56 inches tall, 78 pounds + 5 step test

scatterbunny

New member
My dd is now 56 inches tall, 78 pounds, and on the tallest setting of her highback boosters (Indy Plus and Starriser Comfy). Our primary vehicle is a 2003 Ford Focus (so, no rear headrests :(). I thought I'd do the 5 step test with her a few weeks ago, and Judi was there to take some photos (thanks, Judi :)).

h5steptest.jpg
h5steptest5.jpg

h5steptest2.jpg


What's the general consensus on her fit?

What would you do in my position (no rear headrests, no possibility of getting a new vehicle for another 9-12 months)?

And before anyone suggests the Frontier for the awesomely tall booster mode...we tried her in Judi's Frontier, and it's a no-go. On the current setting she would need, her head almost scrapes the roof of the car. She does have 3 (IIRC) more settings to go on the Frontier, but it's a moot point, since it won't fit in the car.

Frontierceiling.jpg
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
The fit looks ok, but I wouldn't be happy about the lack of headrests. :(

I honestly don't know what I would do. I guess it's back seat with no head support or front seat with, huh?
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
Well, I'm no tech - but I think I would see how the belt fit is in the front seat, with the seat pushed back as far as it can go. Of course, that doesn't work when the 3 of you go somewhere together, though. I dunno - is having headrests more important than being in the back? really, no snark? I dunno. Yeah, the Frontier is awesomely tall, but I've yet to hear of a vehicle that can actually fit it on the tallest setting. Anyone?It'll be too tall for my backseat long before it's actually outgrown.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
The frontier fits in the highest setting with room in my windstar.

I wish I had a solution. I was hoping my frontier would be that solution. :(
 

Yoshi

New member
Wowza, that picture of her head near the ceiling of the car:eek: Can she stay in her current boosters until you get a new vehicle? Does she still technically fit in them? I don't like the whole no headrests at all.:twocents:
 

scatterbunny

New member
Some Focuses have rear headrests. Can Ford add some to your car?

Wendy

I keep hearing this, and I know (because I've seen pics) that the Canadian Focus comes with rear headrests (at least certain trim levels; possibly all?)...but when I called local dealerships, interested in the Focus, I was told US models did not come with rear headrests. :confused: And when I decided to go the private party route, I couldn't find any with headrests.

The fit looks ok, but I wouldn't be happy about the lack of headrests. :(

I honestly don't know what I would do. I guess it's back seat with no head support or front seat with, huh?

I'm not happy about it, either. I really thought we'd get to age 10 in the taller highbacks, but she'll be 9 next month. She is on the top settings of her current boosters, which are among the tallest available (21-22 inch belt guide height), and certainly the tallest that fit in my car. She does have a bit of room to grow in these boosters...at least, heightwise; she's very close to the weight limit (though she's gaining weight very slowly at this point), but I'm okay making the parental decision to go over the booster weight limit by a bit, if she still fits heightwise, to ensure she has head support and can stay in the backseat.

I really did not want her to move out of a booster until she was closer to puberty, until I was more sure that her hips were developed enough to keep the lap portion of the belt low, but outgrowing the highbacks will put us in a bad position. I can't just move her to a backless, not in my backseat, not with the lack of headrests and low seatback.

That, of course, leaves the front seat with a backless. Older school of thought was that the backseat was safer no matter what, even without adequate head support, but least one newer study Jools linked to in another thread indicated that appropriate restraint was more important than rear seating. It's such a tough decision when it's your own kid. :p

Well, I'm no tech - but I think I would see how the belt fit is in the front seat, with the seat pushed back as far as it can go. Of course, that doesn't work when the 3 of you go somewhere together, though. I dunno - is having headrests more important than being in the back? really, no snark? I dunno.

If we use the front seat, we can do a backless, so I wouldn't have to worry about the lap belt riding too high (my main concern in the backseat, if we do away with the booster).

I wish I'd never traded my 99 Windstar for the Focus. When we did it (two years ago), I figured we'd be facing highbacks being outgrown in three years, not two. Most of my driving was around town, 30mph or less, almost always within 5 miles of home. I was sucking up the gas in the Windstar, and with only one child, it made sense to downsize and save money on gas. If I still had the Windstar, a Frontier would fit. :( Hindsight is 20/20, of course. :rolleyes:
 

scatterbunny

New member
Wowza, that picture of her head near the ceiling of the car:eek:

I know, it was shocking. If only the Frontier's base/seating portion were smaller/thinner...that's why our current boosters (Indy Plus, Starriser Comfy) and the Vivo work so well in my car: they have small/thin bases/seating portions, compared to most others.

Can she stay in her current boosters until you get a new vehicle? Does she still technically fit in them? I don't like the whole no headrests at all.:twocents:

See my previous reply to KetchupQueen. She's got a bit of room in the tallest settings of both her highbacks, which are the tallest boosters I have found that fit in our car, but she's very near the weight limit (at least on the IP, I'll need to double-check the SRC).
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
If only the Frontier's base/seating portion were smaller/thinner...that's why our current boosters (Indy Plus, Starriser Comfy) and the Vivo work so well in my car: they have small/thin bases/seating portions, compared to most others.

I had this exact thought a few weeks ago, when I was playing with our FR85 in my Civic. What a waste, since it won't fit in most cars on the top 3-4 settings or more. Too bad, I guess we lost our chance to give our opinion on that. We ought to have come up with it when Britax asked about it. :(
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Oh, can you link to that study Jools had about head restraint in the rear seat vs. front seat? If it's just one study with a small sample, I wouldn't put much stock in it.

I think the lap belt rides a smidge high on her still, but that's because the belt anchors at the bight. Is it that way for the outboard positions too? It may ride high on an adult too. Where are her hip bones in relation to the belt?
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Yes, the outboard was high on her too. I will look for a pic.

ETA: Well crud, I guess I didn't take pics.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
I don't have any advice but would like to see what you end up with as a solution. We have a Focus too and will be in the same position whenever DS grows some torso (which I'm hoping won't be for a long while!).
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
Was the Frontier outboard or middle? (Looks like middle) Does it give any additional room in the middle?
 

Spam

New member
sorta ot when did ford start adding headrests to the backseat. It seems like our 07 had headrests, and the new new ones show headrests in the focus and fiesta.
 

BrendansMommy

New member
That's a tough call. I don't know that I love the way the seatbelt fits her just yet. I think since she hasn't outgrown her current boosters yet, I'd keep her in them, and hope it gets you the 9-12 months til you get your new car.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
Maybe the new Cosco booster will be nice and tall, and reinforced? I know the Pronto sits low to the seat and adjusts quite tall.
 

scatterbunny

New member
Thanks, everyone, for the input. I also thought the lap portion of the belt was a tad high, still.

Heather, I'll have to hunt for that link. It was in a thread of April's, asking about her dd1 (who is getting too tall for her highbacks) using a backless in either the rear of her dh's pickup (without head support) OR riding in the front (still using the booster, but having head support).

My plan for now is to definitely keep her in the highbacks as long as she fits heightwise (and ignore the weight limits, I guess), and hope we have a new vehicle by the time she does outgrow them...otherwise, I'll be stuck with choosing between the backseat and no head support, or the front seat with head support. WWYD? Maybe I need to post a poll. :cool:

I don't have high hopes that Dorel will release any highback that does not require head support, but if they did, and it fit my child and my vehicle, I'd certainly consider it.
 

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