Question Booster with "Locked" headrest

wnkw

New member
I have basically no experience with any boosters other than the turbo booster. Dd1 might need one in paternal grandparents vehicle. I do *not* trust their car seat usage, but if the judge allows them visitation..she will need one.

Dd1 is 6, 46", 54lbs and just about to outgrow the harness on fr85.

Is there a booster that the headrest can be semipermanently adjusted? As in not slide down as easily as the turbo booster (or the back fall off if moved).. I want to be able to adjust it for dd, and no one have to adjust it until she grows. Is there such a booster??
 
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trippsmom

CPST Instructor
I have basically no experience with any boosters other than the turbo booster. Dd1 might need one in paternal grandparents vehicle. I do *not* trust their car seat usage, but if the judge allows them visitation..she will need one.

Dd1 is 6, 45", 54lbs and just about to outgrow the harness on fr85.

Is there a booster that the headrest can be semipermanently adjusted? As in not slide down as easily as the turbo booster (or the back fall off if moved).. I want to be able to adjust it for dd, and no one have to adjust it until she grows. Is there such a booster??

The Oobr adjust like a vehicle head restraint.

The Evenflo Amp high back and BigKid adjust like the Turbo, but stay together when picked up.
 

MommyShannon

New member
The Vivo is one solid piece so the back doesn't come off BUT the headrest adjustment button is easy to hit when picking it up. Its kind of tricky to buckle at first to get it all tight.

I really like the Nautilus as a first booster and for adults not familiar with boosters. It's solid, no bendy back, the best guide ever, and no armrests to route under. It really depends on the vehicle if its easier to buckle or not. For my kids in our cars, it is.

ETA: How close is she to outgrowing the FR85? My 52" DD still just fits and is not short torsoed.
The Parkway folds open like the Turbo but doesn't actually come apart.
 

wnkw

New member
Depending on car any day to half an inch maybe. She wears at least a 8 shirt. They patent going to buy a harnessed seat..and I don't trust them to install it. Proposal right now is 6 hrs 6 times a year.

Eta I bought a parkway but exchanged for another fr85. I like the clip but not crazy about the booster..

Eta I think they still have a ford flex with captains chairs
 

wnkw

New member
While we are on boosters..how do I tell if the fr85 is a good fit booster wise? She pretty much fills out the seat width wise. I know ppl have said it doesn't fit skinny kids well..but I haven't paid attention since we haven't needed to use it as a booster.
 

MommyShannon

New member
Not many boosters are taller than the Frontier's harness. Of course she may just be loosing height in it when installed, but if she wears a size 8 shirt, she will be too tall for some including the nautilus I mentioned.
The foot on the FR85 has to be flipped forward for booster mode. Then you just need the lapbelt low on her thighs and the shoulder belt centered on her shoulder. It's belt guide is hit or miss in different vehicles.
 

bubbaray

New member
Does their vehicle have headrests? I'd use a LBB rather than have them fiddle with adjusting the back.

ETA just saw they have a Flex. I'd definitely use a LBB in that vehicle and did for my own DD1 while on vacation when she was 6. Belt fit was good using the 2nd and 3rd rows and a Harmony Literider
 

wnkw

New member
I'll measure her tomorrow. Her torso is long, but not outrageously long. I think its just the recline of our seats.

I cannot imagine her in a nbb..eek! She only occasionally rides in a turbobooster for a mile (although she is capable of longer and has been).

Honestly, I am not okay with her in anything in a vehicle they are driving, but want the safest and foolproof option.

Long story short: Dh is trying to adopt her. Her dad has already claimed to be clinically depressed (and well he is on drugs) so his parents are trying to make an agreement for adoption if they get visitation. Not the route I wanna go (agreement), but the judge may not grant us an adoption.
 

Athena

Well-known member
ETA: How close is she to outgrowing the FR85? My 52" DD still just fits and is not short torsoed.

Mine too! I'm trying to convince myself to convert it to booster mode, but I can't believe our harnessed days are over. :crying:

Depending on car any day to half an inch maybe. She wears at least a 8 shirt. They patent going to buy a harnessed seat..and I don't trust them to install it. Proposal right now is 6 hrs 6 times a year.

Eta I bought a parkway but exchanged for another fr85. I like the clip but not crazy about the booster..

Wow, my year older, 6" taller kid wears the same size shirt and she's about to outgrow her FR85 too. I was going to ask if you could install if it's only 6x a year, but it sounds like she's outgrowing the harnessed options anyway. I was going to suggest the Parkway, but if you don't like it ... We have the 2012 model and I don't think the head rest could be accidentally moved, and because the two pieces slide together it can't fall apart, and it would give your DD the height she needs.

While we are on boosters..how do I tell if the fr85 is a good fit booster wise? She pretty much fills out the seat width wise. I know ppl have said it doesn't fit skinny kids well..but I haven't paid attention since we haven't needed to use it as a booster.

Not many boosters are taller than the Frontier's harness. Of course she may just be loosing height in it when installed, but if she wears a size 8 shirt, she will be too tall for some including the nautilus I mentioned.
The foot on the FR85 has to be flipped forward for booster mode. Then you just need the lapbelt low on her thighs and the shoulder belt centered on her shoulder. It's belt guide is hit or miss in different vehicles.

:yeahthat: Also, to test it we flipped the foot forward and fed the belt through the guides while pushing the harness to the side (or sitting on it .. in a parked car only of course), just to see if it fit. You can also use the SG clip with both the Frontier and Parkway for a 4th point. Good point about belt guide compatibility. Will you be able to test whatever you get in their car first because some boosters are not compatible with some cars? Or better yet, since you know the car hopefully someone here will know the car well enough to know which ones work. If you don't get that from this thread, you could start a thread with the car make and model and even the year in the title to ask for help with the compatibility aspect.

I'll measure her tomorrow. Her torso is long, but not outrageously long. I think its just the recline of our seats.

I cannot imagine her in a nbb..eek! She only occasionally rides in a turbobooster for a mile (although she is capable of longer and has been).

Honestly, I am not okay with her in anything in a vehicle they are driving, but want the safest and foolproof option.

Long story short: Dh is trying to adopt her. Her dad has already claimed to be clinically depressed (and well he is on drugs) so his parents are trying to make an agreement for adoption if they get visitation. Not the route I wanna go (agreement), but the judge may not grant us an adoption.

This sounds so stressful! I hope things move along smoothly for you and your family and that you find a booster that will work great for this.
 

wnkw

New member
Don't have time to type much.. but torso height is 18.5". I'm sure some is lost when she is in seat, so do I go by as soons as she hops in or relaxed?? Were driving 5 hrs in Feb so I hope she still fits then..

I'm hoping the fr85 works for our 07 odyssey. She is also in one in a 12 or 13 enclave and 2010 s60.
 
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Athena

Well-known member
Don't have time to type much.. but torso height is 18". I'm sure some is lost when she is in seat, so do I go by that or relaxed?? Were driving 5 hrs in Feb so I hope she still fits then..

I'm hoping the fr85 works for our 07 odyssey. She is also in one in a 12 or 13 enclave and 2010 s60.

I go by how they fit in the seat in the car. She still has a little room to grow when installed? That's just a few months, so you'll probably be okay in Feb. I was considering whether to try to keep my DD harnessed through the winter, but then I looked at her yesterday in her seat and she looked right at the limit, so I guess it's time. But I'll check again today and she's 6" taller than your DD.

FWIW, the FR85 belt guide loves our car, so it may work great for you too.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
What about trying the Recaro Performance Booster? [ame="http://www.amazon.com/RECARO-Performance-BOOSTER-High-Booster/dp/B00E6URB34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384369211&sr=8-1&keywords=recaro+performance+booster"]Amazon.com: RECARO Performance BOOSTER High Back Booster Car Seat, Redd: Baby[/ame] It doesn't become backless so no worries about it coming apart, it has LATCH so if you put it in their car they probably won't be able to raise/lower the head rest as easily without undoing it, which would probably deter them, and it goes pretty tall so she would get some use out of it.
 

wnkw

New member
What about trying the Recaro Performance Booster? Video Link: http://www.amazon.com/RECARO-Performance-BOOSTER-High-Booster/dp/B00E6URB34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384369211&sr=8-1&keywords=recaro+performance+booster It doesn't become backless so no worries about it coming apart, it has LATCH so if you put it in their car they probably won't be able to raise/lower the head rest as easily without undoing it, which would probably deter them, and it goes pretty tall so she would get some use out of it.

That is what I was considering for our vehicle. I haven't looked too much. That seems like a good option.

I'm gonna try to sit the seat up straighter in our vehicle and see if that gets her more growing room in the fr85..
 

Keeyamah

Active member
I'm gonna try to sit the seat up straighter in our vehicle and see if that gets her more growing room in the fr85..

Yeah, I had to put our van bench seat fully upright and use the LBP to get back the inch of harness I lost in my moms van.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I found a HUGE difference with the Frontier 90 from 85 because it lost so much room in my Ody's second row. I knew it lost height but I was shocked at how much when I compared!
 

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