Britax Highpoint Britax Skyline
This is my in-depth comparison review of the Britax Highpoint and Britax Skyline Highback Booster Seats.
The Highpoint and Skyline seats are both belt-positioning booster seats that are designed to be used by older and larger kids who have outgrown their harness car seats. They are not suitable for babies and small children and you should be sure to check the age/size restrictions before buying one of these seats.
If you are more interested in keeping your child in a harnessed booster seat you can find the Britax Pinnacle ClickTight and Frontier ClickTight seats here.
Once your child has outgrown their harness seats, I would always recommend a highback booster seat rather than a backless booster seat, due to the safety and practical advantages that they provide.
As you can see from the images above, these 2 car seats look very similar as they share the same frame and counters. There are, however, a couple of big differences between them that you will need to consider before choosing which one to buy.
The Britax Highpoint is about $50 more expensive that the Britax Skyline and in this comparison review I will discuss the extra features that are found on the Highpoint and you will have to decide whether or not they justify the extra money.
Highpoint vs Skyline – Similarities
Here are the main similarities between the Highpoint and Skyline seats.
1. Child Height & Weight Limits
Both seats are rated as suitable for children weighing between 40 and 120 lbs.
Although these seats can be used from a little as 40 lbs, you should consider using a harnessed seat instead until you child has outgrown its maximum weight limit (usually at least 55 lbs), unless they have outgrown the height limit before that.
The child height limit for both seats is 38 to 63 inches.
These are very generous weight/height limits when compared with other seats on the market.
2. LATCH Installation
Both seats can be installed within your vehicle in exactly the same way using the LATCH anchor points with push-on connectors.
Don’t worry if your vehicle doesn’t have LATCH anchor points, however, as the seats are also designed to be kept in place by the vehicle’s normal 3-point seatbelt.
3. Headrest With 10 Positions
The headrest on both seats can be adjusted up and down into one of 10 different positions, which is plenty.
As your child grows, you will need to raise the level of the headrest to ensure that it fits properly (see manual for details). Obviously, the more adjustment position options that you have, the better able you are to ensure the best possible fit at all times. Your child’s head is the most vulnerable part of their body in the event of a collision, and so being able to ensure a good fit is an essential safety feature.
The headrest is very easy to adjust using the handle mechanism at the back and you can hear it click into place.
By adjusting the headrest, you are also adjusting the positioning of the seatbelt so that it continues to fit across your child’s body correctly as they grow.
See images of the headrest adjustments here.
4. Other Features
Other shared features include:
- Side Impact Protection
- EPP Foam
- 2 Cup Holders
- Good range of stylish fabric color options
- Washable Easy to remove cover
- Soft breathable knit fabrics
- 10 year expiration
Highpoint vs Skyline – Differences
Whilst both seats are considered to be excellent premium highback booster car seats, there are a few important differences for you to consider before choosing between them
The main differences are as follows.
1. Seat Weight & Width
Although the internal seat sizes are the same, which means that the height/weight restrictions are identical, the overall size and weight of these seats is different due to the fact that the Britax Highpoint has an extra layer of side impact protection (see below).
Neither seat is particular wide and they ought to fit comfortably within most vehicles.
The Highpoint seat 1.5 inches wider and 0.7 pounds lighter than the Skyline seat.
Highpoint – 20.75 inches wide / 12.1 pounds
Skyline – 19.25 inches wide / 11.4 pounds
2. Side Impact Cushions
Both seats come with side impact protection features within the headrest and the side panels of the seat itself.
The Britax Highpoint, however, is fitted with one additional side impact protection feature that cannot be found on the Skyline.
This extra feature on the Highpoint seat comprises an external impact cushion that sits on the side of the seat.
You can see images of the side impact protection features here.
Although the external impact cushion is a reassuring extra safety feature, it does make the seat slightly wider (1.5 inches) than the Skyline, which is something that you will need to bear in mind if you have to fit more than 1 car seat inside a small vehicle. If space is not an issue, I would definitely opt for this extra side impact protection feature.
3. Secure Guard Clip
Highback booster seats usually just secure you child in the seat due to the 2 parts of the adult seat belt. The shoulder part of the belt goes across their chest and the lap part across the top of their thighs. Getting a good fit for all children in all seats can be a challenge and it is very important that the lap belt does NOT sit across the abdomen and that the shoulder belt does NOT cut across the neck.
Both seats use a shoulder belt guide clip to help achieve a safe position.
The Britax Highpoint, however, also comes with a very useful Secure Guard Clip that helps you to also achieve a good fit across the lap. If you look at the images of the seats, you can see that there is a buckle-type object in the crotch area that isn’t normally found on a highback booster seat. The purpose of this Secure Guard Clip is to help position the lap belt across the things and to prevent it from riding up towards the lower part of your child’s stomach.
This is a very neat and effective solution to a common potential fitting problem.
Highpoint vs Skyline – Videos
Here are some video reviews of the Britax Highpoint and Skyline booster seats.
Highpoint vs Skyline – Color Options
Here are my favorite fabric color options for these seats.
Highpoint
The Britax Highpoint Booster Seat comes in a number of different fabric color options and you ought to be able to find one that you like.
Here are my 3 favorites …
Skyline
Here are my 2 favorite colors for the Skyline seat …
Highpoint vs Skyline – My Verdict
These are both great seats, but for me the additional side impact protection and Secure Guard Clip found on the Highpoint model make it well worth the extra money if you can afford it.
You are getting premium car seat without a premium price tag.
If money is no object, you should also consider the Peg Perego Flex 120 seat.
Check Best Price of the Highpoint.
Read User Reviews of the Highpoint.
Check Best Price of the Skyline.
Read User Reviews of the Skyline.
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.
Get in Touch
If you have any comments to share or questions to ask about my comparison review of the Britax Highpoint vs Skyline Highback Booster Seats , please leave a comment in the box below.
Leave a Reply