[nanettesa]

DD is going to be 4 in July and I have been researching booster seats for the car. What are the advantages and disadvantages between using a high back vs backless seat? I am leaning towards Graco Turbo Booster which comes with or with back. Any suggestion would greatly be welcomed. I am not rushing the change, but I wanted to do some research before hand and I am also watching the sale flyers.

[avoel]

The purpose of the booster is to position the seatbelt properly for a child that is too small for it without one. I don't know that there is an advantage or disadvantage to high back booster vs backless since it is all about getting the seatbelt to properly fit the child. With that in mind, you might want to read this as you shop...

IIHS news release

[dianneemily]

Katy is 5 and she is still in a 5 point harness - I feel that this is the safest option for her at this time and now there are carseats that allow the 5 point harness with greater weights (the one we have go up to 65lbs).
Not sure how big your child is, but especially if your daughter is small, I would at least consider keeping her in a harness.

[Gabri]

I agree with the above. The back on the booster helps protect their heads (because of the side panels) and helps the seatbelt stay in the right place. On our model (Compass?) the back slides up and down. On my short-but-growing guy, that's been invaluable for getting the belt in the right spot. That said, I'd stay with the 5-point harness as long as possible. Beside the safety issue, the other drawback to a booster is that kids can unbuckle themselves too easily... and it's very difficult to buckle a child back into a seat while going 65 down the expressway...

[DPline]

My personal opinion is I would not even consider putting a 4 year old in a booster seat. I know lots of people do, put I personally wouldn't think of it. Staying in a 5 point harness for as long as possible is just so much safer. And I have met very few 4 year olds who can stay seated in the correct way, with the seat belt in the correct position for any significant length of time.

If you really feel that you want to go to a booster I, again personally, would consider the Recaro or Britax or one of the higher end ones with side impact protection. Both of those companies as well as several others make a range of booster seats in a range of prices.

To address the back vs. backless part, my 5.5 year old daughter is in a booster on the rare occassion she is in my husbands car. (She is in a five point harness in my car.) A backless booster would not lift her up enough to position the shoulder belt correctly across her chest and shoulder. For her, it needs to have the back to route the shoulder belt through to position it correctly on her. She is very tiny for her age (32 lbs and 38 inches) and a backless booster would not work for her. And the back does add the impact protection I mentioned above as well as the additional measure of keeping the shoulder bet positioned.

[angelkisses0102]

I agree with DPline 100% on this.

Here's a good link...
A Parent's Guide to Buying and Using Booster Seats

My DS is almost 6, in Kindergarten and is still in a 5 point harness. He is about 45 inches tall (I think) but only 37 pounds so he is still in his Britax Regent. My DD, almost 8, was in hers through 1st grade...now in second and all of 46'ish inches and 47 pounds she is in a Britax Parkway with a full back. My DS so wants to move out of the 'baby' seat but no way until he hits the recommended 40 pounds...he has feeding issues so we use this to get him to eat more.

[Slatond10]

Originally Posted by avoel

The purpose of the booster is to position the seatbelt properly for a child that is too small for it without one. I don't know that there is an advantage or disadvantage to high back booster vs backless since it is all about getting the seatbelt to properly fit the child. With that in mind, you might want to read this as you shop...

IIHS news release

Thanks for sharing the news release ... My DD is 4 and does weigh 40lbs. All her "friends" @ school have been in booster seats for awhile due to size. AND she has this odd fasination w/ other childrens' car seats.

She has begged 4 a booster seat. I kept her in the 5 point harness until about 1 mo ago when we broke down and got the Graco Turbo ( her pick)... Which luckily is a "good" option in the news release.

She is a "mature/independent" 4 and has been doing her own buckling for a couple of years. She alerts me when she is buckled in b4 I drive out of garage or out of a parking place. She understands the importance.

Honestly if I had my way she'd be in 5 point harness ALL HER LIFE! LOL!...

[mevertin]

I posted about a month ago about Boosters as well. I ended up getting a Graco Nautilus carseat that has a harness for up to 65 pounds. It will also convert to a high back and backless belt-positioning booser. My 4 year old loves it. It is on sale this week at Target.
Mary
mom to Bobby 11, Bridget 10, Angela 8, Eddie 4 (home from Guatemala in 2005) and Naldo 22 months (home since Feb. 08)

[dianneemily]

We have the Graco Nautilus, too. My 5 y/o can buckle herself in - she needs help getting the chest buckle undone, but it is a great help now that she can at least get in herself.

[DDAmasa]

My 3 1/2 yr old son just hit 40 inches and 39 pounds so I had to switch from the Evenflo Triumph (which I loved). We just started using the Graco Nautilus too and so far it's a thumps up. I can use the harness until 65 pounds and then keep the high back for another year or two and eventually go to just the booster seat when he's older. I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a 4 year old in just a backless booster yet.

[catsnkids]

Just a thought that has nothing to do with safety but more with comfort. My friends daughter who just got out of the booster didn't like it because when she fell asleep it dug into her sides. I know they had the backless. Something to maybe consider if you travel alot and your child falls asleep in the car.

[coachmom]

I have the Safeguard Go Anywhere car seats.. they have backs that can be removed but my 7 yr old still is small enough to still use the harness and I feel safer with her in it.. its nice because if you need to take it out to fit another person in if you are not traveling with your child, you can just unlatch it and fold it up and put it in the trunk. it comes with a really nice travel bag.. I got mine for 150 from an auction site.
Coachmom

[Slatond10]

Originally Posted by coachmom

I have the Safeguard Go Anywhere car seats.. they have backs that can be removed but my 7 yr old still is small enough to still use the harness and I feel safer with her in it.. its nice because if you need to take it out to fit another person in if you are not traveling with your child, you can just unlatch it and fold it up and put it in the trunk. it comes with a really nice travel bag.. I got mine for 150 from an auction site.
Coachmom

This is the Car Seat that I had planned to buy for DD, however on the internet is says "tether" is required for proper use? and my 2004 car doesn't have the "tether"!

Is this correct?

[DPline]

Originally Posted by Slatond10

This is the Car Seat that I had planned to buy for DD, however on the internet is says "tether" is required for proper use? and my 2004 car doesn't have the "tether"!

Is this correct?

Not sure the answer to the actual question, but have you checked with a dealer about having a tether anchor installed? Most cars can be retrofitted inexpensively or for free.

ETA: Are up positive that you don't have tether anchors? I need to look it up, but I thought by late 2002 they were required on all cars.

[coachmom]

I had to look hard for my tether as it was way under the seat, but yes, most newer cars should have them or you can get them installed at not too much of an expense. My husband found a way to tether ours to a bolt that was at the bottom of an older car we had..He just went to the hardware store and bought something to go on it for the clip.
Coachmom