High back booster recommendations - no deep wings

[SFmomto2]

Hi everyone,

I want to get my son a booster seat. He is in a Decathlon right now but wants a big boy booster. We have a Cosco Ambassador backless booster we use for carpools and he really wants to ride in that....and I really want him in the Decathlon...so I thought I would compromise with a high back booster.

He is 6 yrs old, about 42 #'s and 45 inches (approx).

The Britax Frontier is out because he wants to use a lap belt.

Also I know he will find boosters like the Parkway way too confining because of the deep head wings.

I guess the Compass B510 is an option (BTW - What's the difference in the Compass models?), but I was also looking at the new Chicco Strada.

I am leaning towards waiting for the Chicco Strada to come out.

Any suggestions?
thanks in advance.

[GraceH]

Hopefully Jools will chime in, but most (if not all) high back boosters that I know of require a shoulder belt. Are there special concerns for you?

[bubbaray]

You can't use a booster with a lap-only belt. It is incredibly, absolutely, dangerously unsafe to use a booster (high-back or low-back) with a lap-only belt.

Assuming that you have a different position to put him in, with a lap-shoulder belt, you might want to try him in a Monterey. Yes, it does have side wings, but they are more flared-out than the PW, so he might be OK with them.

[Joolsplus2]

I just figured the OP was saying lapbelt instead of seatbelt, but it's always good for lurkers to know a booster can't be used with a lap only belt.

The new PW is quite more flared than the old, I wouldn't rule it out till you try it, and we know it's quite light to move around.

Only a few people have seen the Strada yet, so no idea on how it really is, hopefully as nice as the Key Fit (construction-wise, obviously there's no belts or installing to be 'as nice as', lol).

Compass... the B500/505 are the shortest, skip them, no matter how tempting the price. The 510/540 have deeper wings, taller back. But MAY cause the lapbelt to ride too high on the abdomen... definitely a try before you buy seat.

www.carseatblog has quite a few booster reviews, just try entering the name in their little search box and see what they have (Compass and Parkway SG, for sure are there).

[SFmomto2]

yes I meant the lap/shoulder belt - not just the lap belt . Sorry for the confusion!

[SFmomto2]

When using the high back booster with the lap/shoulder(!) belt. Is there a way to secure the booster when not in use - does the PW or Monterey have a latch system?
I worry that when my son is NOT in the seat - the seat will become a projectile in a crash.

I usually use a curbside drop off at school, so I can't stop and get out of the car to secure the empty seat with the seat belt.

Thanks again!

[Joolsplus2]

Monterey and Oobr LATCH in the car. PW doesn't, but the seatbelt under the armrest and in the belt guide keeps it from moving (and 9 pounds of styrofoam covered plastic behind my seatback doesn't worry me, though I understand if it might give others the willies to drive with it unbuckled :))