40lbs, not quite 5. What to do for travel/occasional use?

oshelef

New member
My almost 5, almost 40lb eldest is about to out grow the cosco scenera we've been using as a travel/occasional use car seat. At home it's not a problem - we use a radian and there is plenty of room to grow.

What to do when flying/traveling?
- We like not to have to take her seat with us. But of course, the radian would do fine in a rental car if we uninstalled it.
- We don't use a car seat in flight.
- We'd like not to spend a lot of money on said extra seat.
- In ~2 years, we will hit this same issue for #2.

We could get any number of boosters - easy to carry, but I don't know if travel is the best time to learn to sit properly. If we did this, would we want the high back?

Or we could get an inexpensive carseat with a higher forward facing weight limit - height might be an issue for how long these last - I'm guessing we are 42" now.

Something like the immi go would work well, but the price seems high for what really is occasional use.

Thoughts? recommendations?
 
ADS

BookMama

Senior Community Member
She's outgrown the Scenera, which has a 40-lb limit. Time to stop using it right now.

Since you have a younger child, I'd consider the Evenflo SureRide. It's a harnessed seat with a 65-lb weight limit and nice high harness slots. It would nicely get your child to booster age, and then you can pass it down to your younger child. It's usually around $100 but can often be found for less.
 

aept

New member
For air travel trips I would certainly consider a booster for the "other end." I did use one with my (at the time) over 40-lb almost-5 year old. He was less than a month away from his 5th birthday. It was a harmony youth booster (backless.)
He got to test if out a few times at home before using it for the trip and he was positioned well and knew the "rules".
We did have one time on the trip where he fell asleep and his older brother was tasked with holding him up in position! So that part was a little dicey and unexpected since we didn't really have lots of time in the rental car once we were there.
If an adult can sit in the back with her that would be best. (We didn't have that, we had three kids across the back.)
Then the booster is handy to have later on for carpooling or other travel situations. Plus they are cheap and light!
We did also bring a radian on board for our toddler, that trip. I knew if the booster was terrible for our almost 5 boy then he could take the radian (in the rental car) and we could go buy a Scenera for the toddler! But it didn't come to that. It is pretty heavy but, if you have two adults an/or are bringing a stroller then it wouldn't be bad. In that case just use it on the plane so that it doesn't get damaged by being checked.

Another option could be a Ride Safer Travel Vest, but I have never tried one with my own kids. Perhaps others here could state whether or not they it might be good for your situation. If you travel frequently it might be worth the extra expense (compared to an inexpensive backless booster.)
 

1mommy

New member
Is the Scenera going to be unexpired for the next child who needs to use it? If so then I would just get a highbacked booster, have him bring the backless on the plane, and pack the high back in his luggage, so that way if you need it you have it, but if the plane looses your luggage you can still transport him safely. Do a couple test trips in it before you go to make sure he knows the rules. If the Scenera is going to expire or possibly not fit kid #2 in a few years then I would go for the SureRide, it's a very long lasting convertible for around $90 at walmart, and would be handy to have as a spare even when not traveling in case of car sickness and you need to take a day or two to properly clean the primary seat.
 

oshelef

New member
The scenera is spare/travel/in the closet at the moment. Weighing and measuring height this morning. we have 1lb or 1 inch until sizing out of it.

#2 has a similar sized travel carseat (evenflo tribute?) I need to double check, but I'm pretty sure it's forward facing limit is the same. #2 will likely out grow it at a similar age, so something like the evenflo snugride would get used for both. But a backless booster will be needed eventually: Even if we get a 65lb carseat, it will be grown out of before ready for a regular seatbel), and I can imagine having a booster around might get it used.

So really it's: (sooner or later) get backless booster/travel booster, and possibly also something like the evenflo snugride.

The questions then seem to be:
-standard backless booster or one of the fancier travel ones (inflatable, extra light)?
-Is there a real reason to have a high back booster? Definitely less convenient to travel with, less likely to be used for random carpool type trips, & seems that most modern cars don't need the high back (head rests are common)). I suppose compliance (and naps) are easier with one. Am I missing an additional safety reason to get one?
-Are there alternatives to the snug ride to consider? Either more portable, cheaper, or better in some other way for this occasional use?
Posted via Mobile Device
 

lgenne

New member
I don't have a lot of answers for you, but the specific car seat you're looking at is the Evenflo Sureride. The Graco Snugride is an infant seat, in case you go searching and get confused.
 

1mommy

New member
Studies have shown that backless and high back provide the same amount of protection if they both fit properly. Its easier IMO to get a good fit with a high back and better for new booster riders. Also if your child is a car sleeper its a lot easier for them to sleep and not fall out of position. If you still get a good fit with the backless (check out IIHS for information on what is a good fit) then for traveling/carpooling I'd be ok with it. Try out a few rides with a booster and see how she does.

BTW just in case you didn't know, that besides the weight and height limit of the Scenera, their shoulders have to be under the top harness slot and ears below the top of the seat. Some kids grow out of the seat by torso height before hitting the weight or standing height limit.

As for alternatives, there is the Guide 65 which is more compact and will fit rear facing in more cars, but its not quite as tall, and can be a pain to install RF. If you are ok with a FF seat only there is the Maestro, but it only harnesses to 50 pounds. If you want a long lasting convertible to use a travel seat and a spare seat, really I'd say your best bet will be the EvenFlo SureRide - just keep in mind it take up a a bit of space rear facing so it might not fit RF in all rental cars.
 

oshelef

New member
Pulled them out:

Scenera expires 12/2016. Right around when #2 turns 4, so this seat would expire-out. Probably ~6 months before height or weight limits hit FF.

2nd Travel seat expires in 2019, but it's an evenflo tribute with a 40" FF height limit. It's likely that will bind right around when #2 turns 4.

So even in 2017, we'll need either a larger travel carseat and a booster, or two boosters (if #2 is ready).

Probably makes sense to pass on the evenflo tribute that still has 4 years of use left to someone who can use it, move the scenera to #2.

On safety: Is there a safety difference between properly fitting ff harness and properly fitting booster with seat belt?
 

1mommy

New member
On safety: Is there a safety difference between properly fitting ff harness and properly fitting booster with seat belt?

Depends partly on maturity and partly on age/weight. If he/she can sit still and follow the rules of the car by staying in place (no leaning over to talk to someone, no picking up toys off the floor, and no falling out of position when sleeping) and is at least 4 (preferably 5-6) and generally around 40 pounds (tho some boosters are rated to 30 pounds) then a properly fitting harnessed seat has no PROVEN safety benefits.

Hope I haven't confused you there.... Personally I'd be fine with a 5 year old who is 40 pounds using a booster as a travel seat/carpooling, but there was a Transport Canada study done a while back with crash test dummies that showed that there was a safety benefit to harnessing till 6, so I plan on harnessing in my car with my children till they are 6, but will consider booster usage on a temporary basis once they turn 5. (BTW I am not a tech, or Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, so take what I say as just my personal opinion as a car seat nerd/parent).
 

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