BIG 2.5 year old: 41 lbs and 40" tall!

My son is BIG by comparison to most of his peers. He's been in a Britax Roundabout since facing forward. I've read the special report on booster seats and I really learned a lot. I want to put him in a highback/backless booster, but I've read that he should really be in a 5 point restraint until age 4. I just don't want to commit to a combo booster that doesn't go backless later on. Are there any booster seats that are highly rated that fit this description? Any other advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

belliott

It's really important to get him a harnessed seat now. Don't worry about committing to a seat that doesn't convert: you can buy a backless booster later for $15.
The Husky, the Marathon/Wizard, or the Nania Airway are the only options at this point, unless you personally feel he's able to keep a seatbelt buckled, in which case the Britax Bodyguard is by far the best choice.
Scroll down and read some other posts on the subject. Personally, I have all 4 of those seats, and I'd go with the Marathon/Wizard or Husky: they will last you the longest and are simply the highest quality (and they have good ebay resale value later if they are in good shape and uncrashed).

These are the ONLY seats that harness past 40 pounds...all the other combo boosters top out at 40 pounds (though sometimes they are woefully mislabeled as harnessing to 80 :( )

Hope that helps a little...I'm sorry there aren't many more choices for heavy kiddos....

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

Thanks Julie,

Another question: Is it recommended that they stay in a 5 point harness until they are 4(?) ONLY because they might try to get out? If so, and I do feel confident about his ability to stay in the seat, am I taking any other risks with all unharnessed boosters at this stage?

belliott

Yes, it IS primarily a maturity issue, mainly because there are no comparison data at the present time. The generally accepted view, though, is that a properly used 5 point harness is safer for *everybody* (especially in side impacts, which are rare but often much more deadly because lap/shoulder belts really don't hold your body in place as well as a 5-pt), and thus it is a good idea to keep kids harnessed as long as possible . Again, there are no data to back that up, it's just an opinion experts have, based on knowledge of crash dynamics and other factors.

I feel my kids are just about as safe in the Bodyguard, due to the clamped lap belt and the side impact protective wings, as they are in a 5-pt harness. All seats on the market currently DO pass government front impact crash testing very well for the weights and recommended, and are quite safe when used correctly.

The answers aren't crystal clear, but hopefully that gives you some insight :)

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