This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Quick List: Best Car Seat with 5 Point Harness up to 120 LBS
Don’t have much time to tour through the full buying guide? Here is the summarized result for the best 5-point harness car seat up to 100-120 lbs:
1. Best 5-point harness car seat up to 120 lbs: Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Car seat – $329.99, backless booster supported, rapid remove cover design.
2. Best 5-point harness car seat up to 100 lbs: Graco SlimFit3 LX – $279.99, 16.75″ width, easy-to-remove seat cover.
3. Best 5 point harness booster seat up to 100 lbs: Graco Tranzitions -$139.99, backless booster supported.
4. 5-point harness car seat with highest height limit – Britax One4Life (63″) – $399.99, extend rear-facing (50-lb weight limit), ClickTight installation.
5. Highest harness height car seat – Chicco MyFit (54″) – $219.99.
6. Best 5-point harness car seat up to 120 lbs with 360 rotation – Evenflo Gold Revolve360 Extend: $379.99, 360 degrees rotation.
If you’re looking for the best car seat with 5 point harness up to 100-120 lbs, here is the ultimate guide.
More than the infant, convertible, and all-in-one car seats with a 5-point harness there is also another type – a combination car seat, which is a 5-point harness booster car seat.
It’s quite acceptable that small infants need more tightness because they are not able to sit stably in a car seat and the 5-point harness will provide the best protection.
But for toddlers and big kids, do they still need a 5-point harness? If yes, what kind of car seats with 5-point harness are the best choices?
To help you make a quick decision on picking up the best 5-point harness car seat up to 100-120 pounds, we narrow down 20+ car seats with a 5-point harness and finally compile this list of the best 12 toddler and booster car seats with 5 point harness.
To make it easy, I’ve split the best 5-point harness car seats into two categories based on types, including the all-in-one (toddler) and booster.
In each category, I’ve included the best options up to 100 pounds or 120 pounds weight limit to accommodate the needs of big kids and families.
5-point Harness Car Seats up to 100 Lbs
Best All-in-one Car Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 100 lbs
5-point Harness Car Seat up to 120 lbs
Best All-in-one Car Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 120 lbs
5-point Harness Booster Seat up to 100 lbs
Best 5-point Harness Booster Seat up to 100 lbs
Booster with 5-point Harness up to 120 lbs
Best Harness Booster Seat up to 120 lbs
Car Seat up to 100 lbs
Car Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 100 lbs
Car Seat up to 120 lbs
Car Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 120 lbs
Booster Seat 100 lbs
Booster Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 100 lbs
Booster Seat 120 lbs
Booster Seats with 5 Point Harness up to 120 lbs
Or, if you’d rather view the best car seat with 5 point harness by weight and height limits, your budget, or by type (e.g. portable, slim fit 3 across, etc), click on either of the below.
By Weight Limit
See Our Top Picks Organized by Size Limits from 100 to 120 lb
By Height Limit
Best Choices Organized by Height Limits from up to 63 inches
By Price
See Car Seats Organized by Price (Prices Start under $100)
By Bonus
See Car Seats by Bonus features (e.g. for travel etc)
5 Point Harness Car Seat up to 100 lbs
Narrowest 5-point Harness Car Seat with 100 lbs Height Limit
Graco SlimFit3 LX - 100 lbs
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 5-40 (RF): 22-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~49" (RF&FF); ~57” (Booster)
- Stage: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 10 years
The Good
- Slim design to fit 3 across
- Going through three car seat stages
- Improved breathable mesh AirFlow materials
- Rapid Remove pad for easy taking off to clean
- 10 years of lifespan
The Bad
- Not foldable
$279.99
New to the market, the Graco SlimFit3 LX is already generating plenty of hype, and deservedly so. With a top 100-pound weight limit going through rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster, the SlimFit3 LX is already the best – and most affordable – toddler car seat with 5 point harness up to 100 pounds.
Remarkably, this restraint system also sports an ultra-slim fit design – a rarity for car seats in the convertible car seat type (convertible carseat are generally bulky).
With all things considered, the SlimFit3 LX delivers the best performance far beyond its reasonable price tag.
Why We Recommend It:
We’re starting, unsurprisingly, with its 100-pound weight limit. This gives the SlimFit3 LX the ability to last good years and grow with your kids from day 1 to the day they don’t need a car seat.
It’s good to understand this, the Graco SlimFit3 LX is an all-in-one car seat. So it has a 5-point harness and a 100-pound top weight, which is the lowest among the all-in-one car seats, but works well to fit most kids until they are 8 years old (the minimum age to get out of a car seat in most US states).
The Graco SlimFit3 LX is averagely leveled on the size limits: 100 lbs/ 57″ for booster, 65 lbs/ 49″ for 5-point forward-facing, and 40 lbs/ 49″ for 5-point rear-facing. The 40-lb rear-facing weight limit makes it one of the best car seats with extended rear-facing.
Plus, let’s not forget that car seats with 5-point harness up to 100 pounds of this price for these excellent features are rare – particularly on a model flaunting a price tag as alluring and affordable as the SlimFit3 LX’s.
Of our 50+ strong database of car seats, it’s the only car seat with 5-point harness up to 100 pounds in a narrow profile.
As an upgraded sibling to Graco SlimFit, the SlimFit3 LX is around 2.2-inch narrower, positioning to be a 3-across car seat and filling Graco’s gap in this field.
Very few convertible car seats have a slim fit; the Diono Radian series is exceptional because the company specifically designed this series to satisfy the need to do 3 across. If you’re interested in this topic, check our review on the narrowest convertible car seats.
It’s insanely well-built, for safety and comfort. Made of high-strength steel, the metal frame has also been fortified against the elements and crashes. The thick cushion not only helps absorb the crash energy but also delivers maximum comfort.
Multiple color options make the Graco SlimFit3 LX for both boys and girls. Also, it has a Katrina that is very similar to purple, so we have included it on our best purple car seats list.
Regarding safety, the Graco SlimFit3 LX might be one of the safest car seats. Besides the steel-reinforced metal frame and EPS-energy absorbing foam padding around the back and bottom, this car seat with 5 point harness features the company’s unique ProtectPlus, which enables all-around protection from the frontal, side, rear-back, and rollover.
For small infants and toddlers under 4 years of age (or better 5 years old), you should keep them in the 5-point harness for as long as possible. This type of restraint provides tighter security than booster mode with the vehicle’s seat belt. It has two layers of side impact protection, with the head support providing a stable grip if your kid is a car sleeper. That’s great for protection and comfort.
Moving to the comfort part, Graco SlimFit3 LX won’t disappoint you. There is plenty of padding in the bottom section and the backrest. Made of breathable fabrics, the mesh AirFlow channels are good to keep your child cool even in hot weather. If they need a cool drink, you can put the juice in any of the two cup holders.
The cup holders are removable and dishwasher-safe. This attach-detach design for cup holders makes it easier to achieve three across if you have three Graco SlimFit3 LX in the same row. The open-up design is roomy to match your child’s growth, even big kids as old as 7 or 8 years could stay comfortably in this car seat with 5 point harness, which is not used for this age.
The easy-to-take-off seat cover design should be another bonus for Graco SlimFit3 LX. It is equipped with a very brilliant-designed cover called ‘Rapid Remove’.
What does it mean? The manufacturer boasts that the cover can be removed in 60 seconds. This is very convenient for parents! When the pad gets dirty (it’s inevitable, soils, splashes, etc), you can effortlessly get the cover off and throw it into the washing machine. The fabric is machine washable.
It’s important whether the car seat is easy to install or not. It does not only mean the ease of getting a tight installation but also less chance to get misled. This car seat with 5 point harness has a rigid LATCH system named InRight LATCH for an easier installation for both rear- and forward-facing.
Also, if your child grows bigger and you need to switch forward-facing and want to install it with the seat belt, the integrated belt lock-off would be a great helper. This smart design would grip the vehicle’s seat belt in the correct position and keep it tightly. It’s very similar to Britax One4Life’s ClickTight.
There is no doubt that the SlimFit3 LX lives up to Graco’s stellar reputation for building excellent affordable car seats with slim designs. It doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles you’ll find on more expensive models (like the backless mode in Graco 4Ever DLX, which is $70 more expensive but has a higher weight limit of up to 120 pounds), but it completes its task extremely well to fit the needs of growing families for installing multiple car seats in the back. For just around $280, it delivers awesome performance at a budget price.
Cheapest 5-point Harness Car Seat for 100 Pounds
Safety 1st Grow and Go - 100 lbs
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 5-40 (RF): 22-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~49" (RF&FF); ~52” (Booster)
- Stage: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 10 years
The Good
- Super budget price
- Last three car seat stages
- 10 years of lifespan
- Multiple colors for boys and girls
The Bad
- Less headrest and recline
- Lower height limit for booster (only 52")
- Not fit 3 across in small cars
$179.99
The Safety 1st Grow and Go is an affordable entry-level car seat with 5 point harness for up to 100 pounds.
Despite its size limit, it’s well-built, durable, and the cheapest five-point harness car seat for a long lifespan. However, it has the lowest height limit among these 5-point harness car seats of 100-120 lbs weight limit, only 52 inches. That means, it lasts good years but you’ll need to get another backless booster seat to use for bid kids until they reach the 57-inch height requirement per car seat laws.
With its low price tag, it will come as no surprise that Safety 1st Grow and Go has risen to fame to become one of the most popular toddler car seats. For its price class, it achieves best-in-class status for ride safety and comfort.
Why We Recommend It:
This is a 5-point harness car seat that’s been purpose-built to meet the needs of families that want a reliable, comfortable, and long-lasting model.
With a size limit of 100 lbs/ 57″, the Grow and Go lasts for three car seat stages, making it the last car seat you need to use for your child. This limit combination works well to fit big kids around 7 or 8 years old. The 57-inch is the maximum height limit requiring a child to use a child restraint system in most US states. After that, your kid is probably mature enough and big enough to wear the seat belt.
Despite boasting a booter size limit, the rear-facing size limit (40 lbs/ 40″) is also good, making the Grow and Go one of the best car seats with extended rear-facing. The manufacturer boasts that the Grow and Go won’t take up much space when installed rear-facing but steadily provide 7-inch more space to the front driver or passenger.
This is achievable because it is built with multiple reclines for adjustment. In this aspect, the Safety 1st Grow and Go beats the Diono Radian 3R, even though they both have a similar height (28.75″ vs 28.5″). The latter lacks reclines and cannot be adjusted.
When it comes to comfort, the adjustable reclines make a big difference and ensure that you can always find a comfortable fitting angle for your growing kid. Adding to this is the decent padding that is made of breathable fabrics.
Also, there are two large and soft harness covers near the kid’s neck section, reducing the chance that your little one will be uncomfortable because of the friction between the harness and neck. The Grow and Go is a 5-point harness car seat with two cup holders, which increases the comfort and happiness of your child by storing their drinks and snacks, or even toys during everyday rides or long road trips.
What does Grow and Go provide for parents? The convenience, I think. The fabrics used in this car seat are machine washable. That saves a lot of energy and time. As a matter of fact, very very few car seats do not have machine fabrics; as far as I know in our car seat database, the cover of Britax Grow with You ClickTight and its basic version is not machine washable.
On each side, there is a harness holder that is used to grip the 5-point harness and keep it away when you need to take the child in and out of the car seat. That’s a really considerate design.
The only down point is that the Grow and Go car seat comes with basic safety features (That’s very common among affordable car seats).
It does pass the crash tests under the federal safety standards and features side impact protection. The decent padding helps to absorb the crash energy and the head support may work a bit for enhanced safety. It’s just no additional company-level features to give it high points, like the ProtectPlus for Graco and ClickTight for Britax. That’s understandable, considering its low price under $200.
So Grow and Go provides several color options for compensation. These colors are suitable for boys and girls; due to the Carbon Rose, we list Grow and Go as one of the best pink car seats for girls.
5 Point Harness Car Seat up to 120 lbs
Graco 4Ever DLX Review
Graco 4Ever DLX - 120 lbs
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 5-40 (RF): 22-65 (FF); 40-120 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~49"(RF&FF); 57"(Booster)
- Stage: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Suitable: Birth to 7-8 years old
The Good
- Up to 120 lb weight limit for big kids
- Going through the first three car seat stages
- Extension panel for more leg room
- Comparatively easy to install
- No rethread harness
- Fuss-free harness storage compartment
- A place to store the buckle
- Rapid Remove Pad for easy taking off
- Belt lock-off
- Two cup holders on both sides
- 10 years of lifespan
The Bad
- A bit pricey
- Heavy and bulky
- Not fit 3 across in small cars
$329.99
Fancy a car seat with an impressive 120-pound weight limit, backless mode, great safety and comfort for kids, and the best convenience for parents for under $350? This is exactly what the Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Car Seat offers.
It’s no surprise that it’s one of the best car seats with 5 point harness, especially because it can reach the 120-pound weight limit.
Offering safe and comfortable rides with a host of high-quality features and components, it does everything you need it to do without a punishing price tag.
Why We Recommend It
If you want an all-in-one car seat with 5 point harness for up to 120 pounds weight limit, the Graco 4Ever DLX is our first and best recommendation.
In fact, the 4Ever DLX is suitable for all shapes and sizes, small infants and big kids alike. This comes down to the fact that it can support up to 120 lbs of child weight, making it a great option for bigger kids who should stay in a child restraint system until 57 inches tall or 8 years old. The 40 lbs rear-facing weight limit and 65 lbs forward-facing weight limit is very average, but you can always use the 5-point harness for optimal protection.
It’s also a real 4-in-1 car seat with 5 point harness. More than most all-in-one car seats, this car seat has an extra backless mode. This saves you money to buy another backless booster when your child grows to 7 years or older and is big enough ready to sit upright in a car seat.
However, just because it can support a higher load doesn’t mean that the 4Ever DLX compromises safety. Quite oppositely, it’s one of the safest car seats. The Graco 4Ever DLX is definitely manufactured and crash-tested following the US’s safety standards on child restraint systems.
It is also equipped with an ultra-strong metal frame and two layers of side impact protection. Plus, it comes with the company’s unique weapon – ProtectPlus. That’s a technique built into the car seat to work the best in case of any crashes, protecting your child from the frontal, rear, side, and even rollover. This is one car seat you won’t have trouble for a safe riding neatly away.
It’s built for practicality but that doesn’t mean your child needs to miss out on comfort. The quality is exceptionally good for a car seat with 5 point harness.
It’s made of breathable machine washable fabrics, meaning that it can always deliver a clean and cool place to keep your kids comfortable in the Graco 4Ever DLX. The thick cushion around the backrest and bottom section not only helps to reduce the crash energy but also ensures your child won’t feel the skeleton or any protuberance of the frame behind or under.
The car seat installation is a simple one, featuring a rigid LATCH system no matter the direction and position where you plan to install it. The Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 car seat features InRight LATCH connectors for easier installation. There are two issues you should pay attention to if you’re planning to install it using the LATCH.
First is the LATCH weight limit. Yes, there is a LATCH weight limit, for all car seats. This weight limit is lower than the weight limit of a 5-point harness. It’s commonly equal to the 5-point harness weight limit misusing the car seat itself’s weight. For example, 65 pounds is the forward-facing weight limit for the majority of car seats with 5-point harness, if the car seat itself weighs around 20 pounds, then the LATCH weight limit might be around 45 pounds (sometimes maybe higher with a few pounds, but not many).
Second, some cars don’t have lower anchors in the center seating in the back. If you plan to place the car seat in this spot, which is considered the safest position for installing a car seat, make sure you can correctly and tightly install it with LATCH.
When your child outgrows the rear-facing 5-point harness size limit (40 lbs / ~49″), you need to turn the car seat forward-facing. At this time, the seat belt installation would be a better choice (seat belt installation is still workable in rear-facing).
The Graco 4Ever DLX features a seat belt lock-off design that helps to achieve a tight and proper installation more effortlessly. And you don’t need to change from a LATCH installation to a seat belt installation after your little one reaches the LATCH weight limit. Graco SlimFit3 LX has this feature too. It seems only high-end Graco car seats are equipped with this seat belt installation feature.
So, let’s talk about money. How much will the 4Ever DLX cost you? This 5-point harness car seat is exceptionally good value and has a price tag of just $349 as of this writing. Okay, so you’ll have to compromise on dimensions (21.5″W x 24″H x 20″D) and weight (23 pounds), however, you’re getting an incredibly thorough size limit and high-quality safety and comfort in return.
In addition to that, it provides various colors for options. Joslyn is good for girls and we list it in our best pink car seats. In my opinion, the trade-off is worth it.
Britax One4Life is also good (we’ll talk about it in the next part), but it’s more expensive, you can check our comparison for Graco 4Ever DLX versus Britax One4Life to find the most preferable for your family and your child’s needs.
Britax One4Life Review
Britax One4Life - 120 lbs
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 5-50 (RF): 20-65 (FF); 40-120 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~49"(RF&FF); 63"(Booster)
- Stage: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Suitable: Birth to 7-8 years old
The Good
- Up to 120 lb weight limit for big kids
- Up to 63 in. height limit for tween
- ClickTight for easy installation
- CoolFlow high performance fabric
- Easy take-off cover for cleaning
The Bad
- Very pricey
- Heavy and bulky
$399.99
The One4Life is a safe and comfortable toddler car seat developed by a well-known brand Britax. What makes it stand out is the 120 lbs/ 63″ size limit and ClickTight technique. With its exceptional choices for positioning adjustment, it has a high size-limit-to-reclines correspondence resulting in a great car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds.
For most car seats the size limit is unbeatable, and the surprisingly long lifespan and solid build ensure that your child will have enough in the car seat to ride for up to 8 years or older.
With all things considered, it has the performance and the ride quality, if not taking its price as a leading factor. The Britax One4Life is about $50 more expensive than the Graco 4Ever DLX.
Why We Recommend It
The One4Life has an unbeatable high size limit among the car seats with 5 point harness, not just because of its 120 pounds weight limit, but it also has a 63-inch height limit. A few car seats can reach the 120-pound weight limit, like the Graco 4Ever DLX, and Diono Radian 3R, and some booster seats like the Safety 1st Grand. But none can catch up with the 63-inch, only the car seats from Britax, like the Grow with You ClickTight (same 120 lbs/ 63″).
What does the 63″ mean? It’s even six inches higher than the 57″, which is the maximum height required by most US states’ car seat laws to determine if your child should still stay in a car seat or not. It seems that no need to increase this limit to 63 inches, but Britax One4Life is better for taller kids.
Plus, the One4Life is one of the best car seats for tall babies, thanks to its 50-lb rear-facing weight limit. That’s very rare among car seats with 5 point harness, in our database, only the Graco Extend2Fit and the Diono Radian series (3R, 3RX, 3RXT, etc) have this high weight limit for rear-facing.
Another factor added points to Britax One4Life’s performance is ClickTight, which is the company’s unique weapon beating its competitor in achieving an easier installation.
For other car seats, the LATCH installation might be the first choice when you install it because it’s easier than using the vehicle’s seat belt. Not the case now with the Britax car seats equipped with the ClickTight. You can effortlessly get a tight and proper installation with a seat belt.
Furthermore, the seat belt installation does not have a weight limit like the LATCH, and you don’t need to switch the installation way when your kid reaches the LATCH weight limit (generally lower than the 5-point harness weight limit). You probably forget about that because the ClickTight installation with the seat belt is the recommended way in the product manual. That’s the reason Britax car seats don’t have a rigid LATCH like other car seat brands.
ClickTight installation not only helps parents to install the car seat easily but also ensures protection for your kids. A proper installation plays a very important role in your child’s safety in a car seat. Plus, the Britax One4Life has a few impressive features to be one of the safest car seats.
Made of a high-strength metal frame, the One4Life has a solid build, just like a tank. It’s also heavy-duty, weighing up to 30 pounds. This gives parents like me an impression that it has a strong construction and is good for the best protection. A lot of moms and dads reviewed it on Amazon saying that it’s well-built and sturdy.
In addition to that, there is a crumple zone called SafeCell that is used to reduce crash energy. In One4Life, it’s obvious to find the red part under the seat pad. There is a V-shaped tether on the car seat’s back to ensure your child would have a stable ride in the car seat after you switch it to forward-facing. Also, it has two layers of SIP (side impact protection) with big head support.
The thick padding not only helps to absorb the crash energy but also delivers max comfort for your child in this car seat with 5 point harness. Coming to the comfort part, Britax One4Life has some appealing traits.
Upgraded from its convertible car seats like Marathon, the Britax adds two cup holders to the One4Life. You don’t need to spend more money on purchasing attachable cup holders now. There are 15-position headrest adjustments along with 9-position recline adjustments for parents to find the perfect and most comfortable fit for growing kids.
That’s more than other car seats with 5 point harness. The included infant insert is good to deliver a hollow and cozy space for small babies and is removable when they grow bigger. There are two large and soft harness covers around the neck section (near the slots section), avoiding your kid from getting hurt.
How much do you need to pay for so many great features? Around $400.
The Britax One4Life is on the pricey side. ClickTight might be the leading factor, you’ll find all Britax car seats with ClickTight are more expensive than non-ClickTight versions. But if you want a Britax car seat with the ClickTight technique, you should be prepared for the higher price. The same thing will happen to the Grow with You ClickTight we’ll take about later.
Britax One4Life is a good car seat with 5 point harness for boys and girls. It has several bright colors and we have listed it as one of our best purple car seats for its Plum color.
Diono Radian 3R
Diono Radian 3R - 120 lbs
Key Features
- Weight range (lb): 5-40 (RF): 22-65 (FF); 40-100 (Booster)
- Height limits: ~49" (RF&FF); ~57” (Booster)
- Stage: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Lifespan: 10 years
The Good
- Slim design to fit 3 across
- Cheaper price tag
- Going through three car seat stages
- FAA approved foldable seat with great portability
- Extended warranty up to 36 months
The Bad
- Lacking head and body insert
- Less reclines
- Not fit well in small car seats in rear facing
$199.99
This budget car seat from the popular Diono Radian line has enough safety, comfort, and size limit to make it an excellent choice for growing families
The Diono Radian 3R is affordable, versatile, and has a host of basic features including a 5-point harness, two layers of side impact protection, a slim fit design, and a low profile. At a stunningly low price of $199, it’s the perfect example of just how good budget 5-point harness car seats can be.
Why We Recommend It
Even as an entry-level model, the Radian 3R does not compromise on the size limit. It’s the cheapest car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds, featuring the same size limitation as Graco 4Ever DLX: 120 lbs/ 57″. With a price under $200, it’s also the best budget all-in-one car seat, if you prefer a slim fit option – Safety 1st Grow and Go is $20 cheaper but not slim enough to do three across in a row.
Not only is the booster weight limit amazing, but the rear-facing weight limit is also the highest among these car seats with 5 point harness or even all car seats on the market. The Radian 3R has a 50-lb weight limit for your child to stay rear-facing until they are 44-inch tall.
If you include all Radian car seats (we list them below), it seems that there are some 5 point harness car seats with 120-lb booster weight limit and 50-lb rear-facing weight limit.
But from our research and the 50+ car seat database, very few car seats reach these two limitations at the same time, Britax One4Life is the one that matched this criterion. The high weight limit makes the Diono Radian 3R a good car seat for tall babies (rear-facing) and tall kids (booster).
If you want to use the Diono Radian 3R rear-facing, here are some things you should consider:
First is the position, space, height, and reclines. The best spot is the rear middle, which is considered the safest spot for installing a car seat, of course, on the condition that you can achieve a tight and proper installation. In this seating, the Radian 3R won’t take space from the front driver or passenger. But if you plan to install it on the window seat, it absolutely takes more space than you can imagine, because it lacks recline to adjust the fitting angle, resulting in it very flatly across the back seat to the front seat. You may need to move the front seat forward to install it properly and tightly.
Secondly, it does not have any infant insert or pillow, only the 5-point harness. This is not friendly for small babies because they don’t have the ability to control their head or body stability during the rides in the car.
It’s better suitable for big toddlers in rear-facing and older kids in forward-facing. However, lacking head support is always a pain, especially if your kid is a car sleeper.
But if your little one can keep himself stably and comfortably in a car and you need to install several car seats in the same row in one vehicle – i.e. growing families with multiple kids, its slim fit design would be very helpful. With a width of 17 inches (at the widest shoulder part), the Diono Radian 3R is able to fit 3 across.
This width is unbeatable, making it one of the narrowest car seats, only the Graco SlimFit3 LX compares favorably with it (16.75″ vs 17″). We also make a post about the comparison between Graco SlimFit3 LX versus Diono Radian 3R if you want to explore more.
It also has a low profile that is ultra toddler-friendly, allowing them to climb in and out and sit well, forward-facing of course.
Looking at the car seat, you won’t notice that the Radian 3R is foldable. Yes, it’s one of the best foldable car seats. The folding design makes you ignore its 25.9-pound weight and lets you carry it like a backpack with straps. The great portability earns the Diono Radian 3R ‘best travel car seat’ title.
Although the Diono Radian 3R doesn’t pack as many extra features as its more expensive siblings (check the table below) and competitors like Graco SlimFit3 LX, it still delivers in terms of size limit, comfort, and convenience. 5 point harness car seats less than $200 are often overlooked or considered low quality – the Radian 3R is a great example of how Diono is turning these expectations around. With a strong build, excellent durability, and a bunch of features, this is an ideal car seat for big families with multiple kids.
| Car Seats Comparison | Radian 3R | Radian 3RX | Raidan 3RXT | Raidan 3QX | Radian 3QXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199 | $269 | $329 | $369 | $399 |
| Weight limits (lb) | RF:5-50 / FF: 22-120 | RF: 5-50 FF: 22-120 | RF: 5-50 FF: 22-120 | RF: 4-50 FF: 22-120 | RF: 4-50 FF: 22-120 |
| Rear Facing Weights | Up to 50lb | Up to 50lb | Up to 50lb | Up to 50lb | Up to 50lb |
| Newborn Protection | - | - | 2-in-1 | Advanced 3-in-1 | Advanced 4-in-1 |
| Safe+ Engineering | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head Support | - | 12 Positions | 12 Positions | Safe+ 12 Positions | Safe+ 12 Positions |
| Cup Holder | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fit 3-across | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Width (in.) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Best Booster Seat with 5 Point Harness up to 100 Lbs
Most Budget - Combing a Backless Booster
Graco Tranzitions - 100 lbs
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
The Graco Tranzitions will be the first and best recommendation we would like to suggest if you want a booster car seat with 5 point harness up to 100 pounds weight limit, for its great performance and budget price. Plus, it supports a sweet transition from a conventional belt-positioning booster seat to a backless booster, making it perfect for your older kid to have a safe trip.
Despite its low price tag, you get a toddler car seat that not only comes with great safety features but one that also has a solid build to last good years. Combined, they ensure your kid rides safely and comfortably. With its lightweight and compact design, traveling with Graco Trazitions is not a bad idea.
Why We Recommend It
The competitively-priced Tranzitions is the only three-mode in the harnessed booster line and costs just $139.99. Although it’s cheaper than other models – like its main competitor – the Chicco MyFit – it still has plenty to offer, making it great value for money. Interested? Let me tell you more.
The Tranzitions is the only five point harness car seat on this in three modes (only two car seat stages): 5-point harness, high-back booster, and no-back booster. Most harnessed booster seats tend to have the first two modes. To put this into perspective, the Tranzitions saves you money for buying another backless booster for a big kid around 7 years old. As a result, it’s ideal if you don’t have much budget for a toddler car seat.
Although the Tranzitions car seat doesn’t fit newborns like the Graco 4Ever DLX because it lacks the rear-facing mode. The safety performance will work out favorably for protecting your child. It’s equipped with Graco’s ProtectPlus technique as well, just like the premium models.
As long as you have installed it properly following the instructions in the guide, it performs as other Graco car seats with ProtectPlus, delivering optimal protection from the front, side, rear, and rollover.
It has a low profile as Diono Radian 3R and is friendly for big toddlers and older children to climb in and out. The low profile keeps and seems as compact as most backless boosters. That’s very different from the Graco 4Ever DLX, whose backless mode is a bit bulkier than average no-back boosters.
The manufacturer boasts of Graco Tranzitions’ lightweight, but you won’t want to take a car seat around 15 pounds for travel. If you do need to travel with a car seat, pick up some lightweight models. We have compiled several lists on this topic, including the lightest infant car seats (as light as 5 lbs) and lightweight convertible car seats (lightest under 10 lbs).
But it’s a reality that Tranzitions is not as heavy as other car seats with 5 point harness, especially those bulky all-in-one models. Its frame might be the major reason.
This car seat has a plastic frame, unlike other car seats equipped with metal frames. So it does not have as long a usable life as them, only 7 years of lifespan since the date of manufacture. But it’s good enough to fit your child from 1 year old to 8 years old – the most common age requirement you’ll see in car seat laws – when he or she does not need a car seat anymore.
Graco might not make the flashiest machines, but they do produce excellent affordable car seats that are perfect if you can’t afford to splash the cash as freely as you may like. Even better, they go the extra mile to make sure that your budget doesn’t mean poor quality.
Chicco MyFit Review
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
Want a longer ride time in the forward-facing 5-point harness? You should look no other than the Chicco MyFit. It’s the only car seat with 5 point harness up to 54 inches for toddlers, beating other 5-point harness car seats of 100 pounds.
Along with a top weight limit of 100 pounds, it also has blistering safety features and exceptional ride comfort to match.
Why We Recommend It
If you’re looking for a car seat with a five-point harness up to 100 pounds with a few great features for safety and comfort but don’t want to break the bank, then the Chicco MyFit is just what you’re looking for. At an affordable price of around $200, it has the highest harness limitation with best-in-class protection and coziness.
Among the booster car seats with 5 point harness, the Chicco MyFit has a 54-inch harness height that is unbeatable, making it the best car seat with the highest harness height. That’s 5 inches more than other car seats with 5 point harness in forward-facing mode, with an average of 49″ at most. It allows your kid to stay in a 5-point harness for a longer time up to 6 or even 7 years old. After all, the 54-inch harness height limit is very near to the 57-inch booster height limit.
To work with this 54-inch harness height limit, the Chicco MyFit comes equipped with 9-position headrest adjustments so that you can always find a perfect fitting for growing kids. There are 4 recline positions available as well in the base.
Made from high-strength metal, the Chicco MyFit is well-built and feels solid. Not only the rigid shell will deliver optimal protection, but the EPS foam can absorb the crash energy, along with the two layers of side impact protection, the Chicco MyFit is one of the safest car seats.
A 5-point harness is the best for toddlers and small kids, and the 54-inch harness height limit is absolutely a bonus for protection. Child safety experts always recommend keeping a child in the 5-point harness for as long as possible.
This is an exceptionally comfortable car seat for your child – it’s decently padded around the backrest and bottom section, even for the 5 point harness. There are two large harness covers near the top of the harness slots, where your child’s neck would be at this height. They are made of soft and comfortable fabrics, avoiding any friction between the harness and your kid’s neck. This case often happens because you need to tighten the harness.
This is a five point harness car seat with two cup holders. They are good to keep your child’s drinks and snacks for daily routines and long road trips. The cup holders are dishwasher-safe and can be removed for machine washing if getting dirty. Two large armrests on both sides give your kid relaxation, no need to put their hands on their body now. If your child is a car sleeper, don’t worry, the Chicco MyFit has big head support that helps avoid your kid’s head from falling forward when they fall asleep.
Now let’s take a look at installation; as well as having two excellent rigid LATCH connectors for an easy installation, the Chicco MyFit can achieve a tight installation with the seat belt, using the LockSure belt-tightening system. In addition, MyFit has removed any guesswork by including RideRight bubble levels to help you find a proper and comfortable angle in the vehicle.
Turning our attention to the friendliness that the Chicco MyFit will provide for parents. It’s made of machine-washable fabrics found on most car seats. Parents can regularly wash it to keep it clean and comfortable for the kids to stay. This is another way to provide comfort for your little one.
The MyFit is the entry-level model of the line for Chicco’s booster car seats with 5 point harness. If you want advanced features like the Zip-off design, a $249 priced MyFit Zip is available; Still want more? How about the Chicco MyFit Zip Air? It comes with 3D Air Mesh breathable fabrics for max comfort and the zip-off seat cover, with a more expensive $299 price.
Further Information
Graco Tranzitions vs Chicco MyFit: Which is better?
KidsEmbrace Spiderman Review
KidsEmbrace SpiderMan - 100 lbs
Key Features
- Weight Range: 22-65 lb. (FF) & 40-100 lb. (Booster)
- Height Limit: 29-49 in. (FF) & 38-57 in.(Booster)
- Lifespan: 8 years
- Type: Combination
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Suitable for: 2-7/8 years old
The Good
- Ride your child with fun
- Two big cup holders
The Bad
- Limited padding for less comfort
- Lacking premium features
$199.99
Are you or your kid a fan of Spider-Man? Want Spider-Man to protect your child? You may try the KidsEmbrace Spiderman car seat. With the whole seat covered with a Spider-Man, it feels like the superhero sitting as a strong backing to protect your little one.
The child-friendly KidsEmbrace Spiderman car seat combines incredible build quality with a fun and practical design.
With a 100 lbs/57″ booster size limit combined with a 65 lbs/ 49″ 5-point harness size limit, the Kids Embrace Spiderman car seat is perfect for toddlers and big kids who want to stay with their superhero for a longer time. It lasts good years along with a 7-year lifespan (same as the Graco Tranzitions), making it a good car seat for 1-year-old to 7-8 years old.
A stand-out feature of the KidsEmbrace Spiderman car seat is its seat cover. I’m sure your child will be excited about this if he or she is in love with any of the cartoon characters from Disney, Marvel, or DC Comics. Now they add new characters from STAR WARS and Nickelodeon, providing more choices if you and your child are interested in various superheroes.
With the average unisex colors found on most toddler car seats, you’re likely to notice there are only several colors at most for choice. In comparison, the KidsEmbrace car seats have dozens of choices. You can always find one matching your taste.
Moving our attention to the safety performance, the KidsEmbrace Spiderman car seat not only passed the crash tests under FMVSS 213, but also rated ‘Best Bet Booster’ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reviews. As one member of our car seats of 5 point harness, it has side impact protection when used in the 5-point harness mode. That’s suggested by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) for all car seats with 5-point harness to feature side impact protection.
Building on its safety feature-set, the KidsEmbrace Spiderman car seat comes equipped with plenty of padding and two big cup holders. It looks slim but not that narrow and measures at 19.5 x 19 x 29.5″ (L x W x D), providing spacious room for older toddlers to grow until they are 100 pounds or 57 inches tall. This ensures your child has comfortable rides in the car seat.
It’s an affordable car seat, priced around $200, you may get a discount during the promotion on special days like Black Friday. With all things considered, it’s no surprise that this car seat quickly became one of our favorites, and why we recommend it with such high regard.
Best Booster Seat with 5 Point Harness up to 120 Lbs
Britax Grow with You ClickTight - 63 inches
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 You ClickTight is a stunning combination of innovation, safety, and comfortable style.
With a top size limit of 120 pounds and 63 inches, it has a convenient seat belt installation and exceptional safety and comfort features to match.
On top of its jaw-dropping performance, the Grow with You ClickTight is a significant upgrade to its forebearer – Grow with You. Although the original was an excellent booster car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds, the designers at Britax have outdone themselves to improve it. They’ve smoothed out the installation with the ClickTight technique.
Why We Recommend It
The 120 lbs/ 63″ size limit offers an impressive space for your child to grow until they are big enough and mature enough to use the vehicle’s seat belt for security. It’s much higher than the most commonly seen 100 lbs/ 57″ combination, making the Britax Grow with You ClickTight a good option for taller and older kids.
However, do all families and big kids need a booster car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds and 63 inches? Not really. In most US states, the laws on child restraint systems require children under 57 inches to use a car seat or booster seat, but not a rule for kids who are 57 inches or taller. That means your little one is not required to ride in a booster car seat when they are 57 inches tall, no need for a car seat with 63 inches height limit.
The Britax Grow with You ClickTight is the safest booster car seat with 5 point harness and one of the safest car seats. It comes equipped with a high-strength steel frame and plenty of energy-absorbing foam padding that forms a solid build for delivering the best protection. It also has two layers of side impact protection along with a large head support to keep your child from wiggling in case of a crash. The SafeCell consists of a crumple zone to reduce the crash impact.
Also, the ClickTight technique contributes to its safety performance. We all know how important a proper and tight installation is for a car seat. ClickTight is a game changer, allowing you to achieve a quick, easy, and correct installation effortlessly. The ClickTight is to make use of the seat belt for installation, so there is no weight limit like the LATCH, and your child can stay to the highest weight limit of the 5 point harness allowed.
Something to note, however, is that the base of this harness booster seat is different from the Boulevard and Marathon seats, meaning the ClickTight feature on this seat is also different. The ClickTight installation is the best-recommended way in the user manual. The manufacturer takes it for granted that you’ll use it this way. As a result, it has a common flexible LATCH system, and no rigid LATCH connectors.
If so, we also strongly recommend you install this Britax car seat with 5 point harness with a seat belt to make full use of the ClickTight. It may have a learning curve before you can fluently install it at the beginning. Practice makes perfect! After several times trying, you may fall in love with this installation method.
Weighing 25 pounds, the Grow with You ClickTight is by no means a portable car seat; however, it’s not a biggie if you don’t need to switch it from car to car or take it for air travel. On the contrary, some parents love its heavy-duty and believe it as proof of a solid build.
As a toddler car seat, the Britax Grow with You ClickTight is a good five-point car seat with cup holders. And you won’t believe it, it has four cup holders (four compartments in fact) that are used to store your kid’s juices, snacks, and toys. That’s a great improvement for its convertible car seats, including Advocate, Boulevard, and Marathon, which do not have any cup holders at all.
Same as the Chicco MyFit, the Britax Grow with You ClickTight comes with a base that provides two recline positioning so that you can adjust a comfortable fitting angle for growing kids. Plus, this five point harnessed booster car seat also provides 9 positions of harness adjustment.
That’s great to match its 120 lbs/ 63″ size limit. This is an aspect that Britax Grow with You ClickTight is better than Graco Tranzitions. But which better suits your need, you can check our post on the comparison of these two booster car seats with 5 ponit harness.
The downside? I think there are two. The first is the price. Over $300, the Britax Grow with You ClickTight is absolutely on the pricey side. It’s even more expensive than some great all-in-one car seats like Graco SlimFit3 LX (narrowest to fit three across). There are many cheaper alternative toddler car seats and they perform well in safety and comfort.
The second is the non-machine-washable fabrics. We can’t believe this! In an ‘efficiency’ world, you still need to hand wash a car seat cover. The manufacturer boasts of its naturally flame-retardant fabrics are safe to machine wash and dry.
But in the user manual, there is a reminder saying that you should contact the company to confirm whether it’s machine washable or not. And from the customers’ questions and answers on Amazon, we know that the fabrics used or Britax Grow with You ClickTight is not machine washable. That’s really a pain! Even though the manufacturer states that the fabrics are stain-, moisture-, and odor resistant.
Safety 1st Grand - 120 lbs
Key Features
- Weight Range: 30-65 lb. (FF) & 40-120 lb. (Booster)
- Height Limit: 32-49 in. (FF) & 43-57 in.(Booster)
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Type: Combination
- Stage: 2nd, 3rd
- Suitable for: 2-10/12 years old
The Good
- Up to 120 lb weight limit for big kids
- Cheap price
- Lightweight for easy carry
- Slim fit design to fit 3 across
- 10 years of lifespan
The Bad
- Lacks premium safety features
- Limited padding
- Short straps for big kids
$79.99
Let’s summarise how we feel about the Safety 1st Grand in a handful of words: it’s the cheapest five-point harness car seat; it’s the cheapest booster car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds; it’s a cheap car seat for toddlers and older kids. Basically, it’s the most affordable.
The reason for our swooning are myriad, but it fundamentally comes down to value for money. Case in point: while many other models in its pricey category struggle to get beyond 100 pounds weight limit, the Grand can easily hit 120 pounds, distinguishing this sturdy workhorse a pound-for-pound purebred that melds size limit with practicality.
$79.99 doesn’t go far these days – but when it comes to finding the perfect entry-level harnessed booster car seat for your family’s and your kid’s everyday needs or occasional travel purposes, spending that sum on the Grand constitutes a bargain that will keep paying dividends for years.
Perfect for toddlers (not for newborns because of lacking rear-facing mode), this five point harness car seat delivers best-in-class size limit, a lightweight body, and exceptional portability – all while supplying a few years of use along with your child’s growth.
Make no mistake: the Grand has a snarling attitude. The 120 pounds top weight limit classifies it as one of the best car seats with 5 point harness in its price class. Combined with a 57″ height limit and 11.7 pounds lightweight, the Safety 1st Grand is perfectly primed for traveling for toddlers.
Of course, this is no match for a more expensive model like the Graco Tranzitons, Chicco MyFit, or Britax Grow with You ClickTight, which have extra safety features and a pad with thick energy-absorbing foam, but what you lose in additions, is you make up in savings.
It’s worth noting at this point that the cup holders of Safety 1st Grand are attached above the bottom pad. This reduces its width, making the Safety 1st Grand slim enough to fit three across in most vehicles.
Overall, the Safety 1st Grand is a budget booster car seat with 5 point harness up to 120 pounds weight limit, lightweight, and slim fit that put many costlier models to shame. If you’re looking for a bargain that will breathe new life into your family’s daily routine then the Grand is made for you.
5 Point Harness Car Seats by Performance
| Weight Limits | Car Seat with 5 Point Harness | Price | Height Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 pounds | Graco SlimFit3 LX | $279.99 | 57" |
| 100 pounds | Safety 1st Grow and Go | $179.99 | 52" |
| 100 pounds | Graco Tranzitions | $139.99 | 57" |
| 100 pounds | Chicco MyFit | $199.99 | 57" |
| 100 pounds | KidsEmbrace Spiderman | $199.99 | 57" |
| 120 pounds | Graco 4Ever DLX | $329.99 | 57" |
| 120 pounds | Diono Radian 3R | $199.99 | 57" |
| 120 pounds | Safety 1st Grand | $79.99 | 57" |
| 120 pounds | Britax One4Life | $399.99 | 63" |
| 120 pounds | Britax Grow with You ClickTight | $339.99 | 63" |
5 Point Harness Car Seats by Price
| Rank | Price | Infant Car Seat | Weight /Height Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $79.99 | Safety 1st Grand | 120 lbs/ 57" |
| 2 | $139.99 | Graco Tranzitions | 100 lbs/ 57" |
| 3 | $179.99 | Safety 1st Grow and Go | 100 lbs/ 57" |
| 4 | $199.99 | Chicco MyFit | 100 lbs/ 57" |
| 5 | $199.99 | KidsEmbrace Spiderman | 100 lbs/ 57" |
| 6 | $199.99 | Diono Radian 3R | 120 lbs/ 57" |
| 7 | $279.99 | Graco SlimFit3 LX | 100 lbs/ 57" |
| 8 | $329.99 | Graco 4Ever DLX | 120 lbs/ 57" |
| 9 | $339.99 | Britax Grow with You ClickTight | 120 lbs/ 63" |
| 10 | $399.99 | Britax One4Life | 120 lbs/63" |
Car Seats with 5 Point Harness by Bonus
All these best car seats with 5 point harness are good options for optimal protection. Some of them may have bonus features to satisfy different needs. Check below.
Cheapest:
- Safety 1st Grand ($79.99)
Lightweight
- Safety 1st Grand (11.7 lbs)
Slim Fit to Do 3 Across
- Graco SlimFit3 LX (16.75″)
- Diono Radian 3R (17″)
- Chicco MyFit (17.5″)
- Safety 1st Grand (17.5″)
4-in-1
- Graco 4Ever DLX (4 modes)
Easy to Install
- Graco 4Ever DLX (seat belt lock-off)
- Graco SlimFit3 LX (seat belt lock-off)
- Britax One4Life (ClickTight)
- Britax Grow with You ClickTight (ClickTight)
What’s 5-point Harness?
A five-point harness car seat is one of the most commonly used types of car seat in the U.S. Especially the infant and convertible car seats. They are mandatorily equipped with a 5-point harness.
Now there are a few booster car seats with 5 point harness as well for extending the use by adding the five-point harness for small toddlers. A five-point harness is the webbing portion of the car seat that adjusts over the baby to hold him in the seat.
The five points in the name mean the spots where the harness straps attach to the car seat. Two of the five points are located at the shoulders, two at the kid’s hips, and the final point is where the harness buckles between the kid’s legs.
In this way, the five-point harness holds the kid’s body tightly in the car seat, which in turn protects the upper body from injury. Learn more about five-point harness car seats, including how and when to use one.
What Car Seats Have 5-Point Harness?
You may find this sentence ‘use the 5-point harness for as long as possible’ in many of our posts. That’s correct!
There is no data proving that a 5-point harness is safer than a seat belt. But why 5-point harness car seats are required for newborns and small toddlers?
Most kids can’t have an upright sitting in the car seat, the 5-point harness helps them do that. That’s very critical in case of a crash. Tight security from the 5-point harness reduces wiggles and crash energy.
In this post, we list two types of car seats with 5 point harness: all-in-one and combination (booster seat with 5 point harness). Actually, the infant car seats and convertible car seats are also equipped with five point harness.
It’s easy to judge if a car seat comes with a 5 point harness or not. Just see if there are harness straps in the center of the seat and if there are any harness slots on the backrest. If not, the car seat should be a booster; otherwise, it’s a five point harness car seat.
Some parents may wonder: the five point harness is too tight for my child, is there any three-point car seat? No this kind of car seat is in the US now. The government required in the car seat laws that a 5 point harness child restraint system should be used for kids under a certain age or weight or height. Then is a booster or seat belt.
When to Use a 5-point Harness Car Seat?
You should use a 5-point harness car seat for as long as possible until your kid reaches the harness size limit. In this situation, age is not the leading factor. You should always follow the manufacturer’s suggested weight limit or height limit, whichever comes first.
For example, 99 percent five point car seats with a 65-lb weight limit and 49-inch height limit in forward-facing mode (rear-facing may vary depending on the specific models). So you can use the car seat until your kid hit the 65-pound weight limit or 49-inch height limit, around 5 years old.
Very few car seats will have a higher height limit. As far as I know in our 50+ car seat database, the Baby Trend Trooper and Evenflo Sonus 65 have a 50-inch harness height limit. The Chicco MyFit listed above has a 54-inch height limit for a 5-point harness – this is also the highest.
How to Correctly Buckle the 5-point Harness
Always follow the car seat’s manual to put the harness in the right place. Here are some tips you should pay special attention to:
- When rear-facing, the shoulder harness slots generally at or below the kid’s shoulder.
- After switching to forward-facing, the shoulder harness slots should at or above the kid’s shoulder.
Some car seats have a no-rethread harness system that you can move the headrest and shoulder straps up and down at the same time, with no need to separately adjust them. This is very helpful as you always need to find the best-fitting harness slots for growing kids. Remember the shoulder strap position.
There are some typical problems that happen to most parents and we list them so that you can avoid them when installing the car seat and adjusting the 5-point harness.
Problem #1: Loose harness
You should always check if the harness is too loose to work as expected. If you find the harness is a bit loose – your fingers can easily move up and down between the straps and your child’s shoulder. You should remove the harness slack at the child’s hips by pushing down the crotch buckle and pulling up the strops in the torso area.
Slide the check clip as far down as possible, then use the harness adjuster strap at the front of the shell to tighten the harness – pull on the strap to tighten.
If the harness is tight enough, you can’t pinch any webbing between your fingers at your child’s shoulder. Last, position the chest clip at the child’s armpit level.
Problem #2: Uneven or twisted harness straps
If you find that two harness straps are uneven, you need to adjust them at the same time to make them finally even around the kid’s shoulder and chest.
Twisted harness straps are very similar to the uneven case, and you need to fold the twisted strap into a triangle. Then, while keeping the triangle completely flat, slide the triangle entirely through the buckle. Finally, see whether the strap has been untwisted and can be buckled properly.
Problem #3: Incorrect chest-clip position
You should keep this in your mind: the chest clip should always be at the armpit level, not too high to the neck section because this will increase the friction between the child’s neck and straps, nor too low to the stomach section because this will add extra pressure to these soft parts of the abdomen.
Check this video from Car Seat Lady. She explains details on how to buckle a baby in a 5-point harness.
Buyer’s Guide for the Best 5 point Harness Seats
This was a long and interesting article to write. I hope you’ve got a few tips out of it – that’s why we compile this list of best car seats with 5 point harness.
We do this research and tests and reviews so that you don’t need to do it. Here, we would like to share some experiences and considerations for our research and you can have them for finding any car seats you want.
Safety
Safety is top of our list.
The luckiest part is that all car seats sold in the US are safe to use because they are required to pass the crash tests under the federal sfaety standards before going to sale.
It’s that some premium models will add extra safety features. For example, all three Graco car seats in this post have ProtectPlus technique for a better protection.
Size Limits
This determines how long your can use the car seat. If you want a five point harness car seat that will last good years from the birth to the day when your child don’t need a car seat, the all-in-one car seats are good options.
As a matter of fact, these car seats with 5-point harness have the highest size limits, up to 100 lbs/ 57″ or 120 lbs/ 57″ or 120 lbs/ 63″.
If you prefer a longer harness time, there still is a choice – Chicco MyFit, with a 54-inch harness height limit.
Install
Installation is crucial. Since poor mounting won’t provide the necessary protection, then the car seat loses its purpose.
There indeed are few notoriously hard to install a car seat. No matter which way – LATCH or seat belt, it’s very important to check out the manual. Or you can connect with the local CPST for help if you do have difficulty installing a car seat.
But there indeed are a few car seats featuring unique techniques for easier installation. For example, the Britax One4Life and Grow with You ClickTight, both are Britax car seats with ClickTight and can achieve a tight and secure installation much easier.
Fabric
Last but not least, what fabrics a car seat is made of mean a lot. You can’t use a car seat all the time without washing it, right? If the seat cover is not made of machine-washable fabric, you’ll find it a pain because you need to hand wash it.
Being a parent is busy and you may not have much time to do this manually. At this point, Britax Grow with You ClickTight is not a good choice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
How long should a child be in a 5 point harness?
According to the child safety experts, parents should keep the child in a 5-point harness for as long as possible. That means you should stick to the 5-point harness car seat until your child reaches the 65-pound weight limit or the 49-inch height limit (for most forward-facing car seats with 5-point harness).
Some may have a higher height limit like the Chicco MyFit is good to fit 54-inch tall kids.
What is the 5 point harness weight limit?
The most common weight limit for a 5-point harness in forward-facing is 65 pounds. The weight limit for rear-facing car seats with 5-point harness depends on specific model, typically between 40-50 pounds for convertible car seats (including all-in-one).
Are 5-point harness car seats legal?
Yes, of course. The 5-point harness car seats are legal and they are the safest ones to use. In the US, the goverment mandatorily require the manufacturers to have the 5-point harness for any car seats with newborns and small toddlers.
Only kids 4 years or older are legally allowed to ride with a booster seat without the 5-point harness. But it’s strongly recommended to stick to the 5-point harness for as long as possible until your child hits the weight or height limit.
Are there any booster car seats with 5-point harness?
Yes, there are a few booster seats with 5-point harness. We have compiled a list in the above section:
Graco Tranzitions – 3-in-1 harnessed booster
Chicco MyFit – harnessed booster with the highest harness limit
KidsEmbrace SpiderMan – the most funny harnessed booster
Britax Grow with You ClickTight – safest harnessed booster
Safety 1st Grand – cheapest harnessed booster.
There are some booster car seats with 5-point harness not listed in this list:
- Graco Atlas 65 2 in 1 Harness Booster Seat
- Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster
- Evenflo Sport Harnessed Booster
- Cosco Finale Dx 2-In-1 Booster Car Seat
Is a 5 point harness safer than a booster?
There is no data proving that the 5-point harness is safer than a booster. But we do suggest using a 5-point harness car seat for as long as possible until your child outgrow the harness size limit. Then switch to a booster.
Which is the best 5-point harness car seat up to 100 lbs?
The best 5-point harness car seat up to 100 lbs is the Graco Tranzitions. It’s a 3 in 1 Harness Booster Seat, including the 5-point forward-facing mode, high back booster mode, and no back mode. This saves you money to buy another backless booster.
Which is the best 5-point harness car seat for older child?
The harnessed boosters should be the best option for older children. They are facing forward only for 1 year or older children. There are multiple choices and you can always find the best suiting your needs:
Cheap – Safety 1st Grand – $79.99
Extra backless mode – Graco Tranzitions $139.99
Longer harness time – Chicco MyFit – 54 inches harness limit – $199.99
Easy to install – Britax Grow with You ClickTight – ClickTight for seat belt installation.
Multiple color choices – KidsEmbrace – Spiderman, Disney, and more
Which is the best 5 point harness car seat up to 120 lbs?
The best best 5 point harness car seat up to 120 lbs would be:
Graco 4Ever DLX – best 4-in-1 car seat with 5-point harness
Diono Radian 3R – cheap all-in-one 5 point seat with harness
Britax Grow with You ClickTight – best 5 point harness booster car seat
Safety 1st Grand – cheap booster seat with 5-pont harness
When can a kid use a harness booster seat?
You should know this, the harness booster seat can be used forward-facing ONLY. So the forward-facing car seat laws apply here.
Theoretically, a kid can use a harness booster seat as long as they reach the minimum weight and height requirement.
Legally, a kid can use a harness booster seat at 1 year old or 2 years old, depending on the local car seat laws in your state. Some states like California and New York require a child to stay rear-facing under 2 years old. If you’re living or traveling in these states, follow the local laws.
You can keep using the harness booster seat until the child reaches the top weight limit (65 lbs) or height limit (49″ or 54″), probably around 5 or 6 years old.
What age can a child use a 5 point car seat?
As long as the child does not exceed the 5-point harness weight limit or height limit, he or she can use the 5-point harness as well.
The average weight limit is 65 pounds and the common height limit is 49-inch (50″ or 54″ are very rare) for a 5-point car seat in forward-facing. An average boy or girl can reach either around 5 or 6 years old.
Can a 7 year old be in a 5-point harness?
If a 7 year old child does not over the 65-pound top weight or 49″ top height for a 5-point harness car seat, he or she can still stay in the harness mode. However, you should always check the harness slot’s position. If the top shoulder slots are below the 7-year-old kid, they should not use the 5-point harness.