Question Suggestions for Booster seat (in Canada)

Hi, We are looking to purchase a booster seat for my husbands truck. Our son currently rides in a Britax Frontier (last years model) in my truck, and he loves it. However we cant really justify paying that much for another highweight carseat, for a truck he barely rides in. So we have decieded to go with a booster seat, and im hoping to get some suggestions on which one might be the best as there are alot of booster seats out their!

~The truck is an 06 GMC Sierra, extended cab
~Our Son is 40" tall, and 47.5lbs

The two boosters that have caught my eye are the
~Maxi Cosi Rodi XR, I really that the backrest ajusted in height AND in width
~Britax Parkway SG, What I like with this one is that it has the "Secure Guard" which helps prevent the child from slipping under the lap portion of the seat belt.
Would look at other boosters two, these just were the ones that caught my eyes. I was hoping for one that we would be able to use with "latch" to keep the seat in place.
Another question was, Is it ok to pull the seatbelt all the way out so it locks into place when doing up the seatbelt with a booster? My fear is with him being not quite 4 that he's going to like his new found freedom of being able to lean forward.

Thanks in advance, and advice would be more than welcome!

With him being so young, I would strongly encourage you to stay away from a booster at this age. Children should not be in a booster until 5 - 6 years of age. A great alternative to the Frontier is the Graco Nautilus. It is a high weight harness seat to 65lbs and converts to a great high back and then no back booster later on. It retails at Walmart for $239.

The OP needs to check the fit of either the Nautilus or the Frontier -- she has an extended cab truck, so the vehicle seat bottom may not be deep enough for either of those seats (esp. the Nautilus which must be 100% on the seat bottom).

ITA though, that at not quite 4, the child is waaaaay too young to move to a booster. He needs a harnessed seat.

Definitely check the Nautilus first to make sure the entire base fits on the seat. I tried very hard to get dd's nautilus to fit on my Dad's 2005 extended cab Silverado and it was a no go. Very close but no amount of pushing it back worked. I would say it was 95% but not fully on the seat.

Hi, Thanks, I've tried many times to get the Frontier installed in his truck, and I just cant get it as tight as I like, and with how the base is with his seats, and do not think you could get the nautilus to install with 100% of the base on the seat.
The only seat of actually got a wonderful install in this truck is the Sunshine Kids Radian, but its not the new models so only goes to 48lbs, so he has half a pound left.
Being that he is young, thats why I was asking if you can lock the seat belt so he cannot lean forward, and also what boosters works the best.

I can't in good conscience recommend a belt positioning booster, with or without a locked belt, for a child who isn't even 4 yet.

bubbaray said:

I can't in good conscience recommend a belt positioning booster, with or without a locked belt, for a child who isn't even 4 yet.

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I agree. I'm sorry. I know this is a pain but I'm afraid you probably won't find a tech here who can recommend this. So that said, let's look at your options. How much room does he have left height-wise in the Radian? Do you have a younger child you could pass it down to? You could look at getting a 65lb version. The new ones with the SuperLatch are out but maybe some place still has an older one on sale. Another seat you could consider is the Apex 65. I'm not sure on the top slot height (although I think they may be lowish). I'm also not sure of it needs to 100% on the vehicle seat.

Maestro????

chay said:

Maestro????

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Only harnesses to 47lbs.

The Apex requires a headrest behind it, so it would need to outboard in the truck, with the seatbelt. The top slots are around 17", so they are decent. The weight limit is 65lbs and it turns into a decent enough fitting booster. It is also nice and wide. I don't think it has the 100% supported base as a rule. I think you could find some of these cheaper at one point, but I have hardly seen these anywhere lately. They only have a 6yr expiry as well.

As far as the Nauti - what Mingie says makes me worry, but I would still try it. Here's what it looked like in a Dodge something or other truck and the discussion of whether it was overhang or not, in case it interest anyone:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=72143

At 40", he is hopefully still short enough (though a torso measurement, sitting height floor to top of shoulder, would be useful in estimating), but what about the new Generations 65? It's a lot less than a Radian at $149.99, has top slots around 16.5" and harnesses to 65lbs (instead of the old 47lbs), then turns into an ok booster or you could sell it after the harness is outgrown and pick up a good dedicated booster like the PWSG at that point. This is only a 6yr seat as well, but at least it is less $$.

Or, you could look for a True Fit on sale for $150, which would have a 65lb limit, ~18" top slots, and a 7yr expiry, so you could also pass it on once the harness is outgrown to help offset the cost of a good dedicated booster when you do.

Thanks very much about all the reply's!
We actually bought a True Fit a couple months back, and fell inlove with it, then before installing, I put him in it to ajust everything and the crotch strap didn't have enough movement, he was already basically sitting ontop of where it came threw, and that was at the biggest setting (tried for awhile hoping it came forward some more as my son and me loved it so much ..) So True Fit is out...
Unfortunatly their is no younger sibling to pass the seats down, however his Radian did sell today!
He is on his last height slot on the Radian, he's just over the second one down (I had just ajusted it up a slot last week), So he had about an inch-inch&half in the Radian.
Apex 65, my son's seat is usually installed on the passanger side outboard, so the headrest wouldn't be a problem. Bing that the Apex's THS is higher than the Generations 65 I would be leaning towards it, Wondering though, which makes into a better booster??

We are purchasing two seats to replace the Radian, as we were just switching back and forth between Gramma's SUV and Daddy's truck. I think we will get the Nauti for him Gramma's suv I think its best for the money (although I do love my Frontier, but for the money I think the Nauti will do just fine, do you guys agree?) So this is why the tight budget for Daddy's truck, as Gramma likes to have her weekly sleepover with our boy, so our son is in his gramma's truck far more than his dads.
Any other opinions would be awesome! Thanks again, this is an amazing forum with so much information, and very very nice people!
Amanda

What does Grandma drive? It does sound like the Nauti would be a great option for her truck. Just be mindful of the 100% of the restraint's base on the vehicle seat rule. Most SUVs that won't be an issue, but it's always good to try before you buy if possible. I'd buy the seat for DH's truck based on what's the best fit now & what will get you the most growing room as ideally you will want to keep him harnessed for another year to year & a half if possible. Don't worry too much about the booster at this point. If you find that the booster doesn't fit your son well when that time comes, you could probably sell either & get enough to purchase a decent highback booster.

Not much use now (as its sold), but with 1" or 1.5" left in the Radian, he probably would have gotten to booster age (5) in the Radian. Growth slows as they get older....

Thanks amyd, Gramma drives (not sure what model) but its a bmw and has tons of seat room for deep car seats

Bubbaray- The radian I had only went to 48lbs, and he is currently 47.5lbs thats why we sold it because he out weight it, or we would have kept it!

What's the height of the second to top slot on the Radian? I would worry that he may not fit in the Apex or Gen65 after all. Do you have access to try him in both somewhere? If he fits better in one than the other, or neither, that might make the decision easy. I don't have first hand experience with these two seats, so I am not sure which tends to work better as a booster. The HWH thread describes them as "ok" (old 47lb generations, I think it's basically same but reinforced) and "decent" (Apex).

If he is in daddy's truck so very infrequently, I might be inclined to continue to switch a seat into it until you can get him a booster and feel confident he is mature enough to sit properly.