Question Difference between booster and convertible

[Carolyn]

My 4 year old (42", 40 lbs) needs a new seat, and I'm trying to figure out if I should get a convertible or a booster. Is there a difference with safety, so it's better to stick it out in a convertible for another year or so, or is it ok to go with the booster now? Thank you!

 

[Carolyn]

In looking around this site, the boosters I am considering are the Britax Frontier 85/Frontier85 SICT and the Radian RXT (which I think is really a convertible seat that can be used FF'ing longer?). I was also think of the Recaro ProSport, but my husband is worried that they wouldn't have worked out the kinks yet since they just started making the child seats. Any help would be appreciated! This is all to go in a 2011 Sienna.

 

[MommyShannon]

What you are looking at are normally called Combination seats. They are FF harnessed then become belt positioning boosters. The radian is a convertible that lasts about as long. We really like our Frontier 85 for a combo seat. It has the tallest harness available. The nautilus is also a popular choice.
ETA: most 4 year olds are not ready to be out of a harness so you are looking at the right seats.

 

[mylittlet]

You have several choices. You want a combination seat. Ff only then turns into a booster. Not a convertible which rf and then ff.

Evenflo maestro - $80 - harnesses to 50#- top slots 18" - doesn't last long as a booster, but cheap enough to buy a booster in a few years

Evenflo SecureKid 300/400- $120 - based on the maestro, but the back goes up so it lasts longer as a booster- harnesses to 65# and top slots 18"

Graco Nautilus - $140 - harnesses to 65# - top slots 18" - turns into highback and low back booster- the harness and highback good for 6y- lowback good fr 9y

Britax Frontier85 - $220- harnesses to 85# - top slots 20" - tallest harness on the market - tallest booster on the market - makes into a highback booster - good for 9y in any mode

There is also the recaro prosport, but I don't know as much about it. It harnesses to 90#, but is a shorter harness then the frontier so won't harness as long as the frontier unless you have a short torsoed chunky kiddo.

 

[mylittlet]

I won't get a radian for a kid you are not rf. The booster mode of the radians won't last as long as any of the others I listed above. Because it doesn't adjust up like the securekid, nautilus or frontier. The radians have tall slots, but you are paying over $200 for a ff harness then you will need a booster later.