Best Booster Seats

My opinion with boosters is they stink. My almost 6 year old doesn't sit well in one at all. She behaves and is mature but just doesn't fit or sit well.

A 2year old shouldn't be in a booster even being that large. A booster is for children a minimum of 3years but I'd even push it to 5 or older.

Alot of parents rush to booster's thinking they're easier and excited there kids have grown up. But car crash's are the #1 reason children die not from illness or anything else. If you do buy a booster Graco Turbo or Graco Airbooster's are the best choice. I do have one as a back up seat and it's nice but when my daughter falls asleep her head is in her lap and she's slouched and all over the place and is very unsafe.

I would spend the extra money and buy one of the following seats that will harness a child longer and isn't a booster.
Cosco Apex -65lbs/ Britax Marathon -65lbs or the Britax Regent goes to 80lbs. all using a harness and not a booster.

I have my almost 6 year old in the Britax Regent. She loves it and I love it and she's safe!

Here's a link to a awesome website where you can ask this exact same question and get some really good feedback from other mom's and carseat techs..It's a great website, you don't have to register or be a member to ask a question either.

http://www.car-safety.org/

We love our Britax Marathon convertible seat. It's forward facing weight limit is 65 lbs. It sounds like both your kids could fit in this style. Sorry, no experience yet with booster seats.

I found this regarding booster seats/car seats from the following site: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/child/laws.htm

Children must be in a car seat until they reach age 4 and in a booster seat until they reach age 8
Tiered structure now applies:
-Less than 1 year old, or less than 20 lbs. must be in a rear-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
-Age 1 to age 4, or less than 40 lbs. must be in a forward-facing child seat in the back seat (if so equipped)
-Age 4 to age 8, between 40-80 lbs., and no more than 4 ft. 9 ins. must be in a booster seat
-The fines remain the same, although tiered for ages 0-4 and ages 4-8
-The exemption allowing temporary removal of a child from a restraint to attend to personal needs has been removed
-The exemption for physical, medical, or body size condition still applies to booster seats and seat belts

I would not put a 2 year old in a booster seat of any kind. We have the Britax Marathon which goes to 65 lbs. It's pricey but worth it in my opinion. We won't need another car seat until she goes in a booster.

Good luck.

We love the Britax Husky, it has a five-point harness and goes up to 80 lbs.

Yes, the next step would be a 5 point booster seat, unless you wanted to invest in a car seat that goes higher in weight. I would reccomend the same seats as the previous poster: Apex (though you need to have higher seat backs so be sure to test this one in your vehichle), Britax Marathon is a convertible seat that goes to 65, Britax Regent (to 85 as prev poster said). I was going to reccomend the Evenflo Generations, but I think that only harnesses to 40 pounds so that's no good. My 2.5 year old is getting close to the height limit on his Roundabout so we're looking at the Regent, since it has the highest strap height. Car seats and boosters fit kids differently; I think you should try them out if possible to see which seems to fit your child best. Good luck finding the perfect seat for your child!

A.

Not too long ago, there was a video clip on utube.com Their four year old son had been killed an a car accident. He was in a professionally installed regular car seat correctly, (not a five point) he died instantly. It was a very touching video, I cried along with everyone else I sent it to. The parents said if he had been in a five point booster, he would have still been alive. They also said that kids NEED to be in a booster seat until they are eight or twelve years old, no matter how mature they are for their age. The officer reccomended the Britax. They are at least double the price of a regular carseat or booster, but definitely worth the price if it will save your childs life.

Five point booster seats only harness to 40lbs too, so if she is reaching 40lbs, that wouldn't make sense.

the other posters gave you great seats, the cosco Apex requires high seat backs or head rests though, so keep that in mind if you purchase this seat, it cannot be used with short seat backs. The Regent NEEDS to be tethered at 50lbs, so your car needs to have tether anchors, or needs to be retrofitted with them (most dealerships install tether anchors for free if you buy them!)

Here is a link to hte Apex. again it REQUIRES high seat backs or headrests to use. http://www.albeebaby.com/sa1stap65bos.html or http://www.albeebaby.com/coalelapboca.html

Here is a link to the Britax Regent http://www.albeebaby.com/youthcarseats.html

THe Marathon is a great seat ,we have one and I would recommend it, however you are going to want to harness her as long as possible so for hte same amount of money you get the Regent which harnesses to 80lbs!