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Car seats

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Original poster

Which car seat for 4 &1/2 year oldchild?

23 replies

MagicMN · 07/01/2013 12:38

I am totallyconfused.
My child is still using the car seat we bought for him when he was 7 month old. Maxicoxi tobi forward facing.
He will be 5 in july and he does not fit anymore. What should i buy now? A booster seat? Should i buy the one that looks like a prper chair (with back)? Or the simple ones (only with the bottom part)?

We live in london so we do not use the car a greatdeal, apart from few days a week to go to school or trips to supermarket or weekend trips....

Any feedback please? Thanks!

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ilovepowerhoop · 07/01/2013 12:40

I would go for a high backed booster as the booster cushions (without the back) are not as safe. My dd is 9 and still in a high backed booster seat.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/01/2013 12:42

The maxi cosi Rodi high back boosters are good. Our ds's are both in them (7.3 and 4.6).

We bought some cheaper graco high back boosters for the IL's car, but they can't be adjusted to go as high at the back as the maxi cosi's so ds1 has grown out of his already.

nellyjelly · 07/01/2013 12:45

My 6 yr old was in a high back booster until recently and it was fine. She is now just on a booster seat as she is just too big for a highbacked one now.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/01/2013 12:46

how can she be too big for a hbb at the age of 6? My dd is a big 9 and still fits in hers (maxi cosi rodi xr)

TattyCatty · 07/01/2013 12:53

It's quite easy to be too big for a hbb at the age of 6! My 6 year old DD is just a couple of centimetres off the maximum height requirement for car seats. Doesn't mean that I'm going to rush to stop using booster seats altogether, but she would be very uncomfortable in a high back booster these days.

CMOTDibbler · 07/01/2013 12:55

I don't understand being too big at 6 either - my ds is 128cm tall, the tallest in his school year, and still has loads of room left in his Britax Kidfix

TattyCatty · 07/01/2013 12:58

Perhaps it's because 6 year olds come in all shapes and sizes, as do all HBB seats?

ilovepowerhoop · 07/01/2013 12:59

is your 6 year old really 135cm tall? My dd is just over that height and still fits in her hbb - it has adjustable height and width. A booster cushion is nowhere near as safe as using a hbb

TattyCatty · 07/01/2013 13:00

She is 133cm tall - yes, she's that freaky tall child that you occasionally come across.

GobblersSparklyExplodingKnob · 07/01/2013 13:02

Arn't booster cushions to be made unusable this year? And they are to stop selling HHB where the back is detachable.

My nearly 9yo ds is still in his Britax Kidfix and I imagine will be for a few years yet.

nellyjelly · 07/01/2013 13:08

Yep my DD is tall too. I know they are adjustable but she is just so hemmed in and uncomfortable in the car seat.

ilovepowerhoop · 07/01/2013 13:09

britax have stopped making booster cushions as they are not as safe

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/01/2013 13:12

nelly. As I found out after buying 2 brands of HBB, some backs can be adjusted to go far taller than others.

DS1 is 130cms, and the back of his seat still has another inch and a half to go up when he needs it. Obviously, it won't just be his back and head that grows - his legs will too so we should get another couple of years out of it.

Just a thought - if you'd prefer to keep her in a HBB, try out loads in a shop to see which adjusts the highest.

GobblersSparklyExplodingKnob · 07/01/2013 13:12

Ds is close to the 135cm that he legally has to be in a car seat for but seeing as a HBB gives such greater protection he will be staying in it until he is 12ish, the headrest on the Britax Kid pretty much goes high enough for me to use it and I am tall. I am always envious of them on long car journeys they look so comfy to sleep in.

nellyjelly · 07/01/2013 13:14

Well lets hope they make bigger more comfortable high back boosters in future then.

nellyjelly · 07/01/2013 13:15

It isn't just the height, it is the width. She isn't a chubby kid by any stretch but she just looks squashed. I guess I may have to get the HBB back out again.....i can't afford a new one thats for sure.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/01/2013 13:17

What have you got nelly?

forevergreek · 07/01/2013 13:19

The concurs transformer xt. Is the best seat IMO! :) it expands in width and height until 12 years, and can even be reclined slightly for he times you may travel long distance and they fall asleep. Def a high back, I believe it will be illegal from either this year or next year to use a booster without a back

forevergreek · 07/01/2013 13:20

the concord transformer xt

BillyBollyBrandy · 07/01/2013 13:22

I have to say I didn't realise HBB were so much safer than boosters - obvious when you think about it - and have just ordered 2 more HBB for the GP's.

nellyjelly · 07/01/2013 14:03

It's a Britax one. Will have a look for a wider one I guess. DD seems so much more comfy on the booster seat though I accept the safety issue.

PolterGoose · 09/01/2013 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShiftyFades · 14/01/2013 05:01

Try the Kiddy Cruiser Pro, it has widening sides as well as height.

Kiddy come top in most (all?) Which? Surveys as well as European ones I believe.

Hth

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