And I’ve scanned hundreds of reviews and read articles from reputable media outlets, including Car Seats for the Littles and BabyGearLab. After evaluating more than 50 booster seats, we recommend the versatile, easy-to-use Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus high-back booster. We also recommend other high-back and backless boosters that will fit a range of budgets and circumstances. This model has reached an age where she requires an incentive for modelling car seats. She received 5 M&Ms and an episode of Doc McStuffins in exchange for spending some time with the TurboBooster LX. The lower anchor connectors aren’t required for use — they hold the unoccupied booster seat in place in the event of a crash the same way a vehicle seat belt does.
They can be adjusted to keep them out of the way when not in use, which might make them easier to keep clean. However, they are not removable, so you’ll need to take the entire seat out to tip it over to remove crumbs. We were able to get our test water bottle in the holder and not have it fall out. When you don’t have much going on, it isn’t hard to be easier to use.
There isn’t much to this, and even the armrests are attached with just Velcro, which we can’t imagine will last over time. It also doesn’t even install in any way, so if there is not passenger, you’ll need to buckle it in place to prevent it from free roaming in your car. As one of the few backless options we tested, it isn’t a huge surprise it didn’t score well for comfort compared to the competition. While it is obvious you won’t have the nice side or support of competitors, what might not be obvious is the discomfort of the seat itself.
The 10-pound KidFit ClearTex Plus is easy to install and remove, thanks to its alligator-style LATCH connectors, which are equipped with a clever tightening and release mechanism. Chicco calls its installation system SuperCinch; you clip the latches to the vehicle’s anchors; then you pull on a center strap at the front of the seat to tighten and snug the seat into place with one tug. The seat’s quick-release feature detaches the LATCH connectors with a single (one-handed) pull of a front handle—no need to jam your hand between the vehicle’s seat cushions, fishing for a clip to unhook. This attractive booster is safe, easy to use, and comfortable.
It also is harder to buckle because the seat bottom is wide and obscures the buckle somewhat. However, if you want a potentially safer seat and can’t stretch your budget to consider the Chicco KidFit Zip Air Plus 2-in-1, we think many families will be content with the Cambria 2. Keep your growing toddler safe while out and about this this Graco highback booster seat.
We recommend high-back boosters over backless ones for daily use because of the additional head and neck protection they offer. And many models—including our other picks—convert from high-back to backless for carpooling, traveling, or when a kid has outgrown the high-back limits. But backless boosters cost less, and having one on hand can be convenient. The Chicco GoFit Plus has the same SuperCinch LATCH mechanism as the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus, making it easy to install, tighten, and release with one hand.
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. And it has Greenguard Gold Certification, which promises low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); the textiles used to make the seat are manufactured without any added chemicals.
The graco car seat is not the most luxuriously padded seat on the market, but it’s soft and padded enough that my daughter seems content in it.Support and SafetyAs I said, I trust the Graco brand and their safety tests. My only complaint is that the seat belt sometimes works its way out of the positioning hook in the seat. It’s easy to thread it back in, so I always check it when buckling my daughter in.Ease of UseThe Graco TurboBooster High Back is easy to use. My daughter can climb in and out herself and it’s easy to buckle her in. The only hassle with the seat is the issue of occasionally needing to re-thread the seat belt through its guide hook.DesignThe design of the Graco TurboBooster is fine. Fortunately, we’ve never been in an accident with them (knock on wood) but for everyday use they’ve been fine.
We generally purchase high-end carseats but the Turbobooster was able to stack up to the more expensive seats for about 1/4 of the price. The Peg Perego Viaggio HBB 120 is an expensive high-back booster seat with rigid LATCH; it can be converted to backless mode. In 2018, a spokesperson for Peg Perego told us that the company was planning to phase the model out of the product line, so we did not test it.