yr old kept harnessed another year or so, but she is safe in a well fitting booster if she sits properly. I'm a tech, and I know she's SAFE in a booster, but my feelings about my own kiddo, even though he was pretty good in the booster, were that he needed a bit more maturity. Plus, they still seem so little, and a 5 pt harness feels like more protection to me at that age. I know some folks are concerned about the head flying forward on bigger kids, and I think that's possibly a legitimate concern, so I wouldn't harness a child who was 75 lbs at 8 yrs old and mature enough to ride in a booster. But at just 5 and 43 lbs, I feel a bit differently.

If you choose to booster her full time, I'd probably leave the Turbo in hubby's car and look at the Britax Parkway SGL, the Recaro Vivo, Recaro Probooster, and the Cybex booster. Those all feel more substantial to me and have more side impact protection (not saying the Turbo is bad at all--it's a GREAT seat!) And you certainly can just get another Turbo if you want to.

henrietta
 
V

veralevitt

New member
Two totally different answers, lol. I'm ok with that, seems to be parental choice at this height/age/weight. I'd feel better about a harness, but since she will ride in her hbb sometimes, can one of you point me in the direction of booster requirements for safety? Why does it need to be buckled back in? And in searching for answers I thought I read that graco will be coming out with a new and better booster?
 
wendytthomas

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
It needs to be buckled back in so it doesn't hit YOU in a collision when she's not in it.

Yes, over five and 40 pounds it's completely a parental decision.

As with carseats, there are no lists of safest boosters or safety ratings. As for booster requirements, she meets them. Is she big enough? Yes. Does she sit properly? Yes. Will she stay that way the entire time? Seems to, but maybe not once it's her full time ride. Does she slump when asleep? No.

Graco has a new line with their head thingies. Safety Surround. http://carseatblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ABC-2011-Day-1-108.jpg Is it safer? Is it better? *shrug* They think so.

Wendy
 
M

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
What vehicle is it going into? If it has LATCH, you could get a LATCHable booster. Our ds5y, 60# and over 4' rides in a monterey because it is LATCHed in so I don't hae to buckle it in everytime.

Some LATCH is off set and doesn't work. It depends on your vehicle.
 
V

veralevitt

New member
It's an 06 Sienna. I have her right now in the graco Turbobooster in the 3rd row passenger side, as it is easiest to get DS in his RF MA in the 3rd row drivers side that way. The seats are in this configuration because we traveled with 2 more kids to Disney and had to install 4 RF MA's and it was the only way they fit (this is why I am in LOVE with my Sienna...4 RF MA's (three across in the 2nd row) and a hbb all fit and I still put a double stroller in the back. Wish I had a pic). My kids like to be 3 across, but it makes the booster impossible for DD1 to buckle when she is in the center, 2nd row. And I need rf seats outboard so I can buckle them. She can do a harness in the center.

So are latch boosters safe even if it is over the latch weight limit? I'm a bit confused. I like the sturdy look of the parkway sgl, I love the look of the clek oobr (but not the price). I like the nautilus too, but really I just want her comfortable and safe.
 
luckyclov

luckyclov

New member
Toyota defers to the child seat manufacturer for LATCH (including top tether) weight limits, so if you have a LATCH'able booster, then, hey, no problem.

But, yes, in vehicles that may have a stated LATCH weight limit (like Honda or Dodge), it's OK to LATCH a booster beyond the weight limit since the only thing the LATCH strap(s) are restraining is the weight of the booster itself. The vehicle seatbelt is restraining the child.
 
C

Carter's Mommy

New member
wendytthomas said:
It needs to be buckled back in so it doesn't hit YOU in a collision when she's not in it.

Yes, over five and 40 pounds it's completely a parental decision.

As with carseats, there are no lists of safest boosters or safety ratings. As for booster requirements, she meets them. Is she big enough? Yes. Does she sit properly? Yes. Will she stay that way the entire time? Seems to, but maybe not once it's her full time ride. Does she slump when asleep? No.

Graco has a new line with their head thingies. Safety Surround. http://carseatblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/ABC-2011-Day-1-108.jpg Is it safer? Is it better? *shrug* They think so.

Wendy
Click to expand...

Wendy, do you know where I can get more info on the Turbo Safety Surround? I like the looks of it for my blue obsessed son. Do you know if it has LATCH? When's it's coming out, or if it already did?
 
wendytthomas

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
It's out, though I don't know if a blue cover is. It does not have LATCH. The only Graco LATCHable booster that I know of are the Nautilus and Argos when in booster mode.

Wendy
 
wendytthomas

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'm not certain where people have found it, though I've seen pictures of people with their kids in it. Probably some BRUs have it. But I don't know.

Wendy
 

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