FP Grow-with-Me vs. Graco Turbo Booster

My 5.5 yo, 41 lb, 46.5" son sits in a FP GWM seat. I'm considering buying a Graco Turbo Booster to replace it because he seems to be outgrowing (too tall) for the GWM. He still occassionally naps in the car, so I want the full seat with wings vs just the booster seat. I may get just the booster seat for DH's car since he so seldom rides in it. I also don't like the way the FP GWM fits in our Grand Caravan. We're getting a 2004 Sienna (someday soon, I hope!) so I'd like to get him a new seat, if needed. What would you recommend?

I'll put he harness back on the FP GWM and use it as our backup seat or DH's car. Then we'll be set.

For as safety conscious (sp) as my DH is most of the time, he still has an outdated mindset about boosters. He just asked me "How soon can we get our son out of his booster. Isn't he getting a little big?" GGRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Hi! The Turbo booster is a great seat for a great price...the headwings are terrific for sleeping.
They have many different models, based on the covers. There are new ones for this season, that have deeper/larger seat areas (the older models were found to be not comfortable for taller/older children, and Graco responded by making deeper seats...hooray for Graco!) However, it makes the job of recommending one a little more specific, to make sure you get the improved model.
Here is a link to all their seats http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8498TCI
The models that have the deeper seats are the Tucci and the Roswell. I've seen them at Wal-Mart and Target, and I would recommend looking for them, since my DS is the same size as yours and even HE is beginning to find his older model LaCrosse to be not supportive enough for his thighs.

I'm not sure why you would put the harness back in the GWM? It's weight limit is 40 pounds, so you might as well keep using it as a booster (unless you have a younger kiddo to go into it?)

A terrific no-back booster to look at is the Cosco High Rise...My ds and his friends love that one! It's comfy, and they like the cupholder...also it's only about $16...a great price for a backup seat with a 100 pound weight limit.

Hope that helps!

FPGWM Harness

Oops, forgot to say that the FPGWM would become my 3 yo's back up seat. Sorry for the confusion. If I get a backless booster and the Turbo Booster, I will have enough seats for both cars. TG my oldest doesn't need one anymore. He just turnd 12, he's 5' 2-3/4", and he finally broke 100 lbs.

what about graco backless booster?

How does the graco backless turbobooster compare with the cosco seat?

The backless graco is fine, but they are all the smaller/shorter seats...the cosco high rise is wider and deeper and more likely to be comfortable for a kid all the way up to the size where the adult seatbelt fits without a booster.

My DH, too, wonders why my 6 yo ds is still in a booster, despite being old enough, by law in our state, to be out of one. I showed him this news clip...it's very convincing.... http://www.msnbc.com/news/498507.asp?cp1=1

State Laws

Yo bring up another good point. We recently moved to another state and I haven't looked up what the laws are here. Where's a good source to find out what the laws are state by state?

Here's a list of state laws:
http://www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/state_laws/restrain2.htm

However, the laws of physics are considerably more stringent
Here's how to tell if a child is ready for an adult-sized seatbelt:
http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

All kids and all cars are a little different, so you might end up needing a booster till age 10 or eleven in some cars, 8 or 9 in others, and in the third row of the Durango, my 6 year old fits fine (that is a SMALL backseat!).

Thanks for the link!

One more question - on a comparison between the turbobooster and the FP GWM, which would you go with? Or is there even a comparison with all the new advances in seats?

bump

just bumping