Booster Seat Help

[Tmama]

I was hoping for some good booster seat recs. This is for my husbands car who takes him to school just in the morning, which is about 10 minutes away. In my car, he is still in a 5 point harness in a Diono that harnesses long term and converts to booster. DS is 5 (almost 6) and weighs roughly 42lbs.

Im ok with him in a booster just in my husbands car for quick trips but for major highways, he's harnessed in 5 points still. So what's a decent booster? I don't think I need the high back one since this is just for my husbands car and quick trips. That and the fact that we technically have one in my car, even though it isn't being used as a booster just yet.

Thanks!

[mama2soren]

I would definitely urge you to reconsider your choice to go with a low-back booster.  For a 5-6 year old, a high-back is really the way to go.  The Graco Turbo Booster is a good seat for slender kids.  Down the road, you can take the back off and use it as a low-back booster.  If you have a few weeks to wait for a sale, you can pick one up for around $35-40.  Regular price runs about $45-50.

The Diono is an awesome harnessed seat, but does not offer the best booster fit for most kids.  It is not an adjustable booster, and one major problem with it is that it's nearly outgrown in booster mode as soon as it's outgrown in harness mode.  You'll need to plan for another booster at some point.

[DahliaRW]

I would suggest the turbobooster too.  It's inexpensive and fits most kids well.  Definitely high back.  By the time your ds outgrows the diono, you could move the turbo to your car to keep him in a high back there, and buy a cheaper backless for dh's car, if that's what you want.

[Tmama]

Thank you but I'm confused how he can outgrow the diono when it boosters to 120lbs and ff to 80...height wise?

[DahliaRW]

In harnessed mode, most seats are outgrown by height when the child's shoulders are over the top harness slot.  The diono allows them to be 1" above before it is outgrown, if you are comfortable with that.  Most kids are not comfortable in the seat by then (too small for them).  For a booster, it is outgrown by height when the child's shoulder is above the top belt guide position or when the seatbelt is no longer positioned properly (which can happen before they get too tall for the belt guide depending on placement).  Of course if the weight limit is reached first, that is when it is outgrown as well.

[Tmama]

It seems like he wouldn't outgrow his Diono for another few years yet.  Weight wise?  Never.  If anything, height first but not for some time.  So, that being said, I guess we'll get the turbo for DH car and worry about him outgrowing the diono in my car when that time comes.  Thanks for your help!  DS is tall but nothing too far above average.  Re-weighed him last night - almost 45lbs...

Thanks again.  Just when I think I got this car seat thing all figured out, it's something else.  I thought when I bought the diono, I was done, LOL.