If your child can buckle and unbuckle themsevles

[aniT]

from their 5 point harness.. is there any reason to keep them in it rather than a booster seat?

The main reason I bought a bigger 5point harness was because she outgrew her carseat by height and weight at 3. Now she is 4.. nearly 5 (although I think we might have a few more months in the old one now.) and I am wondering if I need to buy a bigger 5point harness or if a booster is OK. The main reason was I was afraid she would unbuckle herself... but she can do that anyway.

[LotusBirthMama]

My 5 yo DD can buckle and unbuckle from her Nautilus but she still has a while before she outgrows the harness portion. As soon as she hits that limit she will go to the high back booster.

[Jes'sBeth]

of course. It's safer to be in a harness than a booster.

it doesnt' really matter if you do up my seat belt or I do up my seat belt, the seat belt is still safer to have done up than not. Same with a harness, you don't lose the safety of it just because your child can do it up.

I'd just keep your child in the harness as long as you can and then move to a high back booster.

[aniT]

Originally Posted by Jes'sBeth

of course. It's safer to be in a harness than a booster.

it doesnt' really matter if you do up my seat belt or I do up my seat belt, the seat belt is still safer to have done up than not. Same with a harness, you don't lose the safety of it just because your child can do it up.

I'd just keep your child in the harness as long as you can and then move to a high back booster.

I wasn't' talking about buckling it. I was talking about UN BUCKLING it.

I didn't want her in a booster seat because she could get out of it. But now she can get out of the harness too so that point is moot. I am not going to move her out of the seat just because she can unbuckle herself. My question was.. since she CAN unbuckle herself... what is the point of spending $300 on a seat that can harness until 65lbs rather than 50 when she outgrows the seat by height.

[Smalls181]

Or you could spend $150 on the Nautilus that will harness to 65lbs and then converts to a booster (high back and low back) to 100lbs. She is far safer in the harness, and if she otherwise a developmentally typical child, could probably grasp the concept of why it is important to remain buckled in the car. She may not, however, have the impulse control to sit up straight in a booster seat all the time, and that is very important. Adult seat belts only work if the child is able to remain upright for the entire trip. Does that make sense?

So in other words, if the Nautilus is within your budget, I highly recommend it. You will get your moneys worth, especially since you have younger children.

[aniT]

Originally Posted by Smalls181

Or you could spend $150 on the Nautilus that will harness to 65lbs and then converts to a booster (high back and low back) to 100lbs. She is far safer in the harness, and if she otherwise a developmentally typical child, could probably grasp the concept of why it is important to remain buckled in the car. She may not, however, have the impulse control to sit up straight in a booster seat all the time, and that is very important. Adult seat belts only work if the child is able to remain upright for the entire trip. Does that make sense?

So in other words, if the Nautilus is within your budget, I highly recommend it. You will get your moneys worth, especially since you have younger children.

I just spent $160 last year on the Triumph Advanced. (
which was the biggest harness I could afford at THAT time.) I cannot go out spending $150 every year becuase they came out with something better.

[elmh23]

She's old enough to know not to unbuckle while the car is in motion. When you've stopped, she's more than welcome to undo herself, but she is far safer in a harness, even if she can get herself out at the end of the trip.

[Ironica]

Originally Posted by aniT

I just spent $160 last year on the Triumph Advanced. (
which was the biggest harness I could afford at THAT time.) I cannot go out spending $150 every year becuase they came out with something better.

So... you already have a booster?

The point to suggesting the Nautilus is that it converts to a booster, so even after she outgrows the harness, she hasn't outgrown the seat. It's hard to imagine she'd ever need another seat (due to growth, anyway; if the seat gets in an accident, or is damaged, well yeah).

[bobandjess99]

Originally Posted by aniT

I just spent $160 last year on the Triumph Advanced. (
which was the biggest harness I could afford at THAT time.) I cannot go out spending $150 every year becuase they came out with something better.

I understand (really, i am the president of the "my child grows out of her carseat as soon as i buy it" club)
that really sucks, especially since the nauti came out last year too.....you must have beought the TA like..RIGHT before the nauti came out.
However...you need to buy a booster anyway, right? Which means you'd be spending $100 or more to get a good one anyway...and on sale the nauti is $140ish, so you arent really spending $150 more, you are spending $40 more than you will have to anyway.....it will harness usually at least a year beyond the triumph adv, and then converts to a highback, and then backless booster. so it really is not only relatively cheap, but an excellent value for what you will get out of it.

Do you have a child to hand down the TA to? If not......as a tech, i never want to recommend buying or selling a used carseat, but if it is only 1 year old, never in a crash or misused, and you still have all the parts and manual...craigslist it and I bet you recoup at least half what you paid(although you should be aware the selling price of it is now $130 many places, so keep that in mind when pricing it) If you get $80 out of it, then it is only $60 more to get a nauti...and you would pay at least $60 for a booster anyway, you know?

[elmh23]

Has she even outgrown the TA though? If not, then I say the OP should leave her in that seat (one which a lot of folks here recommend btw) until she does. It seemed like the concern to me was that she could undo the buckles. That's it. Not that she has outgrown it only after a year of use.

Am I reading the OP right or should I just go to bed?

[alegna]

5pt harnesses are MUCH safer. We should ALL be in them

-Angela

[aniT]

Originally Posted by Ironica

So... you already have a booster?

The TA is not a booster. It is a 5pt that goes up to 50lbs.

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

However...you need to buy a booster anyway, right? Which means you'd be spending $100 or more to get a good one anyway...and on sale the nauti is $140ish, so you arent really spending $150 more, you are spending $40 more than you will have to anyway...

Do you have a child to hand down the TA to?

I bought an EB harness/booster when she was 2.5 just before DS was born so he would have the Original Triumph. The harness however only went up to 40lbs, then it is a booster to 100. I thought I was getting her a seat to last forever. However (dad is 6'6") DD is much taller than her sisters and outgrew the 40lbs by 3.5. She was NOT ready for the booster however.. but the seat said not to use the harness after 40lbs. So I researched.. couldn't afford the Regent and got the TA. I thought this one would last her until at least 5. It still might. She is 46lbs and her head is over the top, however her ears are not (which is what I was told on another thread I started.) So I might be able to make it to 5.

I still have the EB seat ... my mom uses it...so I wouldn't have to buy another booster.

[aniT]

Originally Posted by alegna

5pt harnesses are MUCH safer. We should ALL be in them

-Angela

My chiro actually told me that after DD2 (who was 2) and I were rear ended by a semi. I had whiplash and she was fine.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by aniT

her head is over the top, however her ears are not (which is what I was told on another thread I started.)

Where are her shoulders in relation to the top slots?

A 5 pt harness is always safer, but at 5 I would be ok with a booster provided she sits properly every time.

[aniT]

Well here is the deal with those stupid straps. They slide up and down. They need to be all the way up for her. But they are always sliding back down. She likes to get in and buckle herself but if I don't check first those straps could be way down sometimes. I wish they would stay locked in one position.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by aniT

Well here is the deal with those stupid straps. They slide up and down. They need to be all the way up for her. But they are always sliding back down. She likes to get in and buckle herself but if I don't check first those straps could be way down sometimes. I wish they would stay locked in one position.

If her shoulders are above the top strap setting, she has outgrown it.

[aniT]

Originally Posted by an_aurora

If her shoulders are above the top strap setting, she has outgrown it.

No they are right at it. AS long as it doesn't slide down.

[Ironica]

Originally Posted by aniT

The TA is not a booster. It is a 5pt that goes up to 50lbs.

I bought an EB harness/booster when she was 2.5 just before DS was born so he would have the Original Triumph.

Ok, so you already have a booster, which is why you feel the Nautilus is not necessarily a good deal.

However... I believe the Nautilus is a better booster than the one you have. I've heard it gives the protection of a high back for longer, for one thing.

What do you mean about the straps "slipping down?" Off of her shoulders? Or the slots slipping (not sure if the EFTA has an adjustable headrest)?

If the straps are slipping off the tops of her shoulders, either the harness is too loose, or the slots are in fact below her shoulders. Have you done a pinch test to check that the straps are tight enough?

[aniT]

The booster seat I have is a high backed booster as well.

And the TA does not have slots. The straps slide up and down in a track for easier adjustment. So you just slide it to where you need the straps. However they don't STAY where you put them and are always sliding back down in the track.

They stay put on her shoulders.

The main reason I am "balking" at buying the nautilus is because parents should not expected to run out and buy the next best greatest seat each time they come out with one. We would all be broke!

The other booster I have is a high backed booster that goes to 100 lbs. The only reason I had to buy the TA is because the booster would only allow you to use the straps til 40 lbs and at 3 I did not feel she was ready to be using the seat belt.

I checked again when I put DD in the seat this morning. The straps are right at her shoulders. So I think we might grow out of it before 50 lbs.. unless she does her growing in her legs rather than her torso like usual.

[hottmama]

Yes, a 5-pt. harness is much safer. My son will be 6 in January, is 46" and ~50 lbs. and rides in a Britax Husky and will for a few years still. He's been able to buckle and unbuckle his carseat since 3, but he understands the importance of leaving it buckled in a moving vehicle. He has the maturity to sit straight in a booster, so we use one for carpooling, but I prefer to have him in a harness.