Booster Seats

Best toddler/booster seat combos

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 to $130) and the almost-identical Eddie Bauer Deluxe High Back Booster (*est. $120 to $150) 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 Cosco and Eddie Bauer 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 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.

The Graco Ultra CarGo (*est. $70 to $120) is another toddler/booster combo seat. Although the Ultra CarGo is a top choice of both CarSeatData.org and Parenting Magazine, it gets a lower rating from Baby Bargains and mixed reviews from parents. 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.

Booster seats

If your child is able to use his convertible car seat until he reaches 40 pounds (most convertible seats are rated to 40 pounds), you may not need a combination car seat/booster, like those mentioned above. You may only need the booster seat feature, so that your child is in the right position to use your car's lap and shoulder belts.

In this case, you can choose between a high-back model and a backless booster. High-back seats work well in cars with shorter seat backs, when you'll need support for the child's head and shoulders. High-back seats are often plusher with more features, but some kids actually prefer backless boosters, since they are more discreet and may seem more "grown-up."

With four top-honors in reviews, the Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat (*est. $50 to $100) is the best high-back booster seat. As with many of Graco's car seats, the TurboBooster comes in several versions. The most basic TurboBooster goes for about $50; higher-end models add features like reversible upholstery and extra padding and sell for twice that. The backless version, the , is also a top-performer in crash tests. We've included both versions in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers.

The high-back TurboBooster converts to a backless booster, and whether you choose this or the strictly backless version depends on your child's weight. The high back model should be used between 30 and 40 pounds (although it can be used for heavier weights as well), and the backless model is for kids between 40 and 100 pounds. If your child already weighs 40 pounds and your car has headrests, it's less expensive to go with the backless model from the start. Some parents note problems with backless boosters if their child naps in the car because there is nothing to keep the child from leaning to the side while asleep; therefore, a high-back model may be a better choice if your child tends to sleep in the car.

Parents on various community sites had many good things to say about the Graco TurboBooster. Much praise was given to the padding of the car seat, and the fact that it seems sturdy compared to other car seats with a removable back. While some parents liked the wings on the side for side-impact protection and support for naps, parents of some older children say their child did not like the side wings at all, possibly making them feel too ”baby-ish." The TurboBooster comes in a wide variety of upholstery, and sometimes the pattern you see at Wal-Mart will not be available at K-Mart, and vice versa.

Britax, known for its top-rated convertible car seats, also makes two booster seats. The Britax Parkway (*est. $100) is a redesigned version of the now discontinued Britax BodyGuard. Like the BodyGuard, the Parkway has side impact protection with EPS foam in the headrest and torso area. Missing from the Parkway are the BodyGuard's arm rests and the clips that kept the seat in place when not in use. Parents posting to Amazon.com and Epinions say they like the Parkway's supportive headrest for children who sleep in the car, and several mention Britax's reputation for high safety standards as an important consideration. According to some reviews, however, some children may find the headrest too narrow (it's only six inches wide), and, unlike the less expensive Graco TurboBooster, the Parkway can't be converted into a backless booster.

The Britax Monarch (*est. $150) is similar to the Parkway but with the addition of armrests, a detachable back and an adjustable seat width that accommodates larger children. The Monarch is too new to have been extensively reviewed, but early parent reviews are very positive. The arm rests seem to be somewhat controversial, judging from parent reviews so far, some of whom complain that the armrests are too low and that they get in the way of buckling the child into the seat. For those who don't need the seat-width adjustment, the Parkway is one-third less expensive for essentially the same design and safety features. The Parkway's lack of a removable back means that some parents may eventually want to buy a separate backless booster. The is inexpensive and gets top rating in crash tests and from parents.

The Compass B500 was the first foldable high-back booster, and it won a 2004 Innovation Award from the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association. Current versions, the basic Compass B505 (*est. $70) and the premium Compass B510 (*est. $95) both get excellent reviews from parents on Amazon.com, who like the EPS foam headrest for support and protection. Several reviews also praise the height-adjustable backrest and flip-up armrests. The Compass gets good crash protection ratings in one comparative review. We've included the Compass B505 in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers because it has most of the features of the B510 for $20 less. The B510 does have a few advantages over the B505, though, including a redesigned belt path and a wider headrest that can tilt forward for a better fit in some vehicles. Both models can be used for children 3 to 10 years old who weigh 30 to 100 pounds and are between 38 and 57 inches tall.

Important Features: Booster seats

Experts say to consider these important points when buying car seats:

• Don't buy a used seat. You won't know if it's been in an accident, and because the product isn't registered in your name, you won't receive recall notices. In addition, car seats are stamped with an "expiration date," usually about six years. Over time, plastic can dry out and degrade, increasing the possibility of cracks. Experts say you should not use a car seat after you've been in a moderate to serious crash — that's because car seats are made to withstand only one serious accident. However, the NHTSA has recently revised its guidelines with respect to minor accidents, and experts now say that if your vehicle was able to drive away, if the airbags did not deploy and if the door nearest the child's car seat was not damaged, it's generally safe to keep using your existing car seat.

• If your child needs a booster before he/she weighs 40 pounds, choose a model with a five-point harness. Experts point out that harnesses that adjust in the front are easier to use than those that adjust in the back. The Cosco Summit in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers has a five-point harness. Experts say it's safer to leave your child in a five-point harness as long as possible.

• Whichever seat you end up purchasing, check the return policy and keep the receipt until you're sure the seat is compatible with your vehicle. Not all seats fit perfectly in all cars. A website, CarSeatData.org, offers a "Carseat Compatibility Database" to match up makes and models of cars with appropriate car seats.

According to NHTSA, most injuries sustained in accidents involving car seats stem from improper use and installation. Consumer Reports especially emphasizes that parents follow weight guidelines, even if it means buying three different car seats as your child grows. If your infant is under a year old, but has exceeded the maximum rear-facing infant seat weight (usually about 20 pounds), a convertible car seat should be used. Convertible seats allow a heavier baby to ride rear facing until after a year old, when the seat can then convert to a front-facing model. See our separate report on convertible car seats for more information. Although few parents like the idea of cycling through three different car seats during a child's early years, experts say that keeping your baby in a properly sized seat is essential for safety.

Toddler car seats have been subject to fewer recalls than other kinds of seats, but it's a good idea to check for current recalls before you buy. Two organizations, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (http://www.nhtsa.gov) have comprehensive recall information.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
4	Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat (*est. $50 to $100)	details
4	Britax Parkway (*est. $100)	details
2	Cosco Summit High Back Booster (*est. $70 to $130)	details
2	Graco Backless TurboBooster (*est. $20)	details
2	Graco Ultra CarGo (*est. $70 to $120)	-
1 each	Compass B500 , Cosco Summit , Cosco Protek , Cosco High Rise Booster , SafeGuard Go , Eddie Bauer Deluxe , Apex 65 Harness Booster , Combi Kobuk , Recaro Young Sport ,Evenflo Big Kid Everest

The Graco TurboBooster SafeSeat is easily the best high-backed booster seat, with four top-marks. The Eddie Bauer High Back Booster is the best choice if you need a toddler/booster seat combo. The Graco Ultra CarGo is well-liked by parents, but we haven't yet seen it crash tested. The Compass B500 is unique in that it is designed for portability (the latest models are the basic Compass B505 and fancier Compass B510).

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