Deciding on a Combo Booster Seat

[forkelly]

I am shopping for a Combo Booster seat for my almost 3 year old who is 36 inches tall and 34 pounds. She is currently in the Britax Roundabout which I have loved (worth every penny I paid) but I am giving that seat to her 5 month old sibling and need a new seat for her. I have been pretty disappointed with my choices, which brings me to you!! Overall, I like the Graco CarGo Platinum, however, I have one major concern about this seat when it is being used as a booster. Your book has made reference to the "mediocre shoulder belt adjusters" for all CarGo models, which "tend to lock the belt into place which might introduce dangerous slack in the belt". This seems like a pretty major con to me!! Can you elaborate on this more for me? Thank you for any help you can offer me.

Kelly

[Joolsplus2]

What *I* would do is intend only on using the Cargo as a harnessed seat. In a couple years you can hand it down to your younger child, and then get a really good dedicated booster for your older child (Britax Bodyguard or Graco Turbo or more than half a dozen other choices).
As for the junky belt guides on the Cargo, they don't *have* to be used at all...for most kids 40+ pounds who are about tall enough for the top slots or above, the shoulderbelt is generally properly on the shoulder without any problems :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[forkelly]

Thank you for the response. If I go with the Cargo that is definitely what I will plan to do. After reading further into the other questions and answers that have been posted, now I have another concern. What do you feel is the absolute minimum age for a child to use a true booster with a shoulderbelt? (Both for safety and for maturity) I originally thought that my daughter would be ready for this by the time she is 4 years old. (She will be three in January) After reading some of your responses I am thinking that 4 is the still questionable and that 5 or 6 would be better. Why I question this is because what if she hits 40 lbs. before she is 4? Everyboby says she is going to slow down on her weight gain but she hasn't really yet. We went out and looked at the husky and the marathon last night and the husky is just too big to work for us but the marathon seems like a good option. I would still need to put her in a booster like the Britax Bodyguard before we are done but she would make it for sure until she is at least 5 in the marathon, right???? So, last night, after looking at them more in the store, we narrowed it down to the Britax Marathon or the Cargo Platinum. I think our decision will depend on the age that you say is the minimum for being conpletely safe in a shoulderbelt booster. I would appreciate any clarity that you can provide for me!!!

[Joolsplus2]

I still have my own kids in a Husky and Marathon, for most of their car trips...they find the seats comfortable and can easily buckle them themselves, so it's no bigger hassle than a booster, and the Marathon is no bigger than a booster, either.
I think kids are all different...maybe the quiet-tempered single child who knows to always sit still in a booster and doesn't sleep much in the car, will do ok in a booster at 30 pounds and 3, while a busy 6 year old with a sibling to reach out of her belt to play with, would be safer harnessed longer. Plus, there are skeletal development factors that concern me...I notice that my 5 yo dd has such a tiny little torso compared to her bigger brother, and I wonder how that single belt on the shoulder would really do much to hold her head back in a crash (maybe that's an unfounded worry, but it sure is striking to look at!)
Truly, we'd all be safer in 4 or 5 point harnesses, but until that's practical, and if your dd isn't slowing down her weight gain, then maybe the marathon IS a good choice for you. You'll be able to hand it down to the baby and get a full 6 years of use out of it, too.

So far, there have been SO few kids harnessed beyond 40 pounds, that we can't "say for sure" that it's safer to be harnessed longer, but intuitively it makes sense that 5-pts of protection are safer than three (a lap/shoulderbelt), particularly in rare but dangerous side impact crashes.

I wouldn't say a child sitting properly in a booster seat that meets the weight and height (and maturity!) requirements, but they are very likely safER in a properly installed harness seat... In my humble opinon :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[forkelly]

Thank you for your help. We have decided to go with the Marathon. This will allow me to keep her in a 5 point harness until I know that she is ready for a belt postioning booster, not when she reaches a certain weight or age. Car seat decisions are not easy in my opinion and this forum has been the only thing that has helped me find the right one. I can't thank you enough!!