To booster or not to booster??

[fusionrx]

Hi all,

I have a predicament...

My son is 3.5 years old, 45 lbs, and about 46 inches tall (yeah, he gets it from me, I am 6'9"). He is in a Graco car seat that he's hit the limit on, and I am looking to get another carseat for him. We have a Britax Regent in the other car (GMC Jimmy 4dr truck), but was wondering if a Britax Monarch would also work. I drive a Saab 2001 9-5 wagon (non-LATCH capable).

What are peoples opinions? I see alot of other parents with kids similar size (but all are about a year or 2 older) using boosters...

There is conflicting advice on the internet...

Such as can you use 5 point harnesses on kids in excess in 40lbs??

Thanks in advance!

	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.

	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.

	Britax Monarch - Click for more info The Britax Monarch is another fine addition to the Britax family of car seats and boosters. UK based Britax is widely renowned for creating some of the highest quality convertible, infant, and booster car seats in the world – and the German designed Monarch is one of the latest and greatest additions. Both the Monarch and the Britax Parkway offer True Side Impact Protection, utilizing thick EPS foam lined side wings around the head and torso area. These provide not only side impact protection, but also the deep headrest makes a comfortable spot for your child to rest their head once they nod off. The deep side wings cocoon the passenger in an impact reducing shell. The back of the Monarch is removable and the belt threading positions are color-coded to reduce the potential for improper use.

	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.

[Papooses]

We must always follow the weight limits on our seats There are seats that harness past 40 pounds....

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/Over40.aspx
http://www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/Boo...ternatives.PDF

The recommended MINIMUM to put kids in boosters is at least 4 years + 40# Many parents think of switching to booster as a sort of graduation, but really is a safety demotion If the spare vehicle has Switchable/Automatic Locking Retractor seatbelts then your child might be mature enough to use a booster properly (pull the seatbelt all the way very sloooooowly & it will ratched back in). Without S/ALR then the only booster I personally would trust is the Recaro Start with it's shoulder belt lock off. Locking the belt is optional & could tighten during trips, but doing so is a great reminder for immature/active/impatient/forgetful kids who would otherwise move out of position, increasing risk of severe or fatal injury.

A harness that fits the child (+ the vehicle) & is used correctly = safer in every crash type than a booster, especially side impacts & rollovers (especially in vehicles without side curtain airbags). Side impacts are less common than frontal impacts, but their much more dangerous. A properly used booster is safer than an incorrectly used harness, though: if you decide to get only a booster then you could let kiddo choose between the Britax Parkway or Monarch, Compass B510, Graco Turbo since they have deep head wings filled with energy absorbing foam.

	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 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.)

	Britax Monarch - Click for more info The Britax Monarch is another fine addition to the Britax family of car seats and boosters. UK based Britax is widely renowned for creating some of the highest quality convertible, infant, and booster car seats in the world – and the German designed Monarch is one of the latest and greatest additions. Both the Monarch and the Britax Parkway offer True Side Impact Protection, utilizing thick EPS foam lined side wings around the head and torso area. These provide not only side impact protection, but also the deep headrest makes a comfortable spot for your child to rest their head once they nod off. The deep side wings cocoon the passenger in an impact reducing shell. The back of the Monarch is removable and the belt threading positions are color-coded to reduce the potential for improper use.

	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.

	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.

	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 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).