When do you switch to a backless booster

pinkgirlmommy

New member
My daughter is 6 years old and 50 pounds and in a Turbobooster in my husbands car and a Nautilus in mine. she is on the shorter side so she will fit the Nautilus for a while. She fits the Turbobooster fine as well, but we may need to purchase another backup booster for daycare as they may be switching from a bus w/ lap belts only to a van w/ shoulder/lap belts. I was panicking that we forgot to leave a booster at school and in my panic found out that we can't use a booster on the current bus because it is lap belt only so she is fine for now. However, if we did need a backup booster for a van or other vehicles, is a backless booster okay, or when is it okay to go backless? Also, because it is DH's car, I did not read the instructions for the Turbobooster and did not realize that it needs to be seatbelted in when unoccupied. I am pretty sure he is not doing that so I am glad that I found out about that. Is it better to do that or to attach it with latch?
Thanks!
 
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knkdt

Member
I got dd1 a backless booster last year in 1st grade for play dates, field trips and such. It was much easier for her to carry into school and leave in her cubby. She used it maybe 2-3x's that year. At her request, she moved into a nbb full time this summer. She is 7.5 and a good sized kid, 70lbs and 53". I feel comfortable with her choice, but still kinda "freak out" momentarily when I see her in my rear-view mirror :eek:.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Piper moved to a backless this spring at 8.5 years old in my car. She's in a high back in my husband's, without complaint. We've been using a backless for travel and carpool for just over a year now.

You cannot use LATCH on a Turbobooster.

Wendy
 

aeormsby

New member
I would be OK with a LBB for occasional use at age 6. My DD is 5.5 and over the summer has started using a HBB in DH's truck. I am thinking the next time we fly somewhere I'll probably just get a LBB for her to use instead of hauling a HBB with (no plans yet for a trip, she'll likely be at least 6yo by the time that happens).
 

Shaunam

New member
DS is the same age and weight and I'm comfortable using a backless when needed. We've actually been playing musical car seats lately and I'm waiting to buy him a parkway so he's been in a literider for about a week and probably will be until my next paycheck. :p He even fell asleep once and didn't even slouch out of position!
 

MorgieBear'sMama

New member
My 7.5 yr old DD has used a backless TB on occasion since she was 5.5. Sometimes she prefers it but if there's any chance she will fall asleep (she actually puts thought into this lol) she ask for her monterey.
 

iiicrazycats

New member
Was just about to post the same question. DH thinks I'm crazy about carseats and extended RFing but that's an entirely different post. He wants to put DS (7.5yo, 53#, 48") in a nbb full time. I told him that was fine in his car (short trips to school, karate, etc.), but not in the van. We do hour plus long trips every weekend and DS falls asleep about 50% of the time. Even in his HB TB he doesn't always remain upright when asleep. I shudder to think about his posture without those side wings to lean on while snoozing!

Glad I'm not the only Nervous Nelly! Now, about that hubby of mine...
 

ca2003

New member
My daughter is 6 years old and 50 pounds and in a Turbobooster in my husbands car and a Nautilus in mine. she is on the shorter side so she will fit the Nautilus for a while. She fits the Turbobooster fine as well, but we may need to purchase another backup booster for daycare as they may be switching from a bus w/ lap belts only to a van w/ shoulder/lap belts. I was panicking that we forgot to leave a booster at school and in my panic found out that we can't use a booster on the current bus because it is lap belt only so she is fine for now. However, if we did need a backup booster for a van or other vehicles, is a backless booster okay, or when is it okay to go backless? Also, because it is DH's car, I did not read the instructions for the Turbobooster and did not realize that it needs to be seatbelted in when unoccupied. I am pretty sure he is not doing that so I am glad that I found out about that. Is it better to do that or to attach it with latch?
Thanks!

Since you stated you didn't read the instructions for the Turbobooster, I want to make sure you have the screws installed in the armrests. I would also make sure the van has enough head support for your daughter since many of the larger passenger vans don't have adequate head support (not sure what kind of van daycare would be using).
 

pinkgirlmommy

New member
My husband claims that he read them almost 4 years ago when we got the seat. we actually started using it way too early since this was our first and we used it in our second car but she was only 3. This was before I started learning about rear facing and harnessing. Once I saw the light we put it away for a while and harnessed her again. I will check tomorrow. t This is a small school bus that the daycare uses- kind of like the short buses that the schools use. It is an older bus in which they say had no seatbelts and they added lap belts only. I am just so upset to find out that she won't have a shoulder belt or be able to use a booster on the bus. Are there any seats that can be used with a lap belt or any other solutions? I have to send her to this daycare and we just moved here and there is noone else that can pick her up. I am just beside myself right now!
 

DaniannieB

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I replied on your other thread, but I'll say the same thing here.

If the lap belts and bus seats meet FMVSS requirements, than you can install just about any harnessed car seat on the bus.

Another option (if the school if ok with it) would be a harnessed restraint that's meant to install on a bus, such as the STAR. These bus restraints install using a cam wrap system rather than using the seat belt.
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
Is there a size that people are comfy with a nbb??


E is 6 and I've thought about it for occasional use but while she's tall, she's so skinny so I'm not sure age will cut it. She's 48" but 40 exactly. That's too small for even occasional use right?
 

pinkgirlmommy

New member
I am going to install a harnessed seat on the bus. I just have to try to find something inexpensive now. I have my Nautilus but I want to keep her harnessed in my car for as long as possible. We are definitely not ready for a booster full time as she sleeps a lot in my car and head bobbles!
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
if the belt fits properly, then it's fine to use one as a spare (or as a primary seat if a highback isn't compatible with the vehicle or isn't able to be afforded) provided the child doesn't prove too impulsive without the back.

obviously, in your (OP's) case, you've decided it's not a good option for you in your situation.


As far as size... well, Damian was just too tall for the OS Parkway (tallest booster at the time) at 6.5, which is the only reason he went backless full time... (and outgrowing his turbo when he outgrew the regent meant he was already backless as a spare seat because of necessity)... I hated having him backless that young... just looked so vulnerable... even at so big.

but because he was able to stay completely upright even when sleeping (for the main seat) I didn't get an 86-Y (I would have if he'd flopped)... and why I didn't buy him a SK Monterey (I would have scrimped and saved and made it happen) when they came out... even though he didn't have much grow room, I would have if needed.

Jeffrey, I was OKAY with him backless once he was 7-ish (a bit older) because he had also already outgrown the turbobooster... at 8, I was fine with him using one full time... but even though he'd stay in position sleeping, he voiced he wasn't comfortable that way and so he and I preferred him to continue use with a highback...

so I guess in terms of size... I want about a 19-20" torso (outgrown turbobooster, evenflo big kid, other boosters of that size torso) and the boys were over 60lbs.

For Ruthie, she's more petite... at 4' tall and 53lbs (and I won't be surprised if she drops back down this year, which she did last year, when she had gotten up to 55lbs and then dropped down to 47lbs during an illness) She does not get a good belt fit from most backless boosters yet, because of her narrow shoulders... so I'm not putting her in a backless until I have to... even though I know she'd sit right.

that will be in 2013 (when her vivo expires... unless her torso shoots up about 3-4" first, but I doubt that... she's dropped from the 50 to the 45th percentile for height)... I don't know how big she'll be, but I highly doubt she'll be remotely as heavy as her brothers were when they went backless... but I know she won't drop down to under 45lbs, so that's fine... I just want to give her time for her shoulders to get wider and ensure a proper belt fit.

She's all of a sudden not the car sleeper she used to be, but she still leans her head against the headrest when she gets tired and when, in the past, she would have fallen asleep, so I think she would prefer staying in the highback still, even if she had a choice.

before, I thought I'd let her go to one as a spare when she turns 8... but now seeing how small she still is, I'm not okay with it and so I'm hoping she'll be big enough when she turns 9 in another year and a half.
 

christineka

New member
I don't like using the backless until the shoulderbelt fits correctly without the positioner. Since my kids are short torsoed- that's around 8-10 years old. Even then, I'd only go backless as a less often used seat until the high back is outgrown.
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
Will she be riding a school van some? If so, I would probably stick with a hbb. Our schools vans are not high enough backed for a 5y to ride in a lbb.
 

mlohry

New member
We went backless when my oldest was just 8 and getting too tall for the HB TB and my middle one needed it. We got him an Amp which we love! We have never needed the shoulder belt adjuster. Heck the Amp fits my 2 year old DD, that thing rocks! (yes my 2 year old is still RF in a MA 70.)
 

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