Once your child is responsible enough not to unbuckle themselves at inopportune times, they can transition to a booster seat. There are basically two types: a highback belt-positioning booster and a backless booster. Read on for my recommendation for the best booster car seats.
But What About Combination Car Seats?
Not to be confused with convertible car seats, combination car seats (also sometimes called harnessed car seats) combine a forward facing only harnessed car seat with a highback booster car seat. You have the ability to remove the 5 point harness and use the seat belt while in booster mode.
I have used two different combination car seats with my kids and have not been particularly happy with either one. These are the two I used:
- Graco Atlas 65 2-in-1 Harness Booster
- Maestro Harnessed Booster Car Seat
Our Current Highback Booster Car Seats
I currently own two booster car seats and my mom owns two as well. The following are the three seats I will be eventually reviewing:
- Graco Highback TurboBooster Car Seat
- Graco Highback TurboBooster Car Seat with Safety Surround
- Graco Affix Youth Booster Seat with Latch System
Backless Booster Car Seats
Currently we only own highback boosters which have the ability to remove the back to transform it into a backless booster. My oldest son has just started complaining about the back on his booster. We have removed the back from one of his boosters to see if he is mature enough to sit in it properly.
Since we do not currently own any backless booster car seats, I will not be reviewing any until that changes.
Are You Looking For The Best Booster Car Seats?
If so, my number one recommendation is the Graco Highback TurboBooster Car Seat. Now keep in mind that a car’s seat belt is not designed to fit children under the height of 4′-9″, which is the height of an average 11 year old. My oldest is 9 years old and while legally he can ride without any sort of booster in Oklahoma, he is not yet 4′-9″.
So if you have an older child who still needs a booster due to poor belt fit, you will need to go to your local Target or Walmart and have you child find a comfortable backless booster car seat. You can read the Car Seats For The Littles post about Booster Suggestions for Big Kids to get some ideas.