Slimline toddler booster seat besides the Radian?

[rocketgirl96]

Hi,

Just wondering if there were any other slim (width-wise) harnessed toddler booster seats available besides the Radian? Having a high weight limit for the harness is important to me, but not sure if I want to spend the money for a Radian.

Thanks,

Christine

[Maedze]

Christine, what is the size and age of the child going into the seat, and what vehicle is the seat going into? 

[rocketgirl96]

My DS will be 4 in February and he weighs 37 lbs. Not sure what his height is but it's pretty average. The car is a 2008 Pontiac Vibe. But there will be an infant car seat in the car as well - a Chicco Keyfit 30.

Thanks!

[Maedze]

Oh, ok!   When you said toddler I was envisioning a 1/2 year old.   Second question, why does it need to be slim?  Is there a third car seat going back there? 

[rocketgirl96]

We'd like to be able to fit a 3rd person in the back seat even with 2 car seats in there, that's why it needs to be slimline.  I see the confusion - I just meant "toddler booster seat" as opposed to a regular booster seat because I want the 5 point harness. :)

Thanks!

[Maedze]

Clear as mud   

Ok, so what you want is a combination seat (this is a forward facing seat that works as a harness and then eventually can be converted to a booster.)

You want a seat with a higher weight harness that eventually becomes a GOOD booster (there are many on the market that become bad boosters.  Avoid them!)  

Unfortunately, the terms 'slim' and 'combination seat' generally don't go hand in hand.   However, the slimmest, and also coincidentally the cheapest, is the Evenflo Maestro.  It will be outgrown both as a harness and a booster by around 6 years old (keep in mind that other good combination seats, the Graco Nautilus or Graco Argos, Britax Frontier 85 and Recaro Prosport will last much longer.)

And it's still going to be tight, unfortunately.     If you intend to put them both outboard and have an adult squeeze between the two, keep in mind that the middle seating position needs to have a lap shoulder belt and adjustable head rest to keep that adult passenger safe (every adult needs to have the head rest adjusted to at least the tops of the ears).   

[rocketgirl96]

Thanks! I will look into the Maestro!