Should I buy my carpool boy a highback booster?

essnce629

New member
So I started carpooling with one of DS1's friends starting in January. He just turned 8, but is about the size of a 5 year old. I'd guess he's about 43" and 40lbs, since he's not much taller than my tall 33 month old! Before January, he wasn't sitting in a seat at all since the CA law was only 6 yrs or 60lbs then (we weren't carpooling yet), but now that law changed and he's back in a booster (although he just turned 8 this weekend and could legally go without one now). In my car (Mazda 5) he's currently riding in a backless Evenflo Amp or Harmony LiteRider in the 3rd row. Before, I had him in the 2nd row, with DS1 in harnessed in his FR85 in the 3rd row, and he fit fine in either backless booster with the belt fitting well. I just switched DS1's FR85 to booster mode though and after reading hear read that most people weren't comfortable with the FR85 in booster mode without LATCH since it's so heavy. Since my 3rd row doesn't have LATCH, I moved DS1 back to the 2nd row and had to put carpool boy in the 3rd row. DS2 is in the other 2nd row seat and having him in the 3rd row rf'ing was just too difficult for me to get him in and out, so moving him back there isn't an option. Since the Mazda 5 seatbelts in the 3rd row are pretty far forward the belt is not laying across carpool boy's shoulder and there's like a 1-2" gap between his shoulder and the belt. I then tried using the seatbelt adjuster that comes with the backless booster, but even though it helped position the belt close to his shoulder it made it slip off his shoulder more. Plus, carpool boy just doesn't sit still and is constantly reaching forward and moving around and not staying in position. I just really think he needs to be in a highback booster because of the way the seatbelt is postioned in the 3rd row and because he's not mature enough to sit correctly and he has narrow shoulders since he's so small. He rides with us one way, 5 days a week, and it's about a 15 minute drive to school, half of which is on the freeway going full speed. I would just feel more comfortable with him in a highback.

His mom has said that he prefers being in a backless booster and originally asked that I have him sit in one in my car. I told her fine and that he could use our boosters since I have extras and didn't want carpool boy to have to take his booster to and from school every day. I know they have a Turbobooster for him in their car that he is using backless.

I'm thinking I should just buy him a highback booster and have him use it in my car. His mom is fine with him using a backless even though he's so tiny so I don't think me telling her about the problem would make her want to run out and buy him a highback booster when he's not riding in one in their own car. I don't currently have any extra highback boosters since DS1 is using his Monterey in their car for carpools.

So if you were me would you just go out and buy a highback booster if you didn't have one? I'm thinking the cheapest one would be fine. I see they have this Cosco Pronto booster for $35 shipped on Amazon. Would it be ok? [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EBUXCG"]Amazon.com: Cosco Juvenile Pronto Belt Positioning Booster Seat, Eldorado: Baby[/ame]

I know the TurboBoosters go down to $35 at Target, but I think I may have just missed the last sale.
 
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Jessica61624

New member
If the belt fit isn't acceptable I would suggest a hbb. Walmart has an evenflo hbb for $29. The sale at Target is actually this week. Although they're $40 this time. I like the tb over the evenflo.
 

Laurelz

New member
I would by one for him in my car if I felt uncomfortable with what he was using now wasn't properly working. Better safe than sorry! And he's the size of my 3yo!! :)

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babyherder

Well-known member
I would get him one that makes the belt fit correctly. If his mom asks explain that in his current seating position the belt only fits correctly with a high back. That way you make it about your car, not her kid.
 

tiggercat

New member
I worry that a HBB with the seatbelt geometry you describe might make it so that the seatbelt doesn't retract smoothly in the belt guide, and then your wiggle carpooler might have a bunch of slack in the shoulder belt. It also might just mask the problem of poor belt geometry, not sure what the official answer is there. Make sure to try it out.

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emandbri

Well-known member
I'm not a fan of evenflo high backs not much head support at all. I'd get him a turbo. You can wait for the new surround ones or I bet you could get one now cheap since stores are going to get the new ones soon. If you have a Costco mine had them cheap, like $35 I think.
 

essnce629

New member
If you have a Costco mine had them cheap, like $35 I think.

Totally forgot about Costco! I think I saw $35 Turboboosters at mine last time I was there.

Anyone ever use the Cosco Pronto that's also $35? I saw it was one of the "Best Bets" in the 2011 IIHS Booster Evaluation Results.

Thanks everyone! Looks like I'll be picking up or ordering a booster this week.
 

essnce629

New member
Oh, and where can I find the measurements of the boosters? Like how wide the bottom part is? Carpool boy really likes the Amp, but I feel like if it was just 1/4" less wide at the bottom it would fit better in my 3rd row. Does anyone know if the Turbobooster or Pronto is narrower than the Amp?


ETA: I just found the link to the spreadsheet with all the dimensions. I feel like I just need to try out the boosters in my car since it's not just the width but how the booster is actually shaped. The Harmony Literider has a bottom that tapers down and even though it's listed as being wider than the Amp, in my car there's way more room next to the buckle with the Literider. The Amp is just really square I think and doesn't taper. I think I might go compare them at Target today.
 

emandbri

Well-known member
I know others have posted about having a hard time with boosters in a mazda 5, it would be worth doing a search to see what worked for them.
 

essnce629

New member
So I ended up getting a Cosco Pronto for our carpool boy and it does not work at all. The seatbelt geometry is all wrong and the way the seatbelt and the belt guides are positioned on the booster makes the seatbelt have to come in at an angle and it doesn't move freely between the guides and also pulls on the entire booster. I tried DS1 out in the seat and it just doesn't work. Any tiny movement causes slack in the seatbelt and the booster pulls forward too.

For now, I switched the Pronto to the 2nd row, where it works fine, and put the FR85 in the 3rd row using the top tether only since there's no lower anchors, but I would much prefer it to be latched in completely.
 

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