My Update Story plus ?Narrow High Back Boosters?

[soccer_dad]

Hey Carseat.orgers I was last here in 2009, when my boy girl twins were outgrowing their Britax infant seats, and I was looking for recommendations. We ended up getting Sunshine Kids Radian XT's, which are still serving us well, even though the twins are 4 and a half and both just above 40 lbs now.

We had #3, a boy, this past November. He's been in big brother's hand-me-down old Britax infant seat for the past 6 months. But he's a big kid, and is already pushing 22 lbs at 6 months, so it's time to move him to a convertible. I already ordered a Peg Perego Convertible for him, and it should be here Tuesday. That's not why I'm here.

We had these two Cosco Sceneras (also carseat.org recommended), that we used in daddy's (my) car, an 07 Toyota Land cruiser, for the twins. The twins are in mommy's 2010 Odyssey 95% of the time, so the Sceneras were a good (cheap) seat for the car they hardly ever rode in. The Sceneras were also the seats we took on trips by air, because they were so lightweight and cheap, and it wouldn't have been a great tragedy if they got destroyed or lost en route. Anyway the Sceneras are limited to 40 lbs, so the twins are through with them. I gave one to a friend, and kept one Scenera for #3 to use in daddy's car.

So in what do the twins ride in daddy's car?

Confession time. Several months ago a coworker gave me 4 backless Graco Turboboosters that his kids had outgrown. I threw two of them into daddy's car for the twins to use since they had outgrown the Sceneras. They're above 40 lbs and 42 inches, as specified on the boosters themselves, so I figured it's kosher, right? They're been in these for a few months (albeit only about 5% of the time -- perhaps 10 short rides really -- most of the time they're in FF Radian XT's in mommy's Ody...)

Well as I started immersing myself back into carseat research looking for the right convertible for #3, as a side-benefit, I came to the understanding that 4 and 5 year olds aren't supposed to be using backless boosters. At least that's the conventional wisdom.

So I'm thinking about pulling the backless turboboosters, and replacing them with something.

The situation: A 2007 Toyota Landcruiser. It has LATCH in the left and middle backseats, and the right backseat is LATCHless. (3rd row has been removed -- but I still have it -- besides I'm not sure it's really carseat or booster compatible at all.) There will be a rear facing Cosco Scenera in the middle seat.

Remember the kids only ride in this vehicle 5% of the time. But when we need daddy to pick up the kids, there's no other option.

So I'd like to put high back boosters in the outboard positions. Someday the Scenera will be turned around FF, and then someday later it will probably replaced with a HBB as well, so you'd have three side by side.

Obviously I want relatively narrow HBB's.

I like the idea of LATCHable HBB's, for example the Britax Parkway SGL or the Graco Affix, but I don't have LATCH in the right hand seat.

I've entertained getting a Parkway SGL or Graco Affix for the left hand seat (behind the driver, where I can see LATCHing down the booster would pay dividends), and the corresponding nonLATCH versions of these HBB's for the right hand seat.

But I have no idea if these seats are narrow enough, or which one of the two is more narrow in practice.

Are there any other HBB's I should be thinking about, which would be amenable to the 3 side by side configuration?

Your thoughts?

Or you can convince me that the twins are fine in the backless Turboboosters since they only ride in them every now and then.

 

[Jessica61624]

A backless booster isn't a great option for a 4.5 year old. I'm not sure I would be 100% comfortable with them in a booster at all depending on maturity. Since the boosters your looking are around $100 I will throw this out...what about two sure rides. You can find them on sale for $80. They harness to 65lbs and have higher top slots than the radian. And they are fairly narrow. You can always pass them down to the baby. And they'd make great travel seats.

How old are the turbo boosters? They expire in Dec of the 6th year. Do they have screws in the arm rests? If they are going to be good for awhile you could keep them around from when the twins are older(6-7 ideally). Otherwise backless boosters are fairly cheap.

 

[Amyfromky]

What about 2 Harmony Defenders? $100, goes from harnessed to HBB to LBB

 

[soccer_dad]

A backless booster isn't a great option for a 4.5 year old. I'm not sure I would be 100% comfortable with them in a booster at all depending on maturity. .....

Agreed on the backless boosters. When are kids typically OK to go to a HBB?

How old are the turbo boosters? They expire in Dec of the 6th year. Do they have screws in the arm rests? If they are going to be good for awhile you could keep them around from when the twins are older(6-7 ideally). Otherwise backless boosters are fairly cheap.

They're old. One pair expires in Dec 2014 (manufacture date in 2008). The other pair is older with a manufacture date in 2005, and no expiration date that I can see. But I guess they expired in 2011 going on what you're telling me.

Screws, I don't know. I don't see any. There are holes on the sides of the armrests which look like they might take a screw. But there's no screw. Hmmmm. Why do you ask?

 

[Jessica61624]

The screws keep the arm rests on. They're required in the arm rests when in use. Graco will send them out for free but its not safe to use without.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...E47Wz4oLWSdasYOFz0_XhVw&bvm=bv.47244034,d.cGE

 

[Dillipop]

Is there a reason you can't put the scenera in the seat without latch? If you can put it there, you can maybe do 2 boosters latched. However, it will likely be a pain to buckle them.

If the backless turbos fit with the scenera, high back turbos should fit as well. They make a good booster and position the belt well on a variety of kids, especially littler ones.

 

[soccer_dad]

Is there a reason you can't put the scenera in the seat without latch? If you can put it there, you can maybe do 2 boosters latched. However, it will likely be a pain to buckle them.

If the backless turbos fit with the scenera, high back turbos should fit as well. They make a good booster and position the belt well on a variety of kids, especially littler ones.

I guess I could put the Scenera over there on the right, but then the two boosters are crowded. And the relative proximity of the twins could (will) result in fights.

But yeah the two Turbos do fit with the Scenera in the middle, so I'm leaning towards getting two high back Turbos and not worrying about LATCH for the boosters. I think I can remember to keep the boosters buckled in.

And you can't beat the price (under $50), which is an important consideration given that the kids rarely ride in my car.

So are 4.5 year olds OK in a HBB?

 

[creideamh]

With rare, short trips (where they're more likely to stay in place), I'd be fine with it. And I agree with the HBTB suggestion.

 

[nannykates]

The kids should be fine in the boosters for the short infrequent trips you are talkijng about. The reason I would recommend harness seats is to have light travel seats. The sureride and maestro would be options for that.

 

[canadiangie]

Would you consider moving the Radians to your vehicle? Radian / Scenera / Radian would work pretty nicely I'd guess.

Then maybe some Nautilus' for the Ody? Or Secure Kids? Or Frontier 85's?


Just throwing it out there. I'd personally be avoiding boosters for as long as humanly possible in a snug 3 across situation. Buckling boosters in a 3 across just stinks, usually.