Boosters for smaller kids

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 23, 2011

I am starting to think about boosters for Marcus for ym DH's car. He is nearing 40lbs & DH has asked if he could booster him. I told him that he could possibly booster him at age 5 & 40lbs. So, we're almost there.

I know I need a seat that fits smaller more petite booster riders well. I also need a seat that fits well in a smaller car. I would like to keep the cost between $50-$75, but absolutly no more than $100.

The boosters I was thinking about that I have heard fit smaller booster riders well are:
Harmony Dreamtime Deluxe
Evenflo Big Kid Sport or Big Kid Deluxe
Graco Turbo
Parkway SGL
Vivo

Are there any others that I am missing. Is there something that has a super cool cover? DH

the looks of the Skurvy Skulls Oobr, but the price caused him to do this

& say no. LOL. He would prefer black or grey or some sort of guy/boyish print. He also has no lower anchors, so it doesn't have to have LATCH. He drives a 2001 2 door Chevy Cavalier.

Tell me what booster seats you aboslutly

for your child that is smaller/petite in size. What does your child love??

NVMBR02 · Oct 23, 2011

My favorite for smaller booster riders is still the Turbobooster. I really like the Vivo also.

StillThankful · Oct 23, 2011

Marcus is the same age & height as my DD1

. She is currently in the Evenflo Big Kid HBB. They have a cool boy cover called graffiti. She fits great in it--problem though is when she sleeps--major head slump b/c there is no recline feature.

I haven't tried the Graco Turbobooster, but alot of people state it fits small school-aged kids well and it has the recline feature.

Holly · Oct 23, 2011

I have a small kid too, just barely 40 lbs at 6 years old. I wanted to get a "fancy" booster for her but in the end we got her a turbo booster elite. She fits in it like it was made for her. We both love it. Everything else I was thinking of had something about it that bugged me, a feature or the price. We are very happy with our turbo.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 23, 2011

Mommyto2 said:
My favorite for smaller booster riders is still the Turbobooster. I really like the Vivo also.

Yeah, I really like the looks of the turbo & how well it fits smaller riders, but I HATE how the back fall off all the time. So, I am kind of :thumbsdown: on it b/c of that. I also really like the looks of the Vivo. Deffinatly want to look at that one.

StillThankful said:
Marcus is the same age & height as my DD1. She is currently in the Evenflo Big Kid HBB. They have a cool boy cover called graffiti. She fits great in it--problem though is when she sleeps--major head slump b/c there is no recline feature.

I haven't tried the Graco Turbobooster, but alot of people state it fits small school-aged kids well and it has the recline feature.

I should have added that I know he fits well in the Big Kid Sport. We own one of those, but my MIL has it & I don't trust it anymore b/c I know she has thrown it around. Plus we're not speaking to her. I also kind of wanted a little more depth to the head & side wings. But I did really like the fit of him in the Big Kid Sport:

Read above for why I am torn on the turbo. I really like the looks of it & how well it fits smaller riders, just not sure I love that it falls apart all the freakin time.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 23, 2011

I did think of one that I forgot to ask about. The Boost Air. Is it a good fit for smaller riders?

Carrie_R · Oct 23, 2011

How often will DH take the seat in and out of the car? If it's going to live in the car the bulk of the time, then it doesn't matter so much that the back falls off.

The Vivo is a standby favorite for small riders, sturdy, side wings and I believe good for sleeping. I've never owned one but it's the one that gets mentioned alongside the Turbo as great for smaller riders.

Someone mentioned the Maxi-Cosi Rodi as a good fit, too, recently. It's going to need head support from the vehicle seat (as will the Boost Air.)

NannyMom · Oct 23, 2011

I

the Vivo (except for the non-latchability).

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 23, 2011

Carrie_R said:
How often will DH take the seat in and out of the car? If it's going to live in the car the bulk of the time, then it doesn't matter so much that the back falls off.

The Vivo is a standby favorite for small riders, sturdy, side wings and I believe good for sleeping. I've never owned one but it's the one that gets mentioned alongside the Turbo as great for smaller riders.

Someone mentioned the Maxi-Cosi Rodi as a good fit, too, recently. It's going to need head support from the vehicle seat (as will the Boost Air.)

It will live in the car for the most part. However I had a friend that owned one that fell apart when her DD would get out of it. IDK why, but I really want something besides the turbo. While I know it's a good/safe seat, I am just not a huge fan of it. I am just so/so with it.

I really like the looks of the Vivo as well. Deffinatly want to look more into it. If I am right, I can order it from Target & get free in store return, right?

I would have to try the Boost Air b/c I am not sure his back seat is tall enough to support it.

NannyMom said:
I the Vivo (except for the non-latchability).

I really like the looks of the Vivo. It being non-latchable doesn't matter to me b/c I don't have LATCH. So, no worries there. Deffinatly want to look more at a Vivo.

babyherder · Oct 23, 2011

If a Big Lots near you has vivos you can get one and check the fit and see it in person. If you don't like it, return it. I forget the exact return policy but I did it once. All I did with the booster was check the fit in my car and put it back in the box.

Also, if your dh wants a gray or black cover the tb might work!

Qarin · Oct 23, 2011

Mommy2Marcus said:
It will live in the car for the most part. However I had a friend that owned one that fell apart when her DD would get out of it.

Wow, that is NOT my experience with the TB, and would indicate to me that it wasn't put together right at all.

Holly · Oct 23, 2011

Qarin said:
Wow, that is NOT my experience with the TB, and would indicate to me that it wasn't put together right at all.

Ditto. I have two turbo boosters and they don't do that. They only come apart if I'm carrying them by only the top and letting the bottom hang and swing around.

NVMBR02 · Oct 23, 2011

Qarin said:
Wow, that is NOT my experience with the TB, and would indicate to me that it wasn't put together right at all.

Holly said:
Ditto. I have two turbo boosters and they don't do that. They only come apart if I'm carrying them by only the top and letting the bottom hang and swing around.

:yeahthat:

In fact, my back doesn't even fall off when I carry it by the back most of the time.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 23, 2011

Qarin said:
Wow, that is NOT my experience with the TB, and would indicate to me that it wasn't put together right at all.

Yeah, I would guess that it was put together wrong, but it did it from the start. I am the one who bought it & put it together for her & I followed the directions. I am pretty sure it was put together properly. I bet it was just faulty.

Holly · Oct 23, 2011

I LOVE how solid the Compass B540 was when I tried it out a few weeks ago.
It's not good for small kids though, but the B570 has a better belt fit because of the belt path. I REALLY loved the sturdy solid feeling of it a lot!

Jan06twinmom · Oct 24, 2011

Krista -

I really like how the Turbobooster fits smaller kids too. I have it for Isabelle who is only around 44lbs and 44in at 6y9m. I also don't have issues with it following apart. Most of the time, the booster seat is in the car and so we don't move it so it doesn't come apart. When I pick it up and carry it from the bottom, it says together fine too.

Do you think Marcus is mature enough to sit properly in a booster seat? I had to move my Marcus to a booster seat at 5y9m because he was outgrowing the Radian. At that point, I put the booster in the very occasional car. Marcus needed a lot of reminders about sitting properly in the booster at that point. Your Marcus might be more mature than my Marcus though.

Melanie

cryswilkins · Oct 24, 2011

I think that you should add the Cybex to your list. I know you said you don't need LATCH, but I really like how it fits skinny booster riders. DD fits really well and she is 43 inches and a little under 40 lbs.

joolsplus3 · Oct 24, 2011

Mommy2Marcus said:
I did think of one that I forgot to ask about. The Boost Air. Is it a good fit for smaller riders?

Yup, love it. And it's been spotted on clearance, carseatblog is even having a giveaway for one...I got mine from Kmart for $53 shipped.

rachelandtyke · Oct 24, 2011

vivo and TB for my small booster rider, PW was not a good fit, which was too bad because that is what I really wanted. But the Vivo is wonderful.

Mommy2Marcus · Oct 24, 2011

Jan06twinmom said:
Krista -

I really like how the Turbobooster fits smaller kids too. I have it for Isabelle who is only around 44lbs and 44in at 6y9m. I also don't have issues with it following apart. Most of the time, the booster seat is in the car and so we don't move it so it doesn't come apart. When I pick it up and carry it from the bottom, it says together fine too.

Do you think Marcus is mature enough to sit properly in a booster seat? I had to move my Marcus to a booster seat at 5y9m because he was outgrowing the Radian. At that point, I put the booster in the very occasional car. Marcus needed a lot of reminders about sitting properly in the booster at that point. Your Marcus might be more mature than my Marcus though.

Melanie

I will look at the turbo & try him in it before I rule it out.

As for him being mature enough for full time, no I don't think he is. I think he would be fine for short trips though. This will be for DH's car where he doesn't ride a ton, maybe 2 times a week if that for maybe 20-30 minutes. I know that DH will watch him though & make sure he sits right. I also most likely will not move him untill after the 1st of the year. I just wanted to go ahead & start looking now.

He will be harnessed in my car, which is the car he rides in 99% of the time, untill he is at least 6. This is just for the secondary car.

Boosters for smaller kids

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