Help me. I'm so confused. What seat should I get for my DD?

[peanutandpumpkinsmom]

She's 4 1/2 & currently in a Roundabout. She's about 38 lbs. I think she's over the height limit,though. I didn't realize it until recently - but I think she's 41 inches. SO, I need to get her a new seat. I'm considering a Marathon/Wizard/Husky. Can anyone enlighten me as to the pros/cons of those seats? I know the Husky goes up to 80 lbs, but I doubt she'll be 80 lbs for a long time. I think the 65 lb limit of the other two is sufficient. But, I don't want her to outgrow the height thing too quickly.

Also, I'm thinking of getting her a booster for when she goes on the occasional field trip (I don't think I have the strength or ability to remove a bigger carseat & install it properly into someone else's car) or for playdates. What's the best booster out there?

Thank you. I thought I knew a little about this stuff, but things I havr read today have totally confused me.

[peanutandpumpkinsmom]

The posts below totally confused me about not using a 5pt harness after 40 lbs. That is NOT referring to a Marathon/Husky/Wizard, right? YOu can still use the 5pt harness in those, correct?

[COElizabeth]

You're right. The Marathon, Husky and Wizard all have higher weight limits than 40 pounds. FWIW, my sister just bought a Wizard for her very big 3-year-old, who just passed 40 pounds. I recommended it over the Marathon to her because I read here that the harness slots are a little higher on the Wizard so it can fit a taller child. She felt that her DD would be ready for a booster by the time she reached 65 pounds, so she didn't seriously consider the Husky, which is a really BIG seat. Also, the Husky cannot be used on an airplane, while the other two can.

HTH.

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
EDD #2, 10-30-04

[Joolsplus2]

There are loads of awesome boosters available now. My favorites are the Britaxes right now. If you can, hold on a little before you get one, as the new Britax Parkway comes out. It will be light and easy to move and has side impact protective headwings.
Also, there's the Graco Turbo Booster that many, many parents love and is versatile and comfortable and light (I'm just overly excited about the Parkway, I'll admit it, lol...the Bodyguard is nice, but heavy and the lapbelt lockoffs can be a pain)

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx