booster help, PLEASE--DH is driving me nuts

[sariana]

We don't even need a booster until summer, when DS turns 6. But DH is the type who likes to research everything to death. Since he's not here, he expects me to research it past death....

We likely will end up buying a Turbobooster because I do not want to buy a seat I have not seen in person, and I don't like the other options I've seen in the stores. But I saw a Compass/The First Years B530 at Costco.com, and I am tempted because of Costco's simple return policy.

So I was sharing my find with DH, and he said, "Which one is rated better? Which is the better seat? What do you know about them? Blah, blah, blah."

I tried to explain that it's not as simple as "Which one is better," that it all depends on one's vehicle, child, needs, etc. But he wants a side-by-side comparison and all the reasons why I think we should get one instead of the other.

I have no idea why we should get one instead of the other.

I do remember something from one of the morning shows, The Today Show maybe, in which the Compass did not do very well. But that was a while ago, and I remember some comments here that it really depended on how well the seat fit one's child.

Sooooo, how do I go about doing a side-by-side comparison? Does anyone know any B & M stores in Orange County, CA, that might have other options? I haven't been able to find any, but I am pretty incompetent in that area (i.e. finding stores).

DS is long and skinny, though not particularly tall (~50%). Our car has side air bags.

I did look at the Reviews section on this site, but there were no reviews for the Compass.

So far I have been able to gather:

Compass Pros: can fold (don't know if I would use this feature), comfortable

Turbo Pros: lightweight, converts to a backless

The prices are comparable.

We do not carpool, and I don't see us doing that anytime in the future. When we have two cars, the kids rarely go in DH's. So portability probably is a non-issue for us.

Please help me. This is totally stressing me out.

DH told me to go to the library to look at a Consumer Reports. But I generally have not been impressed with CR's reviews of baby products.

[niccig]

You came to the right place. Tomorrow you'll get suggestions from the Child Passenger Safety Techs on the board - I listen to them. They install seats, do the car seat checks all the time. They know car seats and boosters.

We're not at booster size yet. DS is 5 but 38lbs. I'm waiting until he's closer to 6 and over 40lbs, besides he still fits in the harnessed seats that I have. I am thinking about what we'll get and like your DH I like to research it to DEATH!

I'm looking at the Britax Parkway SG - because it has the lap belt clip that holds the lap down - makes the seat into a 4 pt. harness. And it fits smaller kids well, and DS is about 20%. Have to be 40lbs to use it though. It's a high back and a low back booster.

The Recaro Vivo is also great for smaller booster riders. It's a high back booster

The Monterey gets rave reviews - it's bigger and heavier, only a high back booster

Turbo booster is a decent seat, but the others are considered easier to use, more side impact foam, adjust higher so child can use it longer etc. It's cheaper than the others and easily available at Target etc.

I thought the Compass boosters were better for larger kids because they are wide.

Some online sites are very good for buying and for extra $5 or so you can have return shipping included. I've done that, ordered a seat, tried it out and then returned for $5.

Hope you can figure it out, and give your DH lots of reasons to back up the decision.

[AnnieW625]

Bergstroms in Irvine (and Anaheim) has The Sunshine Kids Monterey, the Clek Oober (or Olli, I can't remember, but its a high back), and I believe the Compass. I know they carry the full line of Britax seats too, but the last time I was there the Parkway was still pretty new, but I am sure they have it now. I also think BRUS should keep the Parkway too.

Diapers.com has free shipping and free returns on opened items.

[sariana]

Thanks for the replies!


We're not at booster size yet. DS is 5 but 38lbs. I'm waiting until he's closer to 6 and over 40lbs, besides he still fits in the harnessed seats that I have.

I could have written this, about my DS.


I'm looking at the Britax Parkway SG - because it has the lap belt clip that holds the lap down - makes the seat into a 4 pt. harness. And it fits smaller kids well, and DS is about 20%. Have to be 40lbs to use it though. It's a high back and a low back booster.

I would love to look at the Parkway SG, but I don't know where to see it in person. DS likely will be 40 lbs by summer.


I thought the Compass boosters were better for larger kids because they are wide.

My DC are both small, so maybe this isn't the best choice for us.


Bergstroms in Irvine (and Anaheim) has The Sunshine Kids Monterey, the Clek Oober (or Olli, I can't remember, but its a high back), and I believe the Compass. I know they carry the full line of Britax seats too, but the last time I was there the Parkway was still pretty new, but I am sure they have it now.

I checked their web site; they don't have any Britax boosters listed, or any of the other brands you mention. I guess their web site inventory is not the same as what they have in the store? Irvine is not far; I guess I should go there.


I also think BRUS should keep the Parkway too.

I was there today. The person looked it up and said it was online only. She said if it was in a store somewhere, it must have been a return. I don't know if she knew what she was talking about, though.

niccg, where are you doing your research (besides here)?

[niccig]

I read here and on car-seat.org

We probably need a booster when DS is 6 yo. We will visit my mother and our current seats won't work in her car. If we rent a car I can take one of our seats.

The Parkway is my first choice. If DS isn't 40lbs by then, it's a year away, then I think I'll get a Recaro Vivo. Turbo Booster would be my 3rd choice. Others like the Monterey aren't as good for smaller kids. I'm probably going to keep DS harnessed through his 6's and transition to the booster full time around 6.6/7 yo. I think he'll be mature enough, but he is much smaller than other kids, so I'll harness a little longer and he will fit in his Safeguard and Como. If he was bigger, I may have moved him full time by 6 or so, as long as around 50lbs - he may be fine at 40lbs, but I would feel better if he was a little bigger. Just my gut instinct for my child at the moment is 6 for occasional use and full time around 7ish.

I hope CA brings in a booster until 8 or 4'9",it's 6 or 60lbs and at 6 no way could DS ride without a booster and be safe. It could be a problem for school fieldtrips if I can't drive. I'll deal with that then.

[Joolsplus2]

Get out the Yellow Pages, call all the baby stores, anything, you MUST have stores there that carry all the good choices. Really, if you can't, and you have a skinny kid, get the Turbo. It's IIHS that came out last week with the booster fit reviews, they are more reliable than Consumer Reports, for sure. And www.carseatblog.com has lots of reviews (like the compass one I linked you to yesterday ;))
Britax Parkway SG
Recaro Vivo (or Vivo Lite, the only difference is the cover, check BigLots for that one, too).
Maxi Cosi Rodi XR.
Graco Turbo.

Those are the ones I'd consider, in that order, for a skinny kid in a not-huge car.
:)

[SnuggleBuggles]

When I was looking for stores that sold carseats I wanted to see in person, I went to the manufacturer websites and checked the "where to buy" sections. I actually found a cool baby store that way. :)

We have a Compass B510 and the folding feature has been handy for travel or storage (we moved ds1 to a Nautilus after we'd been using the Compass for a while due to wanting a 5pt harness). I find it to be far more substantial than the Turbobooster my mom has. I also like the retractable armrests as I think that makes buckling a bit easier.
Beth

[AnnieW625]

I checked their web site; they don't have any Britax boosters listed, or any of the other brands you mention. I guess their web site inventory is not the same as what they have in the store? Irvine is not far; I guess I should go there.


That's a bummer. Bergstroms has the worst website ever! I thought of registering there for DD in 2006, but the website was a total turn off. The staff at both stores used to be really helpful, but I have noticed that in the last year I think it's taken a bit of dive at least in Irvine as I haven't been to the Anaheim store in a while.

I know it's a bit of a trek, but have you called USA Baby in Torrance? They might have a nice selection.
20434 Hawthorne Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90503-2404
(310) 921-2622

Also what about ordering something fromo AAFES?

[sariana]

Thanks for the replies!

Jools, what are these "Yellow Pages" of which you speak? :confused:

Seriously, I did check the link you posted in my other desperate post; thank you for that.

I spent a lot of time on car-seat.org last night. Apparently people there don't like Britax???

Anyway, I still have months to decide. I'm still leaning toward the Turbo, especially after reading that it is good for narrow kids (as my DS definitely is), but we'll see.

Thanks again.

[Joolsplus2]

There's some Britax hating going on over there lately, it's really getting to a boiling point, where the mods are telling people to settle down from voicing their opinions, because Britax ARE safe, they DO pass standards, and good golly, they can be often the only seat that fits in a car, and thus are often the BEST choice for a lot of people. But no one hates the Parkway :)

Hehe, you know, that book they give you free that takes up space in the home office and no one ever opens? ;)

I just got a Vivo at BigLots, Wow, I really like it... but haven't tried the girls in it yet, I'll post pictures after school.

[AnnieW625]

you MUST have stores there that carry all the good choices.

I believe most of them are up in west LA/Santa Monica, or the Valley (I think car seat manufacturers forget that not everyone lives up there and that there are middle class people in the OC too; honestly suprised they aren't easier to find here too) and sometimes I think LA is a pain to get to. I totally agree with looking on the manufacturer's website, however the other night when I was on the First Years site and wanted to see where I could look at a True Fit, all of the Targets in my area came up, but then I got to thinking they also make the Compass booster which the last time I checked at Target was the Only First Years seat my Targets were keeping.

[tarahsolazy]

I have both. The Turbo is lighter than the Compass, but the degree of headwings/side protection seem pretty equivalent. The Turbo seems narrower, heck, my average almost 6 year old fits in there really well, I doubt many 9 year olds do. I like the flip up armrest on the Compass, I think it does make the seatbelt routing easier.

We use the Compass for DS's afterschool program, they pick him up in a van with shoulder belts. The Turbo can detach into two parts, which I don't want the teachers to have to deal with.

He uses the Turbo in my car, which is probably 2-3 rides of 10 minutes each a week.

That being said, I love the Monterey that he rides in 90% of the time best of all. Cushy, super solid, and latches in. He likes it best, too.