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 graco turbobooster 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.
A booster seat’s primary and most important job is to position the vehicle seat belt over the 3 strongest points of the child’s body — across both hips and across the center of the collarbone. Graco’s TurboBooster family of booster seats has expanded once again! Please join me in welcoming the TurboBooster Grow with RightGuide to the family. This high back booster converts to a lightweight backless booster seat that has a surprise inside! The RightGuide is described as a “seat belt trainer,” that lifts out from the backless portion of the booster to become a highly portable belt positioner.
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.
In backless mode, the Oobr has a Check Fit rating from the IIHS, which means the seat-belt fit varied in testing, depending on the child’s size and the vehicle. Because the Oobr is three times as expensive and twice as heavy as other seats that are just as safe and easy to use, we did not test it. But a Wirecutter editor who has had it graco turbobooster for nearly three years can attest to its overall quality and that it was easy to use. The Diono Monterey 2XT Latch is similar to our top pick in terms of function, but it’s covered in a plusher fabric, and it has the option of extending the sides through the shoulders. So this seat is a good choice for kids who have a wider frame.
The TurboBooster’s deep headwings served as a good reminder for him to sit up straight and not slouch or slump. He has broad shoulders and a wider behind than most kids his age, so the high back portion of the seat is slightly uncomfortable for him. ” but I’m fairly graco turbobooster certain it is because he was so excited to be in a booster that he would have said it was wonderful, regardless of how it actually felt. The main thing we’d like to see in a product like the RightGuide is for the vehicle seat belt to fit the child correctly.
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.
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. 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.