Diono Monterey XT Fix Expandable High back Booster Car Seat with Expandable Height and Width, Group 2/3 (4 to 12 Years Approx, 15-36 kg), Gray Dark

Product Information

The Monterey XT includes lower anchor connectors. While they aren’t required for use, they do secure the booster in the vehicle when it’s not in use. They also secure the bottom portion of the booster in place when the child is climbing in and out.

Car Seats for the Littles® is a service mark registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Donate But being a research nerd, I relished the challenge of finding the best seat for my needs. And in the process, I gathered a ton of info!

Backless Mode

The Diono Headrest/height adjusts from behind and may need to be done prior to installation and before the child is in the seat. The Diono Monterey XT has extra foam padded throughout the seat, which contributes to the child’s overall comfort. The cover fabric is durable and wipeable in addition to being pretty. It comes in several sophisticated colors including red, teal, heather, and purple. Assembly While the Monterey 5iST is going to work for nearly kids until they are done with boosters, the Baby Trend tops out at 100lbs and 57″– fine for some kids in some seating positions but not universal. One nifty aspect of the Baby Trend is the super flexible positioning for the seatbelt: the shoulder belt can go either over or under the arm rest depending on what gives a better fit and the shoulder belt guide can be in one of three positions. Our team asked, how do we simplify travel, so parents and children can take safety with them wherever they go?

The manual states not to use the lower anchors if they interfere with the vehicle seat belt. Vehicle Headrest RequiredRemember: Kids aren’t ready to ride with the seatbelt alone until they can fit properly. That’s usually between 10 and 12 years old. Sadly we see many more serious injuries in school age kids riding in the seatbelt than in young kids in car seats.

Since I’m all about helping parents keep their kids safe when traveling, I’ll give traveling its own section. We travel often (in normal times) so I’m always looking out for the best booster seat for travel with my own kids.For daily use my kids find the Diono Monterey 5iST to be very comfortable. My kids are spoiled by our fleet over extremely comfortable booster seats but they’re happy to ride in this one. It is a subjective matter, as some kids prefer a firmer ride or a squishier ride and different kids have different arm rest preferences. I have to say that from a subjective perspective I’m really impressed with the Monterey 5iST, and my kids are as well. Nothing is perfect so here’s my personal list of Diono Monterey 5iST advantages and disadvantages: Diono Monterey 5iST advantages If you’re considering the Diono Monterey 5iST for kids near the upper end of the size range, you won’t be disappointed! The side wings automatically widen as you raise the head rest, giving lots of room for growing shoulders. Diono boosters are deservedly known as great options for broad kids and this one is no exception. The Diono did its best to keep up with the big boys, and in some metrics, it rallied valiantly. However, in the end, there are better options available. It is suitable for little ones up to 120 lbs and 63 inches, one of the largest limits in the group. It also has good crash test results and is fairly narrow at 18.4 inches. If the Diono were somewhat better quality or somewhat lighter, there might be a niche for this better-than-average booster. What Other Booster Seat Should You Consider? The Diono model weighs a few pounds less, which can be significant if you’re partial to a model that’s easy for your child to be able to carry around for carpooling purposes.