Do boosters expire and which one is best for a 6 year old?

[moosemama]

DH and I are having a disagreement. DS has outgrown his Radian 65 in height. We have Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 car seats that convert into a booster but they are past their expiry dates (we haven't used them in years since we discovered Britax and Radian). DH thinks they are fine to use as a booster since we'll be using the car's belts. I think we need something new.

My questions are:
1) Can we still use the Eddie Bauer seats
2) If not, what booster would you recommend for our DS (~49 inches, 55 lbs)

Thanks!

[Joolsplus2]

Well, that seat doesn't expire for 8 years, but it's NOT safe to use as a booster...it's the same as the All in One and Alpha Omega seen here... http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/not_recommended.aspx (allows belt to ride too high on abdomen, has caused abdominal injuries in crashes, nor does it allow the belt to fit properly on the shoulder in many cases).

If you like the Diono and Britax brands, the Monterey or Parkway are nice boosters. Graco Turbo or Affix or Evenflo Big Kid are nice choices from big box stores locally (though the backs aren't as tall nor head support as deep as the Diono or Britaxes). :)

[moosemama]

Well, that seat doesn't expire for 8 years, but it's NOT safe to use as a booster...it's the same as the All in One and Alpha Omega seen here... http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/not_recommended.aspx (allows belt to ride too high on abdomen, has caused abdominal injuries in crashes, nor does it allow the belt to fit properly on the shoulder in many cases).

If you like the Diono and Britax brands, the Monterey or Parkway are nice boosters. Graco Turbo or Affix or Evenflo Big Kid are nice choices from big box stores locally (though the backs aren't as tall nor head support as deep as the Diono or Britaxes). :)

Great, thank you! Looks like we'll be shopping this weekend!