Lots of Questions...

[Defrost]

Should a kid be in a HBB until they out grow it and then move into a backless booster? I mean, is that the safest way to go? (I know a 5 point harness is the safest...but I mean just in terms of boosters)

Um... can I plead the fifth?

My 9 year old still fits in the Air Booster with the back, but he uses it backless. At nine, he doesn't need the belt guide in our vehicle to keep the shoulder belt positioned properly, and since we have side-curtain air bags I'm comfortable with it. Would he be safer with the back on? Technically, probably yes, and if he were to ride in a vehicle without SCAs, or one where the shoulder belt didn't position properly, I'd put the back on. But I have little enough view out the back as it is, and I'm okay with him being backless.

 

[MumtotinyM]

Yah Makenzy has quite a few things in camo as well. Her latest camo obsession is that Compass Camo booster (like that’s going to happen anytime soon) . In regards to your above question I think it depends on the child. By the time a kid out grows a hbb they probably would be ready for a seat belt only. However I may be completely wrong because I am not a tech. My DD is 6 and is hovering between 29-30lbs so I think even after she out grew a hbb I would want her to still be in a no back booster. The way she gains weight I'll be lucky if she weights 50lbs by 11.

 

[Defrost]

In regards to your above question I think it depends on the child. By the time a kid out grows a hbb they probably would be ready for a seat belt only.

Yep, it depends on the child, the booster in question, the vehicle, and sometimes even the specific seating position in the vehicle. My 11 year old is too tall for the Turbo Booster with the back, but definitely doesn't pass the 5-step test for most vehicles he rides in.

 

[EzzieMom]

Um... can I plead the fifth?

My 9 year old still fits in the Air Booster with the back, but he uses it backless. At nine, he doesn't need the belt guide in our vehicle to keep the shoulder belt positioned properly, and since we have side-curtain air bags I'm comfortable with it. Would he be safer with the back on? Technically, probably yes, and if he were to ride in a vehicle without SCAs, or one where the shoulder belt didn't position properly, I'd put the back on. But I have little enough view out the back as it is, and I'm okay with him being backless.

lol!!!
Yeah, we don't have SCA's so it's probably better for us to keep her in a HBB as long as possiable. Altho she keeps saying when she turns 6 (in Nov.) that she won't need a 5 point harness anymore. I'm like "What?? Where did you get that from??" She's so silly in what she thinks. She also says when she turns 8 she won;t be afraid of dogs/cats anymore! LOL!

 

[EzzieMom]

Yah Makenzy has quite a few things in camo as well. Her latest camo obsession is that Compass Camo booster (like that’s going to happen anytime soon) . In regards to your above question I think it depends on the child. By the time a kid out grows a hbb they probably would be ready for a seat belt only. However I may be completely wrong because I am not a tech. My DD is 6 and is hovering between 29-30lbs so I think even after she out grew a hbb I would want her to still be in a no back booster. The way she gains weight I'll be lucky if she weights 50lbs by 11.

Oh wow! she's a little thing! So cute! I love little kids. My DD#2 is so little and small framed. I just love picking her up bc she's light as a feather.
Yea, I guess it depends on the child and how they grow and if the parent is comfortable with them being in an adult seatbelt and if the child fits in it correctly etc.
I NEVER knew there was this much to carseats! Really I didn't. Everyday I'm MORE obsessed with it!!! LOL!
There's camo carseats!!!!??? My DD can NEVER find this out. LOL!

 

[EzzieMom]

Yep, it depends on the child, the booster in question, the vehicle, and sometimes even the specific seating position in the vehicle. My 11 year old is too tall for the Turbo Booster with the back, but definitely doesn't pass the 5-step test for most vehicles he rides in.

My DD#1 has always seemed so big and long to me (long legs, long torso, big hands). But I still have no idea when she'll pass the 5-step test. She'll probably be in some sort of a carseat for a long long time Which is okay with me!

 

[Defrost]

lol!!!
Yeah, we don't have SCA's so it's probably better for us to keep her in a HBB as long as possiable. Altho she keeps saying when she turns 6 (in Nov.) that she won't need a 5 point harness anymore. I'm like "What?? Where did you get that from??" She's so silly in what she thinks. She also says when she turns 8 she won;t be afraid of dogs/cats anymore! LOL!

I know, kids get the strangest ideas! My poor Sam - he thought that since his older brother stopped using a booster in our VW when he was 11 that once Sam was 11 he could stop using one, too. Trouble is he's nowhere near as big as Thomas was at that age! He was so confused and thought I was being terribly unfair! Fortunately he seems to have gotten over that for now.

 

[EzzieMom]

I know, kids get the strangest ideas! My poor Sam - he thought that since his older brother stopped using a booster in our VW when he was 11 that once Sam was 11 he could stop using one, too. Trouble is he's nowhere near as big as Thomas was at that age! He was so confused and thought I was being terribly unfair! Fortunately he seems to have gotten over that for now.

LOL! Poor little guy! Kids are so cute
I keep waiting for the day when she'll ask why she's in a 5 point harness and everyone else is in a backless booster (seems like all the kids we know her age are in backless boosters)

 

[joolsplus3]

There's no EPS foam or side impact protective design/structure in the Evenflo, so I don't like it... but the study that said highbacks were safer than no backs didn't really differentiate between they types of highbacks, so who knows if SIP really means anything... the Evenflo is probably fine...

 

[EzzieMom]

There's no EPS foam or side impact protective design/structure in the Evenflo, so I don't like it... but the study that said highbacks were safer than no backs didn't really differentiate between they types of highbacks, so who knows if SIP really means anything... the Evenflo is probably fine...

Oh gosh! Now you've got my worried I hope it will be okay....
How do you guys know if a carseat/booster has SIP?? Or EPS foam? Is it written on the instructions? The box? Or in studies and things like that?

 

[MumtotinyM]

Oh wow! she's a little thing! So cute! I love little kids. My DD#2 is so little and small framed. I just love picking her up bc she's light as a feather.
Yea, I guess it depends on the child and how they grow and if the parent is comfortable with them being in an adult seatbelt and if the child fits in it correctly etc.
I NEVER knew there was this much to carseats! Really I didn't. Everyday I'm MORE obsessed with it!!! LOL!
There's camo carseats!!!!??? My DD can NEVER find this out. LOL!

Yes she is very tiny. We receive many comments from people telling us she weights the same as there 3 year olds. DD really doesn’t appreciate that. Yah my dd is quit spoiled when it comes to being carried! The whole camo booster thing happened by mistake, when I was looking through elite car seats one day and happened to browse threw the booster page. Well needless to say dd saw it and hasn’t stopped begging me to buy it since.
I also never knew there was so much to know about car seats, I am so glad I found this site. The more time I spend on here though the stronger my obsession becomes LOL.

 

[EzzieMom]

Yes she is very tiny. We receive many comments from people telling us she weights the same as there 3 year olds. DD really doesn’t appreciate that. Yah my dd is quit spoiled when it comes to being carried! The whole camo booster thing happened by mistake, when I was looking through elite car seats one day and happened to browse threw the booster page. Well needless to say dd saw it and hasn’t stopped begging me to buy it since.
I also never knew there was so much to know about car seats, I am so glad I found this site. The more time I spend on here though the stronger my obsession becomes LOL.

Oh yes, i guess that would get to be a bit bothersome for a "big kid" to hear all the time.
I'm so happy I found this site as well. It's helped me so much. And others that I know as well.