Clever toddler booster seats that are easier to install securely

Parents with child-seat-age kids have probably struggled at least once with seat installation. For such an important task, it can be far more complicated than necessary, and consequently, a loose installation is one of the most common mistakes parents make. Sometimes blame lies with the car, other times the seat. That is why we evaluate both for their ability to provide a secure installation.

In our latest toddler booster Ratings update, we were intrigued by a new feature from Britax that makes installation easier. We found that the ClickTight installation system on the Britax Frontier 90 and Pinnacle 90 models helps to get a tight installation of those seats when used with their internal harness. Britax's design uses a tensioning plate to help get the belt tight and secure the seat. Though the idea of a tensioning plate it not unique to Britax, its implementation proved easier to use than others we've tested.

ClickTight works for installation with either the vehicle safety belt or the LATCH belt. Its ability to optimize the tension of a vehicle belt may prove to be the most important function. Once you figure out the somewhat unconventional belt path that these seats take, the effort required to complete the installation is much less than with competing seats.

Our evaluations have shown that a secure installation using the vehicle safety belt is often harder to achieve than it is when LATCH is used. Combined with the fact that LATCH use is limited to a combined weight of the child and child restraint of 65 lbs., the ClickTight feature may prove most beneficial in terms of safety for those combinations that exceed that weight and require using the vehicle belt.

But all is not perfect, as the Frontier 90 did not fare as well in our tests for use in its booster mode. The vehicle belt had a tendency to "pinch" in the booster shoulder belt guide and develop slack when we moved child-sized dummy that simulates an average 6-year-old. That issue puts the Frontier 90 lower overall in our Ratings than it otherwise would have been, but the ClickTight feature impressed us sufficiently that we felt the need to highlight it here and look forward to seeing it in future products. We also think its important to note that this booster issue also tends to go away once the belt guide is raised further up for older or taller kids.

Britax is currently expanding the ClickTight feature to its updated line of convertible seats that we expect to be on store shelves this month.

—Jen Stockburger