Need some advice about booster seats!

[4fordisneyworld]

We have two kiddos who are in awesome britax seats in our main vehicle. But we are needing booster seats for our upcoming April trip. My 5 yr old is 43 inches and almost 40lbs. My 3 yr old is almost 40 inches and 36 lbs. It is hard to move them from a really safe carseat to a flimsy booster.

Any brands better than another? Looking for something easy to travel with and safe at the same time. ( we are renting a car so we have to have something )

thank you

 

[bumbershoot]

Why go with a booster? Since you'll be in an unfamiliar place driving on unfamiliar roads, seems the chances of an accident would be higher than normal.

Since they are both under 40 lbs, especially for the younger one, what about a Cosco Scenera? It's much lighter than the Britaxes, and my guy actually prefers his Scenera over his Roundabout b/c it's wider and he feels that that makes it more comfy. Good seat, too.

They could even use them on the plane, whereas with a booster you'd have to check them in some way (since you probably can't fit them up above the airplane seats).

 

[taitai]

We really like our Britax booster...it has high sides and a back so much more support that the boosters that are just glorified phone books.

taitai

 

[laughinplace199]

We've always used our kids' regular car seats on the plane and in the rental car. Why buy new ones? Also, your little one is probably too young and small for a booster. I think in most states the child has to be 4 yrs and 40 lbs to be in a booster.

When my oldest two were in car seats, we had Britax Roundabouts for them. We used them for traveling as well and never had any problems. Now the kids are 8 & 6 and in boosters. At home they're in Britax boosters. On our April trip, we'll probably bring backless boosters since the kids are big enough and mature enough to sit properly in them. My youngest is 15 mos and he is in a Britax Marathon. Since that seat is on the big side, we bought a Cosco Scenera for travel. This will be our first time using it, but it's gotten a lot of good reviews from DISers.

 

[Matt'nMeg'sMom]

Can't you rent carseats from the car-rental company? That's what we did once. I didn't LOVE them, but my kids used 'em regardless.

BTW - my 8 year old (55 lbs) and my 5 year old (53 lbs) both ride in 5-point-harness Britax Regents at home. I kept them rear-facing until they were three years old, and they would STILL be rear facing if it were at all possible.

At 55 lbs, my 8 year old is smallish and I have made the car seat mandatory. However, I did promise him that I wouldn't make him use the car seat for his driving lessons once he turned 16.

 

[mom2alix]

There's a really good deal out there for the Britax Parkway in discontinued fabrics. They're $60, but that's about what a good booster would cost anyway.

http://www.babyage.com/products/e90...ster_car_seat_with_side_impact_protection.htm

I think you can sign up for the Babyage email newsletter and get a free shipping code too.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Personally, if they still fit in the seats you have, I wouldn't move them to boosters yet. If you need fairly inexpensive seats that harness to 65 lbs., look into the Apex 65 -- I have two of them and love them. You do need high seatbacks or adjustable headrests to use this seat. My ds6.5 rides in the Evenflo Big Kid Confidence booster -- it's fairly sturdy and does provide some side impact protection.

 

[kopmom]

I agree with the others that it would be best to have them ina 5 point harness carseat (especiall the 3 year old) BUT if that is not a option the compass booster seats are great...sturdy and also they fold. When my kids move to boosters (my almost 7 yo is still in a 5 point Britax Husky) I will be getting a compass booster

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-8527917-6747255?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=compass+booster

 

[tlbwriter]

When it's time to move them to boosters, I actually like the Graco TurboBooster better than the Britax booster we tried. But this was 3 years ago, and I know the Britax lineup has changed since then.

However, as PPs said, why switch to boosters now? Why not leave them in their familiar (and safer) seats?

 

[Gillian]

My 4 1/2 year old and (small) 7 year old have Compass boosters. I like them a lot! I can't remember when we moved our 4 year old to that seat. She was on the tall side but now her friends are catching up.

ETA the Compass seats fold in half and have a handle. I orginally bought ours for Grandma's car but ended up keeping them for myself.

 

[TexasBee]

I researched this a while back and also went with the Compass, for Nana & Granddad's car. (My 2 are still in Britax Marathons in our cars.)

I am hearing good things about the new Graco Nautilus.

 

[juliana_sd]

Another Regent-plus-Compass-for-grandparents family, here I don't know what the travel situation is, but if you are flying, your carseats don't count against your luggage allowance. Good luck!

 

[labdogs42]

We took a Graco Nautilus on our last Disney trip and it was great (but teach yourself how to take it apart so it can go through the x-ray machine, so you don't have to read the manual with a HUGE line behind you! ). I have also heard great things about the Radian 65 for travel. I wouldn't put the 3 yo in a booster yet and I have not heard good things about renting carseats. Good luck with your search. www.car-seat.org might have some helpful info for you, too.