I have purchased the Britax Monarch booster seat for my son, but I didn't realize that it dosen't actually latch into the car. That makes me really uneasy. He will fit into his car seat for about 3 or 4 more months before he needs to be moved to something different. Do all booster seats NOT hook to the seat?
Thanks
Small boosters without a back do not hook into the car, they only serve to get them up high enough for the seatbelt. However, if you get a high backed booster seat, there is a slot on the back just like an infant seat that you put the seatbelt through and it uses a five point harness to hold them in.
I am starting to research boosters as my son is getting close to outgrowing his Marathon -Britax and a few other brands make boosters that have the LATCH system and 5-point harnesses which are a zillion times safer than traditional boosters that just use the seatbelt. They are mush more expensive, but it's a matter of safety. Check out this website: http://www.elitecarseats.com/ - they have very detailed reviews and seem to carry all the safest brands of boosters (and carseats) and have free shipping :).
No, they do not. That's why it is actually safer to keep children in a 5 pt. harness carseat as long as possible.
The MINIMUM requirenment for booster use is 4 yrs. AND 40 lbs. BUT the safest is to keep them in a 5 pt. harness.
Here is more info:
http://homepage.mac.com/Y./FileSharing32.html
Some videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxfIuhL3cXk
If you need more help go ahead and send me a msg. w/ your children's age, weight and torso height. To measure their torso just sit them on the floor against the wall w/ their feet straight in front of them. Then measure from the floor to just above their shoulders NOT their heads. Let me know what carseats they are in at the moment and what car are they installed in.
INFO FOR THOSE W? BIGGER KIDDOS:
The carseats that convert into boosters are called combination carseats. The best one in the market right now is the Graco Nautilus. It has a 65 lbs. limit for the 5 pt. harness, it has 18 in. top slots and converts into a high back booster and a backless booster up to 100 lbs.
It is only $150 and can be found at Walmart, online and someone said at Target too.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8112222
There is also the Britax Regent which doesn't convert into a booster but it is a great seat because it has an 80 lbs. weight limit and 20 in. top slots.
For more info or question you should visit www.car-seat.org and the techs there will help you.
Response to other posters:
Nicole B: NOOOOOOOO lol don't do anything that changes the way a carseat works UNLESS that manual states that you can. Booster seats can only be used w/ the lap/shoulder combination seatbelts. They should never be used w/ a lapt only seatbelt.
FOUND THIS OUT ABOUT BOOSTERS THAT ATTACH TO THE CAR:
Jane Indy Plus, about $200.
Sunshine Kids Monterey, about $130, due out in the next few months.
Britax Frontier combination seat, about $300, due out in the next few months.
Not all booster seats latch to the car. My 8 year old daughter sits on a "booster seat" that is nothing more than a little chair designed to lift her up high enough for my car's shoulder strap to work for her. My 5 year old daughter is in a booster seat that uses the LATCH and the shoulder strap. If you don't like the seat you bought, if you have the receipt, take it back. You didn't mention how old your son is so depending on his age, I would say depends on the type of seat you need. All my seats are by Graco. They are very user friendly.
I went to baby love and they are VERY VERY knowledgeable! They answered all my questions- unlike other places. I ended up getting the Regent on sale there for the same reason. However, they DID have a booster that latches. (the only one I have ever seen like that) I believe it is called the Indy. If you go there they can show you. good luck!
Are you aware that no car seat, booster or otherwise should be latched in once the child passes 42 pounds. Latches are only made to support up to 42 pounds. I owned the Britax Marathon prior to our current booster seat. That particular carseat holds up to 65 pounds but you can only use the latch until 42 pounds then you are supposed to stop using it and use a seatbelt instead.
So far all the boosters that I bought for my son are just placed on the seat and the seatbelt buckles them both in. As far as I know only carseats latch in. I hope this helps
Nonme of them latch on, but one new one that is at baby Love and I am not sure of the name, but it is a new one. I have 4 and they all do not latch.
I might not be correct,but I think that if your car has a lap seat belt,and also a strap belt that fastens into the actual car seat,then that would seem to be the only way that the booster chair would be fastened 2 times.The lap belt would fasten the bottom piece of the booster chair,while the adjustable shoulder belt,secures the actual car seat.Then you can remove the car seat from the bottom part that just secures the seat correctly!Maybe,maybe not!What do yall think out there!
I have the Safety 1st Apex 65 for my 4 year old who weighs about 47 lbs. It has a LATCH system and 5 point harness for up to 65 lbs. It is great and it is much, much cheaper than the Britax!!
I have two and neither actually attach to the car............(One did when my daughter was smaller and still needed to be in a booster but we still used the harness straps, but once we removed them and just used the seatbelt it was no longer attached.) When you think about it it's fine because all a booster seat really does is raise them up so the shoulder belt hits at the "right" spot on their chest..........Make sure you son has met the weight and height requirements to be in a booster and not a car seat and he'll be fine......................
