Best High back booster?

khiggins · Jan 19, 2008

Okay, so my nephew is turning 3 soon, and SIL is convinced that all of his peers at preschool will make fun of him if he isn't moved out of his "baby" seat into a booster.

I have sent her all of the information I can find on keeping him 5 pt harnessed, and videos and everything, but her "keeping up with the Joneses" is just more than logic can defy. So, what would be the SAFEST high back booster for a child 40" tall and 40lbs or so?

Are the Compass seats any good? I know that this is what she is looking at now because they fold. I know that any properly utilized seat is more important than name brand, etc. but I fear that if she doesn't listen to logic about harnessing, proper usage is the best I can hope for at this point.

ZephyrBlue · Jan 19, 2008

If you can't convince her to keep him harnessed, I'd go for a booster with deeper side wings than a Compass. Personally, I'd get a Britax Monarch, Recaro Vivo Lite, or Britax Parkway. They all have nice deep side and head wings- moreso than the Compass B510, which is the only Compass model I'd consider.

If she insists on a booster, I'd make sure to show her how to lock the seatbelt (if the belts lock automatically when you pull them out, have her pull the belt all the way out and retract itself in until the seat belt is snug on her DS) so that it keeps him in place better.

Personally, I'd show her the Graco Nautilus- it harnesses to 65lbs and then converts to a high back and then to to a backless booster. Maybe she'd keep him harnessed in a seat that looks more like a booster? And she'd get lots of use out of the Graco Nautilus, too. Maybe play the "it's a good value for a 3-in1 card" ?

A 3yo really has no business in a booster, poor little boy

And good for you, trying to keep him as safe as possible

NZ Child Restraints · Jan 19, 2008

Recaro start - you said the best

scatterbunny · Jan 20, 2008

Unless the parent is diligent about proper use, I'd skip the Start. Very expensive, doesn't adjust as tall as some others, heavy and hard to move from vehicle to vehicle, difficult to adjust to different heights (might lead to a non-carseat-obsessed person to leaving it on an inappropriate setting). It really IS a wonderful seat, but I'd go with either a Britax Parkway (virtually fool-proof to use and fits young/small kids exceptionally well), Recaro Vivo or Graco TurboBooster. I think any of those will fit a younger, smaller kid better than a Compass (and, like previous poster, I'd only consider the B510 model if they are set on a Compass, the other models have smaller wings and don't adjust as tall).

I hate to see a 3yo in a booster, too, but if it comes down to a properly used booster seat that positions the belts properly or an improperly used harnessed seat, the booster seat is safER.

Victorious4 · Jan 20, 2008

scatterbunny said:
I'd go with either a Britax Parkway (virtually fool-proof to use and fits young/small kids exceptionally well), Recaro Vivo or Graco TurboBooster. I think any of those will fit a younger, smaller kid better than a Compass (and, like previous poster, I'd only consider the B510 model if they are set on a Compass, the other models have smaller wings and don't adjust as tall).

I hate to see a 3yo in a booster, too, but if it comes down to a properly used booster seat that positions the belts properly or an improperly used harnessed seat, the booster seat is safER.

:yeahthat: Although, my housemate will not reharness her 3 year old so I can relate to your worry

() & I've found that the Compass B510 is really well suited for her because she also just doesn't pay attention to careful handling in general -- she can manhandle the Compass & it just feels sturdier so I don't worry as much.... Somehow during frequently moving her old Intera convertible, she managed to warp its headrest so that it no longer has a symmetrical appearance

I've learned to worry about the Parkway's headwings being improperly handled with certain parents because it is less solid feeling even though Britax has performed side impact testing, etc. (so has Compass)

Ultimately, what matters most is whether or not the child fits the booster correctly & can/will they at least make to sure to engage the locking seatbelt retractor (if they have one) :twocents: We just can't convince everyone not to prematurely graduate kids *SIGH*

scatterbunny · Jan 20, 2008

Very good point about rough handling; the Compass really does hold up to rough treatment better than the others I listed, so if the parent is known for manhandling seats, the Compass might be a good choice if the child fits it well. In my experience if can sometimes position the lapbelt too high on some kids in some seatbelt configurations. Skinny younger kids can also seem to "swim" in the seat, because it's fairly roomy.

Kris0722 · Jan 20, 2008

I know this is abundantly obvious to all of us in here, but it makes me chuckle to think that his 3 year old peers are going to be teasing him!

My 3 year old just turned ffing a few months ago - his friends are oblivious to how he rides in the car or what he rides in.

Have you shown her the youtube video "Belle's Gift" - maybe seeing something emotional would help turn her mind around?

Good for you for helping her find the safest option for whatever she chooses.

mominabigtruck · Jan 20, 2008

My advice is to not send her to walmart or babies r us. A cheap booster like evenflo, cosco, or even graco to some extent are not going to give as much protection as a nicer booster. There are some graco boosters out not with inserts and graco pedic foam, but I certainly wouldn't buy the regular black and red one that everyone has. The parkway is always nice with the deep headwings and the monarch has the all over wing thing going on.

Victorious4 · Jan 20, 2008

Kris0722 said:
3 year old peers are going to be teasing him!

No kidding

It just doesn't happen that way -- perhaps the only kids who might care are those who value the importance of safest practice (& then they'd obviously be saying something along the lines of how unsafe he is

) If mom is so worried about what other people think already & is willing to cave to peer pressure this soon ... I worry about how kiddo will handle actual harmful peer pressure in the years to come

But, that's not exactly an argument that can easily be addressed with tact

Cindy&Connor · Jan 20, 2008

papooses said:
No kidding It just doesn't happen that way -- perhaps the only kids who might care are those who value the importance of safest practice (& then they'd obviously be saying something along the lines of how unsafe he is )

That is so true. I definitely am a carseat freak but I really don't talk about it much around ds. I guess he's picked it up though.

My brother brought my 4yo nephew to visit around Christmas. He was in a backless booster and used to put the shoulder belt behind his back because it didn't fit right.

In my brother's defense he had no clue because when I told him he went and bought him a high back booster.

Anyway, we went to Walmart with them and after I buckled ds in he looked over, saw his cousin and freaked out. He kept saying "mommy, he can't ride like that."

Best High back booster?

khiggins

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Victorious4

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