5 Safest Booster Seat for Older Children in 2024
While most of us have good memories of riding in a family wagon unrestrained, at that time parents didn’t realise how deadly it was. Today, there are more cars on the roads, and people seem to drive faster than they used to back in the day. Kids these days spend more time in cars than we did as youngsters and before car seats were generally used.
Even though the increased use of car seats and seat belts has led to a significant decrease in death and injuries, nearly 1.35 million car crash deaths are reported in the United States each year that’s an average of 3,700 deaths per day! 20-50 million are injured or left disabled due to road crashes each year here in the United States alone.
(Data from Association for Safe International Road Travel)
We as parents tend to forget that seat belts are only designed for adults and not children. Seat belts are not designed to hold children securely compared to specifically designed children’s car seats.
Did you know that research shows that a booster seat significantly reduces the chances of car accident-related injuries by 45%? Click here to read the whole report.
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When is your child ready to transition to a booster seat?
One your baby exceeds the weight and height limitations of a harnessed car seat, you will need to transition the child into a booster seat that is designed to align a regular car seat belt over your child’s lap.
Many kids will be ready to transition to a booster seat at age six or older. But they must remain in a forward-facing harness as long as they meet weight and height requirements. When you’re 100% sure that your toddler is ready to make that switch, it’s essential to research the best booster seat to buy. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. We tested many car seats and below is a review of the five best booster seats for your growing child.
Booster seat for older children comparison chart
Booster seat for older child reviews
1. Britax Grow with You ClickTight Harness-2-Booster
If there is anything in this world worth spending a few extra bucks on, it’s the safety of your little ones. For best protection and comfort of your child, Britax ClickTight Harness-2-Booster Car Seat is one of the best booster car chairs available on the market today. This is an update to the popular Britax Frontier
- Weighs 24.9 pounds
- It comes with a one-year limited warranty. This means that the product is warrantied against artistry and defective material for one year from the day of original purchase.
Research shows that over 75% of car seats are not correctly installed. Fortunately, with Britax, you don’t have to know how to install the chair properly. To ensure seamless installation, this car chair is fitted with a ClickTight Installation System for a one-click installation. To install it, you only need to open the front of the car chairs, buckle the car seatbelt across and click the sit shut and that’s all.
Key Features:
- Smart design
- Superior protection
- High quality & Safety
- Comfort
- SafeCell Impact Protection
The foam-lined headrest and the deep energy-absorbing shell make up to 2 layers of protection to protect your little one from side impacts. What you will love most about this car seat is the versatility. It will grow with your child right from when the child weighs 25 pounds until they are ready to transition to a traditional booster seat.
For decades families have trusted Britax to keep their little ones safe on the roads. The company designs and creates car seats in the US and with United States and global components.
The Britax Grow with You ClickTight Harness-2-Booster Car Seat features a SafeCell Impact Protection system which includes an energy-absorbing base, a steel frame, and an impact-absorbing tether with stitches that slow and also reduces forward movement during a crash.
Colors Available:
- Vibe
- Baxter
- Cowmooflage
How safe is the Britax Grow with You ClickTight Harness-2-Booster Car Seat?
Britax car seats have been ranked as the easiest to use and safest car seats in the automotive industry in the United States. (See the proof here and here). Major publications and consumer websites have ranked this product among the safest car seats on the market.
Independent crash tests have shown how superior this car seat is regarding protection. The steel frame significantly reduces flexing during the crash. The seat has two layers of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam to absorb energy generated from side-impact crashes. Overall, the Britax is one of the best booster seats with a harness on the market today.
2. Chicco KidFit 2-in-1 Belt-Positioning Booster
If you are looking for a booster car seat that can be used with/without a back, then Chicco KidFit is the product to meet your needs. It can easily be adjusted in distinct ways to suit the size of your child and make him/her comfortable.
- Total item weight: 10.2 pounds
- Dimensions: 28x19x8.5 inches
- Conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213
- Colors available: Atmosphere, Celeste, and Wimbledon
This booster features a DuoZone Side-Impact Protection system to protect your little one from the impacts of side crashes. Just like all other car seats from the same manufacturer, the KidFit 2 in 1 feature a SuperCinch LATCH attachment & one-pull tightener that help to keep it in place for seamless in/out. Double foam padding provides support and comfort to your little.
For added convenience, armrest and seat pad covers are removable. They are also machine washable
- It’s lightweight and built very strong
- Installation is easy as well as removal
- Easily converts to a backless booster
- Comes with cup holders
3. Mifold Grab-and-Go Car Booster
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If you’re planning a trip with your little ones and looking for a booster seat that is easy to transport, then Mifold Grab-and-Go Car booster seat is designed explicitly for that purpose.
- Dimensions: 1 x 13 x 7 inches
- Booster weight: 1.7 pounds
- Recommended age: 4-12 years
What makes it ideal for families that are always on the go is that it’s ten times smaller than standard car booster cast but equally safe. The product has been crash tested and meets the standards set by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Key Features:
- Made from durable materials
- Compact and comfortable
- Meets safety standards by FMVSS
- Easy to install and offers maximum comfort
- Easy to clean
- Uses foam padding technology for comfort
- Seven-year lifespan from the time of purchase
The Mifold booster seat is designed to protect children aged four years to 12 years. The patented design takes the car seatbelt off the neck and stomach thus making it comfortable, easy and safe to use. Additionally, it can be adjusted to fit children of all sizes- grows with your child.
This product is made of high-quality plastic polymers and aircraft-grade aluminum and DenseFoam to offer comfort to your baby. Though Mifold is probably one of the best booster car seats, many users term is as one of the best booster seats for travel. Therefore, if you are planning a vacation- this could be a wise investment.
Important Note:
Mifold has notapproved for air travel. It also has not been approved for use with inflatable seatbelts found in some cars like Lincoln, Ford, or Mercedes. If involved in a crash, this booster seat must be replaced.
4. Britax Parkway SGL G1.1 Belt-Positioning Booster Seat
Britax has been providing childcare products since 1938. Over the years, the company has garnered customer satisfaction thanks to their high-quality products. The booster seat has an impact absorbing base, steel frame and two layers of energy absorbent cushion that extends on both sides.
The ISOFIX LATCHES secures the seat into your car’s seat while a clip ensures that the lap belt does not let your little one slip in case of a crash.
- Product weight 16 pounds
- Dimensions: 15 x 18 x 28 inches
- Minimum and maximum weight recommendation: 40 and 120 pounds respectively
Parkway SGL is one of the safest best positioning Booster Seat with an extra layer of side impact protection and SafeCell Impact protection. Other booster seats will go flying in the event of a crash, but with this booster seat, the special LATCH connectors will ensure that the seat is secure even when not in use.
The SafeCell Impact Protection is a combination of safety components that offers unmatched protection for your little ones. These features include a base that compresses to absorb crash energy and high back design.
5. Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster
This is a forward-facing-harnessed car seat is best for children weighing between 22 to 40 pounds and a height of 28 to 50 inches. It can be converted to a belt-positioning booster ideal for children weighing 40-110 pounds and a height of 43 to 57 inches. The car seat features two crotch strap positions and a four shoulder harness which adjusts according to your kid’s needs as they grow.
- Product weight: 11 pounds
- Dimensions are 19 x 11 x 20 inches
- Minimum and maximum weight recommended is 22 to 110 pounds respectively
The four shoulder harness position is adjustable to suit your child as they grow, so you don’t have to worry about incurring more expenses buying a transitional car seat. This booster also comes with a removable head pillow and a machine-washable car seat pad.
Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster meets and exceeds all the safety standards. The product has been tested at energy levels two times the federal crash test standard. Many reviewers recommended this durable and versatile booster seat. It’s affordable, easy to install and comfortable.
Colors Available:
- Tonal Hearts
- Jubilee
- Jasmin
- Grey
When can my child be in a backless booster seat?
Transition the child if he has outgrown the internal harness or reached the height limitation for a forward-facing car seat. The age is generally between 4 to 8 years of age and when the kid is at least 35 inches tall.
Can my 3-year-old ride in a booster ?
In general, kids three years old and younger lack the maturity to remain properly seated in a booster seat. Even though some manufacturers rate their booster seats down to 30 pounds, it is recommended that children weighing less than 40 pounds ride in a car seat with a 5 point harness.
How long should my child be in a 5 point harness?
A child can use a forward-facing car seat with a 5 point harness when they attain a minimum of 12 months and weigh at least 20 pounds. Your child should remain in a 5 point harness until he/she is four years and at least 40 pounds.
Do boosters expire?
All boosters and car seats have different lifespans. There is no one rule that fits all, but generally, car seats will expire anywhere from four to 12 years from the time they were made. Be sure to check the lifespan on the sticker attached to the product.
Is there a weight and height requirement for a booster car seat?
All children whose weight & height exceeds the weight limits for the forward-facing car seat should transition to a belt-positioning booster seat until the car belt fits them properly, ideally when your child has reached 4 feet 9 inches.
Which one is safer – a seat belt or a LATCH?
A car seat installed properly with a seat belt is as safe as one installed with the Latch system. In some car models, the lower Latch anchors are inaccessible, and therefore it’s even easier to install the seat with a seatbelt.
Which side of my car is the safest to install a car seat?
The safest place you could install the car seat would be the center of the back seat. According to a study conducted by Pediatrics children 0-3 years old seating on a car seat installed in the center rear seat are 43% safer than those sitting on the side.
Final thoughts on booster seat for older children:
That’s it guys, my reviews on the different types of portable boosters for your kids. If you are looking for more car seats related articles you might find the following interesting. You can read this one about the best car seats suited for small cars. You may also be keen on when to start potty training for babies
Hi, I'm Tanya Madsen, a stay at home mother of 3 and a full time blogger. I participate in Amazon affiliate programs and earn a commission when you click over from our site. It won't cost you an extra dime (in fact you'll usually get a discount), so it's a win-win.
