Easy to use boosters with low belt path

tl01

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #1

I think I need a booster for the rare times DS1 might ride with someone from school. I love the B570 bc the belt path is so nice and low when it is used correctly. I don't have much confidence in someone using it correctly and putting the belt through the three guides given how I see boosters used there. I always make myself available to drive him but I'm sure at some point I may have to rely on someone else. Is there another great option with such a low across the thighs path that is a little more intuitive? We have a PWSG so I think that might be also challenging and I don't love the fit.

 

Dmcj13

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #2

What about a turbo booster?

 

SignCuer

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #3

Evenflo Big Kid Amp? Those are nice and I have 2 of them other than Graco TBs.. both are great contenders.

 

S

SheSparkles

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #4

the harmony dreamtime highback booster. i love the belt fit on my 5 year old and it's nice and lightweight. very easy to switch between cars and doesn't fall apart when moved or carried. i was able to grab the cow one when they were on clearance at sam's. best $13 i ever spent! lol

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #5

harmony dreamtime, evenflo big kid/amp are the two I'd look at... both don't fall apart AT ALL when transported... no extra bit of guide or anything to thread the belt through, and they're pretty obvious on how to use and adjust.

and both can later convert to backless boosters, which the compass doesn't.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• May 16, 2012

• #6

I like the Turbo for sending my kids with other people, because I can tell them "all three parts of the belt need to be in the red guides" and it's immediately apparent what those are because the guides are RED. LOL.

 

scoutingbear

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #7

:yeahthatlove:

That's why the turbo always gets sent even though we have lots of others

 

tl01

New member

• May 16, 2012

• #8

Okay, so the turbo booster is not recommended. No one recommends a pro booster or oobr?

Eta... I meant well recommended... How it ended up as not... I have no idea.

 

Last edited: May 17, 2012

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• May 17, 2012

• #9

tl01 said:

Okay, so the turbo booster is not recommended. No one recommends a pro booster or oobr?

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Well, the probooster is possibly very tippy, and the oobr is a beast to lift. I think we are all thinking of the easiest seats to pop in other cars....? I'd probably go with a Harmony...heck, I'd go with a backless, but I'm pretty relaxed about carpool situations...

 

melniemi

New member

• May 17, 2012

• #10

I love both the probooster and oobr but they are bigger and heavier than some others. A vivo might be a good option, low lap belt fit and not quite as bulky as the others. Cheaper too

 

tl01

New member

• May 17, 2012

• #11

joolsplus3 said:

Well, the probooster is possibly very tippy, and the oobr is a beast to lift. I think we are all thinking of the easiest seats to pop in other cars....? I'd probably go with a Harmony...heck, I'd go with a backless, but I'm pretty relaxed about carpool situations...

Click to expand...

A backless for a just turned 6 year old?

 

jacqui276

New member

• May 17, 2012

• #12

tl01 said:

A backless for a just turned 6 year old?

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Depending upon the 6 year old and their ability to sit properly in the car without wiggling around too much and also depending upon the car and whether or not the seat is high enough for the child's head, I would consider a backless. The vast majority of them come with an adjustable belt guide.
My understanding was the main reasoning for having a high back is if the child is in a seat without a head rest and needs the extra support behind them to prevent whip lash. Also, a lot of people have mentioned that their kids sit better in them since it "feels" more like a car seat.

Or maybe I'm out of the loop and terrible for sticking my daughter in one when she was 5. She understood the importance of sitting properly and not goofing around though.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• May 17, 2012

• #13

we were recommending light inexpensive boosters for carpooling.

The probooster, vivo, the oobr, and the turbobooster are great boosters, but the reasons for not recommending them for a rarely used carpool seat are as follows

probooster and vivo don't convert to backless, so in cars where a highback won't work, you're then left with no seat to use. The probooster is pretty big and can be tippy in some seating positions and the Vivo can be trickier than most boosters to buckle simply because of how the path for the lapbelt (and the shoulderbelt on one side where it goes in with the lapbelt) is designed for people not familiar/who haven't read the manual.

The oobr is pretty heavy and while it does convert to backless and it even latches in, I just wouldn't spend that much for an occasionally used seat. If you can afford to and want to, that's absolutely fine.

The turbo is light, easy to use, converts to backless, but it falls apart everytime you move it from car to car, so we left it off to make life easier.

 

G

gigi

New member

• May 17, 2012

• #14

I have a newer turbo (bought last fall) and it doesn't fall apart at all. I was shocked! I actually had to figure out how to get it apart to store it! It is also stamped with a 10 year expiration. Anyone else have this experience? I wonder if they modified the design a little.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• May 17, 2012

• #15

tl01 said:

A backless for a just turned 6 year old?

Click to expand...

Yeah. Given that there's no statistical safety difference for HBB and NBB for kids in the 4-7 age range, I feel fine making sure they know how to sit properly and are in a spot with a shoulderbelt and headrest. Most kids are in backless full time from 4, so it would look a lot less strange, too, depending on the peer group you are dealing with.