Despite the lighter weight, it would not be our choice for travel or carpooling as it is harder to carry than some smaller competitors. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). Our only design complaint is that there’s nowhere to store the LATCH connectors when they’re detached. So if you’re carrying the seat around, they’ll flap, which could be annoying.
Some of us who have worked on Wirecutter’s car seat guides have opted to keep our own kids in a convertible car seat with a five-point harness through kindergarten and beyond. However, there comes a time when a child outgrows the height or weight capacity of a five-point harness seat and develops the emotional maturity to shift to a booster seat. Parents often look forward to transitioning their kids from one stage to the next. But, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has pointed out, car seats are one area where delaying a transition is the better thing to celebrate. Each transition—from rear-facing to forward-facing, from forward-facing to booster seat, and from booster to seat belt alone—reduces the degree of protection to the child. This model is 9.5 years old, 63 pounds, and 51 inches tall.
Independent Quality Providers are not permitted to install car seats. That’s a lot of words to explain that the vehicle seat belt stayed inside the belt guide. He loves this seat and his CPST mom is thrilled with the way it fits him. Small and easy to carry is the name of the game when it comes to finding a boost for travel or everyday carpooling to school or camp. We see how the TurboBooster could end up on your shortlist, given its smaller size, lower weight, and additional features like armrests and cup holders. However, it is not our seat of choice for any use, be that every day or for travel, and given the lower crash testing results, we’d recommend parents look elsewhere for suitable options based on their goals.
Seat your growing child comfortably and happily in the Graco® Turbobooster® 2.0 Backless Booster Seat. The booster seat helps protect your child by raising them up to the proper height for the seat belt. This seat has no back and doesn’t install in any way.
We previously recommended the older model of this car seat, the Diono Monterey XT, which was discontinued. 99.8% of all orders ship within 24 hours of purchase. Total shipping for an order is calculated at checkout and is based on number of products purchased, package size, weight and shipping location. We partner with all major shipping carriers to pass through to you the lowest shipping cost offered by the shipping carriers. Real-time order tracking is provided to all customers by your choice of email, text or both at no extra cost. Otherwise, delivery starts on $4.99 depending on the items you plan to purchase.
The seat is well padded (according to Chicco, it has two layers of foam and ergonomic support), and kids found it comfortable to sit in. Like a regular seat.” Our kid testers enjoyed the removable double cupholders, which are dishwasher-safe and made from a flexible material that can be pushed in and out. The headrest adjusts to 10 positions; the side wings are ample and comfortable, but they aren’t so big that they block kids’ sight lines. The backrest can be adjusted between two positions, to better fit the angle of the vehicle seat.
Most of the time she rides in a backless booster but she was kind enough to test out this booster in high back mode for us. She’s at the top range of the height for the seat and found it uncomfortable with the back portion attached. At this point, her primary mode of transportation is a harnessed car seat so every time we review a booster, it’s a little more booster training for her.
My model is very much her own person and she’s not a fan of this guide so we went back to high back mode for the rest of the review period. The TurboBooster Grow ships in 3 main pieces, with the required cupholders in a separate bag. If you’ve read any of my reviews in the past, you may recall that review dog Leroy loved helping me assemble review seats. I’m so sad to tell you that he passed away this summer and I’m now heartbreakingly free to assemble seats without his dedicated assistance. Promotional offers available online at Kohls.com may vary from those offered in Kohl’s stores.
Our top-pick high-back booster, Chicco’s KidFit ClearTex Plus, does convert to a backless version that’s very similar to the GoFit Plus. But for families that want to purchase a standalone backless booster, the GoFit Plus is a quality option. This seat weighs 6 pounds and has a Best Bet rating graco convertible car seat from the IIHS for its ability to provide a proper seat-belt fit. LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. This system allows you to install a car seat by attaching a pair of metal hooks or clips, which are built into the seat, to a set of anchors, which are built into the car.