FF Convertible Carseat vs. High back booster

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FF Convertible Carseat vs. High back booster

By PinkElephant Jan 11, 2016

Is a forward-facing convertible car seat "safer" for a 3.5 year old than a high-backed booster? I would assume yes, because of the added side protection but wanted to see if anyone else has experience or has sought "professional" advice on this from your local car-seat checkers. TIA!

The backstory: I need to order a second convertible car seat to keep at my parents' house, because DD2 has outgrown the infant capsule. I am considering ordering a high-backed booster that converts to a booster-only for DD1 (3.5). She's only got about 3" left to grow to hit the height restrictions for the convertible carseat we are using, so I figured that it might be better to just move her up to the booster and give her convertible to DD2. I'm looking at either getting another Cosco Scenera Next, or the Cosco high backed booster (these get used twice a year, max, so I'm not looking at spending more than about $50).

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18 comments

looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jan 11, 2016

When you write high backed booster, do you mean a seat with a harness or one that uses the car's seat belt as the restraint? My son is 5 and we just took a trip where he was riding in a belted booster and he's for sure not mature enough to sit properly. He was all over the seat, moving etc, wheras with a harness, he's "locked in."
HLK208
pineapple / 12234 posts

Jan 11, 2016

I'm currently looking for a 3-in-1 convertible car seat, booster and backless booster for my 3.5 year old. I plan to keep her in the FF convertible until 5 unless she's too tall (which I doubt since the height limit is 52 inches). I switched DS at 4.5 from his convertible and I wish I wouldn't have but there also wasn't as much info out when I did. Everything said "age 4 and 40"+" but this is from the CDC...
MamaG
pomelo / 5298 posts

Jan 11, 2016

Our high back booster is a carseat (can't be rear facing) in that it has LATCH and seatbelt attachment (to the car) and it has a five point harness that can be used to attach the child to the seat. My 4+ year old is still using the harness and we haven't started to strap her into the seat belt directly.

This is the seat we use... https://us.britax.com/car-seats/frontier-clicktight/

Nevermind, that was mostly not helpful since you were asking about particular seats, I should have read more thoroughly.
kiddosc
grapefruit / 4278 posts

Jan 11, 2016

I would keep her in a 5 point harness until closer to age 6. At 3.5 I know I couldn't depend on E to sit correctly in a booster seat.

Be sure to watch the weight limits on these seats though. For example, this Cosco seat can only be used as a 5 point harness seat up to 40lbs, even though the weight limit on the seat overall is 80lbs. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cosco-Juvenile-Highback-Booster-Car-Seat-Lottie-Dottie/33356857

I'm getting a harmony defender to replace the seat in Grandma's car. It will do a 5 point harness to 65lbs, then a high back booster, then a regular booster seat. It sells for around $100, which is more than you wanted to spend, but it's the last carseat we'll have to buy.
Mrs. Yoyo
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts

Jan 11, 2016

Sounds like what you really need is a "combination seat" -- these are the forward-facing seats that convert from a harnessed seat to a booster. That way, your older child can stay safely harnessed and your younger can RF in the older's old convertible. We recently did this -- my 4 yo is now FF but harnessed in a Britax Frontier, and in another year or two we can convert that to a booster. His 2-year-old brother inherited his Diono RXT so he could still RF, and then we will flip that FF in a year or so when he's ready.
PinkElephant
grapefruit / 4584 posts

Jan 11, 2016

@looch: @HLK208: Thanks for pointing out that there's a difference! I'm looking at a harnessed model rather than one that uses the vehicle belt - pretty much the one that @kiddosc: posted.

@kiddosc: Weight shouldn't be an issue for us - she's barely 30 lbs., if that! I'm actually concerned that she won't be big enough (weight wise) to really get any use from the booster-only portion of the seat, since most stats say she should weigh 40 lbs (in addition to meeting the height requirements)

@Mrs. Yoyo: Thanks for putting a name to the type of seat I am looking for!

I'm still torn - the combination seat only goes to 43"...I have no idea how old she'll be when she's that tall (she's got about 4 inches to go), but I suspect she'll still be WAY under weight for using a booster, so I'm not sure how much help it will really be having the option to convert to a booster. I don't know anyone whose kids are old enough to have made the switch yet

@MamaG: Still helpful, thanks! I'm just being cheap since these are seats that will only be used for quick errands, not long car trips
catgirl
nectarine / 2018 posts

Jan 11, 2016

A combination seat is definitely the way to go for an already forward facing child. The Cosco combination seat is typically outgrown really early though. If you could swing $70-$80 the evenflo maestro would last quite a bit longer.

Added: and really I would recommend the harmony defender or graco tranzitions over the maestro but those are both about $100.
kiddosc
grapefruit / 4278 posts

Jan 11, 2016

@PinkElephant: If weight isn't a concern, I'd look at the Evenflo Chase. It will harness until 40lbs and 50" and then convert to a high back booster after that.
Mrs. Yoyo
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts

Jan 11, 2016

@PinkElephant: do you mean the scenara next only goes to 43 inches? That's because it's a convertible, not a combination seat. If you want a cheap FF combination seat, check out the evenflo maestro.
pinkcupcake
cantaloupe / 6751 posts

Jan 11, 2016

@PinkElephant: this article is helpful - http://csftl.org/harness-or-booster-when-to-make-the-switch/

If I were you, I would keep your daughter in a convertible (5 point harness) until at least age 5. We have the Evenflo Tribute that we purchased as an additional seat and I don't think it was more than $50. Alternatively, you could get a combination seat - I know evenflo has a few that are pretty affordable - that will go from 5 point harness to booster.
PinkElephant
grapefruit / 4584 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@catgirl: thanks - I'll take a look at these! $70-$100 is definitely doable, I was just trying to buy the very inexpensive models since I know they are safe (just not super comfy) and will only be used during 2-4 short visits at my parents house over the next few years.

@Mrs. Yoyo: I was talking about the combination seat, but read the specs incorrectly. There was a minimum of 43 inches listed for one of the seat configurations, not a maximum. Oops! I need to read more carefully now because if that's the case, she's too SHORT for the seat. Sigh!

@pinkcupcake: Thanks for the link and model suggestion - I'll take a look.
catgirl
nectarine / 2018 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@PinkElephant: The inexpensive models are definitely safe, no question about that. I was more referencing how long they will last. The cosco combination seat has very low harness height (14.75 inches) so it is outgrown early and often doesn't provide a good booster fit for most kids. One of the other seats I mentioned will have a higher harness height (Maestro 18 inches, defender 18.5 inches, and tranzitions 18 inches) and all provide a good booster fit for the fast majority of children once they outgrow the harness.
PinkElephant
grapefruit / 4584 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@catgirl: So helpful! You are exactly the kind of knowledgable person I hoped would chime in. The stats can be hard to differentiate online sometimes. That's definitely a huge difference in harness height that should buy me another year or two of use (so maybe 2-3 extra visits, haha).

I so wish cars has built in child restraints!
catgirl
nectarine / 2018 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@PinkElephant: so happy to help. Those three inches will easily give you an extra two or three years over the Cosco. At which point your younger daughter could use it as a harness seat or your older daughter could use it as a regular booster!
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@catgirl: Have you used the Graco Tranzitions? We have a Nautlius and the Britax Frontier, but I need another seat for a grandparent car, and this one looks reasonable.
catgirl
nectarine / 2018 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@looch: I haven't used it but I have heard really good things! It's a lot less bulky than the Nautilus and I've heard it switches from harness mode to booster mode in a much easier way.
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jan 12, 2016

@catgirl: I am going to see if I can check it out in person!
catgirl
nectarine / 2018 posts

Jan 14, 2016

@looch: Car Seats for the Littles just posted a review of the tranzitions. http://csftl.org/graco-tranzitions-review/

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FF Convertible Carseat vs. High back booster

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