Booster Seat Recommendations Needed

Hi S.!

I have a Britax also for my 26 month old son that goes to 65lbs. I also have a 6 month old that will need a new carseat soon. Anyways, I love the Britax Decathlon for the safety ratings and reviews, but I do not love the price. I have actually just recently seen the new Graco Nautilus 3 in 1. It goes from 20lbs to 100lbs. It has the 5 point harness, then is a belt positioner and then a backless booster. Also the cost is $150, which is awesome to me. I love graco products and have used them with both children. We have the pack n play, the infant seat, the full size stroller, and a Comfortsport for the second car. The Comfortsport carseat was highly ranked as well, but as I said, it is for the second car. Anyway, just giving you another option to explore, hope this helps!

At 3 1/2 we put our daughter in a booster and had a terrible time with her head flopping down if she slept. I can't remember the brand but we went back to Britax and it has been GREAT! It had considerable side "wings" around the childs head. Don't forget that Britax also has much more padding than any other car seat or booster that I have seen, not to mention the safety ratings that britax is known for. I now have 3 little ones riding in Britax and wouldn't go with anything else. I guess we are a driving comercial-I am starting to sound like one here as well:)!

I cann't speak for brand but i use a evenflo that is a mix of 5 point harness and booster I use it for my 4 year old son as a 5 point harness more than booster right know as I don't feel he is big enough for the booster to really protect him and i live in a state where he actually doesn't have to be in either. So I would suggest you do the same.. the 5 point will protect them better and yes i know it is a big pain the ass.

this is from a posting on Fri. Mar. 14, 2008

I would watch this video, if I were you. It's extremely convincing as to why you should use a 5-point harness for as long as possible....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ

I would not get a booster, I would get another 5pt harness seat. They are much safer and most 3+ year olds do not have the disipline to sit still all the time to make a regular seat belt and booster effective if you were in a crash. You did not say your daughter's weight or which current seat you have. I would get a Britax Regent, if $$ are an issue I would look into the new Graco Natilus it is harnessed up to 65# I have seen it recommended on some other boards that I read by many carseat techs.

3 and 1/2 years old is too young for a booster seat.

Britax makes a 5 point harness car seat called the Regent that goes up to 80 pounds using the 5 point.

the 5 point harness is the SAFEST way for a chid to travel in a car. If you use Britax now then you know the importance of car seat safety and using the safest car seats.

there have been several cases of seat belts failing in accidents and kids been riding in boosters and getting killed because they were not in a 5 point. I think there is a utube video out there somewhere about this.

Please continue to use a 5 point car seat. and if she is only 3 1/2 and you are using a marathin she should still fit in that car seat. the marathon by Britax goes up to 68 pounds. my 59 pound 5 year old can still ride in a marathon although we bought him the regent for mor space for him.

I have heard people complain about the cost of the Britax but they are truly designed to the safest standards for car seats. they were designed in europe where there are very little restrictions on speed and they meet european standards for safety which are higher than the us standards... they are really worth every penny.

http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/4211/Car_Seat_Safety...

I got the Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat (Step 3) 8496SAM in Samantha for my twin girls. So far, we love it!

http://www.albeebaby.com/grtusas384in.html

I got it based on reviews at http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/booster-seats/in...

I don't have a specific carseat to recommend, but I do recommend to use a carseat with a five point harness. If you use just a regualar booster your child can unbuckel it eaiser or slip out of the belt while you are driving. I recieved an email about a child whose seat came loose in a wreck because the cars seatbelt malfunctioned. The child didn't survive and it could have been different had the child been in a carseat with ancors versus a booster.

S.,
My daughter started out with a Britax and we decided that when she got older that we would try a more affordable seat instead. We definitely got what we paid for! It was awful and we took it back and spent the extra money on a Britax and it was such a huge difference! Something as important as a carseat or safety seat is worth the extra money knowing that your child is secure in a vehicle!

My personal opinion is at 3 1/2 years old she is too young to be out of a 5 pt harness. I would suggest looking at the graco nautilis. I have been doing research for months on this seat and many car seat tech's recommend this seat. You can find it at Walmart, but they tend to sell out fast. The great thing with this seat is that it goes up to 65 pounds in the 5 pt harness and 100 as a booster. You get a lot of seat for the money. I went to buy my son one yesterday and they were sold out. It sells for $149.95... Good luck in deciding what seat to purchase.

D.
SAHM 3 great kids and proud military spouse.

We have the Britax Regent and my daughter loves it. I would not get a seat without the harness. My daughter falls asleep in the car a lot and she would be flopping all over in the regular booster.

Good luck with your decision.