Need help deciding what car seat to use while on vacation

[willowriley]

I'm not sure what car seat we should use for my daughter for our upcoming vacation in Hawaii. Four adults plus my two and half year old daughter will be sharing an SVU (probably a Jeep Grand Cherokee) for our 6 day trip, so I am concerned that the seat we currently use (a Britax Marathon) will be too big. Besides we have traveled with our Marathon in the past and found it to be a nightmare since it is so big and cumbersome. Would it be okay to buy and use a Graco Turbo Booster just for that short period of time (she weighs 33 pounds), or would that just be too unsafe? Note, we probably will not be driving around too much, most likely just from the airport to our resort. By the way, I realize that you can't use a booster on the plane, and I am okay with that.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[tjham]

I think she's too young for a booster, especially the backless kind. I bought a Chase booster for travel as it is very light and pretty easy to use, once you figure out the weird harness adjuster. It's a little more than the Turbo but lighter, easier to tote around and more usable. And it would be OK on the plane, if you did decide to use it.

[Joolsplus2]

Not to mention, if you have a harnessed seat, then you will be able to install it in a lapbelt only position, should your rental have one of those, which are pretty much good for nothing except installing seats.
The Cosco Scenera is $40 and super light... won't last as long as a Chase or Cargo, since the top slots aren't as tall, but you can't beat that price (you could even use it rearfacing till 35 pounds, which might make the outboard adults sitting with her more comfy)...the Graco Platinum Cargo is also very light and narrow.

I put my 2.5 yo's in boosters when I went to Hawaii... they unbuckled and climbed out and gave me a conniption on every trip...it wasn't worth the stress not to have a harnessed seat, for me.

Even the Cosco Tote N Go would be a better choice than a booster for a kid that young, IMO.

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