car seat to Booster Seat

[tanyaandallie]

Danielle, getting the lock offs shut can be problematic but they do work. I am not a tech but am not sure how I feel using a locking clip with a Britax seat since they are not recommended by the company. It is using the seat against the manufacturers instructions which would void the warranty (or at least I think it would).

If you have locking seat belts, you don't need the locking clip or the lock offs. Here is a link to some faq from the bbc car safety board. If you scroll down there are tips on using the lock offs.

http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bcus9421&tid=2214

 

[thepeach80]

I just wanted to comment on this point. I have a Britax and had it initially installed by our local fire department/certified carseat "guy" and just had it checked again the other day (after I had troubles reinstalling it this time for whatever reason). Anyway, during the initial install and reinspec, they DO NOT recommend using these lockoffs, but to continue using the metal locking clips. The fireman said he can NEVER get a good install with the lockoffs and looking at where they fall on my seatbelt, there is no way they would even shut. Several of the firemen checking out my seat said they had Britax and they don't use the lockoffs and they will not install any with the lockoffs. They just do not "trust them." Just an FYI, heads up.

Sounds like your techs need more training and experience w/ these seats. The lockoffs are one of the best reasons to get this seat IMO! If you don't know the tricks it takes sometimes you wouldn't get a good install, but that's the same for any seat.

 

[disneymarie]

Whatever booster seat you decide, make it a 5 point conversion harness. As a police officer, if a small toddler is in a lap booster with the shoulder harness they are a projectile flying in a collision.
The 5 point is the only thing to keep them safe and their head and neck protected in a full seat. The lap harness I used about when my daughter was 5 maybe, she was big and in the booster, full size until her tenth birthday and 80 pounds.
Hugs to your precious cargo
dianne

 

[bellebud]

Just the fact that different states have different laws (requirements for height/weight) is very telling. How can one height/weight be *safe* in one state, but not in another state? Ridiculous. These are the bare minimums for safety, and they're not consistant across the country, which is just funny to me and just tells how we shouldn't simply rely on gov't set standards to keep our kids safe.

Everyone here has given you great info on the reasons to stay in a carseat. I'm just another mom chiming in on the "no booster yet" side. My 8yo dd uses a backless booster, but only because she outgrew her britax parkway booster w/ a full back and side impact protection (she's too tall). Most of her friends haven't used any type of booster since 1st grade (they're in 3rd now), but I didn't budge. She understands different families have different rules. My 6yo ds (in first grade) uses his parkway booster and will till he also outgrows it, then he'll go to a backless booster like his sister.

I always figure we can't protect them all the time from everything, but anytime I can do something, you bet I will.

 

[teresajoy]

Reason not to put your 3 year old in a booster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2LFo8vVi04
www.kyledavidmiller.org

Make sure you have tisues ready before watching those videos.

Both of my daughters are still in 5 point harnesses. They are almost 5 and 9 1/2. I can not justify NOT having them in the safest seat available. No, they are not cheap, but what is a few hundred dollars compared to my child's safety?? We did without quite a few things to be able to afford the seats for my daughters, but my kids are important enough that I HAD to make it happen.

 

[peyjax]

OK, so I am a little confused. I agree the OP child is too small. Yet many have mentioned that thier older children are still in a five point harness. My three and half year old was just converted to a britax parkway booster this weekend. I researched many car seats because I liked the idea of the five point harness, yet I could only find like one that went beyond the 40 pound weight limit. Everything that I found led me to a booster after 40 pounds. My son had outgrown his convertable car seat. His head was at the top (44 inches)and is about 43 pounds. I want to put my kids a good car seat, I just don't see how you can go against the recomondations on the manufacturers and still feel that it is better to have them in a five point, or does everyone have that one car seat that goes to 80 pounds for the five point?

 

[lil mermaid]

OK, so I am a little confused. I agree the OP child is too small. Yet many have mentioned that thier older children are still in a five point harness. My three and half year old was just converted to a britax parkway booster this weekend. I researched many car seats because I liked the idea of the five point harness, yet I could only find like one that went beyond the 40 pound weight limit. Everything that I found led me to a booster after 40 pounds. My son had outgrown his convertable car seat. His head was at the top (44 inches)and is about 43 pounds. I want to put my kids a good car seat, I just don't see how you can go against the recomondations on the manufacturers and still feel that it is better to have them in a five point, or does everyone have that one car seat that goes to 80 pounds for the five point?

There are a few seats out there that harness past 40 lbs - the Britax Marathon, Decathlon, and Boulevard are all convertibles that harness to 65 lbs. The Britax Regent is a booster with a five point harness and goes up to 65 lbs.

Recaro Signo and Como harness up to 65 lbs - maybe even 70, I can't recall right now.

Evenflo has a couple of seats that harness up to 50 lbs.

The Sunshine kids Radian 65 harnesses to 65 lbs and the Radian 80 up to 80 lbs.

I know there are a few other seats out there as well.

Most safety experts will tell you that 40 lbs and 4 years old is the bare minimum for a booster. There is some good information on this site about why a five point harness is safer. http://www.cpsafety.com/

 

[jessica52877]

We have owned 4 that go past 40 lbs.

Britax Regent
Cosco Apex

Both of those we currently own.

Britax Boulevard - Sold, base sits too high, took a HUGE loss on it, but wanted something safe.
Recaro Signo - Returned, base is even higher then the Boulevard, although an awesome car seat! I almost kept it for the next 6-12 months and honestly might get another. I jumped the gun on returning it thinking I could justify over $2000 in carseats for one kid, 2 cars in the past year!

 

[thunderbug548]

There are a few seats out there that harness past 40 lbs - the Britax Marathon, Decathlon, and Boulevard are all convertibles that harness to 65 lbs. The Britax Regent is a booster with a five point harness and goes up to 65 lbs.

Recaro Signo and Como harness up to 65 lbs - maybe even 70, I can't recall right now.

Evenflo has a couple of seats that harness up to 50 lbs.

The Sunshine kids Radian 65 harnesses to 65 lbs and the Radian 80 up to 80 lbs.

I know there are a few other seats out there as well.

Most safety experts will tell you that 40 lbs and 4 years old is the bare minimum for a booster. There is some good information on this site about why a five point harness is safer. http://www.cpsafety.com/

The Regent harnesses to 80lbs and is not a booster. It's considered a youth seat (not a convertible). My 5yr old ds is in the Husky (older version of Regent). Even at 5 and over 50lbs I don't feel comfortable putting him in a booster seat yet. My 2yr old is in a Marathon and will be moved to another harnessed seat when the MA expires in a year.

 

[tanyaandallie]

OK, so I am a little confused. I agree the OP child is too small. Yet many have mentioned that thier older children are still in a five point harness. My three and half year old was just converted to a britax parkway booster this weekend. I researched many car seats because I liked the idea of the five point harness, yet I could only find like one that went beyond the 40 pound weight limit. Everything that I found led me to a booster after 40 pounds. My son had outgrown his convertable car seat. His head was at the top (44 inches)and is about 43 pounds. I want to put my kids a good car seat, I just don't see how you can go against the recomondations on the manufacturers and still feel that it is better to have them in a five point, or does everyone have that one car seat that goes to 80 pounds for the five point?

Even a couple of years ago there were not many options out there for children who outgrew their seats when they hit 40 lbs. There are seats available now. If I were you and I had a child under 5, I'd find a harnessed seat for him. He is just far safer in a 5 point harness.

Measure his torso, sit him against a wall and mark the top of his shoulders then measure from the mark to the floor. Then take a look at the list I posted and see how he compares. The Apex is a good low cost option assuming that he would have room to grow and you have adjustable headrests in your vehicle. If he has a taller torso, the Radian and the Regent are great options.

 

[jessica52877]

I just wanted to chime in on the Apex, it is better then not being harnessed, we own it, but I do not feel it is made nearly as well as the others and wonder how it would hold up in a crash. Obviously it has passed all tests the same, I just am not overly impressed and if so would go the extra $100 for a nicer seat.

 

[lil mermaid]

The Regent harnesses to 80lbs and is not a booster. It's considered a youth seat (not a convertible). My 5yr old ds is in the Husky (older version of Regent). Even at 5 and over 50lbs I don't feel comfortable putting him in a booster seat yet. My 2yr old is in a Marathon and will be moved to another harnessed seat when the MA expires in a year.

Didn't say the Regent was a convertible - just pointing out to peyjax that there are several seats on the market that harness past 40 lbs as he/she seemed unaware.

Sorry for using the wrong terminology and for the typo - its all good.

 

[liznboys]

OK, so I am a little confused. I agree the OP child is too small. Yet many have mentioned that thier older children are still in a five point harness. My three and half year old was just converted to a britax parkway booster this weekend. I researched many car seats because I liked the idea of the five point harness, yet I could only find like one that went beyond the 40 pound weight limit. Everything that I found led me to a booster after 40 pounds. My son had outgrown his convertable car seat. His head was at the top (44 inches)and is about 43 pounds. I want to put my kids a good car seat, I just don't see how you can go against the recomondations on the manufacturers and still feel that it is better to have them in a five point, or does everyone have that one car seat that goes to 80 pounds for the five point?

My 8 and 6 yr olds are in Britax Husky's which as posted go up to 80 lbs.

 

[teresajoy]

OK, so I am a little confused. I agree the OP child is too small. Yet many have mentioned that thier older children are still in a five point harness. My three and half year old was just converted to a britax parkway booster this weekend. I researched many car seats because I liked the idea of the five point harness, yet I could only find like one that went beyond the 40 pound weight limit. Everything that I found led me to a booster after 40 pounds. My son had outgrown his convertable car seat. His head was at the top (44 inches)and is about 43 pounds. I want to put my kids a good car seat, I just don't see how you can go against the recomondations on the manufacturers and still feel that it is better to have them in a five point, or does everyone have that one car seat that goes to 80 pounds for the five point?

Like others have said, my 9 year old is in the Britax Regent. I just noticed the other day that my 4 year old is getting a bit tall for her Britax Marathon, so we may be purchasing another Regent soon. I better start saving for it now.

 

[npmommie]

I am going seat shopping tomorrow.
I was using a cosco summit seat with my dd, once she passed 40 lbs and 40 inches i had to take the 5 pt harness off and use it as a booster seat.
she had been using it as a booster til about 6 months ago.
she is 7 yo and uses a graco backless booster, but recently begged me to see if she is tall enough to go without the booster,she is 49 inches tall. not technically tall enough, but in our car her legs do fold over at the correct spot. but to me she looks too little in the seatbelt.

my ds is now 4 yo........i moved him out of his convertible seat when he crossed the 40 lb 40 inches rule for the seat, an evenflo triumph..........so he inherited the cosco summit booster seat from his sister. he is 43 inches tall and 45 lbs now. but he doesn't always sit right in the seat, and i am now questioning having him in the regular seat belt.

I am thinking I should put my dd back into the summit high back booster, and get my 4 yo back into a 5pt harness.

 

[npmommie]

so looking at all the seats, i could get my 7 yo back into a harness in the britax regent,she will not be happy! i might as well just get one for each of the kids, then when dd is too tall i could put her back into the cosco summit high back seat we now have.

 

[thepeach80]

so looking at all the seats, i could get my 7 yo back into a harness in the britax regent,she will not be happy! i might as well just get one for each of the kids, then when dd is too tall i could put her back into the cosco summit high back seat we now have.

Show her these crash tests. I showed them to my 4.5 yo yesterday and he is more than happy to sit in his harnessed seat. Even he can see which one is safer.
Harnessed seat
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_...videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg
Booster
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosirodi.mpg

At the very least, I'd get your 7yo a better seat. She is probably too tall for the Summit (tops of ears have to be below the seatback) and it's not the best booster anyways. Maybe look at the Britax Monarch? I really like the looks of that one. Here's is how you can tell if she's ready for a regular seatbelt and I doubt she is at 7. A highbacked booster will also offer much more side impact protection than a no back booster. http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

 

[npmommie]

At the very least, I'd get your 7yo a better seat. She is probably too tall for the Summit (tops of ears have to be below the seatback) and it's not the best booster anyways.

When I bought that seat I researched boosters, and I bought it because it was the only high back seat consumer reports said was safe. Had something to do with how you can adjust where the belt lies across their chest.
but yeah she is tall so probably too tall for the summit. but it does say in the book to 53 inches. hmmm.
and thats what the britax regent says too i think.
i will look at the one you posted, thanks!

 

[jodifla]

Show her these crash tests. I showed them to my 4.5 yo yesterday and he is more than happy to sit in his harnessed seat. Even he can see which one is safer.
Harnessed seat
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_...videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosipriori.mpg
Booster
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/kisitest_2002/videos/test2002/frontcrash/maxicosirodi.mpg

At the very least, I'd get your 7yo a better seat. She is probably too tall for the Summit (tops of ears have to be below the seatback) and it's not the best booster anyways. Maybe look at the Britax Monarch? I really like the looks of that one. Here's is how you can tell if she's ready for a regular seatbelt and I doubt she is at 7. A highbacked booster will also offer much more side impact protection than a no back booster. http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

You'd show a little kid CRASH TESTS!

That's just over the top extreme.

 

[all4fun]

When I bought that seat I researched boosters, and I bought it because it was the only high back seat consumer reports said was safe. Had something to do with how you can adjust where the belt lies across their chest.
but yeah she is tall so probably too tall for the summit. but it does say in the book to 53 inches. hmmm.
and thats what the britax regent says too i think.
i will look at the one you posted, thanks!

I'm honestly not a huge fan of CR, especially when it comes to car seats. They are very secretive about how they do their testing, and their recommendations can widely vary from year to year ie one year the Marathon was their top pic and the next it was at the bottom even though there were no changes made to the seat. Then earlier this year there was the whole fiasco with the infant seat testing that had false results and they ended up having to retract their findings. Anywho....

About height limits - they are based on averages so they really just give you and idea of how long the seat will last. The rule is with boosters - tips of ears below the top of the shell, which provids whiplash protection. (Always read the manual & stickers on the seat though - there are a few that state once the midpoint of the childs ears are above the top of the vehicle seat then the seat is outgrown, i.e. the Eddie Bauer booster sold at Target has this rule).

5pt harness seats are outgrown by height once the tips of the ears go past the top of the restraint shell, OR once the tops of shoulders go past the top harness slots. Weight limits are set in stone.

Here's a really great site that shows a child sitting in several different boosters that are commonly available now. http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/Boosterfit.aspx
it also shows how he doesn't fit correctly in the vehicle seat w/out a booster.
I like that it shows how different boosters fit kids both for leg support and height wise. I also recommend reading the shopping guide section which I think it really informative. Doesn't tell you which seat to buy, but what to look for. The most important thing is it fits your child and your vehicle.

I am all for keeping kids in a harness seat well past age four but I also think that a 7yr old riding in a High Back booster is totally appropriate especially if she's well past 40lbs as well. Riding in a booster will give her a lot more protection in a crash. High back boosters provide 70% more protection in a side impact than low back or no booster.

hth!