High back in third row, backless in middle

Anonymous wrote:Have you considered keeping him rear facing?

I liked the high back boosters on long trips where the kids would inevitably fall asleep. The wings of the back helped keep them from leaning over. But the boosters we used had detachable backs so we didn't have to keep the back on all the time if we didn't need it.

Have you considered keeping him rear facing?

A backless booster is safe IF the child sits properly the whole time. My newly 9 yo says he finds the HBB more comfortable especially on long trips.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this will be going in an Acura MDX.

Test the seat. Put it in the car and have your child sit in it. Can the child be safely positioned in the shoulder belt without the high-back to position it? It should be across the shoulder, not laying on or near the neck. You won't know unless you try it, most likely.

This

My 6yo sits in my Pilot with just a backless booster and seatbelt is on her shoulder. In a friends minivan it was on her neck so we used one with a back in that friends car.

Anonymous wrote:this will be going in an Acura MDX.

Test the seat. Put it in the car and have your child sit in it. Can the child be safely positioned in the shoulder belt without the high-back to position it? It should be across the shoulder, not laying on or near the neck. You won't know unless you try it, most likely.

100% depends on size/stature of 6 year old.

6 year old doesnt nap in the car, or if so, not often enough that it is a priority. MAYBE once a year.

this will be going in an Acura MDX.

The highback helps position the shoulder belt properly. See how it fits on your child without it. DD is 8 and has graduated to a backless, but asked if we can put the back on for an upcoming road trip because she likes having the headrest for napping.

High back- keeps them in position.

Depends on your car. The high back is to help position the shoulder belt correctly. We found it was needed in our minivan but not in my DH's small sedan.

I don't think there's much evidence that one is safer than the other - it's more important that whatever booster you chose fits well in your car and on your kid. The only advantage of high-back is that your kid can sleep more comfortably in it if you go on longer trips where that might be an issue.

any preference for one vs. other?