Booster car seats are a must-have when your children have grown too big for harnessed seats but remain too small to use vehicle seat belts designed with adults in mind. Understandably, you want only the best to keep your child safe and comfortable while you concentrate on driving your vehicle.
But what type of booster car seat is the safest for kid passengers? You have a choice of backless and high-back boosters. There are also high-back-to-backless models with a detachable seat back that you can remove from the booster cushion to turn the high-back booster seat into a backless one.
Comparing High-Back Booster vs. Backless Booster Car Seats
In general, choose a high-back booster instead of a backless booster seat. And if you pick a high-back-to-backless type, keep it in the high-back mode.
Let’s look at the differences between the two types and compare high-back booster versus backless booster seats.
Head Side Impact Protection
High-back booster car seats offer superior protection against head injuries during collisions. Their headrest features cushioned extensions protruding from both sides. Called head wings, they limit how far your kid’s head can move from side to side.
Head wings reduce the risk of your child sustaining head and neck injuries during a collision. They can catch your child’s head, preventing a side impact into a much harder surface, and cushion the blow.
Booster car seats improve how the shoulder and lap seat belts fit over your child, while high-back booster seats usually have a shoulder belt guide or a belt positioning clip that helps you position the seat belt on your child’s body, midway across your kid’s chest and shoulder.
Seat Belt Fit
Booster car seats improve how the shoulder and lap seat belts fit over your child. In this role, a high-back booster performs better than a backless model.
High-back booster seats usually possess a shoulder belt guide or a belt positioning clip. These parts help you position the seat belt on your child’s body, midway across your kid’s chest and shoulder. Once the belt is in place, the guide or clip ensures the restraint doesn’t move.
Conversely, backless booster car seats and adjustable boosters often lack a part that can guide the shoulder belt. The few backless boosters with a belt position clip usually place the guide in a less convenient position, making it harder to get the seat belt to fit on your child.
Kids also have trouble staying still. Even the most well-behaved child will grow bored or curious during long road trips. When your kid starts squirming on their booster, their movements can shift the shoulder belt into an ineffective position. Even if the backless booster car seat has a belt positioning clip, it might fail to preserve the proper shoulder belt fit.
Thus, choose a high-back booster over a backless model. If the booster seat can switch between modes, put it in high-back mode and keep it that way.
Lap Belt Fit
Booster car seats also improve the way the lap belt fits on your child. They help keep the lap restraint in the best position to protect your kid during collisions and sudden stops.
Again, high-back boosters offer better fits than backless ones. The seat back of a high-back booster supports your child’s back. More importantly, it positions your kid in the same way that an adult would occupy the seat. The lap belt can fit better on your child, providing protection closer to what an adult wearer enjoys.
In contrast, a backless booster moves the child back on the car seat. Since this booster type lacks a built-in seat back, the kid must recline on the seat’s backrest.
However, putting the child that far back on the car seat interferes with the lap belt fit. Instead of resting upon the child’s pelvis, the lap belt goes on their thighs. The latter position doesn’t provide the snug fit as the former.
A backless booster offers a better lap belt fit than a high-back-to-backless booster. A dedicated backless booster model doesn’t compromise on lap belt fit. In comparison, a high-back-to-backless model seeks a compromise between the best lap belt fit on a high-back model and the fit on a backless one.
Comfort
Children might have an endless supply of energy, but they will eventually become tired and sleepy. Ensure your kid’s comfort during long drives with a high-back booster car seat, which can act as an impromptu bed for your kid when they doze off.
The cushy wings extending from both sides of the high-back booster headrest do more than protect your kid’s head from side impacts. They also serve as soft surfaces for your kid to rest their head on as they fall asleep, removing the need to bring a pillow.
Posture
The type of booster car seat also affects your child’s posture. A high-back booster puts your child closer to the edge of the car seat beneath the cushion. It lets your child bend their knees over the seat’s edge, encouraging them to sit in a posture that’s comfortable.
Meanwhile, a backless booster might keep your child too far from the car seat’s edge. Your kid will find the position unpleasant, which can lead to them slouching to make themselves more comfortable. However, slouching might shift the lap belt from their pelvis onto their softer abdomen, which increases the risk of injury.
What Is a Booster Car Seat?
Booster car seats resemble a smaller version of the driver or front passenger seats. They’re called boosters or booster seats for short, and you place them on the car seat that your child will use.
No matter the type, boosters raise your child’s position on the car seat to match that of an adult’s body. They help set the car seat belts in comfortable yet snug and secure fits that keep your kid safe.
When To Switch to a High-Back Booster?
The recommended age for high-back booster usage is between 4 to 12 years. Change the booster when your child becomes too heavy for the accessory or becomes ready to use the car seat without the cushion.
Do you want to learn more about booster car seats and other ways to protect your child? We have a helpful guide for child passenger safety.
Get Durable Child Car Seat Protectors For Your Vehicle
High-back and backless booster car seats might deform or damage the seat that supports their weight. While seat covers offer some protection, a dedicated seat protector with the sturdiness required to prevent accidents is the best option. Preserve your vehicle’s upholstery with a child car seat protector from CarParts.com.
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Lisa Conant grew up in Canada around a solid contingency of gear heads and DIY motor enthusiasts. She is an eclectic writer with a varied repertoire in the automotive industry, including research pieces with a focus on daily drivers and recreational vehicles. Lisa has written for Car Bibles and The Drive.
The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.
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