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- Side-impact protection (high-back mode)
- Comfort foam padding
- Loses its side crash protection in backless mode
- Doesn't provide good belt fit in all vehicles
- Some kids find the headrest restrictive
- Tricky LATCH installation
- Hard-to-remove fabric cover
The Sunshine Kids Monterey is a high-back-to-backless belt-positioning booster with foam-padded side wings. In high-back mode, it offers good protection in side crash tests -- but if you remove the back, side crash protection is so poor that a major consumer testing agency doesn't recommend it. Other reviewers say the high-back Monterey is a good choice for children who have outgrown the need for a five-point harness (when they reach at least 40 pounds). Some experts recommend staying in a harness longer, in which case a booster with a built-in harness like the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 (*Est. $160) may be a better choice. The Nautilus works in five-point-harness mode up to 65 pounds, after which it functions as a belt-positioning booster. The Monterey works with LATCH clips to secure the seat in the vehicle and keep it from becoming a dangerous projectile (if unoccupied) during a crash. Parents say they like the idea, but many also say the LATCH fasteners are difficult to work with if you need to uninstall or reinstall the seat. Although the Monterey's main job is to position children so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit properly, one respected testing organization finds that it does this well in some vehicles but not in others.
Which? magazine tests the Sunshine Kids Monterey's crash safety, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests its fit-to-vehicle. The parenting book "Baby Bargains" doesn't test products, but it does fully evaluate features, list pros and cons and provide helpful letter grades. CarSeatBlog.com also has an extensive review of the Monterey by child-passenger safety technician Heather Watson. BabyGizmo.com's Hollie Schultz includes this seat in her list of favorites, but unfortunately there's no accompanying write-up. Amazon.com captures the parents-eye view in about 20 user reviews.
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| Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Car Seat, Red | |
(40 reviews) In Stock. |
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Our Sources
1. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Britain's Which? magazine crash-tests car and booster seats, including the Sunshine Kids Monterey. Editors test the Monterey both in high-back and backless mode, and they also judge its ease of use and comfort.
Review: Sunshine Kids Monterey, Editors of Which? Magazine
2. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
IIHS tests booster seats to find the ones that give the best seatbelt fit in the most vehicles. The Sunshine Kids Monterey falls into the "other tested seats" category, where IIHS puts boosters that work well in some vehicles but not as many as the top-rated seats.
Review: Booster Evaluations for 2010: Other Tested Seats, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Sept. 8, 2010
3. Baby BargainsDetails/Subscribe
"Baby Bargains" includes the Sunshine Kids Monterey in its well-rounded chapter on child safety seats. The authors take a look at this seat's strengths and weaknesses, drawing on parent input and their own well-informed research.
Review: Booster Seats, Denise and Alan Fields, Eighth Edition, 2009
Heather Watson's in-depth review of the Sunshine Kids Monterey booster includes pictures, analysis and some general tips on booster seat use. Blog readers weigh in with their comments and recommendations.
Review: Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Review, Heather Watson, Feb. 25, 2009
5. Amazon.com
Amazon.com users give the Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster nearly unanimously high ratings. (The vast majority gives it a perfect score.) Overall, this site has above-average user reviews, thanks in part to the review feedback system, which allows readers to rate entries as helpful or not.
Review: Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Car Seat, Contributors to Amazon.com
BabyGizmo.com includes the Monterey in its top-five booster seat picks. Editor Hollie Schultz has established some credibility as a baby-gear expert, at least as far as features and functionality are concerned. Unfortunately, there's no accompanying review of the Monterey to back up her recommendation.
Review: Booster Car Seats, Hollie Schultz
Editorial reviews here are fairly detailed, but they don't extend to any discussion of a product's weak points. Still, there's some comparison of the Monterey with the Britax Parkway SG, Clek Oobr and Britax Frontier.
Review: Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Seat, Editors of and contributors to EliteCarseats.com
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2 picks including: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…
2 picks including: Amazon.com, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety…
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Sunshine Kids Monterey Booster Car Seat - Monterey Red
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Maxi Cosi Rodi XR Booster Car Seat, Roasted Brown
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