Anyone have carseat for older kids?

[SarahKate]

I have a 7-year old DD and right now she is in a Graco Turbobooster w/o the back. In our state, she can stop using a seat at 8 years. She's a little tall, and probably about 60 pounds.

It started with me looking at a different seat for trips that would allow her to rest her head easier. But now I'm considering buying one for the long term (well, at least until she exceeds the weight and/or she gets tall enough to where the seat doesn't fit to her appropriately!).

There's a couple that I have looked at - one is the Britax Parkway and then there's a brand called Sunshine Kids. I like that the Britax has TRUE side impact protection.

Anyone have these brands? What do you think of them? Pros/Cons....and how are the headrests?

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We have a Parkway ~ DS is getting to be too tall for it @ 9 years old and not super tall but not short either. What about the Graco Nautilus ~
*3-in-1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds
**Extended 5-point harness for children 20-65lbs.
***Converts to High-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds
****Converts to backless booster for child 40 pounds to 100 pounds
*****Steel reinforced frame for durability
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011URFRE

My DD(6) has lots of room left in this seat ~ we don't own one but we've played with one at the store.

 

[ms_missy66]

We have a Britax Regent for our 6 year old and it's great. Though it's a five-point harness and I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for. Oddly, my girls have never complained about a five-point despite being in a booster in my mom's car, so I'm riding it out. My DD is 47 inches and 48 pounds and she's got plenty of room to grow in the Regent.

 

[momto3dizkidz]

I have heard good things about the Britax.

Holly

 

[Erica09M]

The "TRUE" side impact protection is just a fancy term that Britax has started using for their headwings. Other seats have similar wings. We don't know if "true" side impact protection is any different than "real" side impact protection, or any other made up marketing term because there are no standards. They're trying to wheel you in with those market terms

All car seats 5 point harness seats have SIP.

That being said, I do like the Britax Parkway SG (secureguard) because the SG helps to prevent the child from slipping under the belt (submarining) and helps reduce abdominal injury beacuse it keeps the lap belt in the proper place (lap belt should be across the thighs, not the belly).

I also like the Sunshine Kids Monterey, because of the way it expands. (by the way, this is a great "brand" if that's what you're looking for. They also make the Radian, which is a great car seat!)

When my oldest gets to the age where she can be in a booster (still have a couple years before I'm ready for that, she's 4), we'll probably purchase the Monterey as long as it fits her correctly. If the lap belt doesn't lay across her properly, we'll look into the Parkway SG.

How is she fitting in the Turbobooster? Is it starting to get snug on her? My 2 nieces use those seats (though one is way too small & young to be in a booster... but I can't help them all!) and I feel like my 5 year old niece is already starting to get snug in it. When I put her in it, I feel like her legs & bottom area already cramped.

 

[sskem96]

I have a Graco Nautilus for the little boy I babysit. It is very easy to use. It straps into the car nice and tight and the straps are super easy to adjust. The back rest extends up as the child grows, and each time you move it up it reveals another slot that you can move the harness straps to. Since we only use it part time, it is pretty heavy to move in and out of the car, but it's worth it because it's so nice and sturdy.

 

[kevschickee]

I have an Alpha Omega Sport that is a convertable carseat and then you can use it as a booster. I know it goes to 100lbs. It isn't one of those expensive seats but it is great.

 

[Erica09M]

Also, just because the law states that she can stop using a booster at 8 years old... that's just a minimum recommendation. I wouldn't allow your child to stop using a booster until she can pass the 5 step test with flying colors.

http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

 

[Erica09M]

I have an Alpha Omega Sport that is a convertable carseat and then you can use it as a booster. I know it goes to 100lbs. It isn't one of those expensive seats but it is great.

I'm sorry, but this car seat makes a really lousy booster. Not only is the booster not tall enough so it's outgrown way before a child should stop using a booster, but it also doesn't position the seat belt across the child's lap the way it needs to be. A poorly placed lap belt can cause serious abdominal injuries. The AO is great for rear facing, pretty good for forward facing (though it doesn't harness to a higher weight), but not good for a booster.

 

[kevschickee]

See I have used it as a booster (not my DD) and had no issue with the belt hmmm

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

I'll put in a vote for the Britax Regent. My two oldest are in Regents and given the high max weight and height limits (80lbs or 53"), they will possibly be the last car seats they use. My youngest is still in a Britax Marathon and will get a Regent of his own in a year or two.

The Regents are wonderful in that they are HUGE so they are incredibly comfortable for the kids (we drive to Disney from NJ every year and nary a complaint from them!) and very plush, like a little Laz-E-Boy chair. My oldest is 5 years old and at 46" tall and 53lbs (no clue where the genes for this little basketball player came from!) he doesn't fit well in the Radian as it's much more narrow than the Britax.

The downside of the Regents being so large is that they are very heavy, take up a lot of space in the car and aren't easy to move between cars. For us this isn't as issue as they're pretty much permanently installed in our minivan but for folks who move between cars a lot it can become a hassle.

We have a Britax Parkway in DH's car which we only use occasionally and while I like it, I still prefer the Regents as they just seem so much sturdier as they're one single molded piece. The boys don't seem to have a preference from a comfort standpoint but then we only use the Parkway for short trips when DH has just one of the boys.

 

[Cedarmom]

CPST here...

The Parkway has been discontinued, so be wary if buying online. They still expire after 6 years and will have lost some life if you find one for sale online.

That said, we have one and my 6.5 year old is okay in it, but won't be by age 8 or so. It is a pretty narrow seat (GREAT for fitting 3 across) but doesn't fit bigger bottoms on older kids well. It is only an occasional use seat, but he tends to complain if he has to ride in it for long. His primary seat is the Regent (which he loves) and we also have a Britax Monarch for him as his primary booster.

If I were buying a high backed booster today, I would seriously consider the Sunshine kids Monterey. It is a good seat, has lots of SIP and LATCHes into the seat to keep it from being a projectile when the child isn't in it. Sunshine kids is a controversial company b/c they make some very unsafe products, but I tend to really like their car seats. My other choice would be a Nautilus if wanting to keep a kid harnessed.

 

[TheRatPack]

We have the Britax Regent and the Britax Parkway (although they have a new one that replaces the Parkway?). We like them both and if space was not an issue we'd have 3 Regents instead of 2 and the Parkway.....I just like the look and way the Regent belts in....plus it seems really comfortable.

 

[momma_mouse]

CPST here...

The Parkway has been discontinued, so be wary if buying online. They still expire after 6 years and will have lost some life if you find one for sale online.

That said, we have one and my 6.5 year old is okay in it, but won't be by age 8 or so. It is a pretty narrow seat (GREAT for fitting 3 across) but doesn't fit bigger bottoms on older kids well. It is only an occasional use seat, but he tends to complain if he has to ride in it for long. His primary seat is the Regent (which he loves) and we also have a Britax Monarch for him as his primary booster.

If I were buying a high backed booster today, I would seriously consider the Sunshine kids Monterey. It is a good seat, has lots of SIP and LATCHes into the seat to keep it from being a projectile when the child isn't in it. Sunshine kids is a controversial company b/c they make some very unsafe products, but I tend to really like their car seats. My other choice would be a Nautilus if wanting to keep a kid harnessed.

There is the new Parkway SG. I was just reading a tech review of it yesterday and she's not sure about it. The side impact wing are smaller then the old Parkway. I've been told by the same tech that the Recaro Vivo is a great booster. The Graco is a good booster also. That being said, my 46 inch 43 pound almost 6 year old is still in a 5 point harness. She is in a Regent 100% of the time. We are looking into a booster for when she goes with grandparents (since the Regent is big and hard to move and then if the grandparents have to switch cars they can not re-install it) house. I'm betweeen the Recaro and the new Parkway. I'm hoping to find a Parkway in store so I can try her out in it. There have been some complaints of it being uncomfortable due to the slide guard. I would much prefer to have the slide guard though so I hope she likes it ok.

 

[tloveswdw]

My 7 year old rides in Regent... great fit. We use that, and Sunshine Kids 80lb seat. No boosters yet....

Frontier is nice too, our neighbor loves it for her 4 and 6 yera old.

 

[5 for WDW]

We have the Regent for our almost 6 year old as well. We just got back on Sunday from driving to WDW from Long Island and she was just as comfy for the trip as she is around town. She slept really well in it during the drive.

Probably one of the best purchases we have ever made.

 

[Cedarmom]

There is the new Parkway SG. I was just reading a tech review of it yesterday and she's not sure about it. The side impact wing are smaller then the old Parkway. I've been told by the same tech that the Recaro Vivo is a great booster. The Graco is a good booster also. That being said, my 46 inch 43 pound almost 6 year old is still in a 5 point harness. She is in a Regent 100% of the time. We are looking into a booster for when she goes with grandparents (since the Regent is big and hard to move and then if the grandparents have to switch cars they can not re-install it) house. I'm betweeen the Recaro and the new Parkway. I'm hoping to find a Parkway in store so I can try her out in it. There have been some complaints of it being uncomfortable due to the slide guard. I would much prefer to have the slide guard though so I hope she likes it ok.

Was it Dana's review?

 

[zippy99]

In the UK the law was recently changed I am not sure how this compares to the US.

ALL children up to the age of 12 or up to 135cm (4' 5") in height (whichever they reach first) must be restrained in an appropriate child seat or booster seat when travelling in a vehicle.

On the positive side - booster seats for old children mean they can see out windows etc better - meaning a much more enjoyable journey for them

 

[pednurse]

I think a huge thing to remember here is the 5-point test. Not all children will reach age 8 by the time they meet these standards (and many will be much older). Both of my kids were 7 1/2 when we stopped using the boosters. They had way outgrown them, could sit properly in the seat with the belts being properly positioned and were easily 4'5" tall. They had actually become unsafe sitting in the boosters as they were way too tall....meaning the shoulder belts crossed over at the side of the arm about half-way down the arm rather than up and over the shoulder. I have gotten flack from people who realize my DD is out of the booster when she's not 8 yet......and then I point out that she is way taller than their 8-9 year-olds who are out of their boosters just because they reached the "correct" age. So remember to please check the fit and not just go by the age.

 

[Pirate1+Princess4]

I have Sunshine Kids Montereys for my 7 year old quadruplets. I got them just before they turned 7 (one of my girls was still in a 5-point harness at that point and STILL isn't at 40#). We really love them. The new Parkway wasn't available when I got them and I HAD to make a decision. All of my kids are still in boosters, although my DS (almost 9) could be OK without depending on the vehicle seats. Our state is 8 years or 4'9" but enforcement doesn't start until April 2010. My van is quirky and even adults have trouble with shoulder belts hitting their necks, so my kids will be in boosters in my car for a long time. DS passed the 5 step test in the back of an Acura RDX and the back of an Odyssey, but not middle row of Odyssey because of the depth of the seat.

Other seats that we own (mostly used in DH's car):
Parkway (old style)- narrow so great for 3-across. Short seat, so not great for older kids. Nice for smaller kids, but not sure how it compares with the new seat. Not all my kids like how the PW headrest narrows at the neck. Some do; some feel "closed in". Not sure how it compares with the new one.
Evenflo Confidence- adjustable in many ways, but I'm not thrilled with how the lap belt is positioned. Will likely replace with another Monterey for DS9.
Graco Turbo- affordable and fits most kids OK. Wings not so deep, but OK
Graco Air Booster- very similar to Turbo. Back is the same. Seat is a bit deeper so nice for older riders or longer legged kids.


Back to the Monterey
Pros:
-Comfy fabric
-Side Impact Protection in the wings and headrest
-Adjusts back width when the child is bigger
-Deeper seat accommodates an older child better than most other seats
-The shoulder belt guide holds the belt in nicely. I have a problem with the belt falling out of the guide on my rear bench and it's not a problem with the Monterey.
-LATCH anchors holds the seat in place when not strapped in with a kid. Won't go flying in an accident when unoccupied. Also keeps the seat in it's spot when the kids start yanking on the belt to strap themselves in.
-converts to backless
-looks less "babyish" than others out there due to the more "mature" velour (ours is grey)

Cons:
-The back sometimes loosens itself to the widest position. Not a big deal, especially in captains chairs. But on the rear bench, if I want to put someone in the middle, I have to go back and tighten up the sides. It's a known "quirk" of the seat.
-Not a lot of FUN patterns like Britax.



I would try out the PW now, just because I'm very curious about the anti-submarine clip. Might look at it for DS if I can see on IRL, but will likely get him a Monterey too.

OH, BTW- my kids are pretty much "stick people", weighing between 37# - 48#.