Please help me decide which of these boosters

Today I tried DD in the Nautilus, Turbo, and Monterey for fit. (pics to come in next post) Not sold on any of them, but I think I've run out of options.

What I actually wanted in a booster:
years of height to grow
fits narrow kid
very comfortable (nice fabrics, deep seat, etc.)
cup holders
good side protection

What I've tried:
(1) Turbo: good fit I think, but not tall, no latch, feels cheap.
Shallow sides could be remedied by SS version as her temporary seat until we find something better.
(2) Nautilus: latches, but not tall, sides could be deeper. (And I don't get a new seat. )
(3) Monterey: I thought this was our perfect seat (deep seat, height to grow, solid) and I think the fit may be decent, but all the problems I'm experiencing with it have me sending it back.

Others I have not played with and why I concluded they weren't options based on what I read here ... BUT I'm still open to hearing if my conclusions were wrong:
(1) Cybex: no cup holders, discontinued, not very tall
(2) latchable Compass: too short
(3) Vivo: good for skinnys?, but shallow seat (also not sure about height, no latch, no cup holders)
(4) Probooster: too tippy (also no latch, etc.)
(5) Parkway SGL: Love our Frontiers, but read this one's not for narrow shoulders and the sides aren't that deep either.
(6) Turbo Affix: Choosing between latch or deep sides, I think deep sides win.
(7) Clek: Although I would spend more for the perfect seat, it seems this one is far from perfect with its very shallow seat.

Anything I've missed? I really wanted to find the perfect booster that would last her 3 years in HBB mode, but maybe that's not going to happen now. Either way, I must make a decision now before I drive myself totally crazy. Thanks for your help!

I still think you should give the Monterey a try. Especially with the option to bring in or out the side wings, It makes a great fit.

Have you actually used it yet?

Baylor said:

I still think you should give the Monterey a try. Especially with the option to bring in or out the side wings, It makes a great fit.

Have you actually used it yet?

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I wish I could make it work. (See the naked head wings in pic! ) Only tried for fit, not "used".

removed

NVM

Sorry to overwhelm with info/posts.

So, which one did you decide to go with? All 3 of the pics show great belt fit. Our personal family favorite is the Clek...and we've owned/tried almost every booster there is The Clek is shallow but for some reason it doesn't bother my dd1 and she has very long legs. Good luck

firemomof3 said:

So, which one did you decide to go with? All 3 of the pics show great belt fit. Our personal family favorite is the Clek...and we've owned/tried almost every booster there is The Clek is shallow but for some reason it doesn't bother my dd1 and she has very long legs. Good luck

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Thank you for confirming about the belt fit! I'm new at it and keep second guessing myself.

Probably the Nautilus? And hoping something comes out in the next year before she outgrows it?

The Monterey looks the best to me out of all those. Have you considered the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro? That's the other booster we have besides the Monterey. I know it's expensive but it's really nice. The only bad thing is no cupholders but DD just uses the vehicle cupholders.

What size is your DD? Here is my dd around 50 lbs I think in the nautilus and Parkway sgl to get an idea how she compares to yours. My DD seems to be about the same size. The parkway is a lot like the turbo to me, just more padded and taller. If it weren't for the extra height, I probably would like them just the same.


I really liked the nautilus as DD's first booster. The large belt guide and thd back not moving while buckling, helped dd a lot at first.

Phineasmama said:

The Monterey looks the best to me out of all those. Have you considered the Kiddy Cruiserfix Pro? That's the other booster we have besides the Monterey. I know it's expensive but it's really nice. The only bad thing is no cupholders but DD just uses the vehicle cupholders.

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Thank you for the feedback on fit. I wish the Monterey had worked, but I can't use it without the cover. I emailed Diono explaining in length the problem, but I'm not holding my breath.

I hadn't looked into that other one and appreciate the suggestion. Unfortunately, my DD needs cup holders and the vehicle cup holders are too far and would lead to her leaning way over in her booster. Don't these manufacturer's know that families sometimes have to do afternoon snack in the car on the way to their next destination? Both cup holders in our Frontiers get used a lot.

MommyShannon said:

What size is your DD?

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She's almost 50 inches and just shy of 45 pounds. She is very, very skinny (to the point of being almost underweight and a point of concern).

MommyShannon said:

The parkway is a lot like the turbo to me, just more padded and taller. If it weren't for the extra height, I probably would like them just the same.

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That's disappointing. I haven't played with one, but I guess given how much we like the Frontier, I was expecting more. Then again, I'm realizing I care more about a booster having deep sides than our harnessed seats, maybe because the 3 point belt makes me nervous or maybe because there are so many more options and some are very deep, whereas for harnessing at this point, our only option is the Frontier85.

Thanks for showing me the comparison pics! That is helpful! How tall is your DD? I think my DD is a bit skinnier, but it looks like the Parkway may be worth a try for her or, at the least, may fit her after she outgrows the Nautilus in booster mode. I do like that the Nautilus' back is very secured and it has latch and we have it, so it's essentially free (or the amount we'd get from reselling it now). My biggest concerns are that it won't last long enough, and then we'll be right back here again, and that I want the best belt fit I can find.

P.S. Your DD is very cute!

Looking at another thread, I am reminded that the fit beside the seat belt end (to buckle into) was really tight. I think at least the Turbo was sitting on it a little. Does that happen with a lot of seats? Is it safe?

Athena said:

P.S. Your DD is very cute!

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Thanks! I think she was 48 or 49" in those pics.

firemomof3 said:

Our personal family favorite is the Clek...

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Thinking more about this ... I've focused on the shallow seat and it may be out of our price range, but just in case, would you mind sharing what you like about the Clek and why you like it the best? Thanks!

MommyShannon said:

The parkway is a lot like the turbo to me, just more padded and taller.

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Thinking about trying her in a Parkway... she'd love to have the Livia! But from your description above, I'm wondering does the back fall off the Parkway like can happen with the Turbo? I would have expected it to be more solid, especially while latched in. Thanks!