[Ceili]

My son is starting kindergarten in the fall. His school is about 20 minutes away and we're planning on carpooling with a friend and she would be our emergency pick up person (I'm due with a new baby right around when school starts). In our car ds has a Regent, but obviously even if in general switching seats around on a regular basis were practical, with his seat it's just not an option.

So, I'm trying to come up with a light-weight, easy to install seat, that won't take up too much storage room when not in use. What do y'all think about a high back booster just for carpooling 20 minutes each way, a couple times a week? Any suggestions?

 

[alegna]

What does he weigh? Can he be trusted to sit correctly for the duration of the ride? If so, and he's over 40lbs, I'd be okay with it for limited use.

-Angela

 

[Ceili]

He's close to 40 pounds and probably will be at least 40 lbs by the time school starts in the fall. Honestly I don't know if he'd sit correctly the whole time, he's never ridden in anything but a 5-point harness.

 

[bigteamug]

You can look at the Ride Safer Travel Vest, but read the requirements carefully in the online manual and look at how it's used - I find it a bit of a pain, but others may have a better fit than we do...it is easy to store, but a decent high-backed booster is probably easier to use correctly, if you think someone else may be using it. Graco HBB are on sale at Target this week.....locking the seatbelt with a HBB can help sometimes, too, they can't bend out of the seat...though I esp worry when they have a friend in the car - less likely to sit still, I found.

Oh, recaro vivo's are supposed to be pretty good for younger/smaller kids, too, not too heavy, and a bit better seat than the graco boosters - I've seen them somewhere for under $70.

Could you also contemplate a harnessed seat to leave in your friend's car? Britax Frontiers are $229 at costco.com....if if fits well, it'd last a long time, probably til he was done with boosters.

 

[DahliaRW]

I wouldn't have a problem with a 40lb kindergartener in a booster. I would buy one, keep the receipt, try it in your car a bit after explaining how he has to sit and see how he does. If he does well, you're set. If he doesn't, I'd consider something like the nautilus that will keep him harnessed a while, but is also super easy to install with a seatbelt.

 

[JenMidwife]

do y'all like a recaro vivo or compass high backed booster better for this kind of thing?

 

[KayleeZoo]

I love the Recaro Vivo for it's deep head and torso wings that are lined with super thick EPS foam. The one drawback to this seat is that the seat depth is super super shallow- ridiculously so. The Compass is a great booster, but lacks the deep head and torso wings. I've owned both and would probably buy the Vivo again if I had to, but hate the shallow seat.

 

[jillmamma]

DS is in K (6 years old), and uses a high backed Graco Turbobooster. It is really lightweight and easy to move around if need be. He is about 45" and 46 lb.