Need to make the booster decision

mams99

New member
OK, I came here a few months ago, got more confused and just gave up and decided to wait until fall.

Well, we need to make a decision. We currently have in grandma's car the Britax Decathlon which he will outgrow by this winter. In our car (a 2009 Toyota camry) we have the Safeguard Go.

My son is 4 years old, 46" tall and 55 lbs. Yes, I know, I could try to fit him in a 5 point longer, but SPACE issues is huge right now and that's my dilemma.

The car used for any long distance travel is the Camry and we are moving from Northern Virginia to the Baltimore area and twice now on driving back he has fallen asleep and since the Safeguard go has no head support, he flops all over. The other thing I don't like are the rigid arm rests. I know most have them, but it makes getting in and out difficult.

When we make those trips there are two adults also in the back seat (well, an adult and a young teen). Space is tight. We 'can' squeeze same three people in the back seat with the decathlon, but my teen son says that he feels blocked off and more squished because of how the frame of the decathlon is tall and wide.

Things I'm thinking about are: Sunshine Kids Monterrey, but is it really good for sleeping? Compass B530 - because I like the swivel arm rests, but sleeping? and perhaps the new Clek Oobr, but... will it really sell in August after delay after delay??? We don't 'need' it this minute, he has two seats that fit, but will ANY of these work for comfortable sleeping for him and decent comfort for two other riders in a back seat of a large sedan?
 
ADS

Maedze

New member
Is he newly four or nearly five?

Also, at his age, as you've correctly noted, he needs a high back booster. And a good high back booster is really not going to take up less room than a harnessed seat, with the possible exception of the Britax Parkway SlideGuard (and that's the only booster I'd consider for a full time boostered 4 year old boy, personally, due to the crotch strap).

You could try the PWSG, but I don't think it's going too substantially help your situation. A child really doesn't take up less room in the back seat, because he needs a car seat. And two full sized people plus one kid in a booster or a car seat is going to be a tight fit no matter how you spin it.
 

mams99

New member
It's true, car seats take as much room as an adult, but some are more obtrusive than others. Like the Britax Regent I was thinking about would be way to wide... yet, at least it doesn't stick out far from the back of the seat so it wouldn't obstruct everyone's vision in back... but 25" versus 22" is HUGE when you have three in the back. but his comfort is really important too because most of the time, there will only be 2 people in the back, but for longer trips? mostly three.
 

HEVY

New member
The Monterey is huge. I'm not an expert but of all the boosters I have tried the Parkway/Parkway SG are the smallest and since the PWSG (as noted above) has the anti-sub clip it's your best bet when it comes to a booster. However, I would go to the store and test fit a number of seats including 5-point harnesses before you make this decision :)
There is always the RSTV, no head support or SIP but it will give you the room :shrug-shoulders:
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
For a 55# child I personally wouldn't insist on an anti-submarining clip, but I agree that a good highbacked booster is not going to take up significantly less room than a harnessed seat. I normally don't recommend convertibles for kids that age, but I think that perhaps a Radian would be a good choice here -- and IMO/IME harnessed seats are actually much easier to deal with in tight three-across situations than boosters.
 

mams99

New member
I have gone to the store and tried them out and measured and it's so hard to know.

Oh, and he's 4 years 4 months, but is built like a 6 year old, but has motor issues (asperger's/PDD).
 

Maedze

New member
The Regent is absolutely enormous. If you are trying to DECREASE the amount of space the child is taking up, that is not the answer.

The SafeGuard Go is extremely narrow and I honestly don't see any seat taking up less space than it does. For an adult puzzling with a forward facing seat, the chief problem is the width of the back.
 

mommaon112903

New member
Seeing this (and IMO) a very serious peice of information you definatly need to think about an EH (extended harnessing) seat. With the dx's you listed impluse control is something that is struggled with (Josef is recovered but impluse control was one of his BIGGEST problems) and I would have never thought about putting Josef in a booster at that age-even if he was 50lbs+

Oh, and he's 4 years 4 months, but is built like a 6 year old, but has motor issues (asperger's/PDD).

Do look into an SKR for your son.
 
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Maedze

New member
By motor issues, do you mean maturity issues? Is he a wiggle worm? Will he wiggle in a seatbelt? Will he try to bend over and grab toys, turn around to see behind him? IF so, he needs to remain in a five point harness.
 

mams99

New member
He isn't a wiggly worm and doesn't have problems with impulse control. If I tell him to sit still, he does. He's never resisted the car seat (once out of the horrible infant seat) and he sits nicely. He has more problems with fine motor, so he wouldn't be able to undo even the simplest of seat belts.

I'm not expecting to get ANYTHING close to as narrow as the Safeguard Go. We mainly got that for a trip last year, but ended up using it as a main seat while I was debating on which 5 point or booster to get.
 

mams99

New member
Also, is there a list of abbreviations anywhere? I did a search but just in this thread I've seen several acronyms I didn't understand/recognize. I was a stroller addict, not a car seat addict, so I figuered out one, but what is EH?
 

Maedze

New member
EH stands for extended harnessing :)


If you are going to make the switch to booster, I think the Parkway SafeGuard is probably the narrowest 'decent' booster out there.

Regardless, though, as a general rule I would steer any parent away from putting a 4 year old boy in a booster full time.
 

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