Question Seeking recommendations

Mellex

New member
Okay, once ever 18 months or so I'm here. Looking now for a booster seat for our 6 1/2 year old son. He's tall and thin for his age and we need a narrow footprint that can go in the middle of our civic (tho we've never had trouble with that with any carseat so far).

Being in the center, there will be no headrest, so I figure one with a back...the seat we have now is high so I'm used to a semi-obstructed view.

We've looked at the Compass line (there's a few and I don't know the difference) and while I like the wings, I'm hoping they aren't view-obstructive for him cuz he likes to look for police cars on the highway!!!

SO -- looking for thoughts and opinions on seats to look at. We still have in a harness right now but with a coat in the winter we can barely buckle him in. So I guess it's time to move up!

Appreciate any and all thoughts, links, info etc.!!!

Melissa
 
ADS

christineka

New member
Well, first off, no puffy coats are allowed in car seats! So, have your ds dress in a sweatshirt under his coat, then remove the coat to get into the car seat, and put it on backwards after buckling. How is he in his current seat? Is he close to the weight limit? Where are his shoulders in relation to the top harness position?

He is getting older and a booster seat would be fine. A thin one is the Britax Parkway which is getting to be rather hard to find these days. Otherwise there is the Fisher price Safe Voyage booster, but it has a pretty low headrest at 19 inches. Without a vehicle headrest I'd be looking for a booster that goes pretty high. Depending on how much room you have the Recaro Vivo might work (17 inches at the base) or perhaps the sunshine kids' Monterey.
 

Maedze

New member
Hi Melissa!


Well, part of your problem is that you should never put a kid in a car seat/booster with a coat on :p In an accident the fabric will compress and then your child be seriously injured or even ejected :(


What seat is he in now? How tall is he and how much does he weigh? Do you have a lap shoulder belt in the middle of your car or just a lap belt?
 

Mellex

New member
He is 49 or 50" tall and 49lbs. Let me clarify: he's NEVER in a "puffy coat" and the coat he DOES tend to wear is a thinsulate lined nylon coat. It's very thin. Nevertheless, it comes to his hips so the bottom of the jacket bunches right where the bottom of the 5 point harness connects together and is too thick at that point.

I'm a stickler for safety, hence still being in a harness at 6 years old, but going into the car when it's 20 degrees out (or colder) and having him take his coat off in the car is crazy!!! And yes, we put the heat on, but we cannot blast it because too hot and dry in a car and both he and I get nauseous.

Here's another question, does this 'rule' apply for seatbelt boosters too?
 

christineka

New member
Here's another question, does this 'rule' apply for seatbelt boosters too?

Yes. For my harnessed kiddos, I made them ponchos. This way they are warm and don't have to take it off to get in their seat. Also, when the car finally does warm up, it is easily removable. Last year ds wore his coat in the car. As long as he could get it to fit without having to loosen the straps, then he could wear it. My older dds just have to wear thin coats or take them off. (I haven't gotten into making them ponchos yet and not sure if it would work with a seatbelt.)

Do you happen to know what seat your ds is in right now? Do you know his torso (from bum to shoulders) length. That will help in picking out an appropriate seat for him.
 

Maedze

New member
The rule does apply to boosters too :)


I know it gets cold (it gets that cold here too), but if the coat interferes with the harness in any way, the coat needs to come off. It's too dangerous. I hope that makes sense.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Sorry, I know you're asking about boosters and it's turned into a coat discussion, but I wanted to add that ADULTS need to be mindful about their coats, too. When you buckle up, unzip your coat, pull it up so that your lap-belt is against your hips with no coat between. Then adjust the seat-belt side of your coat. If it's really cold, you can re-zip your coat over the seat belt (depending on the style of coat, of course.)

This is how my booster-age kids, my seat-belt kid, my dh, and I all ride in the winter. My harnessed-kid prefers to remove her coat and then use it like a blanket, but her friend prefers to unzip, adjust the coat out of the way of the harness, and then re-zip. :thumbsup:

With him being in the center and needing a headrest, I'd look for a taller booster so it's not outgrown too soon. The Compass could be a problem, depending on his torso-height. Have you checked out the Monterey booster by Sunshine Kids?

Important question: Does your center seating position have a lap-only seat belt? A booster CANNOT be used with a lap-only seat belt - it must have a lap/shoulder belt.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
I agree. My kids all wear their coats and jackets as described above and I've always done it to myself strictly for comfort purposes. And I grew up in Northern Illinois where it was below zero a good number of mornings.

it is not crazy... it is for safety.

the chances of dying if you got in a crash with a coat too thick are much more likely than your child suffering hypothermia in the car while it heats up.
 

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