How do you discern...

mamakc

Active member
I am still trying to get the right set up for us in my dh's tiny car. Today I was trying dd in a booster. With the back on, it was nearly impossible to get the rf child into the radian in the middle. With the back off-super easy. I have read the blog about how there is no proven difference in safety between a hbb and back less, regardless, I can't shake that a hbb SEEMS safer. But how do you discern if a backless is ok? In such a small car, on one hand, I like the idea of her sitting back a few inches farther from the back of the front seat. On the other hand, she is right next to the door/window. So, how do YOU decide if backless is ok?

-Krista
DD~5~Monterey & Dreamtime
DS~3~Complete Air 65 LX & Maestro
DN~1~Complete Air LX
 
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ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
If you feel ok with it it's ok. If she doesn't slump and the shoulder belt is well positioned it's ok.

Wendy
 

mamakc

Active member
I would prefer to use the shoulder belt adjuster, but the piece that attaches it to the base broke when I tried to push it in. the belt seems ok to me, higher on her neck than I would like, but it doesn't bother her and she stays in it. Rarely sleeps in the car.

-Krista
DD~5~Monterey & Dreamtime
DS~3~Complete Air 65 LX & Maestro
DN~1~Complete Air LX
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
what about putting the (I'm assuming this is the seat for your other kid in your dh's vehicle, so feel free to correct me) Maestro in the middle and the Radian outboard? Would that work?

OR what about simply loading the rearfacing child from the side with the other older sibling on it?

AND finally... (because I just cringe at the idea of a 5yr old who fits in the dreamtime going backless... they seem so small) what about (not sure about headroom as am unsure of vehicle make/model) loading baby from the hatch or from the front seat (kneel in front seat, buckle baby that way after putting baby in the seat from one of the sides or from the top, depending on space)

situations like this are why I miss the old britax laptop.
 

mamakc

Active member
I had maestro/rf radian/maestro working last week, but I couldn't get the second maestro in last night when I was setting things up for today (in the dark garage). I got the youngest's feet caught on the wings of the maestro when I put her in. I'm afraid it'll break. It's not a hatch back and there is no room to load from the front seat. I can try other arrangements, but rf radian center seems like the best option for allowing driving room up front.

The thing is, when I do have errands to do, I typically only have two children with me, either DS & DN or DD & DS. DS fits rf in the radian on the same slots as DN, and fits in the maestro on the same slots as DD. So when I have dd & ds she is in the maestro and he is in the radian. When it's ds& dn he is in the maestro and she is in the radian. Make sense? So only when I have all three, like picking dd up from school (1 mile ride), for example, is when she would ride backless.

-Krista
DD~5~Monterey & Dreamtime
DS~3~Complete Air 65 LX & Maestro
DN~1~Complete Air LX
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
ah... a hardly ever situation... and a super short trip... well, then since the belt fits, I'd be okay with it cause it seems you are limited as to any other choice.
 

mamakc

Active member
emandbri said:
I have not read that blog, there was a study though that said no back boosters provided no protection at all in a side impact crash.

This study is older but still freaks me out.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/chop-htb090905.php

What seats are you trying to use?

Isn't that the study that always gets brought up in these discussions and refuted by a newer study showing no difference between hbb and backless? Lol

I have available to use:
2 complete air65 lx's
2 maestro's
Avenue
Radian xtsl
Harmony dream time
Monterey

In a tiny backseat with 51" of hip room contoured on the sides, three shoulder belts, two headrests, & no latch.

-Krista
DD~5~Monterey & Dreamtime
DS~3~Complete Air 65 LX & Maestro
DN~1~Complete Air LX
 
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carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
The study that shows no difference is newer, but does not differentiate between combination seats used as boosters and dedicated boosters. I can absolutely believe that a Cosco HBB is equal to (or probably inferior to) a Harmony Literider/Youth Booster, but I have difficulty crediting that an HBB Turbobooster or Parkway provides no additional safety over a backless booster, even if it's just helping to position the belts properly.

That being said, while it wouldn't be my first choice, if a backless is what you need to fit everyone in the car, then it's the safest available option.
 

mamakc

Active member
So I had a DUH moment today.

I can take out/move the hbb to get the little one in the radian. lol The dreamtime barely fits in that spot. I wish the monterey would.

-Krista
DD~5~Monterey & Dreamtime
DS~3~Complete Air 65 LX & Maestro
DN~1~Complete Air LX
 

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