Roemer is the German branch of Britax International...
Here is the English version of the Roemer website.
www.britax-roemer.de/engl...roemer.htm Click "Products" at the top of the page to view their carseats (the company also makes bike helmets and bike seats for children).
My son is also currently in a Freeway, and I've been eying the Roemer boosters for a year now (Army family stationed in Germany). I have not had an opportunity to try Britax (USA) boosters in person. However, it seems that the Roemer StarRiser/Comfy booster is less padded than the US version of that seat. I do really like the Zoom/Comfy, and if I were going to buy a German booster, that one would be in my top 5 for sure (possibly in my top 2). This page has pictures of the Britax Roadster and StarRiser/Comfy including pictures of the padding on them.
pages.ivillage.com/momika...s/id5.html
There are a few things you should consider before choosing a Roemer or another German seat. Look at the weight and height limits. If the instructions are in German only, will you be able to understand all the little details? (For example, on the Roadster, you must remove the back when the child reaches a certain weight.) It is illegal to use a non-US certified booster in the US. If you plan to return to the States before you child outgrows the need for a booster (see
www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm for the 5-Step Test -- most kids need a booster until at least age 8, and state laws are getting tougher on booster use as well), you will need to purchase a US-certified booster. That means that even though the German boosters are slightly less expensive than US ones, it may be less expensive in the long run to start out with a US booster.
And, one final factor, German liability laws are very different from US ones. Recalls are virtually non-existant. The society tends to be much more common sense oriented, and many of the recalls issued for infant and child products in the US would be laughed at by a native German. (On the flip-side, they do seem to have higher expectations for quality.) If the booster were to fail, you would have no legal recourse to hold the company responsible. While the likelihood of something like that happening with a booster is pretty slim, it is something to consider.
Of course, you child is best protected in her Freeway as long as possible. The Freeway is outgrown when one of three things happens.
1) She weighs 40 lb (the maximum weight limit for that seat).
2) The tips of her ears are above the top of the seat.
3) Her shoulders are above the top slots. The padding on the Freeway is excellent, so make sure that the actual slot location is not being obscured by the cover. My son is 4.5 years, 42" tall, and has at least 2" more until he is too tall for the seat. I would expect him to reach at least 5 years before he is too tall.
I hope that helps a little. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask!