Question Please help me choose a booster

Mom2natalie

New member
Hello. My dd is 6.5 years old, 48 lbs, 45 inches tall, and is in a size 6/6x shirt.
She is an only child.

Main family vehicle is a 2012 Ford focus. Currently in a Graco Nautilus, 5pt harness in this vehicle.
Dh's vehicle is a 2000 Ford Windstar, and she rides in it maybe once a month. This vehicle has a Britax Marathon which is expiring next month.


I also have two "back up" backless boosters, a Graco Turbobooster Colorz, and a Harmony (can't remember which version.)

I recently changed her from harnessed Nautilus, to hbb Nautilus. I posted pics here, and my suspicion of a bad fit was confirmed. So I put the harness back in. After riding in a booster for a few days she really wants to go back into a booster. Obviously the nautilus is not going back into booster mode.

Since her marathon expires soon, and due to her age, I don't think she needs another 5 pt harness. I'm thinking of putting the Nautilus in Dh's vehicle (still in harness mode) and buying a new Hbb as her main seat.

My first choice is the 2013 Parkway Sgl. I like the idea of the clip, and latch capability. The main "downside" I'm wondering about is how this booster fits in smaller sedans like a Ford Focus.

Second choice is the Graco w/safety surround w/affix. I have two concerns about this booster. One will she outgrow the high back version too quickly? Two, why is the eps foam on the OUTSIDE of the shell on the torso wings?

Am I missing any good booster options? I guess I could force her to stay in the 5 pt and use one of the backless boosters in Dh's vehicle. I don't want to compromise her safety because she wants to ride in a booster. The sad part is that the two girls she plays with in our cul de sac, neither are in car seats or boosters. In fact, both girls (in first and third grade) ride in the front seat. My husband and I've made it clear to our daughter that she will be in an appropriate seat, period. This doesn't seem to bother her and she doesn't resist her 5 pt harness now. I guess I'd like to give her the Parkway as her main seat as a nod to her growing maturity, but not if it will compromise her safety.

I tend to over analyze EVERYTHING, so I appreciate any help.
 
ADS

Keeanh

Well-known member
For a responsible 6yo who wants a booster, I would say absolutely! I like your plan of using the Nautilus for now in DH's car. Did you try it in backless mode? The fit might be different enough that it's acceptable as another spare.

Have you tried the Parkway in your vehicle? And have you tried your daughter in the Affix to see how much growing room she has? I think that's where you should start. Try the seats out in person with your daughter and your vehicle and see which works better. I think they're both good choices. Maybe also see which one she would be more comfortable sleeping in, because sleeping upright is very important in boosters.
 

Mom2natalie

New member
Not tried them yet. I've got the seat budgeted in April. I thought I'd buy the Parkway first, if it's a good fit keep it, if not return it and try the Safety Surround.

She's been a good sport about having to go back into a harness. When the Nautilus was in booster mode I caught her propping her legs up on the seat in front of her and I told her she needed to keep her legs down. I think the clip in the Parkway would help her learn to stay in position.

Since I put the harness back in she's ask to sit in a booster a few times, and I've let her ride in the backless Turbobooster on errands, etc.

The only other thing about the Parkway is she wants the pink cover, because it's pink and is an animal print. She's wild about animal prints, wears them all the time. I told her we should get the black Parkway because it will blend into our backseat and it'll be less obvious as she gets older that she's in a booster.

Her response was, "I don't care what my friends think. I want the pink animal print one." :rolleyes: DH says to buy the black one and not give her an option.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Sizewise, I'll let you know that the Parkway SGL fits great in my Mazda3 which should be comparably sized to your Focus.

We have the Spade (all black) and it's really nice. There is more than one fabric on it, and some of the black is actually patterned. The stitching is white. My DD also wanted the Cub Pink but I got her Spade to coordinate with her little sister's black convertible that also has white stitching. Their seats in the other car are both pink so I told her in this car they were both having black! I like the Cub Pink though, it just didn't work well with her sister's seat.

You could always buy Cub Pink and then buy a separate Spade cover and swap it out in a few years when she decides she hates boosters because none of her friends are in one.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
What about the new Maxi Cosi RodiFix? Although I really like that Britax has the SafeCell feature in their Parkways now.
 

Mom2natalie

New member
I'd never looked at that one before. I think the lack of a cup holder would probably make it unfavorable to us. A minor thing, I know, but my daughter loves her cup holders in her Nautilus.
 

HappyHoo

New member
The Parkway fits in my Mazda3 too - however, I don't think I'm going to be able to use it to its full height in that car as long as it's outboard - and I don't think I can fit it center next to my DS.

Which is fine - DD will be 8 next month and already rides in a lbb in one car so once I can't fit it in, she'll just use a lbb in my car.

Even with it getting close to hitting the ceiling, it's lasted longer in hbb mode for my DD than the Turbobooster/Big Kid Sport in hbb mode so that's been good.

And we have the pink one (older style though) and DD likes it - she's been fine with using a hbb even when some of her friends aren't. And I'm also okay with using only lbb around town now and could just put the back on for longer trips.

I did have to buy a second cover though to eventually use for DS that I got on the swap here. (But it's still bright - I got red for that one!)
 

nannykates

New member
I have a pkwy 2013 sgl. It has fit every kid I put in it well(everyone from a 2.5 yr old* to stockier 7 and 8 yr olds). Its also worked well in all of our vehicles(oddysey, accord, civic, fit).

*this was on his family's large property, I dont advocate boosters on actual roads until 5. It was still interesting how well he fit ;)
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
The Parkway fits in my Mazda3 too - however, I don't think I'm going to be able to use it to its full height in that car as long as it's outboard -

I'm pretty sure mine works without touching the roof. I tested both it and the Oobr all the way up. I took a pic of the Oobr and there is room to spare before it touches the roof but I forgot to take a pic of the Parkway.

Mine's a 2014 Mazda (which has been redesigned and may have more headroom than prior years) and the new Parkway.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Second choice is the Graco w/safety surround w/affix. I have two concerns about this booster. One will she outgrow the high back version too quickly? Two, why is the eps foam on the OUTSIDE of the shell on the torso wings?
.

As long as there is something to absorb impact energy between the oncoming car/intruding door and the child, it doesn't matter what side of the seat shell it's on. Seems counterintuitive to me, too, but I think I saw a crash test somewhere that made it make sense. Plus, it's what Britax does with their SICT technology. Makes it easier to keep the same seat mold running at the factory and still fit the same sized kiddo in there (a new seat costs upwards of a million dollars to design and implement, so using a long-tested seatback shape of the Turbo but adding foam to the outside keeps everyone's costs lower).

Welcome to the world of overanalyzers, by the way :happy-wavehello:
 

Mom2natalie

New member
As long as there is something to absorb impact energy between the oncoming car/intruding door and the child, it doesn't matter what side of the seat shell it's on. Seems counterintuitive to me, too, but I think I saw a crash test somewhere that made it make sense. Plus, it's what Britax does with their SICT technology. Makes it easier to keep the same seat mold running at the factory and still fit the same sized kiddo in there (a new seat costs upwards of a million dollars to design and implement, so using a long-tested seatback shape of the Turbo but adding foam to the outside keeps everyone's costs lower).

Welcome to the world of overanalyzers, by the way :happy-wavehello:

Thank you for this info!! I'll be more comfortable now if the Parkway doesn't work.
 

HappyHoo

New member
I'm pretty sure mine works without touching the roof. I tested both it and the Oobr all the way up. I took a pic of the Oobr and there is room to spare before it touches the roof but I forgot to take a pic of the Parkway.

Mine's a 2014 Mazda (which has been redesigned and may have more headroom than prior years) and the new Parkway.

My Mazda3 is a 2006 and it's the previous version of the Parkway :) So I'm glad to hear it works better in yours.

We'll just have to only use DH's car for long trips for awhile when she can't use it as a hbb in my car anymore, but still needs support for sleeping - but that's what we normally do the majority of the time anyway so not too annoying that it's like that.
 

mping

New member
My daughter will be 8 in a few weeks and still fits in HBB mode in her Affix. She's about 4'3"-4'4" and about 60 lbs. she will probably outgrow it with her next growth spurt.
 

Mom2natalie

New member
I'm also now looking at the Compass B570. I like the look of the seat, and that the arm rests can fold up/down. The color selection isn't that great, but I like the booster.

I may be tired and missing it on the manufacturer's website, but does it have Eps foam?
 

jess71903

Ambassador
IIRC, the drawback to the Compass booster is that it's shorter than the Parkway. The seat bottom is WAAAYYY cushy, though.
 

Mom2natalie

New member
It had high ease of use ratings. See..I thought I had figured out I wanted the Parkway, now I'm not so sure. :doh:
 

Mom2natalie

New member
We went and tried seats today.

Unfortunately there isn't a Parkway SGL on display anywhere close!

Today she sat in an Evenflo RightFit, which she liked, and Turbobooster Safety Surround, liked it too.

Looking at the spreadsheet the Parkway's internal seating depth is 13.5 inches, and the Ss Tb is 15. Also the arm rests look more comfortable on the SS TB than Parkway.

I measured my car tonight and I don't think it is big enough for the Parkway at its highest.

I really want to try the Parkway, but I'm worried about the seat depth and armrests.

Has anyone here owned both...if so which was preferable?
 

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