too short for booster??

M

mpchez

Guest
too short for booster??

my daughter 3 1/2 is almost to weight limit of her toddler seat-another 2 lbs maybe, about an inch to go height wise-know the weight is the important thing
tried out all the booster at toysrus, having her sit in them, not in our vehicle as we were in a different car
was REALLY frustrated, seemed like ALL the belt position clips for the car seat belt would be putting the seat belt way too high, across her head in some...even in the lowest postions....she's 39 inches tall
any advice
THANKS
 
ADS
C

Caviller

Guest
I've not had this problem...

Our son is about the same height, and the lower and middle seatbelt guides on boosters I've tried all fit fine. I think the best way to check is to buy one with a good return policy, and try it in your vehicle. If you still have a problem, schedule a free checkup with a local technician just to make sure before your return period is up. You can often find technicians at local SafeKids groups, hospitals, public health, police and fire departments. As a last resort, try www.seatcheck.org .

Good luck!
 
M

mpchez

Guest
boosters

i've since seen several pics online of kids in boosters, and the shoulder belt DOES seem to lie much lower than it would appear from just looking at the booster alone
will definately try a few in our car to check the fit
since she will be over the harness wt limit, would like to find the evenflo sightseer,
someone also recommended the the fp futura, still available online, to keep her harnessed for a little longer
thanks
 
C

Caviller

Guest
I just bought a Futura-

They are still available here:

store.yahoo.com/dmart2/fispric20car.html

I haven't installed ours yet. One question I have is that the top harness slots may not be high enough for 60 pound children who are above average in height. You can also opt for the Britax Super Elite if you can find one. They are a lot more expensive, but they go to 80 pounds with harness and have very high top slots.

DS may only make it to 45-50 pounds in the Futura, which is why I haven't opened the box yet. On the other hand, I think it will be great for DD later, and it's also nice for seating positions that only have lap belts. It's one of the few seats that meet the most stringent standards without a tether (you can buy a tether for it separately, though).

Good luck!
 
M

mpchez

Guest
futura

was considering this one-futura, britax not available in my area but have gotten good opinions about the stariser comfy (?)-and dh is concerned about a much older child being willing to sit in the britax super elite (and so expensive for us)
am still concened about buying futura online, took 12 round trips to toysrus to find our original seat, to get a good fit in our car
and not sure how long she'd fit in it either
but it does NOT have to be tethered at all???
wasn't sure about that
thanks for the info
 
C

Caviller

Guest
No tether required

I did buy the optional tether for $16. All carseats have to pass a less stringent standard without a tether. Almost every carseat needs a tether to pass the more stringent test, but the Futura did pass the more stringent test without one. Of course, that assumes is installed properly with the seatbelts. It never hurts to have a tether, just in case it is a bit loose or becomes loose over time.

Dmart shipped my Futura the next day, and I had it in 3 days. Online returns can be a hassle, so that is always a question. I've generally had good experiences with most online companies for returns, but I can't vouch for Dmart.

Good luck with whatever you choose!
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Some stores will let you try their floor models in the lot!

The local Babies R Us allows this, as do the smaller, more upscale baby stores. Try to go at a time when they aren't so busy. It wouldn't hurt to call to find out if anyone knowledgable about carseats works at one of the smaller stores, and arrange to go there when they are working.

I appreciate the service at the smaller baby stores, and sometimes they will even price match the chain stores.
 
C

Caviller

Guest
SOLD OUT!

Dmart no longer has them as of today. They had some this morning, but as of this afternoon the webpage no longer exists. Sorry!
 
R

rogershall

Guest
Futura

You probably got one of mine! Good for you. On 3/27 DMart (a strip shopping center outlet in the Washington DC area) agreed to hold two of the last four they had in stock until I could come and pick them up on Saturday, but when I got there the $%^&%* turkeys told me they screwed up and sold them via Internet on Friday (that's what I get for trying to save 50 bucks in shipping!).

With a very squirmy 3 & 5 year old who will just wriggle out from under a 3-pt shoulder belt, I REALLY need to get a couple of 5-point harness seats that go beyond 40 pounds, and the Britax is just too darned huge. Please post if you see any other Futura's available. Great site by the way; the best on carseats I have found. Keep up the good work!
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Wasn't me

Actually, I only bought one from Dmart, and that was a couple weeks ago when they just began selling them again.

KBToys does have the overhead shield version in stock. It's a lot less expensive, too:

www.kbtoys.com/genProduct...ls=default

While we don't usually recommend overhead shield seats for newborns and babies, they should be fine for your older kids as long as they fit properly.

You can also find the 5-point version on Ebay, though usually at a premium. You can bet a number of unethical people bought large quantities from Dmart only to sell them at a profit on Ebay later.

Good luck!
 
R

rogershall

Guest
Overhead Futura conversion to 5-Pt Belt

Do you know if it is possible to remove the overhead shield and install the 5-pt belt in its place? I can get the belt and parts from Dmart (in their warehouse I found several returned Futuras with other damage or parts missing), but have no idea if the basic shell construction will allow it to be installed in place of the overhead shield.
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Unfortunately, I don't know- (more)

You should call Fisher Price for the final answer. Unfortunately, I suspect they will say. "No", even if it is possible to obtain the exact same seat in that manner.

I've never seen the overhead shield model first hand, so I don't know if the shell is the same or not.

On the other hand, overhead shield seats are not unsafe for older kids. They have gotten some bad publicity because they did fail a test with an infant dummy. The problem was that the harness in an overhead shield may not fit an infant well, and their head is at the level of the bar. This is not an issue with older kids, and larger dummies pass all the tests in various overhead shield models. While I generally prefer 5-point harnesses, I think using a Futura 20/60 overhead shield model for the 40-60 pound range is a very valid option for parents who prefer not to use a seatbelt with a booster.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
 
U

UlrikeDG

Guest
I *think* someone on the PP.com board asked that question...

Back when the 5 point version first came out, I think someone who had the o/s seat called and asked if they could convert. I'm pretty sure that they said that the shells are *not* identical, and that it would *not* work. :(
 

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