Century Boost On Booster Seat Review
(Last Updated On: September 2, 2022)
Century Boost On
The Century brand of car seats isn’t a new name but until recently, they were off the market for so long that seeing the brand return remains a bit surprising! So far, the lineup includes the Carry On rear facing only car seat and the Drive On multimode car seat, so we thought it was time to give the Boost On booster seat a look. The machine washable cover is made from recycled materials and the seat comes in a few fun colors. It is lightweight and we are excited to see what our models think about it!
CSFTL Quick Stats
High back booster weight range: 40-100 poundsHigh back booster height range: 43-57 inches tallCSFTL recommends that children be at least 5 years old before moving to a booster seat.Backless booster weight range: 40-120 poundsBackless booster height range: 43-57 inches tallExpiration: 6 yearsReplace after any crashDoes not require a vehicle head rest behind itBase can not overhang the vehicle seatRequired to be flush against the vehicle seat back
Features
Two cupholdersMachine washable coverCover made from recycled materials
Measurements
Seat pan depth: 13 inchesWidth at widest point (cup holders): 18.5 inchesHighest booster guide position: 20 inches highWeight, high back mode: 5 poundsWeight, backless mode: 2 pounds
Assembly Required
Century Boost On Cupholder Assembly
The Boost On arrives in 5 pieces: 2 cup holders, the head support, back support, and base. To start converting these pieces into a booster seat, match the left cupholder to the left side of the base and slide it into the slot, pressing down until it clicks. Repeat this process for the cupholder on the right side.
Century Boost On Assembly
Next, turn the head support and back support so they are both facing down. Slide the two pieces together until they click.
Century Boost On Assembly
Last, connect the “U” shaped hooks on the bottom of the back support, pressing until the click into place. Then rotate the back support upwards until you hear another click.
Features
Cup Holders
The cup holders are required for use but can be removed for cleaning. They are top rack dishwasher safe.
Seat Belt Guides
Century Boost On Vehicle Seat Belt Guide
The seat belt guides are yellow and very visible. This visibility is appreciated since they must be used when the seat is being used in high back booster mode.
Retraction Issues
Sometimes we see vehicle seat belt retraction issues in seating positions where the vehicle seat belt is mounted forward of the vehicle seat. The Boost On’s shoulder belt guides are open and wide so the seatbelt has more room to retract freely.
One place I often have retraction issues is in a select few seats in our 15 passenger van. I didn’t see those issues with the Boost On.
Machine Washable Cover
Century Boost On Cover
The cover is made from recycled materials and is machine washable. It must be drip-dried and can not be put in the dryer.
Easy Adjust Headrest
Century Boost On Headrest Adjustment
The Boost On includes a one hand adjust lever. Pull up on the orange tab at the top of the headrest and raise or lower the headrest to place the seat belt guide even with or just above the child’s shoulder.
Fit to Child
Note about headrest positions: we found that in many cases, having the headrest a smidge lower than we would have expected offered the best fit for the vehicle seat belt.
High Back Booster
6 Years Old
Century Boost On 6 years old
This model is 6 years old. She weighs 42 pounds and is 45 inches tall.
She normally rides in a harnessed car seat but was willing to model for us to show how a child on the lower end of the seat’s height and weight range fits in the Boost On. She has lots of room to grow in this seat. She was able to buckle herself into the seat. The lap belt sits low on her hips, touching her thigh. The shoulder belt is centered across her collarbone. We tried this headrest position and the next one up and found that the next one up put the shoulder belt into the incorrect position.
6 Years Old
Century Boost On 6 years old
Our other 6 year old model weighs 62 pounds and is 46 inches tall. He is nearing the height and weight limits of any harnessed car seat, so he has started booster training. He was excited to model a booster seat. The lap belt sits low on the hip, touching the thigh and the shoulder belt is centered across the collarbone. He did comment that the seat felt a bit narrow but was able to buckle himself easily.
8 Years Old
Century Boost On 8 years old
This model is 8 years old, weighs 75 pounds, and is 52 inches tall. He is used to riding in a booster seat and is able to buckle himself. He also commented on the narrow-ness of the seat. The vehicle seat belt fits properly with the lap belt low on the hip, touching the thigh. The shoulder belt is centered on the collar bone.
11 Years Old
Century Boost On 11 years old
Our 11 year old model weighs 87 pounds and is 54 inches tall. He typically rides in a backless booster seat but agreed to help out. He has nearly outgrown this booster by seated height, but the shoulder belt guide is still above his shoulder.
A Word about the Width
The high back portion of the Boost On is narrower than many of the other booster seats we know well. Some of our larger models were large enough that you can almost not see the back portion when they are in the seat. The same can be said when the seat is used in backless booster mode. The seat is difficult to see under some of our larger models. The models did find this seat comfortable but we’re not totally convinced that children who are built differently than our models would find the seat comfortable since it’s possible that the edges of the booster seat might dig into their backs.
Converting to Backless Booster
To convert the Boost On to backless booster mode, place the booster seat on the floor. Put one hand on the base and one hand on the top of the seat back. Rotate the seat back down, away from the seat base until it clicks. Remove the back from the base.
Fit to Child
Backless Booster
6 Years Old
Century Boost On 6 years old
Normally, we encourage new booster riders to start in a high back booster. However, we did want to show how a child within the limits of the seat would fit. This 6 year old model is 45 inches tall and weighs 42 pounds. The Boost On Provides a great fit. The shoulder belt lays nicely across the collarbone and the lap belt sits low on the hip, touching the thigh.
6 Years Old
Century Boost On 6 years old
This 6 year old model still weighs 62 pounds and is 46 inches tall. He is nearing the height and weight limits of any harnessed car seat, so he has been practicing proper booster use. The lap belt sits low on the hip, touching the thigh. The shoulder belt is centered across her collar bone. He expressed some concern about the narrow-ness of the seat.
8 Years Old
Century Boost On 8 years old
Our 8 year old model hasn’t grown any and is still 75 pounds and 52 inches tall. He fits well in the backless mode of the Boost On. He found it a bit difficult to route the vehicle seat belt under the armrests, since the booster is on the narrow side. The lap belt sits low on the hip, touching the thigh. The shoulder belt is centered nicely over the collar bone.
11 Years Old
Century Boost On 11 years old
This model is 11 years old and still 87 pounds and 54 inches tall. He found routing the vehicle seat belt a little easier, since his hips aren’t as wide as our 8 year old model’s. The shoulder belt is centered on the collar bone and the lap belt sits low on the hip and touches the thigh.
Important Information: Where to Find
FAA Approval: the Boost On is NOT FAA approved since booster seats require a lap and shoulder belt and airplanes do not typically have shoulder belts.
Century Boost On Manual Storage and Date of Manufacture Label
Manual Storage: the manual storage is located on the bottom of the backless portion of the seat.
Date of Manufacture Label: this label is on the bottom of the backless portion of the seat.
Overall Thoughts
The Boost On has lots of excellent features. It’s lightweight and reasonably priced and it fit our models well. The orange tab for the one-hand adjust headrest is highly visible and easy to use and we are big fans of the recycled materials and fun colors in the cover! Overall, it’s a solid addition to today’s booster seat lineup.
