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Our Review of the RECARO Start booster seat
RECARO's seating designs are considered "Top of the Line," from famous Porsche Super Cup racing car seats to First Class airline seats on private and commercial jets around the world. The RECARO Start Booster Seat is no exception.
The RECARO Start is the only aluminum framed booster seat for kids on the market right now, but our guess is that other companies will soon follow suit. Other booster car seats rely on plastic, but aluminum is better able to absorb energy in case of an accident. Additionally, the Start guards impressively in the case of a side impact collision with its extra large side protection shell.
The innovative upholstery fabric is very soft, and super simple to keep clean...its resistance to stains is second to none. We've put ketchup and mustard on it, and it wipes clean every time. Even spots from ballpoint pens or permanent markers are removable with water. The Start has speakers built into the non-removable headrest. Just plug in a Walkman or CD player, your child can rock out to a favorite sing-a-long, and you can play your own tunes (cord attachment is included for tape or CD player).
Kids can begin using the Start at 30 lbs - one of the lowest minimum weights of any of our boosters. The Start will accommodate your child up to a maximum of 80lbs and 59" (almost 5 feet!).
What impressed our team most was our ability to perfectly customize the RECARO Start to fit every individual child. The height is easily adjustable, plus you can also vary the backrest height, shoulder width, and seat cushion length to provide an ergonomic and comfortable seating position. No other booster on the market offers this level of personalization. There is a reclining position that allows them to rest without their head falling forward.
As far as boosters go, neck support during naps is often non-existent--but not so with the RECARO Start. The fit, comfort, and safety of this seat are amazing. The RECARO Start meets the most demanding safety standards. The only thing you should note is that it is heavier than other boosters (weighing in at 19 lbs) because aluminum frames weigh more than plastic. Due to the extra bit of weight, it is required that you use the provided Tether at all times.
Other than that, the Start is an A+ in our book!
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Car seat specs
- Forward-facing weight range
- 30 - 80 lbs.
- Min child weight
- 30 lbs.
- Max child weight
- 80 lbs.
- Minimum weight for booster mode
- 30 lbs.
- Min child height
- 37"
- Max child height
- 59"
Car seat dimensions
- Product weight
- 25 lbs.
- Seat Base / Foot Width
- 13"
- Seat height
- 26.5"-32.5"
- Interior seat width
- 13.5"
- Interior seat back height
- 20"-29"
RECARO Start booster seat Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 30
LOVE these!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Frederick, MD
Date: June 05, 2008
We've had two of these for several years, and they've been absolutely the best!
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Read this whole review!
Reviewer: Nolan , Gurnee, IL
Date: May 24, 2008
We have three kids, and I have to say auto safety has come a long way in the last 10 years. This Recaro has stood the test of time as the BEST booster seat I have ever seen. The safety features are obvious: aluminum and steel reinforcements, padding on the inside and outside of the seat, and LATCH. Added to all this, if you adjust it correctly, your child will sit at about the same height as bigger siblings so he can see out the window. That in and of itself is a huge safety advantage because before he would crane, stretch, and contort to try to see out the window. Now he sits on a THRONE! The head and shoulder padding are wide enough to allow plenty of wiggle room and air flow but still protect. Having 3 boys and a big dog, this seat is tough. Everyone climbs over it including the dog. Our son positively LOVES this seat. We also modeled it for several parents at preschool amd they were floored by how awesome it is. The only thing I did in agreement with a couple other parents, was to install a 2nd tether strap around the BASE of the Start to secure the bottom as well as the top. Now the seat is rock solid and tight as a drum. The built in headphones are pretty cool too.
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Very well made seat
Reviewer: Mike Vadvilavich , Los Gatos, CA
Date: April 01, 2008
I've had Recaro seats in my street and race cars for years, so when it came time to buy a kid seat I was pretty much sold on the brand. Just like the adult seats, the kid seats are very nicely constructed with a nice heavy frame that should be super-safe in a collition. The side head protection is built just like my race car seat. The seat has proved to be durable and easy to clean. It has a little weight to it, and they're not the least expensive seat, but I can't imagine a safer seat - and that's the whole point.
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Premium Child Seat
Reviewer: Anonymous , Philadelphia, PA
Date: March 21, 2008
I am a car enthusiast and have used Recaro racing seats in the past. Recaro seats provide the best back support and comfort, not only for long periods of driving, but for track days as well. The Recaro Start is a premium quality child seat that not only provides excellent side impact support but superior back support. The materials used and build quality is of the finest available. There are also several ways to adjust the seat to the child. I tell my son that's his racing seat!
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Wonderful!
Reviewer: Andrea Hay , Avon, IN
Date: October 19, 2007
This booster seat is wonderful! We bought it for our son about a year and a half ago. He loves it. It's very comfortable. His little sister wants to ride in it too, but she is too little. We will get her the exact same when she gets bigger. Our friends son has the same on and loves it too. Worth the money!
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LOVE IT!!
Reviewer: Anonymous , New Jersey
Date: October 03, 2007
I was very torn as to which car seat to buy for my 2 1/2 year old son. His little sister was outgrowing her infant seat and my son's Britax Boulevard was going to her. I wanted a car seat with side impact protection. The car seat testing in the US is disapointing to me. This seat was the only option I had for side impact protection in a convertible seat. I was unable to find it in any store on display. I had to purchase it site unseen over the internet. I am very pleased with this seat. It is extremely well made. I feel much better now knowing that both my children are in a car seat that will protect them beyond standard testing. You can't put a price tag on their safety.
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Fantastic!!
Reviewer: Jennaea , Chicago, IL
Date: August 17, 2007
This is by far the best booster seat on the market and worth every penny. I have tall, slim kids and it was very reassuring to put them in a seat that felt this secure. By weight they could have been in their Britax Marathons until they were 8, but their legs were dangling into the front seat. I love the fact that it is so heavy - it is so much more stable and secure than any of the plastic ones on the market. Definitely go for the footrest as well - it eliminates the kisking issue. We bought this initially when my now 5 yr old turned 4, and just bought one for his little sister because we love it so much!!
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A Stellar Booster Seat
Reviewer: Anonymous , Door County, Wisconsin
Date: July 27, 2007
The Recaro Booster Seat is STELLAR!
Not being an online shopper I am absolutely amazed that I was able to find a product that so perfectly fulfills ALL our needs.
We live in a rural area and must drive great distances regularly? so the reclining seat is ideal for our 5 year old daughter to kick back and listen to a CD or watch a DVD (scholastic books or something science related FYI) using the plug in adapter for the buil-in speakers (after easily adjusting the back height to fit perfectly) while we're on the road. The built in speakers are great? we had numerous problems with headsets being too big and falling forward or ear buds regularly falling out so the built-in speakers have solved all these troublesome problems - yeah. We keep the seat permanently in recline position - so that elevates any fooling around with it with a sleepy kid eager to get in and rest. When not tired she usually sits in ?lotus? (after easily adjusting the seat length to fit perfectly) or uses the must have footrest. We also have the travel pillow that just stays put, too, which she loves and seems to actually induce calm behavior if not inviting enough to at least just rest her eyes. (Which alone is worth the price of this entire set-up because our little spitfire would rather be in the pool or on her bike than sitting in the truck again!) Overall our daughter loves her new seat, she is better behaved and actually falls sleep now, too, and when she wakes up no more neck aches, either.
My only concern is my personal installation of the seat into our Land Rover. I'm unclear if it is truly secure. The review from the Dad in Milwaukee seems to really have a grasp on it - so I'm going to follow his advice and purchase a second strap to secure the lower area because, as he said, it is a heavy seat. And why else do we strap our kids in these contraptions anyway - but to keep them ultra safe.
My wish and special note to Recaro is to design a more installation more user friendly: why not a double strap, like a backpack if you will, that goes over the truck seat down the back then slips through the seat & back cushions and double hooks onto the base of the seat! Easy. Or better yet - hook up with car dealerships (our Land Rover in Appleton has a sister Porsche dealership right next door!) and let them professionally install it for us! If you would do something like that you would get a sixth, maybe even a seventh, star from me!
Meanwhile, thanks Recaro for everything? so far.
Safe & Happy Travels to al,
Suzanne from Door County, Wisconsin
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Wow!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Athens, GA
Date: July 03, 2007
My 4 1/2 year old little girl and I opened the box and I was instantly impressed by how sturdy this seat is. It doesn't even compare to any others I've ever seen. Her Compass seems so flimsy now -- I can only imagine how much safer she's going to be . The side impact protection she has now is worth every extra dime we spent. She had been complaining about her back hurting when in her seat for longer than 20 minutes, and with two 7+ hour trips ahead of us, we had to do something different. After hours of research online, I think I've read every review out there for a booster seat that reclines, I finally settled on the Recaro Start. I had her sit in the seat for me to make the adjustments (Which were not at all difficult), and now I can't get her out of it. She's sitting in her seat reading books and told me it's her "special comfy seat". I feel so much better KNOWING that she's so much safer and much, much more comfortable. The experiece with EliteCarSeats.com was also one of my best online shopping experiences and I do A LOT of online shopping.
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