Question High back v/s Low back booster

U

Unregistered

Guest
When it comes to child car safety, I want the best for my kids. After we graduated from a Graco baby carrier, (I don't think Britax even made those when my oldest was born), we went with the Britax line of carseats. Well, my oldest is 5 years old and my husband thought he might feel childish starting Kindergarten while using a Marathon. So I showed my husband some car seat reviews and told him to choose what he thought was best. Well, he chose a Graco Turbo Booster backless version. I was a bit uncomfortable with the fact that the seat is backless, but I know other good parents who use these and the seat was highly rated with Consumer Reports. The problem is that Consumer Reports does not test car seats for side impact protection, and of course, a backless booster has no side impact protection at all. I became very concerned when my child laid down in the seat of the car, while still strapped in, and took a nap! The booster and car seat belts have no way of holding him in place. So then I debate if he needs the nap or it I had better wake him up.

Now I don't want to insult my husband, but I think that I would feel better if he had a high back booster after all. I am finding that unless a booster is European, it probably has not been tested for side impact. And not all seats are mentioned in all rating lists. So how do I know what to choose? Further more, I don't want my husband to feel like I am second-guessing his choice. But I do want my child to be safe!

The Graco Turbo Booster with high back has deep side wings that look like they would be good for side impact and for napping. There is also EPS foam used in the seat, and I am assuming in the head supports. But as far as I know, this seat has never been tested for side impact. Consumer Reports rates it very good, but CR rates the backless version even better. And the high back versions I have seen in the Graco do not feel very well padded, thus my child might not be comfortable on a long drive.

The Evenflo Big Kid has been side impact tested, by Evenflo. From what I have read and understand, I think that they do some kind of actual crash test on the seats. And I think that the Evenflo Big Kid did well in the Evenflo test. But what kind of standards does this company have with its own products? Does the fact that the company itself ordered the test and was satisfied with the results really mean much? I am not sure. This product has no EPS foam and the side wings on the headrest are not as deep, but maybe that would keep my child from leaning forward to see past the wings. And the seat is much more padded and comfy feeling.

My preferences would something by Britax or the Sunshine Kids Monterrey, which uses latch and EPS foam. However, my husband is not wanting to spend a lot of money on things right now. Yes, to me a carseat should be a top priority, but I have got to sell the idea of buying a second booster since I might not be happy with the one he chose.

So, do I keep the no back Graco or try and convince my hubby into buying something else. And if it is the latter, which one should I go for?

Thanks
 
ADS

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Show him this http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/chop-htb090905.php
And maybe this (Recaro Vivo at a price lower than some full-priced Turbos) http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx...e-_-Baby-_-Recaro Vivo High Back Booster Seat

I don't know what Evenflo's side impact testing consists of, but anything that flimsy without EPS foam just can't be as good as this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlI7FI9xBww (the Vivo probably looks like that in a crash, the headwings are deep and the structure is solid, like the Monterey. The Evenflo would allow the head to hit the door, I'm quite sure of it).

I'm sure the highback Turbo is also not a bad choice, too.

And as for your current seat, make sure it's assembled properly (if it came assembled in a plastic bag, that's fine. If you got it in a box and put the armrests on, then they need to be screwed in, there are screws in a plastic bag with the manual)

Good for you for doing your research! :thumbsup:
 

all together ooky

New member
What are your child's stats (weight and torso height)? How high are his shoulder in the Marathon? And will he be able to sit properly at all times or do you think he'll bend over to reach toys, or lean out of the seatbelt sometimes? You mention sleeping..does he do this a lot or just occasionally?

You may want to look at the Graco Nautilus. It looks like a big kid seat but it will still keep him harnessed for a while and then turns into a high-back and no-back booster.
 

Maedze

New member
Ok, just to clarify a few points:


1. Consumer Reports are meaningless and dangerous and should NOT be read when it comes to child restraints. Absolutely not. At best their information is blatantly erroneous.

2. A backless booster is not a good full time choice for a 5 year old. Perhaps occasionally in a real pinch, if the child is at LEAST 40 pounds but by no means a good full time seat. Backless boosters are for older children (8-12).

3. We do not have 'side impact' tests that are federally mandated, however, you can make a judgement call looking at the product. A seat providing side impact protection will have EPS foam, deep headwings and bodywings.

4. The Evenflo BigKid, no matter what it says on the side, does not provide substantial side impact protection. It's a flimsy, wobbly seat with shallow headwings that I would never use as a full time seat for any child. The HIGH BACK graco turbobooster, for the same price, is a MUCH better quality seat.

5. Two other good boosters would be the Recaro Vivo and the Sunshine Kids' Monterey. The Monterey has more features and will last a lot longer by height and depth. It also converts to a backless, which the Vivo does not.

6. If your son can't sit maturely in a booster 100% of the time, he's not ready for one, even if he is five, and a better choice would be to keep him harnessed in a seat like the Nautilus or the Britax Frontier.
 

rochelle

New member
Well, my oldest is 5 years old and my husband thought he might feel childish starting Kindergarten while using a Marathon.

My oldest is starting kindergarten in fall this year. lots of kids at the school are in Marathon, Frontier, Nautilus so my boy would not feel childish in his Frontier.

You might want to take at look at the kindergarten parking lot and see what other parents are using?

a friend's 5yr old son fell off the no back booster onto the car floor when she had to jam brake due to a jay walker. she switched him to a harnessed carseat.

DS1 sleeps alot in the car seat which is why we use the harness for the frontier. he would have slip out of the seatbelt if we use the frontier as a high back booster.
 

Maedze

New member
My son, too, will be starting kindergarten at almost six still harnessed in a Nautilus. It's important to remember that what an adult might perceive as embarassing based on personal experience from 30 years ago might not at all be a problem in this day and age, and a child's safety shouldn't be unduly compromised because of a misperception.
 

keri1292

Well-known member
I became very concerned when my child laid down in the seat of the car, while still strapped in, and took a nap! The booster and car seat belts have no way of holding him in place. So then I debate if he needs the nap or it I had better wake him up.

No matter how much he needs the nap, he must be properly positioned 100% of the time. He'll be more comfortable and safer in a HBB. I'd just tell dh that he fell over when sleeping so you'll need to get a highback booster until he stops sleeping in the car. That's less confrontational than "ACK! HE'S TOO SMALL FOR A BACKLESS BOOSTER! YOU MADE A BAD CHOICE!"

Blame it on the sleepy kid, not dh's choice. ;)

P.S. My soon-to-be 3rd grader still rides in a harnessed seat 99% of the time and we have no issues about it.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks to all who replied and gave some very helpful advice! I thought I had read something about the Vivo not being super good, but it could be some faulty rating that I read, too. I have looked at some NHTSA stuff and some other ratings. Anyway, I was fine with keeping my 5 year old in a 5pt harness, but my hubby made the call to switch and now that my son is very proud of being able to use a seatbelt and since we passed his Marathon over to his brother and sold his brother's Roundabout, (I was honest, told the seller when it would expire and it has NEVER been in an accident), we are kind of stuck in "seat belt mode". So I do hope I can gently convince my hubby to get a high back booster and there are some that are very affordable. Thanks so much everyone~!
 

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