Eddie Bauer High Back Booster

melanie83103

New member
Ugh! I just read the review of the Eddie Bauer/cosco High Back Booster on this site, and I'm so frustrated. I bought this seat *because* it rated well in safety on consumer reports, and now there is something saying that it is not safe??? I'm confused! I tried to find info on this on the CR website, but couldnt locate anything.

Can someone fill me in? My son weighs about 33 - 34 pounds and has two seats - the Eddie Bauer one and the Evenflo Triumph, but we use the Eddie Bauer one more frequently. Is it unsafe???

Melanie
Mama to Owen, expecting number two on 3/5/07
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Provided it's used correctly and he fits in it properly (which he may not since his shoulders are nearly above the Triumph slots and the EB has lower slots) then it's as safe as any other seat.

However, we don't recommend it as a booster seat. The belt guides are very small and may cause the seatbelt to retain slack. When you do go to a booster we recommend a dedicated booster such as the Graco Turbobooster, the Britax Parkway, Evenflo Big Kid, something with big belt guides.

But at 3 years old even if your son outgrows these two seats he needs another five point harness. He's MUCH too young for a booster. Four years and 40 pounds is the bare minimum, and most four year olds are not mature enough to use a booster properly. I'd recommend looking for new seats that would work for you guys for at least a couple of years. More if you're planning on more kids after him.

Also, we put no stock in CR. They have sketchy practices when it comes to testing carseats, at best.

Wendy
 

melanie83103

New member
Provided it's used correctly and he fits in it properly (which he may not since his shoulders are nearly above the Triumph slots and the EB has lower slots) then it's as safe as any other seat.

However, we don't recommend it as a booster seat. The belt guides are very small and may cause the seatbelt to retain slack. When you do go to a booster we recommend a dedicated booster such as the Graco Turbobooster, the Britax Parkway, Evenflo Big Kid, something with big belt guides.

But at 3 years old even if your son outgrows these two seats he needs another five point harness. He's MUCH too young for a booster. Four years and 40 pounds is the bare minimum, and most four year olds are not mature enough to use a booster properly. I'd recommend looking for new seats that would work for you guys for at least a couple of years. More if you're planning on more kids after him.

Also, we put no stock in CR. They have sketchy practices when it comes to testing carseats, at best.

Wendy

Thanks for the info! Here I thought I had purchased a seat that my son could use until he was 80 pounds....

Is there a seat out there that can be used with the internal harness, but is also a great booster too??

Melanie
 

mominabigtruck

New member
The cosco Apex goes to 65lbs with a harness and the converts to a bpb up to 100lbs. Usually runs about $100, just make sure you get the red one. And you have to have headrests too.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Evenflo Generations and Evenflo Bolero are the only ones that are recommended, as well as the Safety First Apex 65 (though I don't know many people who actually use that one to a booster as it harnesses to 65 pounds).

However, the Generations harness height may work for you, it's 16.5", just shy of a Britax's height. However that still only gets him seven pounds in a harness.

The Safety First Apex 65 harnesses to 65 pounds and then can be used to a booster to 100. It's about $100.

Wendy
 

melanie83103

New member
Evenflo Generations and Evenflo Bolero are the only ones that are recommended, as well as the Safety First Apex 65 (though I don't know many people who actually use that one to a booster as it harnesses to 65 pounds).

However, the Generations harness height may work for you, it's 16.5", just shy of a Britax's height. However that still only gets him seven pounds in a harness.

The Safety First Apex 65 harnesses to 65 pounds and then can be used to a booster to 100. It's about $100.

Wendy


Thanks - I think I'll get my son the apex instead of switching him directly to a stand alone booster. I like the idea of using the harness for longer - seems safer.

Melanie
 

canadianmom2three

Active member
Just FYI had the Eddie Bauer seat you are referring to - it was the spare in my husband's truck, which he very rarely ever rides in, so when he reached 40lbs we thought it would be OK, well it wasn't - when I saw the amount of slack that was in the belt I was horrified (and then DH tells me oh it always goes like that:eek: ), and also the belt guides didn't even seem to be attached to the seat shell, only to the fabric cover, which had pulled loose from the shell due to the seatbelt pulling on it. It was an ok spare seat as a harnessed seat, but definately not as a booster - switched to the Graco Turbo Booster in the truck and the Radian harnessed in my van. Good luck to you in your search!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
This may be a really stupid question but.... can you use a booster without using the seatbelt guides?

Melanie

Yeah, they're called low back boosters. :) I wouldn't use a high back booster without using the guide, the seatbelt wouldn't sit properly across the child.

Wendy
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Yeah, they're called low back boosters. :) I wouldn't use a high back booster without using the guide, the seatbelt wouldn't sit properly across the child.

Wendy

Well, actually... if the child fits fine in a highback booster (the kind that used to have a harness), then the belt guides are not mandatory. It's a good 'fix' for people who won't buy a better highback booster, to just not use the shoulderbelt guides on the sides of Coscos or Gracos when the seat is used as a booster. BUT...the belt MUST fit on the chest and touch the shoulder properly, which is unlikely in most of those seats with or without the belt guide :eek:
 

scatterbunny

New member
Eddie Bauer/Cosco/Safety 1st highback boosters, other than the Apex, are known for very low top slots. When a child's shoulders go over those top slots the seat is outgrown by height in the harness and can't be used anymore, even if the child is below the weight limit. That's the biggest reason these aren't great combination seats. An ideal combination seat is one with very high top slots to ensure kids can stay harnessed as long as possible before getting too tall. One that adjusts taller in booster mode is a very nice bonus because even though the one you have is rated to 80 pounds as a booster, since it does not adjust taller kids will get too tall for booster mode (tips of ears over top of seat shell) long before 80 pounds and they will still need a booster.

Good ones that harness to 40 pounds are any by Graco and Evenflo. The Evenflo Generations and Bolero make good long-term boosters because they adjust taller in booster mode.

The Apex would be my top pick though because it has a higher harnessed weight limit (65 pounds) and slightly taller top slots than the Evenflo and Graco seats. It must be used in a vehicle that has seatback or headrest at least up to the tips of the child's ears.
 

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