High back booster seats

[Fortybingowings]

I have twins aged 3. They're both in Britax dual fix in my car at the moment and they face forward now.
We're looking to get high back boosters soon. Is the Recaro Monza any good? Also looking for a good (safe and good quality) pair of lower priced seats for husbands car and grandparents car.
Any suggestions on good buys?

Unless they are over 18kg then they should still stay in harnessed seats. Although the minimum weight is 15kg for high backed boosters it is safer to wait until they reach the weight limit for the harnesses seat before moving them. An alternative is a 123 seat as it starts with a harness that is then removed once they reach 18kg

Due to the shape of their skeleton when little, it is safer to wait until 4.5 to use a HBB. Apparently they can slide under the belt in the event of a collision until that point.

Ok, largest twin is around 15.5kg. So better to wait even though they're at the height limit?

If their heads are above the back of their current seat they need to be moved up into the high backed booster-regardless of weight. Our son was about 4.2 when we had to move him and only slightly above average height.

Ok so now I'm confused.....

I moved DS up from a harnessed seat at 3.5 & 17 kg. His head was just over the top of the headrest & he looked so cramped in it & would get unbearably sweaty in the summer

A 123 seat might work better then as you can keep them harnessed until 18kg but the seat is designed to do them until they are much taller

If they are at the height limit you will likely find it difficult to find any Group 1 seat that will fit them for much longer and it would likely be a waste of money to buy one because it will fit for such a short time. Even group 123 seats aren't any better because the harness is only good up to 18kg and hence the same heights as group one seats. Most children will grow out of car seats by height before weight, that is how they are designed. By the way, the markers for outgrowing a forward facing seat is that the top of their ears or their eyes become level with the seat shell, and/or that their shoulders come higher than the highest hole for the harness.

So if your children are taller and you want to keep them harnessed you would need to look for a seat which harnesses at group 2 which is 15-25kg. Some of these then convert to a booster. They can be more expensive.

Personally I am not convinced by the arguments that claim harnessing is so much safer so late. I feel the main concern is whether thet cab be trusted not to climb out if the belt. As long as the booster is well structured and the belt fits them well in it (lap belt passing over thighs not stomach, shoulder belt crossing the collarbone) plus they are at least 15kg, it's a good option. In fact it may even be safer than a 5 point harness as the seatbelt is flexible and moves with the child.

If you choose to go the HBB route, I can't recommend one specifically but I will say I really wish we had gone for an isofix one because although you still use the car's seatbelt to strap the child in, at least the seat doesn't move around the car when they are getting in or out.

I have Maxi Cosi Rodifix which we're very happy with.

"Ok, largest twin is around 15.5kg. So better to wait even though they're at the height limit?"

The height limit for the DualFix is when the tops of the child's ears become level with the top of the seat, head sticking out a little way is fine.

This link provides the info about legal weight v's safe age with regards to high backed boosters.

If your twins have outgrown the DualFix by height then you'd be best to get a Group 1-2-3 seat with a 5-point harness that is later removed to leave the seat for use as a high backed booster. How close to their 4th birthday are your twins? Because if the heaviest is only 15.5kgs now I think a 'standard' Group 1-2-3 seat with a weight limit of 18kgs on the harness will easily see them to age 4 1/2. I don't think you need to be looking at the forward facing seats with a 25kgs limit on the harness (your choices would be quite limited anyway, there are only 4 available).

The Joie Elevate has a pretty high top harness height I think. The Britax Evolva is a good seat too, but I don't know how high the harness goes. You'd need to go to a shop and try your twins in the seats with the headrest/harness on it's top setting. The DualFix has a pretty short shell though, so even if they are outgrowing that seat they should be ok in a different harnessed seat.