Community› The Bump Message Boards› Toddlers: 24 Months+
Toddlers: 24 Months+
New Discussion

Will a high-back booster seat work? Height and weight wise I think she is ok, but she is only 2.

srmiller90srmiller90 member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+
My two year old is bigger for her age. She is 39 inches tall and weighs 45 lbs. We are flying in a couple of weeks and I am wanting to buy a new car seat to take with us. I have one now, but it is a Graco SmartSeat 3 in 1 and weighs like 35 pounds. So I am looking for a more compact, light weight car seat to take with us. She matches up height and weight wise with a high back booster seat I have found online, but she will be 3 in October. Do you think this seat will work just for the four days we will be gone? I will just store it away when we return home until she is ready for it. Thanks in advance! :)
Report Reply to Post

Re: Will a high-back booster seat work? Height and weight wise I think she is ok, but she is only 2.

  • evanzmom11evanzmom11 member
    I'm assuming that as high back booster, you mean one that you use with a seatbelt and not a harness. I would definately not do that for a kiddo that isn't even 3 yet. Unless you found a high back booster that folds so that you could put it in the overhead compartment on the plane, you would have to gate check it and risk it being damaged. You can't use a high back booster on a plane with just a lap belt.
    A 2 year old just can't properly sit or really fit in a seatbelt. She needs a harness. Especially if she falls asleep she won't stay in the correct position for the seatbelt to do its job. seatbelts with a booster only start fitting correctly around 5 to 6 years old. Also depending on the state, it may be illegal for a 2 year old to be in a booster. Alot require them to be 4 years old AND 40 pounds.
    If you're looking for a cheap seat, I would look at the Evenflo titan 65 from burlington coat factory. Also known as the evenflo sureride at target and other retailers. It has very high top slots and harnesses to 65 pounds. It weighs only like 12 pounds. HTH
    image   Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • JENandJEHJENandJEH member
    No, she is not ok to ride in a high back booster for vacation. If it has a 5-pt harness and can eventually be turned on to a high back booster that uses the seatbelt, that's called a combination seat and she amuse that WITH the 5-pt harness. My 6 year old just moved from a 5-pt harness to a booster on his 6th birthday. He wasn't mature enough to use just the seat belt until then even thought he met the height/weight requirements around age 4. There are plenty of seats that will be more lightweight and keep her properly harnessed. Check out the group Car Seats for the Littles on Facebook. They can help you find the proper seat.
    Report Reply
  • mrsstafford9314mrsstafford9314 member
    If it has a 5 point harness it's basically the same as forward facing in a convertible car seat. She should still be rear facing though.
    Report Reply
  • TiffanyBerryTiffanyBerry member
    What everyone else said - no way to a belt positioning booster; she needs one with a 5-point harness.  Yes, still rear-facing her would be best, but if that's already in the past, then so be it.

    45lbs is WAAAAAY off the charts for a 2.5yr old (you might want to double check that number) -  (https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l022.pdf).  (39" is above 97th percentile for a 2.5yr old girl, but only a bit above.)  So you'll want to use that factor, given that most seats don't rear face even up that high, and the ones that do aren't going to get you very far in height given her stature.  So, a combination seat is probably the best bet.  Our daughter is also tall (though not that tall), so we went with a Britax Frontier 90 as it has some of the highest shoulder slots.  It's not heavy, but I don't think it would fit in an overhead compartment and I don't know if it can be used on the airplane seat.

    IMG_8355
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    image
    Report Reply
  • DawnLillyDawnLilly member
    edited May 2014
    It's off the charts but I don't question the possibility it's wrong. DS is 36" and 39 lbs and turns 2 June 1st. I'm confused, are you looking for something for her to sit in on the plane or while driving too? I agree with the Sure Ride btw.
    Report Reply
  • laurakaz13laurakaz13 member
    For the plane, it's fine.  In a car, no way!!!!  Just check the car seat.  We travel all the time with DD and just check her seat when need be.  And it weighs way more than 35 lbs. 
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    I don't believe you can use a non harnessed seat on an airplane.  It's a 5 point you bring or nothing.
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

    image
    Report Reply
  • sunnyday016sunnyday016 member
    laurakaz13 said:
    For the plane, it's fine.  In a car, no way!!!!  Just check the car seat.  We travel all the time with DD and just check her seat when need be.  And it weighs way more than 35 lbs. 
    No, Boosters are not approved for air use. You cannot use them on the plane for any age child.

    I agree with the SureRide suggestion.
    S- March 09 E- Feb 12 L- May 15


    Report Reply
  • laurakaz13laurakaz13 member
    sunnyday016 said:
    laurakaz13 said:
    For the plane, it's fine.  In a car, no way!!!!  Just check the car seat.  We travel all the time with DD and just check her seat when need be.  And it weighs way more than 35 lbs. 
    No, Boosters are not approved for air use. You cannot use them on the plane for any age child.

    I agree with the SureRide suggestion.I

    I did not say that boosters were acceptable on planes.  Your child can sit on the seat normally with a seatbelt.  That is how we travel.  I did not mean to imply that boosters were okay. 

    DD has flown about 20 times since birth and has been fine sans carseat after 1 yr old.  Either check your car seat or carry it.  Otherwise, no booster, just regular seat belt. 

    However, you will need to rent a car seat at your destination if you don't bring your own. 

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • yeah.yeah. member
    If it has a harness, sure. If not, no. It's illegal and unsafe.
    Report Reply
  • yeah.yeah. member
    Nicb13 said:
    TiffanyBerry said:
    What everyone else said - no way to a belt positioning booster; she needs one with a 5-point harness.  Yes, still rear-facing her would be best, but if that's already in the past, then so be it.

    45lbs is WAAAAAY off the charts for a 2.5yr old (you might want to double check that number) -  (https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l022.pdf).  (39" is above 97th percentile for a 2.5yr old girl, but only a bit above.)  So you'll want to use that factor, given that most seats don't rear face even up that high, and the ones that do aren't going to get you very far in height given her stature.  So, a combination seat is probably the best bet.  Our daughter is also tall (though not that tall), so we went with a Britax Frontier 90 as it has some of the highest shoulder slots.  It's not heavy, but I don't think it would fit in an overhead compartment and I don't know if it can be used on the airplane seat.
     
    My eyes bulged out of my head at that number when I saw it. Seems so far off the charts.  DS is 34 pounds at a little over 2 and that's a lot for his age.
    yeah. My 5 year old, who is ridic tall (48 inches) doesn't weigh 45 pounds....
    Report Reply
  • Spin313Spin313 member
    Nicb13 said:


    TiffanyBerry said:

    What everyone else said - no way to a belt positioning booster; she needs one with a 5-point harness.  Yes, still rear-facing her would be best, but if that's already in the past, then so be it.

    45lbs is WAAAAAY off the charts for a 2.5yr old (you might want to double check that number) -  (https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l022.pdf).  (39" is above 97th percentile for a 2.5yr old girl, but only a bit above.)  So you'll want to use that factor, given that most seats don't rear face even up that high, and the ones that do aren't going to get you very far in height given her stature.  So, a combination seat is probably the best bet.  Our daughter is also tall (though not that tall), so we went with a Britax Frontier 90 as it has some of the highest shoulder slots.  It's not heavy, but I don't think it would fit in an overhead compartment and I don't know if it can be used on the airplane seat.
     

    My eyes bulged out of my head at that number when I saw it. Seems so far off the charts.  DS is 34 pounds at a little over 2 and that's a lot for his age.



    My six year old is only 48 pounds!
    image
    image

    Report Reply
  • alakealake member
    The size made my eyes bulge out.  My girls are on the smaller side.
    My almost seven year old is 44 pounds and stands 43 inches.
    I would maybe look at a Evenflo Maestro.  This is the seat we have taken to Europe on a few different occasions.  It is a harnessed seat, that is on the lighter side.
    Report Reply
  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    Regal Mama said:
    Get yourself a Scenera. $60, light weight and easy to travel with. We even managed to strap it into our umbrella stroller (maclaren triumph) while we were at the airport so we didn't have to carry it.
    If she's truly 45 pounds, she's long outgrown the Scenera.  OP, kids need to be harnessed on a plane until close to 4 because that's typically when the lap belt fits them correctly.  Weight-wise she seems to be bigger than a 4 year old but still short so I'd definitely bring a harnessed booster for her.
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

    image
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"