Toddler/Booster Seats

Best booster car seat combos for kids 22 to 40 pounds

A combination car seat/booster seat is the best choice for children from about 22 to 40 pounds, when the child has outgrown his infant car seat but still needs a five-point harness (best for kids up to about 40 pounds, or three to four years old); after the child has outgrown the need for a harness, the seat coverts to a booster seat (using the vehicle's lap and shoulder belt).

The Cosco Summit High Back Booster (*Est. $70) and the almost identical Eddie Bauer Deluxe High Back Booster (*Est. $120) get good ratings among toddler booster seats. Both are good choices for children between 22 and 40 pounds who still need a five-point harness. When the child is old enough to go without the harness (at about 40 pounds and three or four years old), the Eddie Bauer and Cosco car seats convert to belt-positioning boosters for use with kids up to 100 pounds or 52 inches tall.

Parents find these seats easy to adjust - an important factor in booster seat safety since incorrect adjustment reduces the seat's protective value. In five-point harness mode, these toddler/booster seats have an up-front adjuster that can be operated with one hand. In belt-positioning mode, the open-loop shoulder belt adjuster allows the vehicle's safety belt to glide smoothly, making the seat easier to use and avoiding potentially dangerous seat-belt slack. Some experts warn that the tallest harness slots are perhaps still too low, which may limit the seat's usefulness for taller children. We've included the Cosco Summit car seat rather than the Eddie Bauer Deluxe in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers because it represents a better value for the same features. The Eddie Bauer version costs more because it uses fancier fabric; you may also be paying more for the Eddie Bauer name (both seats are made by Dorel Juvenile Group).

The Graco Ultra CarGo (*Est. $80) is another toddler/booster combo seat. Although the Ultra CarGo is a top choice of CarSeatData.org, it gets a lower rating from Baby Bargains. Several parents posting reviews to Epinions say they appreciate the light weight and narrow profile of the Ultra CarGo, but a few complain that the straps can be difficult to adjust and tend to twist. Although some parents like the padding, others disagree. In addition, some experts noticed that the belt can lock itself up on the adjuster clips, potentially creating slack in the belt.