She received 5 M&Ms and an episode of Doc McStuffins in exchange for spending some time with the TurboBooster LX. The lap belt fit well low across his hips, but the shoulder belt was a little close to his neck. It’s still a decent belt fit, but ideally the shoulder belt would be more centered on his collarbone. The TurboBooster’s deep headwings served as a good reminder for him to sit up straight and not slouch or slump.
Despite the safety advantages of high-back boosters, they may not be ideal for every situation. Since backless boosters are smaller and lighter, many caregivers find them to be more graco convertible car seat convenient, especially when a seat needs to be moved frequently. And some kids outgrow the height limits of a high-back booster before they’re ready to be out of a booster entirely.
Although the specifics can vary, boosters are generally intended for school-age kids who are at least about 40 pounds and 38 to 40 inches tall, and for those who are ready to graduate from a five-point harness. Younger kids have small frames that are not well matched to adult seat belts, so a booster’s job is to raise and position a child so that the lap and shoulder belts fit properly across their body. In the event of a crash, the vehicle’s safety belt is what holds the kid in place. I wouldn’t say that it’s as comfortable as a larger booster seat (though it is reasonably well padded) with a wider seating area, but in a pinch? The Clek Oobr is an astonishingly expensive high-back booster seat.
The manual lists this padding as optional so it can be used anytime your young passenger finds it comfortable. Our primary graco convertible car seat model found this padding very comfortable. We have noticed some discrepancies between some models and date ranges.
The lap belt fit across the tops of her thighs and the shoulder belt lays across the midpoint of her shoulder. In addition, the deep headwings and supportive sidewings were great reminders to stay in place. The Monterey 2XT is bigger, wider, graco car seat and heavier than our top and runner-up picks (the Monterey 2XT is 14.3 pounds, versus the KidFit ClearTex Plus’s 10 pounds). So this model is not an ideal choice for those who want a booster seat they can quickly swap in and out of the car.