Low profile backless?

menfusse

New member
*ADDED PICS IN POST 8*

Apparently A has sprouted torso? She's a tall girl over all anyway, and the only high back that we have that still fits is the Monterey. I picked up a harmony lightrider a while back, and she's been riding in our car in that full time. I just happened to check her yesterday, and now the shoulder belt sits too far to the edge of her shoulder. I tried using the guide and making sure the strap was centered on her back, and it's not much better if at all. Now I need to check MIL's car and see how she fits in there too.

Anyway, I checked her for fit without and it's actually quite good, but she's a hair short of fully bending her knees over the edge of the seat, so she's probably gonna scoot some as the ride goes on and lose the lap belt fit. Plus, we have side curtain airbags, and she's not quite tall enough without a booster for them to make a different for her, at least I don't think anyway.

All I have local to me are the harmony's and backless turbo's. I don't think the turbo would be wide enough to be comfy between the armrests, but I have tried her to be sure. I hate to order something without seeing it though. Ugh.

We have a Jeep Commander if that helps you with suggestions. I can't afford, nor justify buying another tall hbb for her when she'll five step after her next growth spurt. The monterey is in dh's old s-10 pick up which she rides in everyday to school, so it's staying where it is.
 
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myliljunebugs

New member
Have you tried the Monterey backless? If it works you can buy it without the back now, the price is high IMO for a backless booster but maybe that would work for your situation? I was going to suggest the Harmony until I saw that is what isn't working :( What about in the middle? (assuming there is a middle, not capt. chairs) DS *almost* 5 steps in the middle of my car while he is a couple of years away on the outside.
 

menfusse

New member
Have you tried the Monterey backless? If it works you can buy it without the back now, the price is high IMO for a backless booster but maybe that would work for your situation? I was going to suggest the Harmony until I saw that is what isn't working :( What about in the middle? (assuming there is a middle, not capt. chairs) DS *almost* 5 steps in the middle of my car while he is a couple of years away on the outside.

OMG I never thought I checking if she 5 steps in the middle. There is no head rest in the middle, so she can't do a backless there. She's too tall. The center isn't as sloped or reclined, and I'm betting she'll 5 step.

I'll have to check when I pick her up this afternoon. I'll get some pics too.

I haven't tried the monterey backless. I'll dismantle it and check that too if she doesn't pass in the middle. It is kind of pricey though, for just a backless.
 

menfusse

New member
Bumping for pics. Monterey backless is the same. Too close to the edge for comfort. I'm not even sure what the solution is here.

Here's pics of how the shoulder belt fits with the boosters, and then how she is in terms of 5 stepping.

Booster. Don't remember which one this was now, but it's the same in the Monterey and the Harmony. I actually had her scoot over so this is as good as it gets. It tends to get a little worse over the course of a drive for whatever reason.
09281432.jpg


Just in the seat, no booster.
09281434.jpg


Side view of lap belt fit. Doesn't quite make it I don't think? Her feet aren't flat, but they do touch the floor. She's got a bit of a little belly going on right now, which usually indicates she's going to grow UP even more...dang it.
09281433.jpg


Center. Feet can touch flat there, but she says the lap belt digs in a little into her belly. You can't tell in this pic really, but it does sit a bit higher there, but hits her hips on the sides a bit better..weird. Though I don't *think* it's all that bad either.
09281435.jpg


The shoulder belt though is going to be super uncomfy. Cuts her neck unless she leans over onto E's seat.
09281435a.jpg


Anyway, so there we are. The guide on the harmony actually ended up being worse after the ride home today. It loosened up and slid up the belt, pulling it further out.

I'm open to opinions and suggestions.
 

sirrahn

Active member
I went through something similar with my oldest. He got a point where the fit wasn't great with a booster (shoulder was belt low and he was slumping to get his feet flat b/c they were almoooost there), but he wasn't quite there with the 5 step test either. Honestly we just kind of flip flopped for a while trying to decide which was worse until finally, he was just suddenly definitely better without the booster.

Honestly she doesn't look too bad to me in the outboard seatbelt only pic. Could she have a phonebook (well something lighter would be better, but you get the idea) under her feet?
 

menfusse

New member
Yeah, the more I'm looking at it, the more I'm seeing she's ok in just the seat belt as long as I get a little something under her feet to prevent scootage. It doesn't look like it in the pic, but only her heels don't touch on the floor, so it won't take much. I just don't think that any backless will make much of a difference. If I were a rich woman, or I didn't have to get a new seat for E for MIL's car, I'd spring for another tall hbb even if she only got 6 months out of it. E could eventually use it.

I just can't believe my kid is this close to boosterless. I'm freaking out more now that I was when she went to a booster to begin with. Ugh.
 

myliljunebugs

New member
Yeah, the boosterless pic looks better and just get a really low profile plastic stool for the floor. That is how DS fits in most cars nowadays. Kinda freaky since I hear of 10-12 year olds still using boosters, and I can pretty much bet by 9 we will have to be without boosters in most cars because the booster itself will make the belt fit worse. :( To me he is a baby but obviously he isn't anymore..... :eek:
 

ginny4

New member
we had a similar issue with my sons too in the rear of our van......tho they had long enough legs to have feet flat on floor & bend at legs. it was a better fit without then with. actually we still had a shoulder belt too far away from their shoudler so i got 2 of the autosafe belt guides & that solved the problem.

i agree with the others just a seatbelt for her & something to rest her feet on. the fit is good outboard. i don't like the center fit at all.
 

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