We went carseat shopping today!

So we went carseat shopping today. I have been deciding between the Britax Parkway and the Britax Regent but we tried out everything...... So I thought I would give my opinion on what we found.

We went to Babies R Us and a Baby USA.

New Graco Air Booster-Wasn't bad -dd loved it, mom didn't like the color choices though. LOL Would make a great back up seat!

Regular Graco Turbo Booster- Didn't like, I just didn't feel she has enough room to grow it seemed like she was cramped and when sitting slouched forward. DD's hips just didn't have any room for growing. She has this seat at her dad's house and I may make her dad get something else.

Britax Parkway- I was disapointed it compared very similar to the Turbo Booster just didn't feel she had enough room to grow. I did love the headrests and felt they would work great for my child during naps. Again her hips just didn't have much room.

The Compass Booster- Plenty of room, DD liked it alot but I want something with a better headrest. But a great seat overall.

Britax Monarch- Definately more room than the Parkway, not a bad seat. Loved the headrest. DD wasn't much interested and I'm not completely sold on it.

Recaro Booster-Daughter loved, once agains she slouched forward alot. I didn't like the price on that one or colors.

Radian 80- My goodness I never realized how heavy that seat is, one solid safe seat. DD looked like it wouldn't last any longer than her Marathon she didn't have much time with the shoulder slots. It is a very narrow seat didn't realize it. Bummer

So my overall opinion is I am still not comfortable with boosters. DD just couldn't sit right in them. I had to keep telling her to scoot her butt back. I was kinda bummed at that. I was SHOCKED how cramped she seemed in most of the boosters, she's not a fat kid I can see her rib bones in a swimsuit, she fits in some "slim size pants" but she's also not skin and bones. She's got some meat on her bones and is healthy. I felt like gee is my kid to wide or something. There was NO way she was going to fit in those boosters til 80/100 lbs. I guess I was very disapointed.

The only 3 seats that are workable are the REGENT, GRACO AIR BOOSTER, and COMPASS BOOSTER.

DD was the happiest and most comfortable in the REGENT and looked as if she had years to outgrow it. So I think that will be our be our next seat, now I just have to save some money it's also the most exspensive one but you get what you pay for.

I also didn't like my shopping experiance at BRU or USA Baby. No one seemed the least bit interested in helping us, and kept glarring at me for "playing" with the seats. It's not like this is a 5min. decision for me and I'll be laying down alot of money especially being a single mom. I have to admit I'm intimidated by how to install the regent but I can always have it installed professionally by a tech. BRU had a horrible selection of boosters, not a single Britax pretty much Graco or Evenflo.

So are Regents ever on sale? Like at the end of the year or something. I keep seeing them at $269.00 so I'm guessing not.

They used to go on sale, now you are just lucky if you can find them in stock, period.
I know boosters seem narrow, but kids don't really grow wider, they gain weight in their height, if that makes sense... heavy little calves and shins, lol. A skinny kid won't even need to be in a booster till 80 pounds... my skinny 9.5 yo is only 60 pounds on a good day and is almost ready to be out of a booster. In fact, most people testing out boosters are upset if their 5 yo has too much room side to side, so it swings both ways (you want it to be snug, prevents side to side movement).

Love the Regent though, you can't go wrong with it...still my 9 yo's favorite seat when I can be bothered to install it (we switch cars a LOT and it's a pain...sigh).

According to the clinical growth charts, your dd is about the 25th percentile for height and about the 80th percentile for weight, for a 5.75 year old. I can see how she could feel squished in some boosters, like the Parkway. My d is 6 inches taller and 9 pounds lighter and chooses the Compass B510 over the Parkway because it isn't as tight through the hips and because it offers more leg support. She loves the Parkway's headwings, though.

However, kids do tend to grow taller but not much wider, as Julie said. My little sister fit the Parkway on the highest setting at 12 years old, 5 feet tall and 105 pounds. She was wearing a size 5/7 women's jeans at that time. The leg support wasn't deep enough, but widthwise and heightwise she still fit.

Still, my dd's favorite seat by far is the Husky (Regent). She's way more comfy in that than she is in ANY booster, even her favorite booster.

I notice that you didn't have any Evenflo products on your list.

There's a new booster seat out by them that handles up to 100lbs, but is adjustable in the seat and the back. It might be more comfortable. So far, I haven't seen IRL.


Evenflo Big Kid Deluxe Booster

There's also the Recaro Start that also has adjustable seat & back. Pricey, but very good quality. Requires a top tether. Target.com has them available online.

The Recaro Vivo is coming out soon and I believe there are other new boosters soon to be released on the market too.

My dd likes to be hugged into a snug seat, but if she didn't, I'd go for the Compass booster if I were to do it again. But I dont' know if it would work for her in the long term since the Recaro provides much more thigh support with its extension ability and she is a very leggy child. :shrug-shoulders:

Morganthe said:

I notice that you didn't have any Evenflo products on your list.

Click to expand...

The Evenflo Confidence is quite nice. It is lined with EPS foam!

Ooh, the Confidence is very wide. It would accomodate a bigger child very nicely.

The Graco Airbooster comes in 4 colors - two are gray!

Wow, I'm dying to know which store this was?! I have to drive to NYC to get that much selection....

Sounds about right that the Regent, Compass B510 & Airbooster offer the most leg support : this is true for my Leila as well (who is thin but leggy) -- we never tried the Confidence, but various techs have suggested we check it out since it can be adjusted something like 37 ways (we looked at it during the Lifesavers conference, but neither of us were thrilled with the appearance so we played with other seats instead ) Can't go wrong keeping kiddo harnessed longer, though, of course :thumbsup:

I'm very lucky and fortionate I have a Babies R Us and a USA BABY on the same street they're like a block from eachother. It's in Bloomingtion, MN where the famous Mall of America is. I live maybe 10min. away.

USA Baby I believe that's the name is a higher end store, I've never bought anything there and find the customer service people to put their noses up but they have a HUGE selection of like everything. They just don't have the carseat cover's I want. You have to special order that.

I donot like Evenflo... sorry I just don't My dd has a the Evenflo Big Kids Booster and she flops all over the place when she falls asleep. I just need something with headwings if we go to a booster. I also don't like Cosco I've been disappointed with both brands before. I'm kinda a Graco/Britax lover! But open to other brands I've never tried.

I did like the Air booster I just have never owned a girlie carseat and would like to have a the option of something girlie. My dd loved the seat bottom she was like oh this is cool.

I don't think I would have a problem getting a regent in stock, both stores here carry them. BRU only had the tan patterend one and Baby usa or whatever it was called had the black/grey cover.

I get you on the distaste for Evenflo or Cosco in general -- I've learned to appreciate a few select options of theirs, but in general, I have to work against my aversion You can't go wrong with the Regent ... but if you need a booster the Compass B510 is great & we did also like the Airbooster a lot: you might stitch on a girly patch or something into the headrest cover