So, technically, what's the difference btwn a 5-pt booster and a 5-pt car seat?

Coco_crispy · Jan 22, 2008

There's a debate on another message board I'm on and people have some weird ideas on what classifies a seat as a booster. I'm curious about what people think on this board. For instance, most people on the other board classify the Radians as boosters even though they can accomodate small babies and can RF. It's just a friendly (for now) chat on the other board but it made me wonder about proper classifications. Most people on the other board are in a huge rush to get their kids in boosters, though, so maybe it's a good thing that they think of the Radians as boosters!

Coco

joolsplus3 · Jan 22, 2008

A 'Convertible' is a harnessed seat that goes rearfacing and forward facing. A 'Combination' seat is forward facing harnessed then becomes a booster. Some seat makers call them "Harnessed boosters" or just boosters, but the point is, they DO become a booster!
I think anyone calling a Radian a Booster is very, very confused, since it doesn't become a booster (like when stores call the Regent a booster, that's misleading to the point of illegal, it's so wrong..maybe that's what an online store called the Radian and people are just copying it?)

joolsplus3 · Jan 22, 2008

LOL, I get that! Yeah, sure, put your 2 yo in that Radian or Regent booster...suuuuuuure, that's what it is.... (well, as long as they don't attempt to ever use them without the harness!)

Victorious4 · Jan 22, 2008

www.cpsafety.org defines/explains the differences :twocents:

Simply put, a booster does not get installed & only *boosts* the child up for the seatbelt do to all the work.

mamaofthree · Jan 22, 2008

I think some people are just confused. I was talking to a mom one day who was going on and on about buying a booster for her 4 yo. But she kept stressing how it needed to have high harness slots because she was outgrowing her current seat and she didn't want her in a booster with the seatbelt.

After going to USA Baby, she was considering the Radian and Regent "booster". Neither of those are even combo seats, which I could understand calling one of those a booster, so this woman was really confusing me. I guess some people consider anything they buy after a 40 lb convertible is a "booster"?

Kimberly

Simplysomething · Jan 22, 2008

I think that the retailers add to the confusion. I know that TRU/BRU used to have the Regent listed as a booster seat, even though nothing in the description indicated it was one.

ETA: I just want to make sure that you all know that I KNOW that nothing should have indicated it was one. Because it isn't.

unityco · Jan 22, 2008

It may be that some retailers classify their seats by weight rather than type, so that "Infant Seats" would be anything with a max weight of 20-22lbs, and "Car Seats" would be be anything with a max weight of 40lbs, and then anything for weights over 40lbs would be called a "Booster" (even though seats like the Radian, Regent, etc. clearly are not boosters.)

Just a thought, anyway.

Coco_crispy · Jan 22, 2008

You have a good point about the retailers having a big say in the terminology. It's amazing how many people will put implicite trust in a salesclerk. I was in BRU over the weekend and was appalled at the carseat info the girl was spewing to a large crowd of soon-to-be parents. They seemed to be taking her word as carseat gospel. When a woman asked her if LATCH is less safe than a seatbelt she replied, "Actually, LATCH is much much safer because seatbelts can easily come apart in a crash. LATCH will never come apart in an accident." Everyone went, "Ahhhh..." as if she had just revealed the secret of life or something.

Defrost · Jan 22, 2008

Maybe it's because "Booster Are For Big Kids!"

So, technically, what's the difference btwn a 5-pt booster and a 5-pt car seat?

Coco_crispy

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joolsplus3

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joolsplus3

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Victorious4

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mamaofthree

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Simplysomething

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