Best reasonable but safe HBB seat for when picking up friends & 2nd car

[moonbells]

I'm sure this has been done ad nauseam before, but search isn't helping me!

What is the current thinking please for reasonably-priced (under £100 would be nice) high-backed boosters for use in DH's car if he has to pick up DS, or to use as a second seat in mine for when I have to pick up other small folk for playdates?

DH's car has no isofix fittings, mine does. I do like the Britax Kidfix range but they seem to be mid-changeover with respect to models (and they're ££).

DS and his friends are around 6yo.

Hi,

The Graco Assure is a good quality high back booster. Also the non ISOfix Britax Kid - as you have said they are changing models at the moment so end of line model's can be picked up for a very reasonable price.

Mothercare currently have the Britax Kidfix online for £89.99

Hope this helps,
Kat
Good Egg Safety

Britax Adventure. It's not ISOFIX, but is a decent seat. The RRP is £60 I think, but it's always on offer for £30-35 somewhere.

I have two, my children are 8 and 5 and both sit nicely in them. The Adventure has good deep body and head support, my children rarely sleep in the car but if they do (when travelling late at night for example) they stay upright and just rest their heads to the side on the headrest.

Britax Adventure definitely, Graco Junior Maxi. You can get these for £30-40 if you keep an eye out for the offers. (Actually the next Graco up, Logico L, is on offer in mothercare at the moment for £40 and they price match the website in store)

DS has the Adventure and it's a really nice seat. I was surprised that others cost so much because it's great quality and really supportive.

britax adventure is £39.99 in argos just now

Thanks all. That Argos offer looks ideal!

I wish I could remember which well-known manufacturer had a seat rated Avoid by Which, but I think it was a Graco? Pretty sure not a Britax Adventure though!

The Graco Junior received a 'Don't Buy' from which due to it's side impact score.

I am unsure what WHICH rating the Britax received, however it is a good quality, well made, slimline high back booster and positions the belt well.

Oh really? I always thought it was a good one, perhaps not then. Still the side impact on the Logico L looks much better.

Found this on an old thread about the adventure (although it makes me wonder if it's the same seat as I can't see how HBBs are different from each other in front crashes... oh well)

kbaby, it only scores 43% in the which tests.
I'll c&p the blurb they've written about it -

The Adventure is Britax's entry-level model for children from 15 to 36kg (around four to 12 years old). It is secured using the adult seat belt, which also secures the child in position. It's easy to install, with clear instructions and the belt routing is straightforward. The seat offers both good head and leg support.

It gives better side-impact protection than most backless boosters we've seen, but it fails to protect the child sufficiently in a front end collision, with the child being exposed to such high loads the seat only just avoids the Don't Buy status.

Finish quality is good, but the cover is hand wash only - so not as easy to clean as some seats.

Pros: Acceptable side impact protection, easy to install, clear instructions, good finish quality.

Cons: Poor front crash protection, awkward to clean

I like the britax adventure too as a second seat.

I really can't see that it would be bad in a front impact. The back is adjustable so the seatbelt fits well on the child. DS fidgets and slides down if he's in a backless booster but he doesn't in this seat. It's not isofix, but lots of seats aren't.

I guess I'm wondering what it's missing? I know it doesn't have as substantial side impact protection as some other HBB seats, but it's still nice and protective, especially for a cheaper seat. The only thing I can think is that the guides for the lap portion of the belt aren't as defined as some other HBBs which perhaps might cause the belt to slip there, although as long as the child is actually big enough for the seat I don't think it would be a problem, DS has skinny legs and it sits flat on his thighs.

Yes, I can't see the problem with the Adventure in terms of front impact protection either. It perfectly positions the seatbelt across my children's shoulder/chest, and over the top of their legs too. The seatbelt goes nowhere near their neck or abdomen.

But I can see the difference in side impact protection between the Graco HBB and the Britax Adventure. My mum bought a Graco Junior Maxi as a spare for her car, and compared to the Adventure it is really shallow and flimsy. The Graco one might as well not have a back on it for all the protection it gives, which concerns me a bit because it is a very popular seat. A few of my friends have them, and if you are nosey like me and can't resist looking in a cars to see what car seats they have then you'd see it in about 50% of cars that have a HBB.

Bother! Back to saving for the kidfix...

I am looking for a seat too and was considering the Britax Adventure. I was worried by the width of the seat though. it's quite closed in so I don't know how long it would last comfortably.

What I can't understand is why lots of the more expensive ones seem so to have so much less padding etc.

No help to OP but very interested myself!

The britax adventure is a perfectly good cheaper hbb. I have two (one in exes car and one in partners) I then have kidfix in main car.

Adventure is far superior than graco junior maxi which they replaced.

Thanks. Still haven't decided! That Graco one is the one that gets MN best in the reviews section, and then it apparently is one of Which's Don't buys!

I think I may pay a pound to get the results of the Which trials.

Sorry I just realised this wasn't the thread I thought it was. Sorry OP.