Booster for travel?

[aimeeandaaron]

I'm trying to decide what to do about a travel seat for my son. He will be turning 6 in 3 weeks, is 41 lbs, 44 inches, and is quite long in the torso. He uses a Recaro Como, and a Nautilus at home and is about a half inch from the top slot in the Como.

Last year I got him a travel vest, and while we still use it occasionally, it was a disaster on our last big trip because apparently when he sits so low he gets car sick. We were camping in Yellowstone so wanted to do lots of driving, and we ended up driving over 2 hours to the nearest store that sold boosters in order to get him one.

We'll be traveling around the holidays and our options are the Cosco highback combo as a booster that he used during the last trip (and looked like he fit in reasonably well) an Evenflo Chase as a booster, the base off the Nautilus (I think I remember it comes apart?), or buying a new seat. No, I just can't face taking either the Como or the Nautilus through the airport with us, especially with the chaos of traveling at the holidays.

Lightweight is probably the most important for us. I love the look of the Clek Olli, and ds would love the camo but is he too small for a low back booster, even as an occasional seat? Should I buy him a new seat now, or use one of the ones he has and see what is available the next time we need a travel seat (maybe the Oobr?)

Thanks!

 

[BW1426]

A Compass booster folds quite compactly. Any rental car you get should be newer and have headrests in the rear--with headrests in the back, I think a lbb would be fine in this instance. Of course, a hbb will help make sure the shoulder belt fits correctly. It will also be more comfortable should he fall asleep in the car.

 

[wendytthomas]

I agree, the Compass would be my first choice. My second, though, would be a Traveling Toddler or a luggage trolley or something to make carrying the Nautilus easier. You mentioned in your post that you were thinking of bringing just the bottom, but then said two seconds later that a no back booster isn't really an option. So that leaves the Nauti as a high back, but if you're doing that you may as well bring it and use it harnessed.

Your six year old is just bigger than mine (Piper is 37 pounds and 43 inches) and her tush doesn't fit well into the plane's seat yet without something, so she always rides in her Radian. If I didn't have the Radian I'd bring the Nautilus. The Compass may be very wide if your son is shaped like Piper (she has a 3/4T waist still). I love the Compass for travel, but I can't use one for Piper because there's just so much open space around her, and it makes me nervous.

If you want to think a little outside the box, you could grab a Compass booster and an 86Y harness. Rental cars all have LATCH in the US, and at his weight you don't need a heavy duty tether. So you could pack the folding booster and the harness together and bring that. I think that rig would be about $200.

I'd probably just spend $15 on a Traveling Toddler and bring the Nauti, though, either as a booster or as a harnessed seat.

Wendy

 

[Kat_Momof3]

I'd pick up a Graco Air booster or Turbobooster... pack the back in a suitcase and take the base on the plane as a carry-on.

that way, you'll have the back when you get there, but should that piece of luggage get lost, you won't be out a seat.