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If your child has outgrown a harnessed child seat, it’s time for an upgrade with a high back booster seat. It’s the next step before he or she becomes older and tall enough to wear a seat belt. With a high booster seat, your child will be safe and comfortable during the ride. His or her back and neck will have the needed support, and the extra padded sides will protect against impact. To help you choose, we found the best high back booster seats on the market.
Summary List
- Best Overall: Graco AFFIX High Back Booster Seat
- Best Value: Evenflo Big Kid Highback 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster Car Seat
- Honorable Mention: Graco Turbobooster Seat
- Honorable Mention: Graco Atlas 2-in-1 Harness Booster Seat
- Honorable Mention: Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster
Types of High Back Booster Seats
LATCH Connection System
The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system was developed by British car seat manufacturer, Britax. It uses fixed anchor points in the car—instead of the vehicle’s seat belts— to hold a car seat in place, and it’s considered an easier, more secure method of installation. It’s a legal requirement on all booster seats and cars made since September 2002.
Seat Belt Connection
Car seats that do not include LATCH connectors are fitted into the vehicle using the seat belt. Fixtures in the back and base of the booster seat hold the seatbelt in position, and the belt is fastened into the holster. This is how all car seats were installed before the introduction of the LATCH system described above, but the method is being phased out.
Best High Back Booster Seats: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
Graco AFFIX High Back Booster Seat
Best Value
Evenflo Big Kid Highback 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster Car Seat
Honorable Mention
Graco Turbobooster Seat
Honorable Mention
Graco Atlas 2-in-1 Harness Booster Seat
Honorable Mention
Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster
Our Verdict on the Best High Back Booster Seats
Our top pick is Graco AFFIX High Back Booster Seat. It’s an adjustable booster that feels super safe and comfortable.
For a budget-friendly alternative, take a look at the Evenflo Big Kid Highback 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster Car Sea. It’s a lightweight seat with a lot of extra features to keep your child protected and comfortable.
Benefits of High Back Booster Seats
- Impact protection. Unlike a backless seat, a high back booster seat provides a solid base and sides to provide side-impact protection in the event of a collision.
- Support. Providing extra height means the adult seat belt supports your child in all the right places, with additional head, neck, and leg support in most seats.
- Comfort. Seat belts are uncomfortable to wear if you’re not quite tall enough because they don’t sit right. Booster seats include cushioning and padding, neck and head support, and even arm rests to remedy this.
- Versatility. These seats are designed for taller children from around 3 years of age, but many designed for smaller children are convertible and will simply grow with your child.
- Cost-effective. Investing in a versatile, convertible car seat that grows with your child until it needs nothing but a backless booster seat is more cost-effective than buying a different car seat designed only for specific parts of their development.
Pricing
- Budget (around $50): Booster car seats are fairly basic in design and don’t require any complicated parts, so it’s fairly easy to find budget models. But always check reviews and safety certificates.
- Mid-Range ($100-$200): Most high back booster seats fall into this price range. Expect recognizable brands, a steel frame, and many adjustable safety features.
- Premium ($200 and up): This is where you’ll find the very top end booster seats with extra features, like cup holders and stain-resistant, removable seat pads. This price point also includes convertible car seats that will grow with your child over a number of years.
Key Features
Connection System
As there are different types of car seat connection systems, it’s important to know which one you’re dealing with. Latch systems are considered safer, with some requiring the installation of a base before you can attach the seat. Others just need your vehicle to be compatible with its anchor points. Belt-positioning booster seats should be fairly universal.
Vehicle Compatibility
You also need to know that the booster seat you’ve got your eye on will actually fit in your vehicle. Booster seats vary in base size, width, and height, and not every model is going to fit in every car. Some require your back seats to have a flush or removable headrest, for example.
Adjustable Headrest
Being able to adjust the headrest essentially means adjusting the height of the booster seat. Having an adjustable headrest means the seat can be made to accommodate your child for a much longer period of time.
Additional Support
The whole point of a high back booster seat is to protect and support your child during the time when, because of their height, they will not be sufficiently protected by the standard seat belt. As a result, most infant car seats offer side-impact protection around the sides, but only some offer additional support, like adjustable leg rests, wings to protect the head, and shoulder pads.
Other Considerations
- Washable Covers. Easy-to-remove seat pads that can go straight in the washing machine with minimal fuss are a must-have for most parents.
- Portability. If you’re a two-car household or regularly have a grandparent driving your child around, you should probably choose a booster seat that is easily portable and transferable between vehicles.
- Comfort. In addition to superior safety features and impact protection, a booster car seat is also supposed to be more comfortable for your child. Additional options to consider include wings to support the head, arm rests, and extendable leg rests.
- Extra Features. Premium models include things like dual cup holders, activity trays, the ability to recline, and a whole host of other extra features.
Tips
- When choosing a high back booster seat, look for side-impact protection. Both seat sides should have energy-absorbing foam cushions for ultimate protection. The extra padding should be located on the headrest and torso area as well.
- Look for the adjustable harness and headrest if you want your child to feel cozy in the seat. You should be able to adjust the parts according to your child’s body. Also, look for extra features, such as armrests and cup holders, as they also enhance comfort.
- Pick a seat that is easy to wash. Look for the ones that have removable covers for easy cleaning or material that you can wash with soap and water.
- Pick a seat that matches your child’s age, weight, and height. A seat with an adjustable harness and removable backrest is always an excellent choice. It allows you to adjust the parts as your child grows older, so you can use it for longer.
FAQs
A: It’s a seat designed for children that have outgrown a traditional harnessed seat yet are still not big enough to ride without extra protection. A high-back booster seat is one of the last steps before a child starts sitting in the vehicle with only a seat belt. It provides extra head and neck support and improves safety on the road.
A: A high-back booster seat is built for children who still need extra protection during rides. It features head and neck protection as well as additional padding on the sides. A backless seat has only a cushion that boosts the child’s height. It’s used when your child is old enough to ride only with a seat belt, yet is not tall enough to reach it.
A: Different states have different laws and regulations, so check to make sure. Most of them agree upon a 40-pound weight limit and an age of 4 years. A child should also be tall enough to have shoulders that are higher than the straps of the seat.