Reader help: The best booster seat?

By Manda

Now that my daughter is in her second year of preschool, she is having more play dates with her little friends and it is SO CUTE! She actually has one today after school and when I told her she was going to her friend's house (and the yogurt shop!) after school she nearly jumped out of her skin with excitement.

When we arranged the play date, the other mom said something magical to me: "And don't worry! We have an extra car seat!" I cannot tell you how awesome and convenient that is for me. My 4-year-old still rides in this five-point harness seat in my car (and she will for quite a while longer, as it's rated up to 70 pounds!), but it is a bit of a bear to get in and out of the car. Now that we have developed some deeper relationships at school and occasionally pick up other kids after school to help out other parents or to do play dates, I'd like to have an additional seat in OUR car so that I can return the favor. It would actually be a wise thing for us to have on hand so our daughter can hop in the car with her dad without having to move seats, and as we also have a 2-year-old and a baby on the way, an extra seat could be verrrry useful for us in the coming years.

 

 

And that's where YOU come in! What high-back booster seats do you recommend? I see them everywhere for a variety of prices and have no idea where to start. Consumer Reports recommends the Graco HighBack Turbo Booster (the one pictured above) for overall safety and price point, and I'm curious if anyone has this one and what your feedback is? If there's a better all-purpose one out there that you LOVE? Please shoot me a recommendation! Thanks!

(photo via ConsumerReports.org)

Comments

[Reading (and chickens)]

Yep, Graco HighBack booster. Back snaps off for older kids, fabulous. We have three, have had them for four years, schlepped them all over the country. Work well.

[Megan @ Mama Bub]

We just bought the Graco highback turbo yesterday, and I love it. It's easy to put together, easy to use, and easy for kids to buckle themselves in to.

[Jeanne D from Calif]

Seriously- 5 point harness, hands-down. Expensive but worth it. Here's an example that grows with the kiddo-
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4032958&CAWELAID=505725441&pla=plab&cagpspn=pla

Please look at these about a toddler killed in a high back booster, his family is doing great work educating others =)
http://kdmf.blogspot.com/
http://vimeo.com/2994502

[Michelle]

We actually have that exact car seat in my husbands car. My car is our go-to car for any trip--so my son has a really good five point harness in that car. But, for my husbands car, we chose a more cost effective, non-five point harness (the Graco highback) for his car. He rarely travels more than two or three miles with the kids in his car, so it works perfectly for us. It was easy to put together and very easy to install. We also use that seat when we are leaving the kids with someone (my parents or an aunt) in case they need to go somewhere. It's not as bulky.

[kakaty]

Mt 6 year old is still in her 5 point harness 98% of the time (when we had a 2nd kid we bit the bullet and bought more carseats - there are 2 5pt seats in each car. It was a huge expense, yes, but so so worth it).

However, when she finally reached the 45 lb mark we got a Diono Monterey Booster http://us.diono.com/en/car-seats/monterey-booster. The 4 carseats we own are by the same company and we love them. We usually keep it in the trunk and that way we can throw it in grandma's car or in a car or a playmate. Or, install it in our 3rd row if we're the one's with an extra friend in the car.

(the 45 lb weight requirement was recommended by both our ped and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, YOU'RE IN MY FACE OMG I GOT YOUR POINT SIR, by the police officer at one of our car seat checks).

[Katherine]

We're looking into getting a high backed booster for our 5.5 year old. He's tall and heavy for his age (48+ inches and 52lbs)and I think we're going to get a Britax Parkway.

[Christy]

We have the Oobr Clek. I love that it latches and is very easy to take in and out.