NBR-STM toddler booster car seats please recommend yours

Shelleybell · April 2014

STM- can you please recommend your booster car seat for your toddler. We were looking at the graco nautilus. Any advice or recommendations appreciated.

Hoosier722 · April 2014

We have a nautilus for my car and DHs car. We are currently on the second part of the three in one. DS 1 loves the cup holder and the two side storage spots. Downside is that the locking clips are difficult to get on and off, compared to some other car seat clips. Overall we are very happy with the car seat.

aimeepigott · April 2014

We buy Recaro brand! They are a bit pricey but worth it for lil ones safety! They have a high back booster with a five point harness that once DS is too big for the harness you remove the back and it's just a booster! Recaro is a safety brand that makes products for race cars, planes, etc! When my DH found out they did infant/child car seats it was obvious what route we would go! Like I said a bit pricey but we found it was worth the money! Good luck on your search!

nolongerdinks · April 2014

aimeepigott said:
We buy Recaro brand! They are a bit pricey but worth it for lil ones safety! They have a high back booster with a five point harness that once DS is too big for the harness you remove the back and it's just a booster! Recaro is a safety brand that makes products for race cars, planes, etc! When my DH found out they did infant/child car seats it was obvious what route we would go! Like I said a bit pricey but we found it was worth the money! Good luck on your search!

All of this...exactly! Maybe we are married to the same man? Haha!

mcvgal · April 2014

We have the nautilus as well and still on the first stage. We never had the problem of the locking clips being difficult (that's why they provided the new harness in the voluntary recall). DS loves the cupholder as well

alyss0nl · April 2014

We are getting ready to buy the Recaro performance booster for DS1. We plan on getting the Recaro convertible for DS2. DH is all about Recaro since he found out that they make car seats.

Ecomom17 · April 2014

We love our Diono Radian. Will get another for this LO when he outgrows the infant seat. The Radian can actually be used from infancy (although you don't get the convenience of being able to just take the carseat with baby in it out of the car) through booster seat. It RF up to 45 lbs and can be used FF with 5-pt. harness up to 80 then as a booster up to 120 lbs. It's also one of the safest on the market and is more streamlined so fits in smaller cars. Fits just fine in my Subaru Impreza, even fit in the backseat of DH's old Toyota Celica. DS is still RF at 3 1/2 and will stay that way until he's 45 lbs, which will probably be quite awhile!

TheLovingWife · April 2014

All car seats pass the same set of standards. It is a pass/fail test, there is no proof that one is safer than another, it is all about marketing and branding. The safest car seat is one that is is installed correctly, is age appropriate for you child, and is being used properly. Ex. a 2 two year old in a recaro booster is considerably less safe than the same two year old rear facing in a graco convertable).

If you are looking for a combination seat, forward facing harness to booster, some seats to consider would be the graco nautilus, britax frontier/pinnacle/pioneer, or harmony defender. They are all pretty commonly recommended by car seat techs, and have varying price points.

TheLovingWife · April 2014

Here is a list of seats with their pros/cons https://csftl.org/recommended-seats/#combination

am7rice · April 2014

We have the nautilus also.

Shelleybell · April 2014

thanks everyone!!!!

cookieinva · April 2014

Since no one else rec'd it, we have the Britax Pioneer. Very happy with it, easy install.

Also friendly reminder, don't forget if/when your child is 40 lbs you should not longer install using LATCH (unless your carseat specifies another limit). Non-LATCH installation is easier on some than on others.

*LrCg* · April 2014

We have 3 of the Diono Radians for our kids. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. First, they are super comfortable for the kids and very easy for them to get in/out of, I think its because they seem to sit lower and they don't have that odd up angel in the seat area. Of course what drew us to them was their safety features and their claim of being so slim. We do extended rear facing and also even though in my state children are permitted to go to boosters at 4 years & 40 lbs, all our kids stay in 5 point harnesses until at least 8 years old due to spinal development (regardless of the size of your child, spinal development is just not there any younger). The Diono carseats we have allow the 5 point harness until 125 lbs and because its not a very bulky seat its not a big deal for the older kids to sit in them.

AKbadwolf · April 2014

My DD has the Diono Radian as well. It works great for her and will be the last carseat we have to buy her.

EllaSmella · April 2014

We have the Graco Nautilus as well. I like it, but I don't love it. The cup holder and side cubbies are nice, but they do make it harder for LO to get in and out as the cup holder/armrest combo is pretty bulky/tall. Also, (and I read this a lot in reviews before buying) the crotch clip is WAY too far back, which means I have to fish it out from under him every time he gets in. He's learning to make sure it's pulled forward when he sits, but it still is a pain. I have it on the largest setting (farthest out) so I can't even imagine how you'd use the closer in setting at all. BUT, overall, I'm happy with the seat as it allows him to stay in a three point harness for longer and will transition with him basically until he's out of any sort of carseat/booster set up.

Soon2BMrsN · April 2014

We have the Nautilus as well and like it. It is pretty wide, though. If I could do it all again, I'd buy the narrower Diono Radian seats.

littlesparrow602 · April 2014

We have two of the nautilus, both my 7yo and our 4yo are still in the 5 point harness.

Ecomom17 · April 2014

TheLovingWife said:

All car seats pass the same set of standards. It is a pass/fail test, there is no proof that one is safer than another, it is all about marketing and branding. The safest car seat is one that is is installed correctly, is age appropriate for you child, and is being used properly. Ex. a 2 two year old in a recaro booster is considerably less safe than the same two year old rear facing in a graco convertable).

If you are looking for a combination seat, forward facing harness to booster, some seats to consider would be the graco nautilus, britax frontier/pinnacle/pioneer, or harmony defender. They are all pretty commonly recommended by car seat techs, and have varying price points.

While it may be technically true that it's pass/fail, there are still features that make one seat more protective than another. The Diono's weight limits and height of the seat are some of those features, along with the steel frame, which is far more durable and protective in a crash. The ability to RF for longer than most other seats, and to use a 5-pt. harness for so long, certainly provide more safety for the child than seats that do not, as long as those features are used and, yes, the seat is installed properly.

jcartz · April 2014

We just got the britax frontier (85) for dd and are happy w it so far. I really wanted to keep her in 5pt harness as long as possible before going to the seatbelt only.

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NBR-STM toddler booster car seats please recommend yours

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