We test the products at a faster rate than the speed outlined in the federal requirements (FMVSS 213) and on a sled that better mimics modern-day vehicle seats. Each booster we test is compared side-by-side to the competition. Over time, we’ve purchased and tested more than 20 booster safety seats. Our testing puts each booster seat through a multi-point performance analysis that considers everyday functionality and more. We’ve spent years and hours using and testing boosters to determine what makes one better than another.
We do think this booster seat’s price is reasonable, considering the quality. But you don’t need to pay this much to get a safe booster seat that works well. With that said, there are potential advantages to getting a booster with LATCH. graco convertible car seat The BubbleBum inflatable booster seat is a longtime favorite carpooling option. When inflated, the BubbleBum is a smidge bigger than the RightGuide. It is a basic plastic booster with a thicker cover that looks like padding but isn’t.
We analyzed the crash test sensor data from each booster’s crash sled dummy to determine how they performed compared to each other. To help you understand crash tests better, we’ve included comparison graphs using the actual crash test results in each booster’s gear review, and we have summarized them below. Our young testers enjoyed the double cupholders, which push in and out (they are not removable, unlike those on our top pick). And the easy-to-wipe-down, machine-washable, colorful fabric comes in red, blue, yellow, plum, as well as traditional black. One of our testers said her kids all vied to sit in the “fancy blue seat,” as they described the Monterey 2XT.
She finds the TurboBooster LX a lot more comfortable in backless mode. She reports that the seat is “fine,” that the cover “isn’t particularly plush, but it’s nice.” This model has been helping to review seats for some time — her preference is always for the most plush, padded option possible. So while the TurboBooster LX fits her well, she’d prefer a more padded option. The lower anchors helped hold the seat in place as he climbed into the car. He does not have a lot of hip room to spare, but he was able to sit all the way back. Like many new booster riders, he isn’t familiar with how to buckle or unbuckle the seat belt or how to make sure the seat belt it is routed properly through the belt guides on the booster, so he required some coaching.
Once it’s removed from the TurboBooster Grow, fold the tab on the RightGuide’s bottom back under the seat, and it’s free to carry another passenger or be tucked into a backpack. The TurboBooster Grow graco convertible car seat 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.
Ordered this last week because my older kid is almost at the max of her convertible car seat and her younger sister is almost at the max for her infant car seat. Figured it was time to train her in a high back booster and if she passes the test, give her sister the bigger car seat. The Chicco GoFit Plus backless booster is the best of all the backless-only boosters we tested, thanks to a winning combination of essential features and thoughtful touches. 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.
Both the high-back and backless modes fit kids between 40 and 120 pounds and 38 to 63 inches; this seat better accommodates heavier and taller kids than our other picks. 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. She’s getting more skilled at buckling herself in properly but this slow process speaks to the difference in when children might be ready to make the move from a harnessed car seat to a booster seat. The TurboBooster LX can be installed with or without the lower anchors.