Graco Platinum Cargo Infant to Toddler Booster Seat

U

Unregistered

Guest
Ive been happy with this seat as a 5pt harness, even recommended it to others.

My son (3.4 yrs) is going on 39 lbs and just about 43 inches. We switched to belt-positioning booster mode on the weekend. (The height limit is 43 inches, the 5pt harness was squishing him down in the seat since his shoulders were above the highest 5pt harness strap slot).

It makes me nervous. The safety belt seems to fit nice and secure but the belt positioners on the top of the seat is pathetic. Its attached to the seatcover only and the cover fits so loose. My Dh is Mr Fix it, he thinks he can make the cover fit tighter (not alter the seat or belts just make the cover a bit more snug).

We spesifically went with this seat bec it goes from 5 pt to booster (he had Evenflo Triumph, we replaced it with this after minor accident - reimbursed by insurance).

Im thinking of getting an Apex 65, Im having a hard time convincing DH (although he agrees with me about the flimsy belt positioners) Or do we get a Graco Turbobooster - the belt positioners seems more secure. Im not a Britax fan.

Help?!
 
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I wouldn't put a 3 yo in a booster, I don't even think the Turbo fits kids that little very well.

You know what's best for your son, if he doesn't seem safe in a booster, buy him a harnessed seat. (If he's too tall for the Cargo, then he'll have almost no room to grow in the Apex, so try him out first...again, you don't have to be a Britax fan, but they do make the only huge option for quickly growing kids, sorry :( )

The Britaxes, Recaros, and Jane' Indy Plus are the seats that are tested for side impact protection, the Turbo is not (side impact is the leading cause of death and head injury to unharnessed kids).

:)
 

MammaLakn

New member
Thanks for your reply.

I am a bit confused. Are there different versions of the Cargo seat? As I mentioned mine only allows 5 pt harness till 43 inches. Ive seen reviews saying the Apex can go to 53 inches :confused:

Thanks.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
"standing height" limits are a real rough guess made by the seat makers, since all kids are so different. The top slot heights are roughly 17 inches for both those seats, which is why if he's above the Cargo ones, there might not be much growing room in the Apex. (my dd was 45 inches when she outgrew the Marathon, despite the 49 inch height limit, for example, yet my ds will be probably 57 inches when he's too tall for the Regent, despite it's 53 inch standing height limit guideline...he's all leg!)

:)
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
With a forward facing seat you also want to make sure that the harness slots are at or above your child's shoulders. This is why the overall standing height doesn't matter so much as the sitted height and why the pp said her kids were taller then the listed height but still fit the seat because they were below the top harness slots. So they must always be at or above and if they are below you need to move them up a slot and if that is the top slot then you need to find something else (which you are now trying to do).
Does your Cargo have the Gracopedic foam (extra padding)?
 

MammaLakn

New member
It does have the foam.

I had my son sit on the floor and from his bottom to top of shoulders he is roughly 14.5 inches.

Im even more confused bec I measured the seat and the top slots are barely 15.5 inches. Is that bef of the foam seat?
 

Jewels

Senior Community Member
It does have the foam.

I had my son sit on the floor and from his bottom to top of shoulders he is roughly 14.5 inches.

Im even more confused bec I measured the seat and the top slots are barely 15.5 inches. Is that bef of the foam seat?

I had the comfortsport with the gracopedic foam and my son outgrew it very early and it didn't make sense because torso inch wise he should have still fit. I think it had to do with the foam!?

The good news is, if he is 14.5" you still have options. Being in a 5point harness is the safest, so if he fits (height and weight wise) keeping him in a 5point harness for as long as possible is the best.

If you have headrests in your vehicle then the Apex65 might work (but you have to have headrests to help support the head). It's weight limit is 65lb.

There is the Radian by Sunshinekids (but this seat can sometimes have install issues, you would want to try it). This seat harness to 65lbs and has a 18" top slot.

And there is also the Regent by Britax with 20" top harness slot and a weight limit of 80lbs.

What vehicle will the seat be going in? Maybe someone here has expierence with seats in your vehicle type!
 

defectivehouse

New member
I have that seat - bought it for the same reason you did...I assumed I could convert it into a booster when my dd hit the weight limit for the harness. Once she did, I found that I HATED it as a booster - the seat belt did not slide nicely through the slots and overall it didn't seem safe or secure. I ended up buying a high-back Turbobooster, which I love (although, since dd is only 42 lbs and I've seen that Kyle Miller video way too many times, I am thinking about buying a seat which will harness for longer and switching back to a 5 pt harness). I'm currently using the Cargo as a 5 pt harness seat for my ds, but he's figured out how to open the chest buckle and I can't get him to stop doing it (thus I'm on this board hunting for a new seat for him....)

Anyhow, thought I'd add my 2 cents about the Cargo - you're not the only one who doesn't like it as a booster. Good luck!
 

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