Is the big Little in your life ready for a backless booster? Maybe your 8 year old is too tall for their high back booster or your 7 year old needs something more portable for carpooling. There are many choices when it comes to backless boosters. How do you choose which booster will work for you? Let’s narrow the options and look at some boosters under $20.
The stars of this show are the Harmony Youth Booster, Cosco Topside, Little Tikes No-Back Booster, Cosco Stack-it!, Dream on Me Coupe Booster, Cosco Ambassador/Highrise, and Graco TurboBooster backless booster. These are the most inexpensive backless boosters on the market. They don’t have some of the premium features that their pricier counterparts offer. For example, none of these seats have lower anchor connectors, not all have cupholders, or extra padding. If these features are important to your family, you may need to look at more expensive options.
Introducing our Model
This model is almost 9 years old, 54″, and wears a size 14. She uses a backless booster as her daily seat, but on trips with friends and family sometimes she needs a different seat to better fit that vehicle and situation. All of these seats provide a good belt fit on her. In this Isuzu Ascender, she didn’t need a shoulder belt adjuster for proper fit, but may find it more comfortable to use one in this vehicle as the belt tends to rub her neck. This is something else to keep in mind when choosing a backless booster as not all seats come with a shoulder belt adjuster.
Harmony Youth Booster
Harmony Youth Booster
- Weight range: 30-100 lbs.
- Height range: 34-57″
Pros:
- May work in a three across situation
- Small enough it may fit in some backpacks
- Lightweight
- Has shoulder belt adjuster
- Available in fun colors
- Easy to find in stores
- Lower height and weight limits for older, more petite children
Cons:
- Narrow seating area for older children
- Small armrests can make it hard to route the seat belt under them
Cosco Topside
Cosco Topside
- Weight range: 40-100 lbs.
- Height range: 43-57″
Pros:
- May work in a three across situation
- Small enough it may fit in some backpacks
- Lightweight
- Available in fun colors
- Easy to find in stores
- Shoulder belt goes over the armrest, making it easier for bigger children to route the seat belt properly
Cons:
- No shoulder belt adjuster
- Narrow seating area for bigger children
- Shoulder belt goes over the armrest causing the shoulder belt to be closer to the child’s neck in some vehicles
Little Tikes No-Back Booster
Little Tikes No-Back Booster
- Weight range: 40-120 lbs.
- Height range: 38-63″
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Has shoulder belt adjuster
- Cupholders
- Wider seating area that fits bigger children well
- Higher weight and height limits for bigger children
Cons:
- Bigger size is more awkward to carry than some other boosters
- Not three across friendly
- Difficult to find in stores
Cosco Stack-it!
Cosco Stack-it!
- Weight range: 40-100 lbs.
- Height range: 43-57″
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Cupholders
- Stack easily on top of each other when not in use
- Wider seating area that fits bigger children well
Cons:
- Bigger size is more awkward to carry than some other boosters
- May not work in a three across situation
- Difficult to find in stores
- No shoulder belt adjuster
Dream on Me Coupe Booster
Dream on Me Coupe Booster
- Weight range: 30-100 lbs.
- Height range: 34-57″
Pros:
- May work in a three across situation
- Small enough it may fit in some backpacks
- Lightweight
- Lower height and weight limits for older, more petite children
- Narrow, but still has a generous seating area that fits bigger children well
Cons:
- Narrow lap belt guides can make it hard to route the seat belt under the arm rests
- Difficult to find in stores
- No shoulder belt adjuster
Cosco Ambassador/Highrise
Cosco Ambassador/Highrise
- Weight range: 40-100 lbs.
- Height range: 43-57″
Pros:
- Lightweight
- May work in a three across situation
- Cupholders that flip in to save space
- Wider seating area that fits bigger children well
- Available in fun patterns
Cons:
- Difficult to find in stores
- No shoulder belt adjuster
Graco TurboBooster
Graco TurboBooster
- Weight range: 40-100 lbs.
- Height range: 40-57″
Pros:
- Has shoulder belt adjuster
- Cupholders that push in to have space
- Easy to find in stores
- Available in fun patterns
Cons:
- Bigger seat that’s more awkward to carry than some others
- May not work in a three across situation
- Narrow seating area for bigger children
- Requires screws in the arm rests that don’t always come installed
Overview
No matter your child’s size or your budget, there are affordable booster options for the 6+ year olds in your life. The options we’ve looked at today can help keep the children in your vehicle safe until they are 10-12 years old and pass the five step test. The most important part of using a booster seat is that the child is mature enough to sit properly for the entire ride, and that the belt fits properly. A good booster fit positions the shoulder belt even across the torso – not sliding off the shoulder or cutting into the face; the lap belt should be lying low on the hips, touching the tops of the thighs.
Originally written by Jennifer Penick. Edits maintained by CSFTL.
