Boosters with flip up arm rests

Yeah, one of my posts a few months ago talked a little about wanting to find a booster with flip up arm rests, but I have other questions now and I don't want to bump it up. I didn't find much when trying to search.

Basically, My oldest is ok with staying in her Radian right now, but if we can make a booster fit in our car with 3 across and be easy for both of us to buckle, she'd rather do that by the time she is 6 (in July).
I think she'd do well in a booster now, so I'm not worried about her maturity.

Anyway, we have a Toyota Camry and 3 kids, not going to be able to get a van for at least another year, possibly longer.
I think she may have enough growing room in the radian to last until we get a van, but I'd like to let her switch to a booster sooner if one will work for us, because she's getting more aware of what other kids ride in.

We have a high back turbo and she fits in it well, and it fits in our car, but it's a huge pain to buckle because the arm rest gets in the way and because the radian in the middle is so close to it, and we have floppy belt stalks.
I'm thinking if we're going to make a full time booster work in this car, it will need to have flip up arm rests for easier buckling. I tried an old style parkway in the car a while back and though it has no arm rests, it is even worse off for buckling because of the deep sides, we'd still have to stick our hand inbetween a tiny area to buckle.

As I understand it, the compass boosters and the evenflo big kid are the only boosters with flip up arm rests, are there any others?
I've heard some say great things about them, and others say not so great things about them.

I want to hear from people with experience with either one, or another booster that might work if there is one. Good or bad, I want to know what you like or don't like about them. If you have pics you want to share, that would be cool too, particularly if you have used one in a 3 across situation.

I'm thinking about this now even though we're not ready to switch her just yet because I want to know what to be watching out for sales on.
I'm not worried about buying one earlier than she'll use it because I view it as a booster that we'll use just for this situation in this car, it won't matter if it expires before Hannah is out of a booster. Once we get a van and have more space, I want to get something on the higher end, for more ease of use features and comfort.

Just thinking a bit here... if you put Josh in the Radian would you be able to scoot the 2 Radians closer to give you a bit more room for buckling?

i have a couple of the evenflo big kid boosters and they were a life saver when i had to do three deep in the back of my honda civic!! over all they are great seats and have held up awesome but im planning to get some recaro boosters now that i have a van if DH is up for it because my mom is gonna need some boosters for her car..so its my excuse hehe

featherhead said:

Just thinking a bit here... if you put Josh in the Radian would you be able to scoot the 2 Radians closer to give you a bit more room for buckling?

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Judi and I tried that when she was here not too long ago. We can give the booster a little more room, but not enough that it makes a big enough difference when using the turbo.

If Hannah is in a booster, I want to have both of the other kids in the radians, so Josh has more leg room while RFing. Josh might have to be in the middle for that to work. I've only been able to get the Radian to RF in the middle, but Judi and I tried it RFing outboard too. I don't remember how well it worked. I know we got it buckled tight and all, but I don't remember how upright we got it, and how much room that left for the front seat. I don't remember if we were trying to install it as upright as possible or if we were just trying to see if it could install tightly.
My car has advanced airbags so the seats can't rest on the front seat.

Anyway, so yeah I know for sure that Josh could be in a radian if he's in the center. I'm not sure how the radian next to a booster differs if the radian is FF or RF, if it even makes a difference at all.

If you have a tight 3 across, I would stay away from the Compass. Those are really wide.

We have the newer compass for my step son and it works for him because he is a bit large for his age. He just turned 5 and is 60 lbs. Most boosters he is squished in because he is stocky all over. It is a bit wider so I don't know how 3 across will fit but the raised arm rest are very nice. I hear the compass get a bad reputation but the newer one is SOOO nice, comfy, soft, has lots of cushioning, nice style, love the cup holders, and fits him PERFECTLY. Keeps the belt where it needs to with the belt guides. Plus I got it 30% off at kohls...which I believe they will have another 30% off code next week.

The AirProtect booster has flip up armrests, but it requires vehicle head support to the tips of the child's ears. Not sure if your Camry has adjustable headrests or if your dd is short enough to not need them.

Gypsy said:

The AirProtect booster has flip up armrests, but it requires vehicle head support to the tips of the child's ears. Not sure if your Camry has adjustable headrests or if your dd is short enough to not need them.

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Cool, I didn't know about that one! That one is pretty new right?
Is that one a pretty good booster? Does it tend to fit kids well?
We do have adjustable headrests in all the positions in the car. She's also short too, when she rides in the Turbo, she uses it on the lowest height.

I think everyone here is still a bit irritated with Cosco for not reinforcing the head rests of any of their boosters, but since you have the proper head support I don't think it's something you need to worry about. It passed testing just like all of the other boosters. It also has really impressive head wings with air padding in them, and EPS foam behind the head, so it's really got all of the protections that I look for for a booster for my own child. In fact, this is the booster I instructed my XH to buy for my ds for his car because of the head wings. XH's car doesn't have side curtain airbags and I wanted the biggest wings I could find, and this is it. It's a great fit on my ds in XH's 2005 Dodge Neon, and my 2006 Kia Sedona.

How narrow is it? Would it likely fit well in a 3 across?

It's not wide like the Monterey, but I don't remember exactly.

It's in Illinois in XH's car (or closet), so I can't measure for you. My kmart has them in stock on the shelf though.

However, when dd was in the seatbelt, and ds was in the AirProtect, in a Dodge Neon, it looked like another 10 year old child would comfortably fit between them. I wasn't looking for 3 across though, I'm sorry!

Would the Boost Air be higher on your list than the Evenflo Big Kid or Compass (If the compass would even fit, people say it's wide)?

I liked my BigKid. It was the Deluxe though with a bit deeper headwings, more padding, and the kids loved the little lights on the headrest. My neighbor is using it now. I'd probably put some velcro on whatever seat you get to stick the buckle stalk to it so it won't fall down all the time too.

If you were interested in the compass, someone is selling a brand new b570 on ksl for $65. (It was higher. I keep watching it.) You might even be able to try it in your car before buying.

I have taped buckle stalks to the side of the booster. I'm sure it isn't allowed, but I do not believe it to be a safety issue.

I have a compass b570 and love it. I don't know if it would work in a 3 across though. I can try to get pictures tomorrow.

Can you do that, tape or Velcro buckle stalks to your seats? We had to do a tight 3 across temporarily and I was like if we had to do this regularly I would get a booster with flip up arm rests, but the Velcro or tape trick would work too.

I was thinking of putting velcro on the belt stalk and the side of the booster, so something like that is ok then? If so, that and a flip up arm rest booster (if it fits in the car and she fits in it correctly) will probably do the trick.

Of the three you mentioned, *I* prefer the AirProtect. I have a love of deep head wings.

The compass is wide and unlikely to work in many 3 across configurations.

I've found the evenflo big kid is a little wider than the turbo, so not the easiest for 3-across.

I'd be thinking Recaro Vivo or try out the Complete Air Booster.

Kat_Momof3 said:

I've found the evenflo big kid is a little wider than the turbo, so not the easiest for 3-across.

I'd be thinking Recaro Vivo or try out the Complete Air Booster.

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Does the Vivo have flip up arm rests?