Narrow boosters? (5 point hopefully!)

sarahlorrain

New member
I drive a 2002 Suburban. Currently, our seating position has our 5 year old in the middle of the 3rd row seat in a 5 point harness booster, with his 14 and 12 year old brothers on either side. Unfortunately, his oldest brother is now 5' 10" tall and he just cannot fit back there. His knees are jammed into the back of the 2nd row seat. I need to move older brother up to the 2nd row, but that would require moving my 8 year old to the back. He is also in a 5 point harness. Both boys are in the same seat - a Britax Frontier. Unfortunately, these will not fit side by side and leave enough room for the 12 year old to still fit. We are an 8 person family in an 8 seat car. There is no other configuration that will work until the 1 year old transitions to a front facing seat which obviously won't be for another year AT LEAST. And even then, I will still need to have two seats in the back so it won't matter.

So, 5 year old is 43 lbs and is 43.5" tall. 8 year old is 57 lbs and 52" tall. 5 year old must be in a 5 pt and must be in the middle because it is only a lap belt in that seat. I would prefer that 8 year old be in a 5 pt but I am thinking it won't work because I can't find a seat that is slim enough that will work with his weight. I need the seats to be under $100 each. I suppose a belt positioning high back booster would work but it would have to be SUPER slim so that he could still buckle himself. He will be on the driver's side.


I have 32" to work with. Help!? I keep looking at seats and looking at seats and my head is swimming and I can't remember what I have looked. I thought you all know more than I do and maybe you have a better idea!?
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
You only have one top tether back there, so the eight year old would be safer in a booster seat. There aren't very many narrow boosters. You could try the Harmony Dreamtime and Aidia Explorer, but it wouldn't surprise me if both were outgrown. Maybe the Evenflo Big Kid Amp, but same thing. A Cosco Rise or Harmony Youth Booster would be a narrow backless booster and would fit on the side in the third row.

Wendy
 

aporthole

Active member
I honestly don’t see any booster fitting next to a Frontier in the middle. Even if you swapped the 5yo’s Frontier for a slimmer seat like a Cosco Finale, it would still be a tight squeeze for some of the boosters Wendy mentioned above. A Bubblebum would likely work as might the new Graco Turbo GO which are both very narrow. The Cosco Rise mentioned above is also quite slim.
 

sarahlorrain

New member
Good point about there only being one tether anchor.

5 year olds seat needs to be replaced anyway. He has broken the foam on both seats. So I can get him a slimmer seat. I was excited about the evenflo maestro until I realized they have both outgrown the weight limit for the harness.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
For narrow combination seats, try the Harmony Defender, Graco Tranzitions/Wayz, and Chicco MyFit. The Maestro's 50 pound harness limit has not been outgrown by your five year old, so that is also an option.

Wendy
 

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