best seat for large child

[colinsmom]

Hi All,

I have a very large 2 1/2 year old. (about 41 inches and 41 pounds.) I just bought him the Eddie Bauer comfort high back booster that harnesses till he is 40 pounds and then is a booster. Well I realized he needed to be harnessed a lot longer so I bought a Britax Husky for the main car he rides in. My question is what do I do about the Eddie Bauer seat. I have read conflicting info about slack in the seatbelt when used as a booster. But then I read they repaired that problem. This is a new model that just came out recently I believe. Should I not harness him in it and just use the booster when he rides in it once in awhile since he is more than 40 pounds (He can be harnessed till 43 inches). I am not sure what to do.

Thanks,

Tris

[schums]

Your son is too big to use the harness on the Eddie Bauer seat, since he weighs more than 40 pounds. You would have to use it as a booster only, and 2 1/2 is NOT old enough to use a booster. If you don't want to spend the $$ on another Husky/Regent, you could look at the Cosco Apex (harnesses to 65 pounds, booster to 100), which runs about $130. The only catch is that your son's ears have to be below the auto seatback -- the head restraint on the car seat is only for comfort, not for safety. But Julie said in several other posts that she's seen big 7 year olds fit in the Apex safely.

Of course, the Marathon/Boulevard/Decathalon are all good choices (harness to 65 pounds), or you could buy another Husky/Regent.

HTH,
Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

[uccomama]

You most definitely cannot use it with the harness and your DS is much too young to be in a booster, in fact you are putting him at more risk for head injuries in a crash if you do have in secured in a booster. Honestly, I would take it back to the store for a refund, I don't even think it is worth saving for when he is older (four years old is really the very earliest he should be in a booster, five is better).

You might exchange EB booster for the Cosco Apex (known as the Alpha Elite Apex at BRU or the Safety 1st Apex/Lancer at TRU) which harnesses to 65 lbs and then becomes a booster. One word of caution the Apex cannot be used once your child's head is above the mid-point of the car's seat back, so this might be an issue if you have no headrests or low seat backs in your car. If you do a search you will find more info on the Apex 65.

Deborah
CPSTech and mom to three, two in car seats

[colinsmom]

Thank you all for the info. One more thing, the second seat I will need to replace the Eddie Bauer seat must fit in my Husband's Ford 150 2000 truck. It has a back seat (no high seat backs though) and is NOT latch equiped. The seat could go in the back seat or in the front with the air bag turned off. Which seat out of the ones you all recommeded would be safest given this scenario?

Also, do you think Babies r us will take the Eddie Bauer seat back? It has been used in the car (but bought it less than 30 days ago).

Thanks so much for your help,

Tris

[o_mom]

If it is still in saleable condition - you have the box, no signs of wear at all, they should take it back. Just tell them it wouldn't work with your car.

If you get a big Britax, the back seat. If you get an Apex, put it in the back until the tops of the ears are even with the top of the truck seat back and then move to the front (assuming the back seat doesn't have head rests, which count for the ears test).

[SusanMae]

They should take it back, tell them it was not a good fit for your child(that's not a lie).

Since the Apex needs a high seat back, I think I would say the best place for THAT seat is the front with the airbag OFF. LATCH is only rated to 40 or 48 pounds anyway so you would need the seat belt install now or very shortly.

Susan

[o_mom]

deleted - dp

[colinsmom]

Don't you need to tether the Husky seat though, once the child reaches 50 pounds? How could I do that in the truck?

Thanks,

Tris

[SusanMae]

Yes you do need to tether the husky. Check your husbands truck manual, you may already have tethers and don't know where they are. If not Julie has a book that can tell you what part numbers you need.

Susan

[Joolsplus2]

Right... top tethers were in cars/trucks for a couple years before the lower LATCH bars, so the truck may already have a top tether, and if not, it can probably be added easily (Ford does it free, even, other brands have different policies).
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx