Talk me through BOOSTERS

[dkdean]

Looking into a HBB for my 5.5y/o (40lbs)--he is tall and skinny. Currently in a Regent in both cars and has another slot left in those for height (just getting ready to move to the top slot). I had another thread going about safety in a 5pt vs booster once kids are in that 5-8yr range and have decided to get him a dedicated booster to work on booster training for shorter trips.

So talk me through HBB boosters--are they just buckled with the lap/shoulder belt? Do you then re-buckle them when you get out of the car (thinking projectiles?)? Are there top tethers?

I have a Saturn Relay (07) and will initially have the HBB in the 3rd row for short trips. The Regent is in one captains seat and a True Fit is in the other captains seat. 3rd row also has a RF FPSV for a child I watch.

And, what tends to be the top 5 HBBs recommended for a tall/skinny 5.5 y/o??

 

[firemomof3]

Yes, you use the vehicle's lap/shoulder belt with a booster. The lap belt must be across the upper thighs/low on the abdomen and the shoulder portion should rest flat across the center of the shoulder. My top 5 boosters for tall/skinny kids are the Graco Turbobooster, Britax Parkway SG, Clek Oobr (equipped with rigid latch), Recaro Vivo and Recaro Probooster

 

[yetanotherjen]

Yes with a booster you use the vehicle's lap/shoulder belt to secure the child, the job of the booster is to "Boost" the child into the seat belt so it fits properly.

Booster seats need to fit the child properly to work the right way so I really recommend going somewhere like Babies R Us and trying some with your child and in your car. Sometimes a booster will fit a child great in one car but not so great in another, so take that into consideration when shopping. Just like car seats they don't fit kids the same way. There are some booster seats that seem to fit larger children better, and some that seem to fit smaller children better.

There are a few boosters on the market that can also use your vehicles latch system, this does eliminate the need to buckle the seat in when not in use. But it should not be the only reason to purchase a seat.

The previous poster mentioned some great boosters to research and test.