TB elite vs regular TB vs Vivo

turtlemama

New member

• Feb 2, 2011

• #1

I am chucking the Dreamtime and getting DD a different booster. We were at Big Lots! today and I checked a Vivo Lite in my car and DD loved it but the lap belt was well below her pelvic area, probably 2-3 inches away so it was sitting on her lower thigh area. I didn't know if that was really good fit, or too low so I didn't get the Vivo. I did check to make sure it wasn't really really old and it was made in Aug 09, so I figured that wasn't so bad.
I also checked to see how she fit in the TB Elite at TRU but not in my car. I really like that one but the pattern was ugly. The regular TB comes in a pattern called Jenna (my DD's name) so I really like that and she did too. I just didn't know what the difference was between the regular TB and the Elite. I really like the Elite, but I love the pattern for the regular. Which should I get?

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #2

Aug 2009 is a great date! in the past, big lots only had 2007 dates... glad they're getting newer ones!
the belt fit is awesome like that.

the difference between the turbo and the elite is that the elite has moveable headwings... the two buttons on top can be used to move them in and out from the head to give more support or more visual area.

 

firemomof3

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #3

What didn't you like about the Dreamtime?

 

Mommy2Marcus

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #4

firemomof3 said:

What didn't you like about the Dreamtime?

Click to expand...

I also would be interested in hearing about why you did not like it.

 

turtlemama

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #5

Ok that's good to know about the belt fit. So now I have a harder decision! lol

The Dreamtime is extremely hard to adjust. The head rest will either slam all the way down, or shoot all the way up and it is very hard to get it to go one click because you have to put a lot of force on it to get it to move. It also looks like it is sitting on her belly sometimes and that makes me uncomfortable. Also, for whatever reason, DH didn't say no when I feebly asked to get the Vivo, so I'm running with this before he changes his mind!

for the TB Elite, the back rest part is the exact same as the regular? I didn't know for sure since it says it has full coverage, but the regular doesn't say that.

Would it be possible if anyone has a Vivo to post a pic so I can see if the belt fit is the same as it was on DD?
I don't know how much different the Vivo is from the Vivo Lite, but the Lite is the one they have at Big Lots.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #6

the backs are the same on the turbo/turbo elite.

I like the vivo better because it doesn't fall apart... AND because my daughter needs those deep headwings to sleep comfortably on long trips... AND because my daughter (up until this last year where she has started to grow legs) has always had a long torso and shorter legs... when we got the vivo it was one of only a sparse number of boosters where her knees bent naturally at the edge.

Now that she is getting leggier, she's still comfortable, but I will probably give her a stool to rest her feet on this weekend (and leave it for future use) simply because her brother sitting in front of her doesn't like her solution of resting her toes in the crack of the captain's chair... apparently, now that her feet are a size bigger, he can feel her shoes.

And I of course have plenty of pics of her in it... I'm just showing ones that really shows the lapbelt fit

 

turtlemama

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #7

Is it still ok if the lap belt is a little further down than that? I also liked how solid the Vivo felt compared to the TBs.

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #8

sure... in the first picture, it was further down (she had a little mini spurt in her legs and torso that month... the pics were taken a month apart)... her shirt is long, so makes it hard to tell... As long as they are on the upper thighs, it's fine.

it's also the same as the picture of the vivo on the iihs site - http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/boosters/default.html

 

christineka

New member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #9

Here are some pics I found of my dd when she was 6 and 7. I like how much more substantial the vivo is. It will keep a limp, sleeping kid in place.

 

TerisBoys

Well-known member

• Feb 3, 2011

• #10

To answer the Vivo vs Vivo Lite question - the Vivo is a plushy cover the Lite more breathable. Otherwise it's the same seat.

More Vivo pics. This is one booster that I've never had a problem with lap-belt fit. The older one rode in it a few times by request (he wanted the headwings on long trips) - even with his beanpole legs he never complained. The little one has mild hypotonia, particularly when he sleeps. The Vivo is one booster he doesn't slump out of.

5yo

11yo

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 4, 2011

• #11

Teri... I have seen that pic before of William in the Vivo... but I must say AGAIN... WOW... those are some LEGS!

 

turtlemama

New member

• Feb 4, 2011

• #12

Thanks everyone

Now if you had a choice of any booster (preferably under $100 so DH doesn't have a cow) which would it be?
DD is 6 years old, 47 in and 43 lbs. I measured their torsos wrong so I'm not sure on torso height or if that really matters for boosters.

Also, I registered for the CPST course on March 14th, I can't wait! I just hope I know enough to pass because I didn't see anything else open in VA for the rest of the year.

 

TerisBoys

Well-known member

• Feb 4, 2011

• #13

Kat_Momof3 said:

Teri... I have seen that pic before of William in the Vivo... but I must say AGAIN... WOW... those are some LEGS!

Click to expand...

That's Josh


He's now 6' tall and wears a 29 x 34 jean. If he doesn't start gaining weight around the midsection, I'm gonna be in trouble. Long skinny jeans are pricy!

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 5, 2011

• #14

omg... I'm so sorry! apparently your boys look more alike than I thought... his hair has REALLY gotten dark! (though that does explain the Nautilus in the picture... DUH)



To answer the which booster question... I'd be going with the Vivo... I love it that much... I really really really really really really do! (it and the Monterey are forever ingrained in my wee little heart as boosters as tall as they are and as perfect for the builds of kids they target as they are just didn't exist when Damian went into boosters)

But as I've done in the past, I encourage you to let your daughter pick, since she's gonna have to ride in it.

It's so funny sometimes how kids are... Ruthanne won't even climb in a backless booster to test it out now (and she used to ask all the time if she could sit in one when she was younger), because she says "my seat is more fun because it has pillows for my head"

 

turtlemama

New member

• Feb 6, 2011

• #15

Ok I totally changed things up now. We got income tax and I told DH that he couldn't get anything we didn't really need or I'd be buying a car seat. He said I would do that anyway so he got something anyway(Kinect for the xbox). So I went ahead and got another CA. So now DS1 gets to RF like he likes and DD gets the Maestro since she wanted to be back in the harness. She has about an inch before she outgrows the Harness on the Maestro, so I will probably get her the Vivo once she outgrows the Maestro. This way I also have an extra booster for when we go back home to put in MIL van since she just had my older 2 in LBB. Oh and I will have the Maestro to harness DS in her van too, I just thought of that, yay!

 

Kat_Momof3

New member

• Feb 6, 2011

• #16

yay! good decision!

 

B

babyherder

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2011

• #17

Awesome!