High-Back Vs. Backless Booster: All You Need to Know

When we think of car seats, we usually think of rear-facing or front-facing seats with a 5-point harness. We also usually think of kids under 5 years old. However, the car seat journey is far from over after your child graduates from a front-facing car seat! Most kids will need to be in a booster seat until about age 12, depending on their height and weight. But, studies show that 93.5% of parents move to only using an adult seatbelt prematurely. 

‍

‍

Booster seats can reduce the risk of serious injury by 45% when compared to seat belt use alone. Using one is a no-brainer when you’re committed to the safety of your child! However, you may be wondering about how to use the different types of boosters. It’s important to know when to use a high-back booster seat and when to use a backless booster seat.

That’s what we’ll discuss today! 

‍

High-Back Vs. Backless Booster 

As we’ve discussed, booster seats are an essential part of the car seat journey! Both high-back and backless boosters need to be in your plan until your child can pass the 5-step test to graduate from car seats altogether. In order to use each of these boosters properly, you need to understand the differences between each seat. 

‍

Here’s the breakdown:

What Is A Booster Seat?

A booster seat is a device designed to elevate your child to ensure that the seat belt sits properly on their body. Seat belts are only effective when they fit just right, and if a child is too short while sitting directly on the vehicle’s seat, it’s not only ineffective it’s potentially unsafe! A booster seat is used when a child has maxed out the limits on a front-facing car seat with a harness, but they don’t have the stature for a car’s standard seat belt just yet. 

‍

What Is A High-Back Booster Seat?

A high-back booster is the first booster phase your child transitions into after they’re done with the front-facing car seat stage! It provides the lift needed to make the seat belt fit correctly, however, it also continues to offer head and neck support.

‍

What Are The Requirements For A High-Back Booster Seat?

Even though high-back booster seats offer lots of protection in terms of a booster seat, you still don’t want to transition to them too early! 25.3% of parents transition their child too early to a booster seat, which can be very dangerous. You want to keep your child in a 5-point harness as LONG as possible. So, here’s when you know it’s actually safe to transition to a high-back booster seat with a seat belt:  

‍

1. Your child is at least 5 years old.

When you search for the requirements of a high-back booster, you’ll probably just read that a child should be at least 40 lbs. However, you don’t want to go by minimum qualifications! Instead, ensure your child is ready! 5 is the minimum age that we recommend, but many kids are 6-7 before they can sit properly in a booster.

‍

2. The seat belt fits your child properly. 

To know if a child is ready for a high-back booster, you also need to check seat belt fit! Both the shoulder and lap belt need to sit on your child properly. The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the child’s shoulder and chest (not across the neck) and the lap belt should fit snugly across the upper thighs (not the stomach). 

‍

3. Your child is mature enough to sit up for the whole car ride. 

One of the primary reasons a 5-point harness is safer for your child is because it keeps them in a safe position for the whole ride. Even if they fall asleep, they’re hugged to their car seat and remain upright. However, once you move your child to a booster seat, they’ll be responsible for holding themselves up and sitting correctly in the seat. If your child sits improperly in their seat, the seat belt can’t effectively protect them in the event of a crash. Ensuring your child is able to sit up properly is crucial for their safety. If you have a car sleeper, teach them to look up at the ceiling when they are falling asleep. This will help them stay in position.

‍

4. Your child won’t mess with the seatbelt. 

Seat belt boosters are only as effective as seat belt placement. If you think your child will play with the seat belt or move it away from the correct positioning, it’s not safe to move them to a booster seat of any kind. 

‍

If you’ve read through these requirements, and your child has maxed out the limits on their forward-facing car seat, but the seat belt fits them improperly or they’re not mature enough to sit accordingly, see if there’s a forward-facing seat with higher height and weight maximums. You can find some of our favorite front-facing car seats here, but the one that suits the largest measurements is the Chicco MyFit.

‍

What Is A Backless Booster Seat?

A backless booster comes after a high-back booster. It can also be called a No-Back Booster Seat. It offers the lift needed to get the seat belt to fit properly. However, there’s no shell to provide additional support to the child’s head and neck. Backless boosters are generally used for children 8 - 12 years old as the last leg of their car seat journey! 

‍

What Are The Requirements For a Backless Booster Seat?

Backless boosters, like every other car seat, have special requirements for use to determine whether or not they’re safe for your child. You want to ensure it’s the right time to transition, because a backless booster will, of course, provide the least amount of support of all the car seat options. As long as it’s the right time to move up to a backless booster, this lack of support shouldn’t be an issue. Here’s how you know when it’s time to move: 

‍

1. Your child has maxed out the limits on the high-back booster. 

Like any other car seat, there is a max weight and height limit for a high-back booster. Once your child hits either the height or weight maximums (or their shoulders no longer fit under the headrest when it's in the highest position), it’s time to move on. Remember, don’t go by the minimum requirement listed on the backless booster, as that may still be too early for your child to move up!

‍

2. The seat belt fits your child properly. 

Most backless boosters come with an optional shoulder belt positioner. To review, the shoulder belt should fit snugly across their shoulder and chest, not their neck, and the lap belt should fit snugly across the thighs, not the stomach. If the child does not get a proper seat belt fit, you should try a different backless booster.

‍

3. Your child is mature enough to sit up the whole car ride. 

As mentioned in the high-back booster section, in order for a child to use a booster seat, they have to be mature enough to sit up correctly to ensure the effectiveness of their seat belt. This is especially important in a backless booster where your child won’t have the seat’s shell to lean on for additional support. 

‍

4. Your child won’t mess with the seat belt. 

The seat belts need to stay in place at all times. If your child is prone to ducking under their shoulder belt, playing with either belt, or even unbuckling, they are not ready for a backless booster seat. 

‍

5. The vehicle’s headrest extends at least to the top of your child’s ears. 

Your booster seat’s manual will tell you that in order to safely use the booster, the vehicle seat needs to have a headrest that reaches at least to the top of your child’s ears. This can be a problem at times in middle seats or third row seats that don’t have headrests or have only very short headrests. However, this is a necessary head restraint to prevent neck injuries (and other serious injuries) in a crash. Your child will need to stay in a high-back booster or sit somewhere else in the car if the chosen vehicle seat doesn’t have adequate headrests. 

‍

‍

Are High-Back Booster Seats Safer Than Backless?

The safest car seat or booster is one that’s appropriate for your child age, weight, and height and fits them correctly. One option isn’t safer than the other if you’re always waiting for the right time to transition to a new seat!

If you’re ready to purchase, here’s a list of our top booster seats! 

‍

Not Sure What Booster is Right for Your Child?

Finding the right booster seat for your child can feel overwhelming, but Safe in the Seat's Virtual Car Seat Consults make it easy and stress-free! Whether you’re transitioning from a harnessed seat or upgrading your child’s current booster, our certified experts will guide you every step of the way. During your personalized consult, we’ll consider your child’s size, developmental needs, and your vehicle’s specifications to recommend the perfect booster seat for your family. Don’t leave your child’s safety to guesswork—schedule your Virtual Car Seat Consult today and let Safe in the Seat help you make an informed, worry-free decision!

‍

High-back boosters and backless boosters are both necessary phases of the car seat journey!

‍

Every type of car seat is important to your child’s safety and development. As they grow, their needs will change and it’s your responsibility as their parent to ensure they’re always in the right car seat. Luckily, with resources like Safe in the Seat, getting trusted information about vehicle safety and proper car seat use easy! 

You can find more information on our blog, and if you’re ready to buy a booster of any kind, take our car seat quiz to locate the perfect seat for your child’s size, your lifestyle, and your vehicle. It doesn’t get any easier to keep everyone safe in their seats with these handy resources! 

As an Amazon Associate, Safe in the Seat earns from qualifying purchases.