booster seat recs, please

[mamaalysson]

We are buying a new car!  Whoop!  This will replace DH's non kid-friendly pick-up, which means we won't have to juggle cars as much, and he can actually drop DD off at school without leaving me carless.  Double whoop!

So, we need a carseat for it.  I think we are just going to leave a second seat for DD installed in the new car, and either switch cars or move DS' seat if we need to.  In my car, she is in a Britax Pioneer.  Love the seat, but looking to spend less.  Any recommendations for a more economical harnessed booster seat?  We want something easy to install, easy enough to buckle that she can do it herself, easy to clean.  And she is small - 4 1/2 yo, 34 lbs, 37 inches.  Any seats you love?  Hate?

[lindsay9911]

We have an Evenflo from target in my parents car! It was around $70 from target and we have no complaints.
We did have Graco boosters in my car but got rid of them bc I HATED those dang seats.

[newgirl412]

Evenflo Maestro would be good for someone her size.

[melew]

No rec since DDs also have Britaxes in both cars, but YEA for a new car! How exciting!

[penguingrrl]

There are a few inexpensive models that should do just great for you!

Evenflo maestro: $70, reasonably tall top harness slots. The only issue with this one is that booster mode is essentially outgrown by the time the child outgrows the harness height-wise, so you would need to buy another backless booster later, but you can get a $12 backless at that point.

Eveflo Securekids series: Built on the maestro frame, but higher weight limits in harness mode and a headrest that moves up, which gives you more time using it as a booster

Graco nautilus/argos: Very popular seat, reasonably tall top harness slots and becomes a good booster, both backless and high back.

[quesyrah]

We bought the evenflo secure kids for DH's car and so far it's been great.

What kind of car did you get?

[mamaalysson]

Thanks, ladies! I think we're going to go with an evenflo. It looks like amazon has a lot of them discounted right now, so even better!

quesyrah - It's between a Ford Edge and a Ford Flex. DH went and test drove a bunch of them a few weekends ago. We're going to go this week while he's off work and test drive those two models together and decide. I like the look of the Edge better, but DH thinks I'm going to like driving the Flex more. We will see. I'm excited!

[quesyrah]

Nice! The flex was high on our list before we decided to go with a minivan

[arnegard]

Congrats!!
We have a Nautalis for DD3. She is 4.5, 32 lbs and a 38".

[lattelady5]

Amazon is having crazy flash sakes on tons of carseats. All of penguin' s suggestions are great. I'd also add the harmony defender to that list. It's narrow and long lasting and around or under $100. Burlington coat factory has it in pink now too

[scattered]

Nov 22, 2014 15:59:31 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

There are a few inexpensive models that should do just great for you!

Evenflo maestro: $70, reasonably tall top harness slots. The only issue with this one is that booster mode is essentially outgrown by the time the child outgrows the harness height-wise, so you would need to buy another backless booster later, but you can get a $12 backless at that point.

Eveflo Securekids series: Built on the maestro frame, but higher weight limits in harness mode and a headrest that moves up, which gives you more time using it as a booster

Graco nautilus/argos: Very popular seat, reasonably tall top harness slots and becomes a good booster, both backless and high back.

Just an FYI here, the Graco Nautilus is on sale on amazon right now!

[mamaalysson]

Nov 22, 2014 15:59:31 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

There are a few inexpensive models that should do just great for you!

Evenflo maestro: $70, reasonably tall top harness slots. The only issue with this one is that booster mode is essentially outgrown by the time the child outgrows the harness height-wise, so you would need to buy another backless booster later, but you can get a $12 backless at that point.

Eveflo Securekids series: Built on the maestro frame, but higher weight limits in harness mode and a headrest that moves up, which gives you more time using it as a booster

Graco nautilus/argos: Very popular seat, reasonably tall top harness slots and becomes a good booster, both backless and high back.

I think the Evenflos have everything we're looking for, and the price is perfect for a secondary seat.  I'm not too worried about either kid outgrowing it, but like you said at that point a plain old booster is cheap.

I have a couple of questions after reading the Amazon reviews, though.  Someone said the chest clip doesn't audibly click when buckled.  Has anyone else found that to be the case?  And someone else mentioned that the latch clips are the old style, not the new quick release.  Is that still true?  I'm heading to Target later to see if I can get a better look at a couple of seats, but thought I'd check here as well.  Thanks!

Wednesday is new car day!!  :-)

[penguingrrl]

Nov 24, 2014 11:57:09 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

Nov 22, 2014 15:59:31 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

There are a few inexpensive models that should do just great for you!

Evenflo maestro: $70, reasonably tall top harness slots. The only issue with this one is that booster mode is essentially outgrown by the time the child outgrows the harness height-wise, so you would need to buy another backless booster later, but you can get a $12 backless at that point.

Eveflo Securekids series: Built on the maestro frame, but higher weight limits in harness mode and a headrest that moves up, which gives you more time using it as a booster

Graco nautilus/argos: Very popular seat, reasonably tall top harness slots and becomes a good booster, both backless and high back.

I think the Evenflos have everything we're looking for, and the price is perfect for a secondary seat.  I'm not too worried about either kid outgrowing it, but like you said at that point a plain old booster is cheap.

I have a couple of questions after reading the Amazon reviews, though.  Someone said the chest clip doesn't audibly click when buckled.  Has anyone else found that to be the case?  And someone else mentioned that the latch clips are the old style, not the new quick release.  Is that still true?  I'm heading to Target later to see if I can get a better look at a couple of seats, but thought I'd check here as well.  Thanks!

Wednesday is new car day!!  :-)

I'll be honest, I have no personal experience with the seat to say whether that stuff is true. I know the stats from reading up, but haven't had reason to use it (my kids ride in radians until they're outgrown, at which time the evenflo also is, so they move to a booster).

But it's easy enough to tug to know everything's buckled correctly. I do even when i hear the "click" just to be sure. And I definitely wouldn't let the less easy type of LATCH clips stop me from picking a seat, but I don't use LATCH anyway since I keep my three in one row.

[mamaalysson]

Nov 24, 2014 11:59:49 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

Nov 24, 2014 11:57:09 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

I think the Evenflos have everything we're looking for, and the price is perfect for a secondary seat.  I'm not too worried about either kid outgrowing it, but like you said at that point a plain old booster is cheap.

I have a couple of questions after reading the Amazon reviews, though.  Someone said the chest clip doesn't audibly click when buckled.  Has anyone else found that to be the case?  And someone else mentioned that the latch clips are the old style, not the new quick release.  Is that still true?  I'm heading to Target later to see if I can get a better look at a couple of seats, but thought I'd check here as well.  Thanks!

Wednesday is new car day!!  :-)

I'll be honest, I have no personal experience with the seat to say whether that stuff is true. I know the stats from reading up, but haven't had reason to use it (my kids ride in radians until they're outgrown, at which time the evenflo also is, so they move to a booster).

But it's easy enough to tug to know everything's buckled correctly. I do even when i hear the "click" just to be sure. And I definitely wouldn't let the less easy type of LATCH clips stop me from picking a seat, but I don't use LATCH anyway since I keep my three in one row.

Yeah, not deal breakers, just curious.  I like to hear the click, especially because DD usually climbs in and buckles herself while I'm buckling her brother or getting the car on and warmed up.  It's a nice clue for both of us that it's done up right, though of course I always check it.  Thanks!

[gennyu]

This website is a great reference: www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/child-boosters