Which seat for our road trip?

::er!ca::

Member
We're going on a road trip, 1000 miles one way (drive will be split into two days). My older DD will be 2 weeks shy of 8 years old. She currently rides in a Parkway. Would you leave her in the booster for the trip, or put her back in a 5 point harness? If it matters, she's 47.5 inches tall and 44 pounds. Trip is still a few months away, but she's a slow grower and I don't expect her to be much bigger than she is right now.

I wouldn't have to buy a new seat, she still fits in our Nautilus (plus we have a FR85). So between those two seats, my girls would both be able to be harnessed if that is the appropriate decision for my older DD.
 
ADS

T4K

Well-known member
I'd go with whatever she thought was more comfy provided she sits correctly in the Parkway even when sleeping.

ETA: you can even do the Frontier as a booster if she thought it to be comfortable.
 

::er!ca::

Member
I'd go with whatever she thought was more comfy provided she sits correctly in the Parkway even when sleeping.

The longest trip we've done with her in the booster is just about 60-90 minutes. She sleeps in it just fine during that time period. But I don't know that I can compare that to her being in the car 8-10 hours a day, where she'll be sleeping for longer periods of time.

She doesn't care which seat she goes in.
 

Brianna

New member
If she's comfortable in the Frontier, I would probably use that in booster mode and bring the harness with just in case.
 

canadiangie

New member
The fact that you're asking makes me think you aren't 100% comfy with her in a booster during long trips. :) Why not just make it easy on yourself and harness her? As you said, she doesn't care, and you have a seat that fits her. Or do what pp suggested and booster her in the Frontier but bring the harness setup just in case.
 

T4K

Well-known member
::er!ca:: said:
Because she's 7 and doesn't get a say in her safety. Nor does she care which seat she rides in.

She doesn't get a say? Maybe I don't understand completely...

At that age she should be allowed to at least talk with you about what the best decision would be and why. I would think now is a good time to discuss the pros and cons and allow her to make her own decisions since, as far as we know, either option provides an equivalent amount of safety. That way, she can begin to be able to make her own sound decisions.
 

jeminijad

New member
I would think now is a good time to discuss the pros and cons and allow her to make her own decisions since, as far as we know, either option provides an equivalent amount of safety.

This bears repeating.

I'd leave her in her Parkway, personally.

Is the Nautilus or the Frontier easier to convert from harness to booster mode? Is it possible to use one of those and have both options?
 

jacqui276

New member
Provided that she sits well in her current seat, even if she is getting antsy after a long drive, I would just leave her in her in the Parkway. If you are concerned about her not sitting properly or want that extra support if she falls asleep and she doesn't care, I would harness her.

At that age, I would honestly tell her what she would have to do to continue to be safe in her booster and let her pick the seat. My daughter is not much older and doesn't fit in any of my harnessed seats so I would think nothing of letting her ride in her booster for a road trip. Given that you have the option of other seats, like the other's suggested, maybe using the Frontier in booster mode and bringing along the harness just in case is a good idea!
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
We've driven on long trips over the last couple of years with ds (9) in his booster. The last long trip we took with a harness was the summer he was 6. The following summer when he was 7, we flew cross country and then drove 8 hours. He rode awesome in the booster, which was good because there was no way we were traveling with our Husky. So, since he was 6.5 or so, he's been using his booster full time, even on long trips. We tend to take a 7 hour each way trip at least twice a year.

This last big trip, I was hoping to get away with using a NBB. DS had just turned 9, is an awesome booster rider, and I know he'd have sat well in the seat. We were again flying cross country and then driving 8 hours each way. It would have been so much easier to take a backless. But when I asked him which he preferred, he chose the high back. So we dragged our back along and attached it to the nb turbo we had sitting at the IL's.

I think you should do what you are comfortable with. At 6, I wasn't comfortable with ds in his booster for our 2 day trip to Chicago. So we used the Husky even though he'd been full time boostered for at least 6 months. By 7 though, I had no problems with him in the booster.
 

Boot

New member
Since all options are safe I would probably go on comfort. Which seat fits her best, has the most cushioning, best leg support, etc. She might be quite uncomfortable going back to a harness, but then, she might not! Maybe try each seat out for a day or two.
 

::er!ca::

Member
The fact that you're asking makes me think you aren't 100% comfy with her in a booster during long trips. :) Why not just make it easy on yourself and harness her? As you said, she doesn't care, and you have a seat that fits her. Or do what pp suggested and booster her in the Frontier but bring the harness setup just in case.
If we had more experience with road trips, and I know what I could expect from her, I'd be able to make my decision really easy.

She doesn't get a say? Maybe I don't understand completely...

At that age she should be allowed to at least talk with you about what the best decision would be and why. I would think now is a good time to discuss the pros and cons and allow her to make her own decisions since, as far as we know, either option provides an equivalent amount of safety. That way, she can begin to be able to make her own sound decisions.
She knows about car seat safety and why she was in a harness until 6 when all of her friends were in a booster at 3, and why she's in a HBB instead of a LBB (or nothing) like other friends. She knows why car seat safety is important, and knows exactly why her cousin is a quadriplegic (wasn't restrained properly- lap belt only- in an accident back in Dec 2009). What I mean is that I'm the ending decision maker, and I'm not going to allow her to make a decision to do something that I'm not sure I'm comfortable with. She truly doesn't care what she rides in as long as it is safe, she's very easy going.
 

T4K

Well-known member
::er!ca:: said:
If we had more experience with road trips, and I know what I could expect from her, I'd be able to make my decision really easy.

She knows about car seat safety and why she was in a harness until 6 when all of her friends were in a booster at 3, and why she's in a HBB instead of a LBB (or nothing) like other friends. She knows why car seat safety is important, and knows exactly why her cousin is a quadriplegic (wasn't restrained properly- lap belt only- in an accident back in Dec 2009). What I mean is that I'm the ending decision maker, and I'm not going to allow her to make a decision to do something that I'm not sure I'm comfortable with. She truly doesn't care what she rides in as long as it is safe, she's very easy going.

I'm sorry, I came off differently than I meant. :)

If you aren't comfortable completely, harness her. I hope you have a great trip.
 

bnsnyde

New member
Wow, she's smaller than my son who just turned 6.

And since you don't have to get a new seat, I'd go with the harnessed seat.
Then she's snug in her harness, whether she's sleeping or squirmy. Easy!
 

::er!ca::

Member
I'm sorry, I came off differently than I meant. :)

If you aren't comfortable completely, harness her. I hope you have a great trip.
It's ok :) No worries!

I do think the fact that I'm questioning this is an indicator that I need to have a harnessing seat available to her, if not just having her ride in the harness anyway. I'm a planner, and a worrier... and I would hate to get 5 hours into our trip and not have her in the seat she needs. But on the other hand, I don't want to make my almost 8 year old ride in a harness if it isn't needed.

We still have a few months, maybe I should just revisit how I feel when we're closer to the trip?
 

libranbutterfly

New member
I reharmessed my nearly 6 yr old for a road trip, and it was great. Especially since (due to seat geometry and sil insisting on boostering her 3 yr old) she wasnt riding in the same vehicle as me. Sil then kept conplementing what a good car rider she was. Of coirse i am hoping to get her back in a harness full yime (and my 7 yr old) because they have been slacking on being good booster riders lately.

I like the idea of having her in the frontier if she fits it well as a booster and then take the harness just in case. I took an extra booster so that during the short trips to restaraunts and such my 7 yr old could ride with her cousins and lexi got to ride with me.

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