Boosters in our Volvo XC70

Hi all..

Our 33 month old son is 40 in tall & 34 lbs. He's currently in a FF Britax Marathon... and he LOOKS so uncomfortable that it's time to move on up.

Our car, a 2006 Volvo XC70 ("Cross Country") has integrated booster seats, which is one of the reasons we bought it. But we realize that our son is not emotionally mature enough for just a shoulder strap (this was before we saw The Video).

Anyway, before I ask the $260 question, I'd like to ask you experts (because I can't find the info anywhere online): are these Volvo boosters safe to use, if a child no longer needs a harness? Or did we waste our money?

And now... which seat do you recommend for us? I realize the Regent is #1...but will it fit in my car? And, will it (or any other seat) be too excessive, since we have the integrated booster seats?

Honestly, I've thought about using our airplane harness (the FAA approved one) with the integrated booster... Is there something like that out there? I just hate lugging around a huge, heavy carseat... (I know I know, it's the price we pay to keep our kids safe!)

Thanks!

Can I just ask why you think your son looks uncomfortable in a Marathon? He's well under the height and weight limits, and most kids use it until they are considerably bigger than that. He's a tall guy, and may very well outgrow the harness slots before he's ready for a booster. (At 33 months, he's definitely not ready for one yet!) If that happens, then either a Regent or a Radian would be your best bet. The Radian has higher top harness slots than the Marathon, but won't last as long as the Regent.

The integrated booster seats should be just fine for a child who is at the right age and maturity level for a booster, particularly in a car with side curtain airbags for rear passengers, which I'm guessing a 2006 XC70 has. I don't know about the harness/booster combination, though it doesn't sound like a good idea to me. For one thing, if you're using a vest restraint, the booster part is unnecessary. Its only function is to make the lap/shoulder belt fit properly, and if you're not using that, you don't need it.

My dd was 38 inches tall and 35 pounds at 30 months, so I know where you are coming from. We considered a Marathon for her at that time because she had outgrown her Cosco Alpha Omega by height (such a waste of money). But she was basically at the second-to-top slots of the Marathon, almost ready to be moved up to the top slots because she was so long-torsoed, and it just didn't look comfy for her. So we went with the Husky, the precursor to the Regent, and have been VERY pleased with it. It is truly an awesome seat.

My dd will be 6 in June, is 49 inches tall and 50 pounds (need to update my signature information ) and still has a good two years left in the Husky/Regent.

Volvo's integrated boosters ARE safe, from what I understand. They just aren't safe for kids who aren't ready for boosters yet. Kids under age 5 have higher rates of head injuries in booster seats rather than harnessed seats, so you want to shoot for at least age 5, when deciding how long to keep him harnessed, preferably longer.

If you went with a Regent, I wouldn't plan on "lugging" it around. I'd find an inexpensive seat to use as a spare/carpool seat.

You have a big boy, so I'd only look at the Britax Regent, Sunshine Kids Radian (has big installation problems in many vehicles, but is a great seat with top slots about an inch taller than the Marathon's top slots, and offers a deeper seating area while being a smaller seat, overall) and Cosco/Safety 1st Apex (this seat has top slots just a smidge taller than the Marathon's top slots, but is about as wide as a Regent, so your big boy won't be so cramped, but it requires vehicle headrest or high seatbacks at least to the tips of the child's ears at all times, so it can't be used in seating positions with lowback seats).

All of those I mentioned are low-profile seats, meaning, they don't sit up on a big base like the Marathon, instead they sit flat on the vehicle seat, really easy for kids to climb into.

My daughter is 3 1/2, 41 lbs and has plenty of room in her MA. Yor son should be fine for some time yet.

The integrated booster is fine for a child of appropriate age to use it, however a child under both 4 years and 409 lbs has no business in a booster at all, and the reality is that the brain sysnapses that govern impluse control are not deleveloped until 5-6 years old.

I understand your point completely about your son not looking comfortable. My daughter was in a Decathlon from 2.75 yrs old to 3.5 yrs old and it "looked" like she was really just too big for it, being up so high, with her big legs dangling and her head inches from the ceiling! She had one inch left and would probably technically have fit for another 8-12 months, but I sold it. Some folks here are really attached to their seats and their kids don't complain about them, but we needed to change. My daughter looked like Alice in Wonderland when she is BIG in the Decathlon!! I went with a Radian and she has at least 2.5" of torso growth left in it- she is 38 lbs and 40" and will be 4 next month. She can easily get in it and it is nice and flat on the seat. See my siggy pic below. HTH!

You might also look at the SafeGuard Go. It does require the use of a tether anchor (which your vehicle has). It is rated up to 60 lbs and 52 inches in the harness mode. It only weighs 9 pounds and comes with a carrying case.

Take a look at: http://www.safeguardseat.com/go/index.htm

Because I care.

-- Marc

We have the '06 V70. I can't address the problem you seem to have with the Marathon as my daughter fits just fine in hers and she will be 4 in June. But we do use our integrated booster for our 7 year old and feel good about it. I, personally, would not use it really any younger though.....it's the same as using a backless booster, so at the age you would feel comfortable using that is when you could use your integrated boosters. Here is a picture taken last October of the kids (with Becca in the integrated booster)...