Choosing the Best Harness to Booster Seats
Let me be clear and state that I am not suggesting that these are the only good combination harness to booster seats available, but they are definitely those that would be at the very top of my list if I were looking to buy a seat today.
Before identifying some of my favorite combination seats, I want to stress that you should not be in any great hurry to transition your child from their convertible car seats to a harness-to-booster seat. Just because a harness to booster seat us rated as suitable for use from 20 lbs in harness mode does NOT mean that this is the best option. Some of these seats are only capable of being used in the harness mode whilst Forwards Facing (e.g. the Britax and Recaro Seats). Since Rear-facing is considered by experts to be much safer than Forwards-Facing, you should think very carefully before placing your child in a forwards-facing seat at 20 lbs. Ideally, you should have your child Rear-Facing for as long as they remain within the height and weight limits for that mode of travel (often up to about 4 years or age / 50 lbs).
So, if your child is currently in a good Rear-Facing convertible car seat and has not outgrown the limits yet, they may well be better staying put rather than transitioning to a Forwards-Facing seat – there is no rush. However, if you have previously been using a “bucket-style” infant seat and your child has outgrown it, you might be better advised to consider one of the Diono Convertible Harness to Booster seats rather than the Britax or Recaro models due to the fact that the Diono seats are suitable for use in a Rear-Facing position until your child is ready to turn around at a later stage (see below).
3 of the Best Harness to Booster Seats
Here are my 3 favorite series of harness to booster seats, in no particular order.
#1 Britax ClickTight Combination Booster Seats
The Britax Harness to Booster seats are very popular and there are now 6 models to choose from (3 x older versions and 3 x 2014 versions).
One of the reasons that there are so many to choose from is that Britax introduced modified “2014 versions” of the Pinnacle 90, Frontier 90 and Pioneer 70 seats due to concerns about the lap belt fit when used in the “booster mode” as opposed to the “harness mode”. In order to allay any concerns about this issue (and avoid customers having to buy an aftermarket solution), Britax has now completely redesigned the armrest belt-retaining mechanism to ensure a much more consistent fit. The best way to tell the difference between the 2014 models and the older models is to look carefully at the shape of the red plastic insert on the armrest. The older version is “rounded”, whilst the post-2014 version looks more like an “L-Shape”.
The great news is that the post-2014 models of these Britax ClickTight seats have all received a “Best Bet” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in their latest round of Booster Seat Evaluation Tests.
I am not going to write a full review of these seats here since I have already done so elsewhere on this website.
However, the Key Features of these seats in terms of suitability are as follows:
- Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 “harness mode” of 25 – 90 lbs (FF only)
- Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 “booster mode” of 40 – 120 lbs (FF only)
- Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 “harness mode” of 30 – 58 inches (FF only)
- Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 “booster mode” of 45 – 62 inches (FF only)
- Pioneer 70 “harness mode” of 25 – 70 lbs (FF only)
- Pioneer 70 “booster mode” of 40 – 110 lbs (FF only)
- Pioneer 70 “harness mode” of 30 – 56 inches (FF only)
- Pioneer 70 “booster mode” of 45 – 60 inches (FF only)
Note: the Britax seats are NOT recommended for children aged under 2 years. Also note that the Pioneer 70 seat does NOT come fitted with the easy-to-use ClickTight belt installation mechanism. Instead the seat belt must be routed around the back of the seat.
Here is a Review of the Britax Pinnacle 90 by “PishPoshBaby”:
Here is a Comparison Video of the older Britax Models by “Bibs & Binkies”:
I have previously written side-by-side comparison reviews of the older versions of these seats. Aside from the improved armrests on the post-2014 models, they are fundamentally the same seats.
You can read my comparison reviews here:
You can also:
- Check the Latest Prices of the Britax Harness-to-Booster seats here
- Read More User Reviews of the Britax Harness-to-Booster seats here
#2 Recaro Performance Sport
The Recaro Performance Sport is a combination harness-to-booster seat that is suitable for use from 20 to 120 lbs.
Although this seat has an even lower starting weight limit than the Britax seats, I will repeat what I have already said about the benefits of Rear-Facing. Since the Recaro Performance Sport can only be used in the Forwards-Facing position, I would strongly suggest that you avoid using it from as low as 20 lbs if at all possible. I certainly wouldn’t use one for a child aged under 2 years. If your child is still within the weight & height limits of their Rear-Facing infant or convertible seat, they are probably better off staying put for the time being.
If you do not have one of those alternative infant or convertible seats at the moment and you are adamant that you want to buy a harness-to-booster seat now, you should give careful consideration to one of the Diono seats described below since they are suitable for use from birth and can be used Rear-Facing until 40-50 lbs (depending upon model choice).
Two of the features that seems to attract parents to the Recaro Performance Sport seat over its competitors are the breathable mesh fabric and the metal re-inforced deep side wings. Despite it being an excellent option, I tend to prefer the Britax seats due to the much greater height and weight limits for use in the Harness Mode. I also really like the ClickTight installation mechanism that comes with the Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 seats.
Just like the Britax seats, the Performance Sport has recently achieved a “Best Bet” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in their latest round of Booster Seat Evaluation Tests.
The Key Features of this seat in terms of Child Suitability are:
- Harness Mode weight limit of 20 – 65 lbs (FF only)
- Booster Mode weight limit of 30 – 120 lbs (FF only)
- Harness Mode height limit of 27 – 49 inches (FF only)
- Booster Mode height limit of 37 – 59 inches (FF only)
I have previously written side-by-side comparison reviews of the Britax and Recaro Harness-to-Booster seats.
You can read my comparison reviews here:
You can also:
- Check the Latest Prices of the Recaro Performance Sport here
- Read More User Reviews of the Recaro Performance Sport here
#3 Diono Convertible Harness-to-Booster Seats
There are now 2 separate series of Diono Convertible Harness-to-Booster seats on the US market:
- The older “Radian / R120 / R100” series
- The newer “Rainier / Pacifica / Olympia” series
They are all rated as suitable for use from 5 lbs upwards and can be installed Rear-Facing as a convertible car seats prior to being turned around and used in harness and then booster modes.
One added practical benefit of the Diono seats (apart from the Rainier with its large head wings) is that they are very narrow (approx. 17 inches wide) and you can often fit 3 side-by-side in a standard sized family vehicle.
Although the newer Rainier series caused a great deal of excitement with its large head wings and promise of even longer Rear-Facing, there have been some concerns expressed about these seats that I have discussed within my comparison review posts.
Sadly, NONE of these newer seats achieved a “Best Bet” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in their latest round of Booster Seat Evaluation Tests. The best performer was the Rainier with a “Good Bet” rating and the worst were the Pacifica and Olympia seats, which only achieved a worrying “Not Recommended” rating in booster mode. If you are happy to change these seats after the “convertible” phase is over then these IIHS ratings don’t need to concern you. However, most people will want to get full lifespan out of their seat and ought to consider one of the other options instead.
The good news is that the trusty (and very popular) Diono Radian RXT continues to score highly and received a “Best Bet” rating. The Diono R120 and R100 seats also achieved this top rating.
In short, if you are looking for a convertible Harness-to-Booster seat from the Diono range that allows extended Rear-Facing and scores highly in the IIHS Booster Tests, I would highly recommend the Diono Radian RXT seat.
The Key Features of the Diono Radian RXT in terms of Child Suitability are:
- Harness Mode weight limit of 5 – 80 lbs (RF to 45 lbs)
- Booster Mode weight limit of 50 – 120 lbs (FF only)
- Harness Mode height limit (RF) of 44 inches
- Booster Mode height limit of 40 – 57 inches (FF only)
A Great Video Review of the Diono Radian RXT by “Janet D’Oliveira”:
You can read my comparison reviews here:
- Diono Radian RXT vs Rainier
- Diono Rainier vs Pacifica
- Diono Rainier vs Olympia
- Diono Pacifica vs Olympia
You can also:
Buy Harness to Booster Seats in Canada
Check Prices of Britax Harness to Booster Seats
Check Prices of Diono Harness to Booster Seats
Safety Information
After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.
You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here
Do You Need More Help?
If you have any other feedback about my “Best Harness to Booster Car Seats 2017″ post, please just leave a comment in the box below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
Thank You
Very informative article and great products, your videos make your article even more awesome.
All three products are very tempting to buy, how would a person choose among the three you have provided today on your website?
I am interested in this product for one of my nieces, any recommendations on the best product for a 2 year old girl?
Since your niece is only 2 years of age, she needs to remain rear-facing if at all possible. Rear-facing is much safer than forwards-facing at that age.
Of the 3 seats that I mention in this article, only the Diono Radian RXT and the Recaro Performance Sport would really be suitable since they are also usable as convertible car seats prior to being able to function as a harness to booster seat.
The Diono Radian RXT is a great seat, but if you want to look at a few more options for kids as young as 2 years of age, you can read my article on the Best Convertible Car Seats here >> https://kidsafetyfirst.com/best-convertible-car-seats-2017
Awesome write up here which I found very useful for me.
After reading your recommendation and the videos of booster seats, I am still can’t make my own mind. All 3 are too good to grab. I feel like buying all those 3 you mentioned above.
What is your top recommendation if I were to buy for my friend daughter which is about 2 and half years old?
If your friend’s daughter is only 2 and a half years old, she is probably a little too young to use a harness to booster car seat. Ideally, she should remain rear-facing for at least another year and dedicated harness to booster seats won’t allow that.
Ultimately, it is her height and weight that will determine which types of seats are suitable for her rather than simply her age.
The Diono Radian RXT seat is suitable for use as a convertible car seat as well as a booster and so she could buy that seat, use is as a rear-facing convertible seat for a while (if she is currently within the maximum height and weight limits for that mode of use), and then switch around to face forwards later on.