Size/Age you are comfortable w/ Full-time backless usage?

DH has both of the kids boosters in his car (the 1 day a week he takes them to school). DD is 5 1/2 and I prefer her in the RN but DH hates installing it so I put the turbo in there. DH likes the 2 backless Harmony boosters. I'm not really comfortable w/ DD in it right now, she's about 45 pounds and 42 inches tall (all legs). She rides in a RNXT in my car.

DS will be 8 next month, weighs about 55 pounds and is about 52 inches tall. I don't mind him in the backless for short trips because he sits well in it but in my car he rides in a Britax PKWY SG (w/out the SG). He asked me when he could ride in the backless all the time.

I don't know what to tell him. He still falls asleep in the car on long trips and I think he's more comfortable in the parkway, but he's in 2nd grade and is wanting to not look like he's still in a "baby seat" when I pick him up. I'm considering letting him be in the backless for school pickup/drop offs and then putting him back in the PKWY for longer trips (weekends etc.) Bad idea? There are side curtain airbags in the second row of my car and he is outboard.

What is your preference?

what is the fit like in the backless? If the fit is fine, I don't see an issue at age 8.

Since you said he sits well for short trips, I'd be ok with it at his age and use the parkway for long trips.

DD1 is 8 and in 3rd grade. She is the only one still in a highback booster. She prefers it because after school she's tired and likes to rest her head on something. She was in a backless for a couple of days with my parents and she told me she wanted her highback because she was more comfortable.

The fit is fine in the harmony. Thanks!

I'm OK with it now for my oldest. He's 8 years old. He's been riding responsibly in a highback booster since he was 5. He's a pro. But, *he* doesn't want to, so it's only occasionally.

If you asked me a year ago I would have said 12.. lol

My son is 7 about 56 lbs and 54 inches tall and he rides in the LBB to school and church.. When we go on long trips, out at night, or days where we will be doing a lot and he is worn out after, he rides in the Probooster.

He has gotten better in the LBB so he can use it for the .75mile to go to church now too..

My biggest problem is the 3 yr old climbs in it saying "IM BIG" and won't get out of it."

I'm fine with it for shorter trips once the child fits well in the backless, can sit properly whole trip, and of course is big enough for the booster... depending on size of child, this is usually somewhere around age 6-10 (giant 6yr olds and tiny 10yr olds make this a wide range)

for long trips/primary seat, sleeping has to be factored in... they have to be able to either not sleep in the car at all, or sleep and stay in position.

Ruthie will be 8 in March... she's not going backless... she has once... in a rain storm where I didn't want to get myself and her highback soaked getting it out of the trunk... but if the backless hadn't fit, I would have put her in the highback or not left the house.

reasons... few backless boosters fit her... she has highbacks that fit her and fit well in the vehicles, she can buckle herself easily in both (aka, no misuse risk from an adult), and when she gets tired, she likes to lean her head on the "pillows" headrest... when she sleeps, though that is a lot less likely than it used to be, she still definitely needs support.

her booster in her dad's car expires in 2013... if the evenflo big kid that used to be in there (before we got a second recaro booster) still fits, she'll go back in that, but otherwise, that's when I'm probably going to put her in a backless in that car.

in my van, it will be when she outgrows the Probooster... she loves it, I love it.

Sometimes I actually use my dh's car more, but the van is always what we use for our longest trips/family trips.

Me personally? I don't ever plan to use a backless with the kids as long as they fit in the kind with a back. So I'm thinking Frontier85 until the end of elementary if they fit that long...or more.

What would I tell someone else? If there are no issues with sitting out of position 8 would be OK, sure.

My son is only 5 but he gets quite indignant when he sees misuse or lack of carseat use, lol. He's not the kind to give me any grief about choosing the MOST seat I can possibly fit him in safely. A future carseat nut in the making, I guess.

I have no idea b/c AJ has never asked, lol. He's 8, 85# and about to max out 'normal' boosters so will have to start using a backless when w/ MIL or someone other than DH which happens like never. I generally say when they outgrow the back but just like rfing past 3 or so, eventually I think you have to take the kiddos into thought. My tech friend's 9yo just switched b/c of the other kids at school picking on him b/c they could see his booster back in the van.

I haven't heard of any real evidence that a high back booster is safer than a low back one as long as the belt fit is good.

I also would prefer a high-back booster for children who sleep in cars, children who need that extra reminder not to lean or slouch out of the belt, or of course children who are too small to get a good fit with the LBB.

I would have zero issue with using the LBB most of the time with an 8 year old who sits well in the seat and it fits well. Frankly, I don't have an issue with a well-behaved and reasonably sized 5 year old in a LBB for day time trips short enough that sleeping isn't an issue. But I would still use the HBB for long trips or late (nearing or after bed time) trips because it's so hard to stay in position while sleeping in a LBB (or seat belt alone for that matter).

My oldest ds was 10 and 65lbs, I just started letting my oldest dd ride full time in a backless, she is 10 and 60lbs. My youngest dd rides in one occasionally, she is 8 and 56lbs. So I guess for me, they have to be at least 8yrs old.