planning for two seats; booster rec?

[Sopamanda]

DS is 6 years old, 48 inches and 52 pounds. We're expecting a baby girl in March and as I tried to plan ahead for her I realized I'm in booster need already for DS. Crapparooney.

We have a graco snugride 22 (I have a back issue, no way I could carry the 32) for DD when she arrives in March.

DS has a graco turbo booster in my husbands 2005 CRV and hates it. Not enough to replace it but certainly enough to not buy another. DS has outgrown his decathalon by the shoulder height, says my husband. I'm on bed rest and I'll just have to trust him.

Recs for new booster for DS, knowing we'll have a snugride for DD soon in the cars and then likely a Marathon or a Boulevard (whichever I find on better sale)? The car they'll both travel most around town is a 2004 Accord. Long trips (which we take at least once a year, like 12+ hours,) will be in a 2005 CRV.

Gosh, I sure wish car seat purchases were easier. I take them so seriously and sooo many kids in DS's class are in no backed boosters or riding in the front seat. Ack! Thank you so much for any assistance!

amanda

DS - 2005
Much aticipated miracle baby (!) in March, 2012!

[lorinick]

I vote Britax Frontier. We love it..

[legaleagle]

Do you want a straight booster or a harness-to-booster?

[Sopamanda]

Don't know the difference. Safest, most comfy, longest lasting, and budget friendly.

And not turbobooster. ;)

[Multimama]

Don't know the difference. Safest, most comfy, longest lasting, and budget friendly.

And not turbobooster. ;)

A straight booster (like the turbo) doesn't have a harness. Then there are other seats like the Graco Nautilus that are a harnessed seat that then turns into a booster by removing the harness. Since your son rides in a booster it would only make sense to get a combination seat if you planned to pass it down to the baby.

What is it that he hates about the Turbo? Maybe if it's too narrow for him you could try the Sunshine Kids Monterey. I have no experience with it, but it's supposed to fit broader kids well.

[mom2binsd]

Choices would be a harnessed booster, like the Frontier or Graco Nautilus, which can be used harnessed now and then a booster (the Frontier has higher slots and is generally considered more comfortable.)

BUT since he's already been in a booster I'd look at either the Britax Parkway booster or the Diono (formerly Sunshine Kids) Monterey booster. Off the top of my head those are the two that are pretty popular.

The Parkway can also be latched into place, it doesn't have to be but it helps the seat from moving around when they get into it and if it's unoccupied in a crash it won't become a projectile. Not sure if the Monterey latches in place.

There are some other boosters to look at too (cybex/probooster), and I believe the Evenflo Big Kid isn't too well liked, and seems pretty flimsy.

[Simon]

We have an older Britax Parkway for Ds1, which he does NOT like. Its a pretty narrow seat (kid is narrow too) but it gets no love.

Ds1 does like his "Compass B-some number I can't recall" booster, a lot. It is wider, more open, and I guess a little plusher. He has used it on several 15+ hour road trips in the past 6 months. This booster puzzles pretty well next to our RA40 (the older version of the Roundabout). We used the RA and this booster in some three-across configs. with adults or second boosters.

ETA: The compass booster we have also folds in half for easy storage/transport.

[Sopamanda]

He's coming from a cushy britax Decathalon. I think it's the cush factor he's missing.

Leaning towards Monterey. Parkway looks so similar to a turbobooster.

Didn't even occur to me that I may be able to use this (in another 6 years??) for dd...?

Thanks for all the info and recs!

[Sopamanda]

Pardon however that thumbs down got there. Multi-tasking and on phone!

[Sopamanda]

Ordered the Monterey. Thanks, ladies!