Question What High Back Booster Seat to Buy for Three Across

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hello!

I have two kids (ages 5 and 2) and am expecting a third in a few months and would like to find a way to do three across in a 2013 Toyota Highlander.

I currently have two Britax Marathons (one is a clicktight, the other is the older model). My 5 y.o. daughter is just barely 40 lbs. and my 2 y.o. is 29 lbs. I have a Britax B-Safe infant seat from my son and would like to use that for my new baby, one of the Marathons for my son, and purchase a high back booster seat for my daughter. I am hoping to put the booster seat in the middle and the other seats on either side.

From the research that I have done, I am looking into getting an IMMI Go or a Maxi Cosi RodiFix for the middle. I really would prefer to keep my daughter in a five point harness if possible but I'm not finding a lot of booster options that have that feature.

Does anyone have any ideas for good boosters that will fit in the middle seat? Any boosters with a narrow profile that include a five point harness?
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Hi there.

Boosters don't have a five point harness, so that's why you may be having trouble finding something. You want a combination seat. The Graco Tranzitions/Wayz and Harmony Defender are very narrow harnessed seats that will become boosters later.

The ClickTight is narrower than the older style Marathon, so of the two I'd keep the ClickTight.

Wendy
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi Wendy,

Thank you for your feedback. I have done some further research and it doesn't look like it's possible for me to put any harnessed seat in the middle seat of the Highlander because that seat does not have either latch or a top tether. I really don't want my 5 y.o. daughter to be in the third row if at all possible.

Do you have any recommendations for how I can fit three across (one booster or combination, one convertible for the 2 y.o., and one infant seat) in my vehicle, preferably using at least one of the seats I already have (Britax B-Safe, Britax Clicktight Marathon)? The two seats behind the passenger and driver have latch and top tethers.

It seems really difficult to fit even a regular booster in the middle seat. I tried a friend's Graco TurboBooster and it was impossible to fit with the Clicktight Marathon and the B-Safe.

Thank you so much for your insights!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Yeah, your middle seat is a bit of a joke seat. I don't know of anything that fits there. Even your B Safe without the base will probably bump up on one side or the other.

There is a top tether anchor for that middle seat, though. It's on pages 148, 149, and 156 of your car's manual. IF you could get something there, I'd look at narrow like the Graco Tranzitions/Wayz. But I really think that's a huge huge if.

Is your two year old rear or forward facing?

Wendy
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I'm following this thread because I, too, have a Toyota Highlander 2013 and will need to fit three across in a few months. I have a 50lb 6yr old and a 35lb 4yr old and will be expecting #3 in February. We travel A LOT in this car, several hours on highways to see family and this is the car we're in whenever we're going anywhere as a family. I'm curious what the previous poster ended up with in her similar situation earlier this year?

Our current setup is a Britax Marathon-70 for my young son and totally blanking on what my oldest is in, I think some kind of Graco convertible. They are both in the window seats and obviously it's not a problem. But with the addition of an infant seat I'm struggling on what can fit across. Our infant car seats are expired so I have to buy a new one, probably an infant seat Chicco KeyFit 30 or Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30. And I am resigned that the High Back Convertible we have will have to be put in the basement and replaced by a slimline high back booster. I'd prefer to keep the Britax Marathon 70, though.

I imagine three across like: <new infant seat>, <high back booster for oldest>, <Britax Marathon 70>

I figure by the time the baby grows out of the infant seat, my oldest will be almost-7 and in a backless booster which may save space and it will look like this: <rear facing Britax Marathon>, <backless booster>, <existing Graco convertible brought up from basement>.

Thanks, Steph
 

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