Updated Oct 2019.
Britax Skyline and Britax Highpoint are the current highback boosters from Britax. They both bring the usual plush fabric, attractive styling, premium features, and ease of use we have come to expect from Britax, and are both seats we would recommend to those for whom a seat belt-positioning booster is the right choice. For many kids, booster readiness happens around age 6.
The Skyline is the main product featured in this review. Where applicable we will outline differences found on the Highpoint, which has a few more features and is at a higher price point…oh. See how that works?
Seat Specs
- For children who are 40-120 lbs, and 38″ – 63″ tall, and we recommend at least five years old but this is not a requirement of Britax’s
- 10 position adjustable headrest
- 2 dishwasher-safe removable and optional cup holders
- Premium UAS connectors on flexible webbing
- 10 year expiration
- $149.99 Skyline and $199.99 Highpoint
- UPDATE: Original version was a high back booster only – does not convert to a backless booster. Britax has updated the seats though and Skyline and Highpoint may be used in high back or backless modes. Check product details carefully before purchasing.
Dimensions (measurements approximate)
- belt guide at lowest setting: 15″
- belt guide at highest setting: 22.5″
- between head wings: 10.5″
- between shoulder/side wings: 16″
- between arm rests at tailbone area: 11.5″
- between arm rests at front edge of arm rests: 13″
- depth of seat pan: 13.5″
- external dimensions: 19.75″ at widest point (cup holders – optional), 19.5″ at widest flare of side wings, 35″ tall fully extended, 15″ wide at back/bottom of base, 17″ at widest point of the base. Highpoint slightly wider externally at headwings due to side impact energy-absorbing cushions.



Child Fit:
As with all booster seats it is so very important to assess seat belt fit in any booster seat a child rides in. We found the belt fit in the Skyline to be quite reliable on the kids who tested it for us. They ranged in age from 5.5 and at the very minimum for weight, all the way up to 11 and close to the top end of the height limit.
Lap belt fit was consistently excellent – great news!
Our kid testers reported the Skyline to be comfortable, with a nicely-padded cover that seems to stay in place well and doesn’t shift around as they move. It is on the narrow side at the hip width measurement, and some kids found it narrower through the shoulders than other booster they were familiar with. The head support was well-liked.
Some found the seat pan to be a little shallower than they’d prefer, but providing something lightweight to rest their feet on tends to resolve this complaint for any boostered or forward-facing child.
Overall it is a comfortable seat with excellent belt fit, and will last the majority of children through to “5-Stepping” with the adult seat belt, or certainly until they have the maturity and size to confidently use a backless booster seat. (Reminder that this seat does not convert to a backless booster – see note below).
It is very tall in the torso, enabling the shoulder belt to be well-positioned at or above the shoulder and crossing the collarbone on even very tall children.
The Highpoint booster (not pictured – see it on Britax’s site here) comes with a SecureGuard clip, formerly known as an SG clip on now-retired Britax products, and may provide improved lap belt fit or security on some children. It is not a crotch buckle, but rather it hooks over the lap belt and is meant to keep the lap belt well-positioned. Highpoint also has external side impact cushions that will increase the upper torso width measurement.
Fit to Vehicle Comments:
- Position the back of the booster seat flush against the vehicle seat back when adjusted to a comfortably upright position; if your vehicle head restraint is creating a large gap behind the booster seat then the Skyline/Highpoint may not be a good fit for that seating position. Take a picture and contact Britax for advice.
- The adjuster mechanism for tightening and loosening the lower anchors is located on the child’s left side. Plan ahead if the seating position you want to use means you have limited access to the adjuster.
- The booster seat itself adjusts to a very tall height, which is great, but in vehicles with a lower ceiling or very sloped ceiling, you may not be able to fully use that height. Not a bad problem to have though!
- The bottom of the booster seat is smooth and flat and should cooperate nicely with leather upholstery
Overall Comments:
- UAS is easy to use and adjusts smoothly. The connectors easily tuck away into the base and securely stay put during transfer between vehicles, or storage.
- The cover is well-fitted and constructed and stays tightly in place, no shifting around.
- Cupholders are easy to remove for dishwasher-safe cleaning
- Head rest easily adjusts into one of ten positions
- The fabric feels nice and of high quality
It doesn’t become a backless booster…so what?
Don’t let this put you off. Although we are accustomed to seats having more than one mode there’s no rule that says they have to. This is a sturdy (yet not overly heavy) booster seat that is attractive, comfortable, and long lasting. When and if your growing child needs a backless booster – for carpools, for a second vehicle, for travel – there are many on the market that are inexpensive and portable. One of our very favourites is under $20.
Perhaps you have a younger child to pass this one down to, or perhaps it stays in the vehicle you use for longer trips. Although my tall, just-turned 11 year old doesn’t need a booster seat at all in some vehicles (where she 5-Steps and safely fits the adult seat belt), she prefers a high back booster for the cross-country drives we tend to take in the summer. She finds it more comfortable with supportive side wings and a comfy place to rest her head. Thankfully I can fully extend the Skyline booster in the captain’s seats of my van, and provided she still fits in it come July, that’s what she’ll ride in for the trip!
Where to Buy
Find Britax Highpoint and Britax Skyline where Britax products are sold.
- Amazon.ca
- Babies R Us
- Boutique stores near you