me too!

[adoig]

I'm in roughly the same position and would love a recommendation too. My older one will be 3 in October and is 33 pounds and 38 inches. We'd like to hand his Roundabout down to baby sister, who is 7 months and 18 pounds (can't recall height). She has a Roundabout in the first car now and an infant seat in the second car, which she is about to grow out of.

We have a 2000 Subaru Outback as the first car (no latch) and a 2004(?) Saab as the second car (latch). He is in the Subaru about 70 percent of the time and all longer trips are in the Subaru, so we want the seat to be comfortable. I'm leaning towards a Graco Turbo Booster when he's 4 or 5, based on reviews and safety data, but we need a "filler" seat for the next two years or so. We need to buy two seats (one for each car) and they don't necessarily need to be the same. Budget is $100 to $200, we're willing to spend a little more on the seat for the Subaru since he'll be in it more often. Any ideas?

Thanks so much for a wonderful site!

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	LATCH LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. It is a system mandated by the Federal government in an effort to standardize and simplify the installation of child restraints without using the vehicle's seat belt system. New vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on and after September 1, 2002 will be equipped with the LATCH system. Cars, minivans, and light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions, and a top tether anchor (with the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing child safety seats will also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.

	Graco Turbo Booster - Click for more info The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat).

[Papooses]

The above post is in response to this thread
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Can you measure your son's sitting torso height? Have him sit on the floor flat against the wall & measure from floor to top of shoulders -- this will help me figure out which seats would be most ideal for you to choose from. So long as your Roundabout is not expired + has not suffered a crash, it should be fine to hand down to baby.

I do suggest keeping carseats installed in each vehicle to reduce the risk of incorrect use from frequent or rushed uninstalling/reinstalling. The Cosco Scenera is a good basic, inexpensive seat for occasional/spare/travel use (for your baby).

Kids should stay harnessed until the maximum limits, so the longer your son can stay harnessed, the safer he'll be. I don't remember specifically, but do your vehicles have ratcheting shoulder belts? Pull them all the out quite slowly & they might lock in place as it pulls back in with a clicking sound. This is called a a Switchable or Automatic Locking Retractor: your vehical manuals should also state whether you have these belts or Emergency Locking Retractors. If you have SLR or ALR belts then it will likely be easier for kiddo to use a booster correctly (locked shoulder belt acting as a reminder not to lean out of position or pull the belt loose), but if you have ELR belts then I urge you to save towards a high weight harness.

My website explains most of this in more detail....

In general, the Cosco Apex or Evenflo Generations or Graco CarGo are decent choices for a combination seat. Apex has minimal head wings that might help kiddo remain properly positioned while sleeping, but it does require tall vehicle seatbacks or adjustable headrests. CarGo has difficult shoulder belt guides for use a booster. While any highback booster is about 70% safer than any backless booster, a more dedicated highback booster like the Britax Parkway or Graco Airbooster or Compass B510 that has deeper head wings filled with energy absorbing foam would be most preferable -- Britax & Compass do side impact testing as well as frontal. Correctly used 5 point harness are still safer in every crash type.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Britax Parkway - Click for more info The new Parkway Booster from Britax builds on their company's reputation as the maker of some of the safest seats on the market today. It's one of the only boosters to offer True Side Impact Protection - the EPS foam-padded headrest and side "wings" aren't just great for naps, they're engineered to provide vital protection to your child in the event of a side-impact crash. (Side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 6-14, making this an issue of major importance for booster seats.)

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	the First Years formerly Compass - Click for more info Compass was founded by a group of fathers who had spent years in the corporate world developing child care products. Disillusioned with the slew of problems that come with working for a giant conglomerate, this group set out the make their own mark on the child care industry in 2003. Compass' first innovative booster seat, the B500, started shipping in January of 2004. This was the first foldable belt-positioning booster on the market, and its design was so praised by the industry that Compass received a Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (JPMA) Innovation Award 5 months after its release. The great minds at Compass have now taken the next step with their success by releasing some fantastic infant car seats and compatible strollers, all of which are designed with the same innovative simplicity that make Compass Boosters such a sought after product. No longer just "The Booster People", Compass is making a serious run at the competition by offering the I-410 and I-420 Infant Car Seats , as well as the Magnesium S330 Stroller and Magnesium T730 Travel System.

	Graco CarGo booster seat - Click for more info The Graco CarGo is a dependable and easy to use booster seat. When your child is on the lower end of the height/weight limits for the seat, the 5-point harness is used to keep them safely in place. It features a convenient one-pull snugging mechanism in the front of the seat - making it easy to tighten the straps down after your child has been buckled in. When your child is around 35-40" tall, the CarGo's harness can be removed, so that the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster, using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. In this mode, the Graco CarGo will work for kids up to 54" or 100 lbs. Both the Platinum and the Ultra CarGo feature an Energy Absorbing Foam (EPS) liner, a removable, washable seat pad, and a cup holder. The Platinum CarGo is a softer and more comfortable seat than the Ultra CarGo (although still not as comfy as the well-padded Britax booster seats).

[adoig]

I'll measure torso height tonight. We have the ALR in the Subaru, not sure about the Saab, so I'll have to check on that too.

I'm a little confused about the other information. I definitely want a five point harness and not a belt positioning booster, at least for the next couple of years. If it were just a five point with no option to convert to a belted booster, that would be fine since by the time he's ready for a belted booster we could pass the five point down to little sister.

I looked at the 3 combination seats you mentioned and I'm not sure what our best option is. I would love the ability to go check them out in person before buying. It looks like very few places carry the Apex, is there some reason for that? I like the idea that it goes up to 65 lbs in the harness, the Generations and CarGo seats don't seem to get us anywhere since the weight limit for the harness is the same as the Roundabout that we already have.

Are there any other high weight harness seats that you would recommend besides the Apex? You mentioned saving towards one, which I assume means Britax, but are there other more reasonably priced ones that are good?

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car seat.

	Graco CarGo booster seat - Click for more info The Graco CarGo is a dependable and easy to use booster seat. When your child is on the lower end of the height/weight limits for the seat, the 5-point harness is used to keep them safely in place. It features a convenient one-pull snugging mechanism in the front of the seat - making it easy to tighten the straps down after your child has been buckled in. When your child is around 35-40" tall, the CarGo's harness can be removed, so that the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster, using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. In this mode, the Graco CarGo will work for kids up to 54" or 100 lbs. Both the Platinum and the Ultra CarGo feature an Energy Absorbing Foam (EPS) liner, a removable, washable seat pad, and a cup holder. The Platinum CarGo is a softer and more comfortable seat than the Ultra CarGo (although still not as comfy as the well-padded Britax booster seats).

[Papooses]

I was confused when you mentioned wanting a Turbo at 4-5 years old since most extended harnessing seats will fit the average child until 6-8 years old, but now that we're on the same page let's see if we can both stop confusing eachother/ourselves/whatever

Almost all high-end baby stores carry the Apex ... stores that are not high-end rarely carry much selection at all, really (at least in comparison to what is actually available from the manufacturers). Babies-R-Us usually has the Apex. The Apex was designed specifically to address the obesity epidemic. It's as wide as the Britax Regent, but the top harness slots are usually only about 17" like the CarGo & Generations. All are lightweight for travel & relatively inexpensive.

The only combination seat I believe is as good as the Regent is the Recaro Young Sport. It's not cheap. Both seats use a stronger grade plastic than the others mentioned & both are totally lined with EPS foam (like in bike helmets). The Regent will keep kiddo harnessed the longest with 19-20" top harness slots + 80# weight limit. RYSport has 17" top harness slots + 40# harness weight limit, then it becomes one of the most dedicated boosters on the market. Both the Regent & RYSport are extremely comfortable, more comfy than the other options.

The Apex is very flimsy in comparison with these sturdy seats. If the Regent or RYSport seem expensive then you want to avoid the Safeguard Childseat which is very comparable to the Regent but with extra nice ease of use features (cost > $400!) I personally use the Regent as our primary seat & the Apex as a spare for travel.

Within the booster section of my website are some links to lists with other extended harnessing options. I've used almost all of them & would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have about them

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

	RECARO - Click for more info With over 100 years of company history and long standing experience in vehicle seat construction RECARO knows how to make long journeys a pleasure for the whole family. Materials, design and technical highlights ensure a pleasant journey for adults and children alike. RECARO uses its strength as the premier mobile seat manufacturer to engineer an innovative line of products for your children. No other manufacturer can apply experience from production vehicles, commercial vehicles, and race cars to design toward the comfort and safety of children.

	Graco Turbo Booster - Click for more info The Graco TurboBooster Safe Seat (Step 3) is a sporty and detailed booster seat. The headrest is made of EPS foam for support and side-impact protection, which is now the standard for booster seats. The head support is height adjustable, and the seat can be converted into a backless booster for older kids. The adjustable armrests are a nice touch that add comfort and support for your growing child. We were a little surprised by how thin the padding was on the "Lazy Daisy" version of this seat (the Fairfax TurboBooster has padded armrests and additional GracoPedic memory foam in the seat).

	SafeGuard - Click for more info Indiana Mills and Manufacturing (IMMI) is SafeGuard’s parent company, and has been in the business of developing and manufacturing quality safety systems for every facet of the transportation industry for over 40 years, covering everything from the heavy truck and agricultural industries to child seating. IMMI has a world-renowned reputation for creating and promoting the highest rated safety harnesses and restraint systems available today, from integrated child seats in production vehicles to campaigning for increased use of safety harnesses on public transportation systems. Based in Westfield, Indiana, SafeGuard has been creating and testing essential components used across the child safety seat industry through their state of the art crash testing facilities since 1961. The SafeGuard and SafeGuard Go are IMMI’s first direct foray into the child safety seat market, and the results are simply outstanding. No other car seats or boosters are designed with as much attention to structural integrity, ease of installation, and total child safety. This seat has been subjected to the most thorough and extensive testing “ever conducted in the industry”: virtual prototyping with computer models; rigorous front, side, and rear impact crash testing; and environmental testing in a range of climates and road types.

	Graco CarGo booster seat - Click for more info The Graco CarGo is a dependable and easy to use booster seat. When your child is on the lower end of the height/weight limits for the seat, the 5-point harness is used to keep them safely in place. It features a convenient one-pull snugging mechanism in the front of the seat - making it easy to tighten the straps down after your child has been buckled in. When your child is around 35-40" tall, the CarGo's harness can be removed, so that the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster, using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt. In this mode, the Graco CarGo will work for kids up to 54" or 100 lbs. Both the Platinum and the Ultra CarGo feature an Energy Absorbing Foam (EPS) liner, a removable, washable seat pad, and a cup holder. The Platinum CarGo is a softer and more comfortable seat than the Ultra CarGo (although still not as comfy as the well-padded Britax booster seats).

[Papooses]

BTW, feel free to still read the other thread ... I just wanted to make sure everyone could more easily see who was talking to whom & here's a discussion on another option for you: EZOn/SafetyAngel Kid-Y + highback dedicated booster > http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=19056 (a sort of last resort choice)

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.