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View Full Version : Britax StarRiser Comfy Booster Too Big???



mom@home
07-20-2001, 07:56 AM
I just purchased this seat for my 3 1/2 year-old daughter after seeing how highly it rated in Consumer Reports. However, I am now concerned it might be too big for her. She is just 30lbs and 38 inches tall. While this booster says it starts at 30lbs, when I had her sit in it to try it out, I noticed the belt guides were about 2 inches above her shoulders and I had the backrest on the lowest setting. I have searched the owner's manual to see if there is a minimum height requirement on this seat and there is none listed. Yes, I know, technically she can still fit in her convertable seat. However, her baby sister is abot 1 month away from outgrowing her infant seat and will need to move into the convertable soon herself. Any information would be much appreciated. Thank you!

cillakat
07-21-2001, 10:46 AM
I'd personally keep her in the convertible....it probably offers her more protection - esp with her small size.

Is it possible to get the baby another convertible and let your daughter stay in hers? It's likely that she'd fit it for another year or so.

I haven't heard that there's a minimum height on the SR/C....does her head fit properly on the headrest - ie are the wings low enough to be in their proper position? Technically, it sounds like she probably *just* barely fits...

but in terms of what's considered 'best practice' it might be better for her to stay in a convertible for awhile longer...

I'd be interested in Toby's response...I know she has alot of experience/knowledge with this seat.

:)
katherine in atl

tobymc
07-23-2001, 01:00 PM
I would second Katherine's post that your daughter really would be better off in a harnessed seat. Most of them go to 40 pounds, so that gives quite a bit of time before she would grow out of it, probably 1-2 years. So even though it may be more expensive, your daughter will be better off if you just buy a new convertible for your baby and leave your daughter in the one she has.

Or you could buy a combo seat, which has a harness but turns into a belt positioning booster later on, for your daughter, and hand the convertible on to the baby.

The Starriser/comfy is a great belt positioning booster seat. However, bpb seats don't offer as much protection as a 5 point harness, as a general rule. So it is better to keep a child in a 5 point harness as long as possible before "graduating" to the next level. And it sounds like your daughter is not really tall enough for this seat anyway.

Height limits are tricky things as well. The important measure is the child's torso height, not their total height. So your daughter and my son could be the same height, but one might fit this seat by height, and the other not fit. You want to make sure that the shoulder belt is guided over the child's shoulder bone, not over the child's neck.

I hope this helps.

Toby, CPS tech

mom@home
07-24-2001, 08:00 AM
Thank you for your responses. HOWEVER, I am slightly annoyed that Britax markets this seat as being suitable for a 30lb 3 year-old when in fact this is only true if you have a very tall 3 year-old! Also, I paid $119 for this seat which may not truly fit her for another year, leaving me to have to come up with another solution - which of course means spending even more money now. Ugh!!!