Booster Seats with LATCH???

Updated on October 21, 2010
A.X. asks from Bixby, OK
10 answers

Does anyone know whether the booster seats with the bottom and back that use your car's own seatbelt on the kid are connected with a LATCH system? DD is close to being ready for the booster. We've got one of the convertible seats that turns into a booster, but for my other car, I was thinking of getting just a booster seat. (she hardly ever rides in that car, but just in case...) I don't want to put a free-floating booster under her just belted with the car's seatbelt... seems like that would be more dangerous for some reason. Do they equip booster seats with LATCH systems?

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all the info. I'm specifically thinking of the booster seats that are designed for kids that weigh over 40 pounds. I HAVE a seat that converts from rear-facing to forward facing, to a booster, and is supposed to hold a kid up to 100 lbs. After reaching a certain weight, however, it says to not use the LATCH system, but only use the car safety belt when using the seat as a booster. I thought that a booster-only seat might use a LATCH system, but it looks like none of the boosters are to be used with LATCH. Thanks to all for the info!

More Answers

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A.W.

answers from Baton Rouge on

how old is your dd? how much does she weight? if you are concerned about it not being safe enough its b/c its not, boosters just arent as safe. you should really consider getting her a car seat with a higher weight harness (HWH). here is a crash test video showing the difference b/c a 5 pt car seat (passenger side) vs. a booster with just a lap belt (drivers side). there are seats that can keep your child harnessed till 65lbs and also to 80 lbs. this summer there are suposed to be 3 more HWH seats comming out. you have to keep in mind that each change in a car seat (rear facing(RF) to forward facing(FF), 5 pt to booster w/lap belt) is not a "milestone" that you want to get to, its actually a downgrade in safety. if you want more info you can email me or you can also go to car-safety.org and read through the forums (and ask questions) to learn more about car seat safety. my DS is 23 months and 27# and 36 in and he is still RF and will continue to RF till he hits 35# (the RF limit on his seat) and then when he outgrows the seat at 40# he will most likely be getting Britax Regent which will 5pt harness till 80 lbs http://www.britaxusa.net/products/detail_regent.aspx
i hope this helps

1 mom found this helpful
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K.J.

answers from Kansas City on

The Clek Olli backless booster uses the LATCH to secure the booster and the seatbelt to secure the child. But it's around ninety dollars. I'm surfing around right now trying to find a less expensive backless booster that uses LATCH.

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

I don't think it is dangerous to have a booster seat with just the car's seat belt. The booster seat is just to have your child sitting higher in the seat so that the seat belt can be properly positioned over the child. We have a Cosco high back booster seat that converts from forward facing 22-40 pounds to being a belt-positioning booster. The description of the seat says the LATCH is for the forward facing 22-40 pounds, not as a booster.

A quote from Car-Safety.org (http://www.car-safety.org/latch.html):
"Can I use both LATCH and the Seatbelt? Only one or the other is needed, you should generally use the one that provides the best fit."

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J.D.

answers from Huntsville on

Hi-
We had the same concerns when we switched our daughter to a high-back booster. We bought a Graco Pedic with memory foam for her. I called several booster seat manufacturers and one finally said that the movement of the seat actually helps in an accident because it adds to the child's weight and helps cause the seatbelt to secure the child. (If that makes sense....) We really like how the Graco seat has a belt-positioning system for her. She never complains about the strap cutting into her neck like our older neighbor does (she has a backless booster). Also, if the strap is uncomfortable, they sneak the belt under their arm and that's a hard habit to break.

One suggestion- the bigger concern we were told is if the child ISN'T in the car, because the seat isn't strapped down and becomes projectile. So we have tried to train our daughter to buckle her seat in when she gets out at carpool at preschool. Just a thought.

J.

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C.P.

answers from Huntsville on

I used to work at Avis from 2000-2002 and we used LATCH with car seats and booster seats. Unless there is a seat that says specificially not to use it, there are ones out there that can be used with LATCH. Unless we came across one that said specifically on the label that said not to use it with LATCH when we had to install it for a customer, we were told that we could use it. You don't necessarily have to get it here, but here is an example of the kind we did use when I was working at AVIS. http://www.shopzilla.com/12--Cosco_Booster_Car_Seat_-_cat...

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T.

answers from Chattanooga on

The booster seats that use the car's seat belt do not come with latch. It is the child's weight that holds them in (along with the seat belt, of course). In fact, you have to belt in the seat even when she is not in it so that it doesn't go flying if you have an accident. Make sure to check the height and weight minimums on the booster you choose. My daughter is 3.5 and she does not meet the minimum height and weight requirements. My son is 5.5 and we just moved him from the Britax Husky to a Britax Parkway booster.

I love the Britax Husky and Regent (the newer version of the Husky). They have a 5 point harness and go up to 80 pounds. They do have the LATCH. The only bad thing is that when the child gets to about 45 pounds you are not supposed to use the LATCH anymore.(I guess the company is afraid the LATCH might not hold an 80 pound child securely) You are supposed to belt the seat in with the seatbelt. We tried that but it did not sem very secure. The seat moved around too much (It was rock-solid with the LATCH). We decided to move my son to the Parkway booster. We left the Husky in the van in case my daughter had a friend riding with us we could use that car seat. I even bought a 2nd Parkway for when my son has friends ride with us. Now I can transport 4 kids easily and without worry. Hope this helps. Good luck.

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S.H.

answers from Boston on

It is now 2010 and there are a few more convertible seats out there that have a higher weight limit. However, I am feeling the same as DD's mom 3 years later. The booster seats are not safe and there isn't one out there, that I have found, to have a latch system. Why is this??? Also, why are most of them hard as rocks? Who wants to sit on that? Don't car salesmen sell cars on comfort?

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K.W.

answers from Atlanta on

I have been looking for the same thing for a while and just found one at One Step Ahead. The link is: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

Just a little concerned since I have never heard of that brand, but it looks well made and has good reviews so far.
Good luck!

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E.T.

answers from Florence on

I haven't seen any that have the LATCH belt. I saw a frightening report of Fox News about two months ago about a study done regarding the LATCH system. According to the study, in driving tests, the LATCH system was less effective than a shoulder seatbelt!! Something to look into, I guess.

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