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Quick List: Best 5 Point Harness Booster Seats
Toddlers should ride in booster seats with a 5-point harness until they’re big enough to sit in a rear booster seat. After comparing and reviewing 10+ 5-point harness booster seats, we can reveal that the best booster car seats with harness are:
1. Best overall: Graco Tranzitions ($139.99) – 3 modes from the harness to a backless booster, up to 100 pounds weight limit.
2. Best cheap: Evenflo Maestro ($99.99) – lightweight for travel.
3. Highest harness – Chicco MyFit ($199.99) – 17.5″, 54-inch highest harness height.
4. Cheap from Graco: Graco Atlas ($137.99) – 2 in 1 harness to booster seat, budget-friendly for most families.
5. Safest: Britax Grow with Your ClickTight ($339.99) – ClickTight for easy installation, SafeCell for enhanced safety, 120-pound weight limit.
See Our Top Picks
Find the best 5-point harness booster seats
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Comparison
Compare key performance stats to the best 5 point booster seats.
Are you looking for a 5-point harness booster seat to extend the front-facing ride? Or do you want a booster car seat for 2-year-old toddlers?
If yes, you’re right here. We compile a list the top five harness booster seats from 15+ options so that you don’t need to do the research but can spend more time with your little precious.
The 5-point harness booster seat is also called a combination car seat that comes equipped with a 5-point harness in a booster seat, lowering the weight and height limits and extending the use for toddlers around 1 year of age (better 2 years old).
We know that there are four car seat stages (If not, check our post on this topic): rear-facing, forward-facing, booster, and seat belt, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator’s (NHTSA) definition.
Like convertible car seats combining the first and second stages, the harness booster seat is a similar concept that combines the second and third stages. You can easily find this in the car seat’s name, like the Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 harness booster seat – which is our best recommendation for this category.
The 5-point harness booster seat can be used front-facing only, no matter what mode you choose to fit your child: the 5-point harness or booster.
Designed to last good years, the harness booster car seats can be used starting for toddlers as small as 22 pounds and big kids as large as 120 pounds. Instead of purchasing an expensive convertible or all-in-one car seat after the kid outgrows their infant car seats, more and more parents are now getting this new type of car seat for toddlers after they’re more than 35 pounds or taller than 31 inches.
Depending on that if it can turn into a backless booster or not, the harness booster seat can be divided into two groups – 2-in-1 harness booster seat (without backless mode) and 3-in-1 harness booster seat (support no-back mode).
A 2-in-1 harness booster car seat support two modes including a 5-point harness and high back, while the 3-in-1 harnessed booster seat supports an extra booster mode – backless more than the first two.
The 3-in-1 harnessed booster car seats feature a detachable design.
The seat pad can be detached from the high back and work along as a backless booster to ride big kids with a higher weight limit.
Best 5 Point Harness Booster Seats
Best 5 Point Harness Booster Seat by Bonus Features
Narrow
- Chicco MyFit (17.5″)
- Graco Tranzitions (16.5″)
Further Information
Cheap
- Evenflo Maestro Sport ($99.99)
- Graco Tranzitions ($139.99)
Further Information
120-pound weight limit
- Britax Grow with You ClickTight (120 pounds)
Further Information
Best 5 Point Harness Booster Seat with Backless Mode
Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 22-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: 49" (FF); 57” (Booster)
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 7 years
The Good
- Budget price
- Up to 100 lb weight limit for big kids
- Three modes: harness, high back, and backless
- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered for optimal protection
The Bad
- Not fit 3-across
$109.99
Two car seat stages, three modes, and excellent longevity all rolled into one, making the Graco Tranzitions sit above others in the harness booster seat pack.
Delivering a top weight limit of 100 pounds and a top height limit of 57 inches, and a sturdy, reliable build for safe protection, the Graco Tranzitions is worth bucket loads more than what you’ll pay.
Why We Recommend It
Graco Tranzitions is the only best 3-in-1 harness booster car seat on the list. It’s a very popular harness to the booster car seat on Amazon and earns its reputation among parents for its great features and budget price.
It’s even cheaper than the Graco Atlas 65, which is just a 2-in-1 harness booster car seat, while both have very similar functions.
Like other options for booster harness car seats, the Tranzitions 3-in-1 can be installed front-facing only. With a minimum weight requirement as low as 22 pounds, it’s good enough for small toddlers between 12 and 18 months old, meaning you can directly use it after your child outgrow their rear-facing car seats.
It features Graco’s unique Simply Safe Adjust Harness System, which allows you to adjust the harness and headrest up to 8 height positions when used in the 5-point harness mode, making it a great harness booster.
The open-loop belt guides provide parents with much confidence to install the Tranzitions 3-in-1 harness booster seat properly by positioning their vehicle’s seat belt correctly. You don’t need to worry much about the installation, just follow the manual and belt guides.
Weighing up to 20 pounds total with the high back non-detached, the Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 is a bit heavy, making it not as convenient as those portable car seats to switch from one car to another. The car seat is FAA approved for airplane use in the harness mode, but you won’t want to carry it for air travel, there are a few lighter harness booster seats like Evenflo Maestro Sport or you can use a lightweight convertible car seat (FAA suggests using a car seat for toddlers under 2 years of age).
DO NOT use it for air travel when you turn the Tranzition from harness to booster car seat. All booster seats, no matter high back or backless, are not effective for protecting kids on a plane, because it lacks a shoulder belt for installing the car seat steadily and stably.
What remains when with the Tranzitions from the harness to the booster car seat? The thick seat padding and two cup holders. They are essential to keep your child comfortable in the car seat, especially for a long journey. With drinks on the right side and snacks on the left side, your child won’t feel tired and hungry but just have joy.
However, it’s not recommended to ride a child in a car seat for a long time. Experts suggest 2 hours at most for one trip.
Further Information
Graco Tranzitions vs Chicco MyFit: Which is better?
Cheap 5 Point Harness Booster Seat
Evenflo Maestro Sport
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 22-50 (FF); 40-110 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~50" (FF); 38-57"(High Back)
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 8 years
- Suitable: 2 to 8 years and older
The Good
- 50" high harness height limit
- 110" high booster weight limit
- Affordable price
- Lightweight design for easy carry
- Two large cup holders
The Bad
- Lower harness weight limit
- Limited padding
$99.99
The Evenflo Maestro Sport harness booster is a budget-friendly option for parents looking for a versatile car seat. The seat can be used in harness mode for children weighing 22-50 pounds and measuring 28-50 inches tall, and in booster mode for children weighing 40-110 pounds and measuring 44-57 inches tall. This means that the seat is suitable for children between approximately 2 and 8 years or older.
Costing under $100, the Evenflo Maestro Sport is one of the best cheap car seats. However, the lower price point does not mean that the seat lacks some of the more advanced features found on more expensive models.
For example, it comes equipped with side impact protection as other higher-end harness booster seats like the Britax Grow with You ClickTight and Chicco MyFit. Plus, this Evenflo harness booster seat has impressive advantages, including its affordability, lightweight design, and easy installation. The seat also includes a cup holder and machine-washable seat pad, which many parents appreciate.
You may have found that the harness weight limit is far less than other car seats in the 5-point harness mode – 50 lbs vs 65 lbs. But its harness height limit is one inch higher (50″ vs 49″) than most booster car seats with a harness. Tie!
It’s important to note the fact that Evenflo Maestro Sport does not have a no-rethread harness system, which may make it less convenient for adjusting as your child grows.
Overall, the Evenflo Maestro Sport harness booster is a solid choice for parents looking for an affordable and reliable car seat. While it may lack some of the bells and whistles found on more expensive models, it still provides good value for the price.
Best 5 Point Harness Booster Seat with Highest Harness
Chicco MyFit - 54" Harness
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 25-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~54" (FF);38-57"(High Back)
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 8 years
- Suitable: from 2 to 7-8 years old
The Good
- Longer harness time
- Armrest on both sides
- Comfortable padding
The Bad
- A bit price
$199.99
Designed with your child’s safety in mind and sporting a durable build, a top weight limit of 100 pounds, and a height limit of 57 inches, the Chicco MyFit is exactly what it promises to be: a great harness booster for the best protection.
It’s a no-fuss option that’s ideal for big toddlers to face front. It’s a slim harness booster seat that has the highest harness height limit – 54 inches.
Why We Recommend It
What makes the Chicco MyFit stand out from the harness booster car seats?
Well, it has a few great features that we want to talk about. And we’re sure that you’ll also love this car seat and get one for riding with your child.
The Chicco MyFit is a front-facing toddler seat that supports a wide weight range from 25 pounds to 100 pounds, fitting children from 2 years to 8 years and older.
It goes through two car seat stages, including the forward-facing 5-point harness and booster. It’s the only harness booster seat with a 54-inch height limit. That’s the highest of all car seats with a 5-point harness.
It requires at least 2 years old to fit in the harness mode and older than 4 years old to sit in the booster seat.
It’s a great harness to a booster seat that comprises safety and comfort.
The DuoGuard includes two layers of side impact protection with EPS crash-absorbing foam, combining the steel-reinforced frame.
This combination provides the best safety performance and helps protect your child in the event of crashes. Made of tons of thick padding, the Chicco MyFit ensures safety as well as comfort.
Furthermore, there are up to 9 headrest height positions for adjusting. This means that you can always find a perfect fit for growing children.
The headrest is very important to keep your child’s head upright at the right and normal position, especially when they fall asleep. 4-position reclines are also available for finding a comfortable angle for your child.
The Chicco MyFit supports two methods for installation, with LATCH or with a seat belt. It does not have the company’s exclusive SuperCinch but features premium LATCH connectors.
If you want to install the MyFit with the vehicle’s seat belt, the LockSure technique helps a lot to achieve a proper and easy installation, thanks to its lock-offs and wide belt routing guide and tips.
The two cup holders also earn the MyFit harness to booster car seat a few appraises. They are made of flexible silicone and can be removed to reduce the entire width that will take up in the back seat.
This enables the Chicco MyFit to have a spot in the best car seats to fit 3 across, along with its narrow profile of 17.5 inches. It’s one of the slim harness seats.
The thick padding might be a drawback if it’s not airflow material made or not breathable. It will make your child sweaty at the back, especially after a long trip in the car seat.
So the company upgraded with another model – MyFit Zip Air, which is one of its two advanced siblings – MyFit Zip and MyFit Zip Air. Below is a simple comparison between the three Chicco booster seats with a 5-point harness.
| Car Seats Comparison | Chicco MyFit | Chicco MyFit Zip | Chicco MyFit Zip Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $219 | $269 | $319 |
| Forward-Facing Weight Limit | 25-65 lbs | 25-65 lbs | 25-65 lbs |
| Forward-Facing Height Limit | 54" | 54" | 54" |
| Booster Weight Limit | 40-100 lbs | 40-100 lbs | 40-100 lbs |
| Booster Height Limit | 57" | 57" | 57" |
| Recline Positions | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| LATCH Compatible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Headrest Height Positions | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Slim Width Desgin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seat Foam Layers | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| LockSure Seat-Belt Locking System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cup Holders | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Zip & Wash | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Performance Fabrics | - | Zip & Wash | Zip & Wash + 3D AirMesh |
Britax 5 Point Harness Booster Seat
Britax Grow with You ClickTight
Key Features
- Weight Range: 25-65 lb. (FF) & 40-120 lb. (Booster)
- Height Limit: 34-49 in. (FF) & 44-63 in.(Booster)
- Lifespan: 9 years
- Type: Combination
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Suitable for: 2-10/12 years old
The Good
- Up to 120 lb weight limit for big kids
- Up to 63-inch booster height limit
- ClickTight for easy installation
- V-shaped tether for stability
- Armrest on both sides
- Two cup holders on both sides
- 9 years of lifespan
- Can be installed on airplane
The Bad
- Pricey
- A bit heavy
- Fabric is not machine washable
$339.99
The Britax Grow with Your ClickTight Harness-2-Booster is one of the best 5-point harness booster seats on the market, offering a combination of safety, comfort, and ease of use that many parents find appealing.
It can be used as a harness seat for younger toddlers and then easily converted into a booster seat for older children. The seat is designed to grow with your child, with up to 9 adjustable headrests and harness positions to accommodate them at different heights and weights.
This works perfectly for its weight and height limits: 25-65 pounds and 29-49 inches in harness mode; 40-120 pounds and 44-63 inches in booster mode. The wide weight and height range make this only Britax harness booster seat a versatile option for growing kids between the ages of approximately 2 and 10 years old.
The Britax Grow with You ClickTight might be one of the easiest-to-use car seats, thanks to its built-in ClickTight technique, which allows you to achieve a secure and tight installation using the vehicle seat belt in three simple steps. Installing a car seat with a seat belt has an unbeatable advantage over using the LATCH – there is no weight limit.
Priced at $339.99 (price may increase $10-$20 every year on Amazon based on our viewing), the Grow with You ClickTight is an expensive harness booster seat. It’s even higher priced than a few all-in-one car seats, like the Graco 4Ever DLX (priced around $324.99), while the latter can be used as a rear-facing car seat for newborns. However, many parents are still willing to pay the price for the seat’s ease of use, comfort, and safety features.
Weighing around 25 pounds (same as Chicco MyFit), this Britax harness booster seat is relatively heavy, making it less convenient for travel. But that doesn’t matter for car trips, just a bit inconvenient for air travel. If this is your case, choose one from the lightweight convertible car seat.
Cheap Graco 5 Point Harness Booster Seat
Graco Atlas
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 22-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: 49" (FF); 57” (Booster)
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Type: Combination
- Lifespan: 7 years
- Suitable: 1-8 years or older
The Good
- Budget price among harness booster
- Up to 100 lb weight limit for big kids
- Comparatively easy to install
- No rethread harness
- Fuss-free harness storage compartment
- Belt lock-off
- Two cup holders on both sides
- 7 years of lifespan
- Can be installed on airplane
- Lightweight body
The Bad
- Not fit 3 across in small cars
- Not face the back for babies
- Less reclines
$137.99
A sweet combination of high weight and height limits, safety, and classy style, the Graco Atlas 65 is packed with hauntingly good features. It delivers a fun but practical ride, allowing your kid up to 7 years of lifespan. Multiple colors are available for both boys and girls toddlers.
Why We Recommend It
Graco Atlas 65 is one of the best harness to booster car seats that were designed to grow with your child. It’s able to fit a child between 22-65 pounds in 5-point harness mode. When he or she grows bigger between 40-100 lbs, the high back booster mode is available.
We’ll recommend you to keep your child in harness mode as long as possible till they exceed the weight limit of 65 pounds or height limit of 49 inches, which typically happens around the sixth or seventh birthday.
In this mode, the Atlas 65 has been side-impact tested to prove for side impact protection in event of crashes.
The high back seat mode lacks this type of extra safety performance. Even though the steel-reinforced frame provides enough strength in delivering protection and durability.
Easy and proper installation makes up for its security performance. Luckily, the Graco Atlas 65 features a design with obvious open-loop belt guides to help you install it with the vehicle’s seat belt.
Just put the belt through the belt holes and tighten the car seat correctly. It’s better than no wiggle than 1-inch back and forward, left and right.
The Graco Atlas 65 comes with a 7-year lifespan, several years shorter than the 10-year lifespan for those convertible and 4-in-1 car seats. Considering that it can be used only for front-facing, this 7-year of usage is understandable and acceptable.
It’s one of the combination car seats but just features the harness and (highback) booster mode, no backless mode is supported.
But the latter one is not necessary, as you can always purchase a cheaper booster alternative for sale online or offline.
FAQs on 5 Point Harness Booster Seats
What’s the difference between 3-in-1 harness booster and 3-in-1 convertible?
You’ll see the same 3-in-1 in the car seat name, but one with a harness booster, and the other with a convertible in the name or description. Some parents may be a bit confused about it. The two 3-in-1s have different meanings. The first 3-in-1 in harness booster car seat means that it can last for these three modes – forward-facing, high back booster, and backless booster, with actual 2 stages of forward-facing and booster.
The latter 3-in-1 in convertible car seats means all-in-one and the car seat will go through three stages: rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster. These 3 car seat stages require a car seat for riding a child.
If you’re not sure, you can find the obvious difference between the weight limits. The 3-in-1 harness booster car seats have a minimum weight requirement of 22 pounds which is the same as the forward-facing car seats, while the 3-in-1 convertible car seats allow for a weight as low as 4 or 5 pounds, which is commonly the weight of a newborn baby.
Does the harness to booster seat support rear-facing?
No. The harnessed booster car seats can face front only. They were designed for big toddlers, not for newborns and small infants who are required to ride facing back.
When to switch car seat to forward facing?
That depends. Based on the car seat laws, you can switch to a forward-facing car seat after your child’s first or second birthday. Some states require small toddlers to stay in rear-facing until they’re 2 years old, some not.
Can a 1 year old infant sit in the 5 point harness booster seat?
It’s better not. The best car seats for one-year-old infants are convertible and all-in-one, which will be able to ride these little passengers in rear-facing at the age of 1.
Harnessed booster is only front-facing used, not fitting the infants well.
What age is a harnessed booster seat for?
The 5-point harness booster seat is different from a standard booster seat that is more appropriate for when your child is aged approximately four years or older.
It can be used in the 5-point harness mode, meaning that even younger children between 20-25 pounds (depending on specific models) can sit in this type of booster seat as well. It’s considered the best booster car seat for toddlers around 2 years of age.
Remember, you can’t use it in the booster mode, only in harness mode for smaller kids.