Graco Turbo booster

So I think I have decided on getting 2 graco turbo boosters for my car

then I noticed they have 2 very different types/price points for the same stinking seat

what is the difference???? The people at the 800 number at the Graco company couldnt really tell me

bah

thanks
julie

The ones that are more expensive typically have graco pedic foam - making them more comfy. If you are looking at spending $60/booster, I would look into the Britax Parkway - found at albeebaby.com for $64, no tax, and if you buy 2, no shipping. They will hug the kids alittle more and offer more side impact protection. Just a thought

bah

ok can you tell me why the parkway is a better seat?

are they the one that was discontinued?

thanks
julie

melniemi said:

The ones that are more expensive typically have graco pedic foam - making them more comfy. If you are looking at spending $60/booster, I would look into the Britax Parkway - found at albeebaby.com for $64, no tax, and if you buy 2, no shipping. They will hug the kids alittle more and offer more side impact protection. Just a thought

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People tend to like the Parkway over the TB for a number of reasons.

The head wings apparently offer more protection.

It adjusts higher than other boosters on the market (including the TB).

It doesn't have armrests, making it easier to use in tight situations (It's a lot easier for a kid to reach between two seats to buckle).


The PW doesn't convert to a backless, like the TB, but I think that's one of the few things the TB has over it, and I think that many people don't think that's a "feature" anyway.

I cannot remember if the PW doesn't have a higher weight limit or not. (That is, the max weight).

Yes, it's been discontinued, as far as we know, the PW, that is.

Now I have read the parkway si good for tall and slender

the 4 year old is tall and bulky... he wears a triple wide shoe

the 4 1/2 year old is average and average but with a barrel chest

will the bulky 4 year old end up stuffed like a sausage into the parkway?

julie

The PW is only discintinued because the people who run stores insist that people will only buy seats with armrests... it doesn't have armrests (though the sidewings are very comfy for armresting!) and that makes it MUCH easier to buckle correctly. The PW is taller than the Turbo, it's easier to buckle, and it has been designed and tested to offer more side impact protection than the Turbo. The Recaro Vivo or Vivo Lite are also exceptionally good choices, as is the Britax Monarch.

You're looking for boosters for a 4 and a 4.5 year old? They are barely past the bare minimum age for a booster. Most kids don't have the maturity to sit still and in position for every ride until closer to six. Are these seats for everday use, or just for occasional use?

Wendy

wendytthomas said:

You're looking for boosters for a 4 and a 4.5 year old? They are barely past the bare minimum age for a booster. Most kids don't have the maturity to sit still and in position for every ride until closer to six. Are these seats for everday use, or just for occasional use?

Wendy

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Its for carpool, 1 time a day mon-fri 6 min drive till end of May this year

My 3rd row has no latch and I am not quite the flexible 20 year old I once was... so the cirque du solie stuff I would need to do to buckle the back 2 into their seats would be quite challanging. 1 of the kids can only comfortably fit into a safeguard for crotch comfort reasons and a second $400 seat would really bring my spirits down...

also when juggling 4 kids part of keeping them safe means keeping them in the car with as few doors open as possible

I have a pontiac montana 2003 it has Latch in only the middle row drivers side seat... that position has a britax decathalon. The low body muscle special needs 2 year old will sit here

on the passangers side middle row is a built in seat the 2 /12 year old 30lb child will sit here

I have a 4 year old who is 50 lbs and about 46 inches he is actually the only one known to unbuckle himself or not sit still. he has been known to unbuckle himself and open the car door without notice

and a 4 1/2 year old who is 44lbs and 41 inches on the 3rd row of my van. This is the child whos personal issues mean every 5 pnt harnes hurts him except the safeguard child seat... he needs an act of congress to give him consent to unbuckle himself and help doing so in a 5 point harnes... luckily if the other 4 year old unbuckles he will be a quick one to tattle

3rd row

For bulkier kids, the Graco Air Booster might be a better fit. It's got a wider seating area.

Just a couple of notes on your post; you may already know these but I wanted to make sure.

You don't have to have LATCH for harnessed seats, they can be installed with the seat belt, too.

If unbuckling and opening vehicle doors while the car is moving is an issue, a harnessed seat seems to be the way to prevent that? Or am I missing something in that scenario?

Could the escape artist possibly ride in the 2-yo's spot (sounds like that is a built-in carseat?), and put the 2-yo in the back? Are you picking up the 4yo's and then dropping them off before you get the 2yo out; that might make for easier buckling if you are buckling the 2yo in the back before you have the 4yo's, and then taking the 2yo out after you've dropped the 4yo's off? Or do you need the escape artist next to the one who will tattle?

It sounds like you've got 3 kids with special needs of one sort or another? That's going to be tricky in any vehicle!

The biggest size kid is the one who might escape. I need him next to the tattle tale and furthest from the door... this gives me the MOST time possible to catch the escape... he has to be the 1st one IN the car and last one out. he is fully capible of buckling and unbuckling any seat you hand him

the smaller 4 year old and yet the oldest of the two cannot quite grasp and push the button on the crotch buckle of the safeguard... so I would have to climb in over the two 2 year olds for all buckle and unbuckle

This is seriously for 1 ride a day...

my 2 1/2 year old JUST turned around in his seat he uses a Decathalon and a Marathon and my older child uses the built in and a safeguard for usual family driving

just need to know what booster so I dont have to get out and do it all for 4 kids ya know and somehow keep them contained while doing hurdles

julei

I'm wondering if Parkways might be a better option for your situation, because a major thing you're going to need to watch them closely for is routing the seat belt. It's really easy to miss one or both of the armrests when buckling boosters with armrests like the TB and the Air, and you won't be able to see them from the front seat. This is an easy mistake for adults to make; it's even easier for kids to get it wrong. An improperly routed seat belt is very dangerous. The Parkway boosters don't have armrests, so it's easier for kids to buckle themselves and get it right.

This is seriously for 1 ride a day...

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I know - it's hard to justify more time/effort/money for what seems so small, but car safety is different. We always have to plan for that one, short, easy trip being the one where a dump truck runs a red light. All the best carseat use on long highway trips does not (unfortunately!) "roll over" and make up for less safety on a shorter trip.

That doesn't mean you absolutely shouldn't use boosters in this situation - I'm just explaining why everyone is stressing the "best use" advice. Short trip or long trip really doesn't matter.

just need to know what booster so I dont have to get out and do it all for 4 kids ya know and somehow keep them contained while doing hurdles

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I have four kids, too, so I do know what you mean. (All my latest carseat/booster efforts have been towards getting them in situations where they can ALL buckle themselves!) It's just not worth it to sacrifice safety, though - I mean, it would be faster & easier to just not have them ride in any seats or buckle up at all, right? But for that one when the unexpected happens and you get in a crash... all the months of extra time, effort, and energy pay off. That's why you're looking for booster seats in the first place, right? I'm just not sure there's an optimal solution for your situation - one that keeps all the kids safe but is also convenient for you.