What minimum age do boosters usually list?

bree · Apr 25, 2009

I have no reason to be looking at boosters, since both of my kids are still rear-facing, but I was taking a peak at the Jany Indy and Indy Plus. I noticed that the kid whose picture they use on their website is young looking, like 18 months-2 years (you can see him here and here). When I read the Indy Plus instructions here, it stated that "Your new INDY plus car seat from JANE is designed to protect children aged from about one and half years..."

I know 4 years and 40 pounds is the bare minimum for booster usage, with age 5+ being better, and I know that manufacturers rarely promote best practices, but is it common for 18 months to be listed as the minimum age for a booster? Or is this just some quirk of these seats in particular? (Don't worry, I'm just interested for the sake of curiosity; I'm not looking to stick my 18 month old in one!)

mommaon112903 · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

I am not 100% certain I have ever seen a minimum age listed, always a minimum weight wheather that be 30lbs or 40lbs.

tjham · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

There are several which actually say "Over the age of one year"

Just disgusting!

Maedze · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

Most boosters list three for highbacks and four for backless, unless you are discussing Dorel boosters, which uniformly say 'over 1 year of age, 30 pounds and 34" ' :thumbsdown:

carseatcoach · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

bree said:
I know 4 years and 40 pounds is the bare minimum for booster usage,

Just for chat purposes and not to argue with anyone, but 4y/40# is the best practice suggestion. In real life, it isn't the bare minimum.

I've signed off on and even facilitated 3yos in boosters when the child has outgrown a 40# seat or the seat is needed for a younger sibling and the parents can't/won't buy a HWH seat. I am usually okay with kids over age 5 and under 40# (but closer to 40# than 20#!) in boosters.

tjham · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

I think the AirBooster says 30 lbs and 3 yrs old so my cousin's little girl (33 lbs) is in one because the BOX says its OK. Her parents are both college graduates. My saying she would be safer in her Marathon went in deaf ears.

bree · Apr 25, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

Gah! One year! Yikes! I had no idea. Boo for Dorel, then!

I also didn't realize that 4 years and 40 pounds was considered best practice! I thought it was like the 1 year and 20 pound rule for rear-facing. That's why I love this board. I swear I learn something new every single day, even after coming here for 2.5 years! I guess I learned that lots of boosters stink when it comes to a minimum age and about the 4 years/40 pounds thing, so this thread was a two-for-one.

Also, I swear I know how to spell "minimum" - it is hurting me to see it spelled wrong in the title!

I hate proofreading my own stuff; I always screw up!

christineka · Apr 25, 2009

The Jane Indy booster isn't even sold in the US anymore. (Except the old ones.) I think it is pretty common in some other countries for tiny tots to be in boosters. I think the recaro is meant for tiny to big kids. The britax boosters have a minimum of age 1 and 30 pounds.

scatterbunny · Apr 25, 2009

Evenflo also used to say (not sure if new manuals still allow it) kids at least 1yo and 30# could use their boosters. I wrote them about it, and did receive an answer, but not a satisfactory one, IMO.

canmom · Apr 26, 2009

OMG.. It didn't know there where boosters in the states that stated at least
1yr

. That is very scary!

emandbri · Apr 26, 2009

cosco, and evenflo say or said 1 year and 30 lbs.

In another post it was said that in Canada at least an evenflo seat said it couldn't be used as a booster until 3 years old and 40 lbs, not sure what the US ones say they don't have manuals online.

Britax has no age but on the car seat finder on the website it would allow you to put a 30 lbs 1 year old in a monarch, the monarch isn't on there anymore though.

Graco is 3 years for high back and 4 years for low back.

Sunshine kids do not have an age limit but the manual for the monterey does say that children under 40 lbs are best protected in a 5-point harness and they recommend that children remain in a 5-point harness until the reach the height and weight limits. On the sunshine kids website no min weight is given at all.

Clek on the oobr says "minimum" 3 years high back and 4 years low back and "recommended" 4 years on the backless ones.

I think the clek info is new, it wasn't stated the last time we had this discussion, here is the thread.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=64000&highlight=age+limit+booster

Elizabeth is 33 lbs and will be 3 in July, I think I'll buy her a myride instead of an oobr though.

Kat_Momof3 · Apr 27, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

the jane is a euro seat... in europe, kids can go in boosters around that age... depending on the country and the booster in question, along with if it comes with a sheild or not (think laptop on a booster, not one of those old backless shield boosters)

but in the US, boosters usually say 3 and up, though Evenflo has put 1yr on it's big kid boosters before (not sure if they changed it or not)

scatterbunny · Apr 27, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

Kat_Momof3 said:
the jane is a euro seat... in europe, kids can go in boosters around that age... depending on the country and the booster in question, along with if it comes with a sheild or not (think laptop on a booster, not one of those old backless shield boosters)

It's true that many EU boosters have very low minimums, but I thought the only booster to have an impact cushion (shield) is the Start?

Kat_Momof3 said:
but in the US, boosters usually say 3 and up, though Evenflo has put 1yr on it's big kid boosters before (not sure if they changed it or not)

As evidenced earlier in this thread, not even most boosters in the US have a 3yo age minimum.

Maedze · Apr 27, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

scatterbunny said:
It's true that many EU boosters have very low minimums, but I thought the only booster to have an impact cushion (shield) is the Start?

.

I'm pretty sure I've seen several European boosters with the big EPS shieldy thing. (technical term). Britax makes one, I know. Essentially a monarch with a laptop sitting on it!

scatterbunny · Apr 27, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

Maedze said:
I'm pretty sure I've seen several European boosters with the big EPS shieldy thing. (technical term). Britax makes one, I know. Essentially a monarch with a laptop sitting on it!

That's right, I HAVE seen that Britax seat. :thumbsup: Thanks for refreshing my memory.

fyrfightermomma · Apr 27, 2009

Re: What minimun age do boosters usually list?

Maedze said:
I'm pretty sure I've seen several European boosters with the big EPS shieldy thing. (technical term). Britax makes one, I know. Essentially a monarch with a laptop sitting on it!

The kiddy Life Pro and Start are two I know of. The start with shield is 20 lbs-40 lbs. No mention of age

WhatAboutPuppy · Apr 27, 2009

Ok, that baby doesn't even look like he's had his first hair cut yet!! look at those cute little baby curls!!

Sigh.

joolsplus3 · Apr 27, 2009

The Combi Dakota isn't bad... age 3 and 33 pounds, but it says 33 inches is the minimum height. Leah just meets the first two requirements, but she was 33 inches at 19 months

http://picasaweb.google.com/joolsta...key=Gv1sRgCJzt8NeYtcGZ2AE#5327611517999042322

On the plus side? It fits her well, so even though it's not something I'd ever recommend doing, you know parents will read the box, figure their kid fits, and lo and behold, they WILL actually fit (for the first 10 seconds, until they lean out of the seatbelt, anyway...)

What minimum age do boosters usually list?

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