Car seat confusion with tall 4.4yo ds - high back booster or booster cushion?

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Both my ds's are tall, they both at the moment have high back boosters.

We took ds1's friend out last weekend, his mum brought him round with just a booster seat.

Can I just use a booster seat for ds1 (he is 17kg) - currently we swap the car seats around in mine and dps cars, could i use booster seat for ds1 in mine which we use for short journeys and only keep moving ds 2's car seat between our two cars?

What do other mums do with tall 4 year olds? Booster seat? Or if you still use a high back booster, till what age?

You can just use a booster seat, yes, if it makes things easier in a practical sense. My DS is very tall - he's 5 now but still has a high-back booster simply because he likes to rest his head against the head rest thing when he's tired on long journeys. Have just bought a booster seat to have as a spare for any other kids I might need to give a lift to, but DS1 might as well carry on using the high-back booster.

High back boosters offer more protection than just a booster seat.

we use a highback booster and will for as long as possible

We have 3 high-back boosters in our car (DC are 9, 7, 6).

We only have one car tho and I can see how moving them would be a pain.

But yes, a high-back is safer. And agree it's better if they are likely to sleep (eg on way back from day out if leaving after bedtime).

TBH we're not flush with money but I bought them a car seat for each car because of the hassle factor. I waited until Halfords had them on offer on line and then collected them locally.

Hmm I think I'll keep swapping them about, must be just ds's friends mum who is using a booster seat a tad early (he is VERY tall and not 4 till next month).
The boys tend to be in my car during the week and dps at weekends and longer journeys so its not like we are moving them between cars every day.

My friend and her dh have 2 car seats in each car, she just got a different company car last month and 'had' to get new car seats cos they didn't match the new car's interior...

maybe your friend could give you her old ones???

My DD has just turned 7y and we still use a high back booster for most journeys and especially for longer journeys. They are safer, and DD says they are aso more comfortable too. We have a couple - one for each car, plus two booster cushions for wen he has friends round.

recommended minimum on safety grounds for a cushion is 22kg althoggh it is legal to use one from 15kg. Both dc use high backs even though ds is 11 and tall enough not to use one at all. He finds it more comfortable for longer trips as he has hyperflexible joints and it is more supportive.

Thanks lizs, I think thats the info I needed. Its so confusing when the car seat info I've seen so far only says from 4-11 years/from 15kg.
I might just go wild and buy two more high back seats ... ds2 is only 2, thats another 9 years of swapping seats around from car to car!

My friend didn't offer me her old ones, they were expensive ones which she sold on for more than I would expect to pay for new ones at argos!