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View Full Version : booster seats--Century Braverra "Sport"



shoey
03-06-2002, 07:18 PM
I read the Fields' review of seats and after a lot of looking, am still confused. My daugher is 4 years old and 40+ pounds. I'm strongly considering the Century Breverra Ascend "Sport." The Sport part is what my question is reqarding. We don't need the five-point harness, which is the big difference between this and other models (Sport does not have harness). Does the positive review apply to the Sport model also? Or is there a better choice? We have a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee (other posting here says Britax does not fit well in the Jeep, plus we like the highback style and design of the Century which is similar to her old car seat.) Thank you for your help.

tobymc
03-08-2002, 01:47 PM
It is a fine choice. Let me run through what you need, and what your other choices are.

First, you are correct that you need a high back booster with no harness. I'm pretty sure that your Jeep does not have head supports in back. You need a seat that will properly position the lap/shoulder belt on your daughter, will be comfortable for her, and will last until she is at least 8 years old, and possibly longer.

Century, Evenflo and Cosco now have high back boosters out without harnesses. This is good, since they charge less than their similar seats with the harnesses. These seats are often fairly available, and they work fairly well. They tend to be pretty cheap - $29 (Cosco Complete Voyager) to $49 (Breverra Sport).

Now for the downsides. These don't tend to be all that well padded (though always check with your child - if she likes it, then it is enough). The shoulder belt adjusters don't tend to be free sliding, which can be a big pain and/or a safety hazard if the belt gets too loose and doesn't retract. And the back height tends to be lower than some other boosters, meaning they may not last as long. But if your child fits, you can keep the belt tight all the time, and your child's ears are still below the top, these are perfectly fine seats.

I'm more a fan of "dedicated" belt positioning boosters. The Britax Starriser/comfy would be an option. The Britax Roadster doesn't give head support all that long, so you wouldn't want that one. I'm really liking my new Jupiter Komfort Krusier (just out). It would work well for you, and is more padded/comfortable than the SR/C. Most of these are in the $100-$120 range, except for the Baby Trend Recaro Start, which is a fantastic seat but costs $350.

And my final bit of advice is to let your daughter help decide. She's going to have to ride in it, and probably defend it from peer pressure. Narrow down your choice, and then let her decide, in person ideally, but from pictures if not.

Toby