Question What is our next step (preferably the tallest high back booster)

DAR

New member
My Oldest son turned 7 in August. He is 51 1/2 inches and 78 lbs. He has basically outgrown our Frontier 85. You can see where the tallest harness slot is in the picture below. I do not know much about the Frontier 85 in booster mode, but it dies not seem to work with my 2011 Sienna seats or fit him well. It fit great as a 5 point harness. The belt does not slide through smoothly as you can see in the pics below.

My son prefers a high back booster to a low back, so he can sleep safely. Based upon my son's stats and the pics, is there a high back booster out there for him. Since he has a younger brother, I would be happy to buy a seat that would last for close to a year.

According to my research it looks like a Parkway SGL would be my best bet. The closest store is over an hour away, so I really can't compare the Parkway to the Frontier 85 to it. Also, has DS outgrown the Frontier as a booster?
 

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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
He hasn't outgrown it as a booster. There is a screw you can remove to make it go taller- it seems you have it in a good position for him, though. (Looks like you even have the recline flipped back, right on.)

A dedicated high back booster will probably do better as far as retracting belt issues though. :) The Safety 1st Boost Air Protect, Safety 1st/Cosco Pronto, and Store N Go, along with the Kiddy World Plus, are the tallest booster choices other than the frontier in booster mode which you have (but isn't working for you.) The first three require vehicle support for head restraint, but that shouldn't be a problem in your vehicle.
 

DAR

New member
Also, we love the Rodifix that my parents have for the boys. I actually feel good about my 5 year old riding in it, it positions them in such a great position. My parents wanted to use boosters for the boys. I highly recommend this seat :).

He only has a little more room to grow. Here it is in the highest setting, so you can see how much more room he has.

I forgot to mention we have 2 long trips coming up, one 6 hour and one 24 hour which I want DS comfortable on.
 

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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
That is probably at least two years' growth room, if not more. :) But there are taller boosters out there too!
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
That is a relief!

On the Rodi or Frontier? Also, what should I look at since the Frontier 85 has issues with my Sienna?

The Rodi, if that was the second post picture.

I suspect much longer once the screw is out of the frontier.

The recommendations I made for tallest boosters are worth trying. I don't have specific experience with them in your car, but the frontier has known retraction issues in some vehicle seating positions. You could also try it in the third row to see if it does any better.

If you don't have stores to try seats out you might want to order from somewhere like Amazon or target with easy free returns. (Amazon prime has free return shipping, while target offers in store returns for online merchandise.)
 

DAR

New member
The Rodi, if that was the second post picture.

I suspect much longer once the screw is out of the frontier.

The recommendations I made for tallest boosters are worth trying. I don't have specific experience with them in your car, but the frontier has known retraction issues in some vehicle seating positions. You could also try it in the third row to see if it does any better.

If you don't have stores to try seats out you might want to order from somewhere like Amazon or target with easy free returns. (Amazon prime has free return shipping, while target offers in store returns for online merchandise.)

Thanks for the reminder about Target, we do have one and that would be easy. I don't order online much.

Sorry, I was using the app on my phone and missed the post about the screw and recommendations. I just started researching after measuring DS and realizing he grew 2 inches in the last 3 months:eek: I had read about the Parkway being tall, but not the other seats. Are they affected if the headrest has any tilt? DH's jeep cherokee has headrests that tilt forward, so I may need a different seat for that car because these need the headrest. That is good information about the screw, but I don't think it will help with the retraction issues. If you look in the picture the seatbelt has to go up from where it comes out of the seat to the red seat belt clip and then down. I assume that is what causes my retraction issues.

Sorry, for so many questions, but I like to be informed, so I do not use seats incorrectly.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Right, the screw makes it taller but won't make it compatible.

Fixed, forward leaning head restraints are a definite problem. You might actually see how the frontier does in there, sometimes it works well.

The ones I listed are the tallest boosters. The parkway is tied with a bunch of others in the second tallest group. :)
 

Athena

Well-known member
I have yet to use a car in which I can leave the vehicle head rest on while using a booster, so we use the Parkway SGL and Frontier 85 in booster mode. I've tried some others (e.g. Oobr) and found the Parkway to fit taller kids best of the ones not requiring vehicle head rest support. How tall is your 7yo now that you've measured? My 50" kid fits great in her Parkway with room to grow, my over 56" kid still fits too, but prefers the FR. It's really too bad you can't use the FR85 because it's wonderful for tall kids. HTH.
 
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Athena

Well-known member
The parkway is tied with a bunch of others in the second tallest group. :)

What else is that tall? I know there are some close in height, but I haven't found anything as tall that doesn't require vehicle head rest. If I've missed anything, I'm always interested in knowing about other options! Thanks! You're so lucky your head rests work with boosters. In my new car, they didn't look like they poked forward and I thought for sure it would work, yet they still push boosters off the seat a little and fit better without the head rest. :(
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
It seems a bunch of the newer ones are about as tall- though I could be mistaken and would have to double check. A half inch didn't factor into my decision with long-torsoed kids when the others (including the kiddy, which does not require vehicle support) have 3+ inches on it, you know?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Yep, it seems the Recaro Performance Booster is, if not exactly as tall, very close to the Parkway, within a quarter inch and maybe closer, and doesn't require support either. :)
 

Athena

Well-known member
Yep, it seems the Recaro Performance Booster is, if not exactly as tall, very close to the Parkway, within a quarter inch and maybe closer, and doesn't require support either. :)

I had read that one was about as tall, but I couldn't get a straight answer out of their CS rep about the height, plus it seemed so wide and I didn't see any clear advantage of it, so I gave up. Which kiddy is a lot taller? I'm trying to remember why I never tried that. It's frustrating that most of the interesting options must be ordered online, at least for me. Not that I need anything else when my almost 57" kid still fits in the Parkway and we have Frontier 85s as well, but still I like options. Anyway, thanks for the info and sorry OP for the digression. :)
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
The World Plus is 24+". Rivals the Dorel tall boosters, but doesn't need head support. Of course, you pay a LOT especially if you won't be using the shield portion!
 

Athena

Well-known member
The World Plus is 24+". Rivals the Dorel tall boosters, but doesn't need head support. Of course, you pay a LOT especially if you won't be using the shield portion!

Now, I remember that one and why I didn't try it. I would have only been using it as a booster and I'm not rich. ;) Good to know. Thanks!
 

DAR

New member
Thank you two so much! I was so panicked, we measured DS and he had grown 2 inches in 4 months. He keeps on having these growth spurts, so I went around checking our seats. I rechecked and let him ride in booster mode in the Frontier 85 for the last few days :eek: did not realize I needed there was a screw part. I knew I had bought that seat because at the time it was the tallest booster on the market, so thought he had outgrown most of the high backs already.

I also have been researching your tall seat suggestions. The Boost Air Protect and its variations, say they only last until 100 lbs and the Parkway to 120 lbs. I am wondering if this might be a problem.

Also, will DS most likely go to a regular seatbelt or would I be buying or using one of these as a low back booster.
 

Athena

Well-known member
I was so panicked, we measured DS and he had grown 2 inches in 4 months.

My 8yo started growing like that at 7 1/2, but it must be mostly in her legs because she still fits her HBBs. Maybe that's a normal age for big growth?

I rechecked and let him ride in booster mode in the Frontier 85 for the last few days :eek: did not realize I needed there was a screw part. I knew I had bought that seat because at the time it was the tallest booster on the market, so thought he had outgrown most of the high backs already.

The screw holds the booster adjuster in place and once you remove it, you can raise it more when needed.

I also have been researching your tall seat suggestions. The Boost Air Protect and its variations, say they only last until 100 lbs and the Parkway to 120 lbs. I am wondering if this might be a problem.

I would think that would depend on the kid, but have no personal experience with a kid that heavy yet.

Also, will DS most likely go to a regular seatbelt or would I be buying or using one of these as a low back booster.

I would think the Frontier 85 could take a kid right into the seatbelt. It adjusts really tall.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Most kids outgrow most seats by height before weight. Boosters are usually not an exception.

Some kids will outgrow ALL boosters by weight limit before they fit the belt. It's not quite common, but it happens and not rarely. In that case you have to make a parental decision. I'd choose kid in a backless over the weight guidelines over kid with poor belt fit, if it were my kid. Luckily it doesn't seem likely to happen with my kids.
 

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