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 diono Monterey XT Fix Booster Car Seat is a really flexible car seat ideal for growing children. It has an extending headrest which can be adapted into 11 different positions and the seat has a really easy one-handed height adjustment. 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. This time, Design Center for the Baden-Württemberg International Design Award Focus Open awarded Monterey® 5iST FixSafe™ winner of the Gold Focus Open 2021. 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? This model is 8 years old, weighs 100 pounds, and is 54.5 inches tall. The Monterey XT fit her well in both modes.

These lower anchor connectors are attached to the seat differently from those that are used for installation on harnessed car seats. They look like they are upside down and it will feel strange to install them this way, but it is correct. The lower anchor connectors are upside down compared to the lower anchor connectors on most other car seats. This is intentional, there’s no need to flip them over. Adjustable Headrest and Side Wings

Memories, milestones and everything inbetween!

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. The manual states not to use the lower anchors if they interfere with the vehicle seat belt. Vehicle Headrest Required In addition to the stated limits, there are some physical limits that come into play with booster seats. On the small end, we found that our younger child didn’t get a good fit in her other Diono booster seat until she was around 43″ since she’s more legs than torso. Fortunately the 5iST gets a lot smaller! I think she would have been just fine around 40″ since the lowest belt guide height I measured is 13.5″. You can see here how the 5iST compares to its cousin the Diono Monterey 4DXT in their smallest sizes. The other folding booster seat in our family’s fleet is the the hifold by mifold. You can read my full hifold review for tons of info. While the Monterey 5iST FixSafe is about making a traditional booster seat more compact and somewhat more travel-worthy, the hifold puts the travel aspect first.

If you plan to use your shiny new booster seat in a taxi, Uber or Lyft on your journey you don’t even need to worry about installing with the rigid LATCH. It’s primary purpose is to avoid the empty booster seat becoming a projectile but you won’t be leaving it in the car when you’re done. How does the Diono Monterey 5iST car seat compare to other travel booster seats? 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! Personal opinion: I really like the new Diono Monterey 5iST and my kids do too. Some kids this age can be tough to get on board with safety in the car, so I’ll take my victories where I can get them. Some kids at the top of the size range may find that the seat doesn’t offer quite enough support for their thighs, which can cause them to move out of the ideal position. Usually we don’t want more than a few inches of unsupported thigh. These are both great booster seats and they work as different tools in our family’s toolbox. Diono Monterey 5iST vs Baby Trend PROtect 2-in-1The underside of the bottom is not smooth and could cause wear on your vehicle seat over time if you don't use a protective mat. While some might argue that the quality is on par with the lower price, at least one competitor scored higher for quality and costs less. Should You Buy the Monterey XT? 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 Honouring the first collaboration between Diono and Berlin based design studio, WhiteID, Monterey® 5iST FixSafe™ combined our signature world-class American engineering with forward-thinking, edgy European design to create the next generation of child car seat. Monterey® 5iST FixSafe™ continued to turn heads across Europe, catching the attention of industry experts and innovators of the technology of tomorrow. Instructions: 2/5 stars because the instruction manual can be difficult to find. (It comes inside a cloth sleeve attached to the bottom of the seat). Not only does the headrest adjust but the seat has a 6″ deep sidewall expansion. Simply turn the dial at the rear of the car seat to expand or reduce the sidewalls. This is a fantastic feature and will accommodate children who have wider frames and will also be good for when children wear extra layers in the winter. I love how versatile this car booster seat is. It could be used for any child who needs a Group 2 or 3 car booster seat and can be adapted to suit a different child within a few minutes.

As with all booster seats, you shouldn’t put your child in it until he or she is mature enough to sit properly 100% of the time. Generally we CPSTs recommend that kids be at least 5 before making the transition to such a big responsibility and some kids aren’t ready until 6, 7 or even older. It’s important that you know your child and evaluate their ability to follow rules honestly. Our contoured premium soft fabrics - with layered foam padding that provide comfort and support can be easily removed for machine washing. Parents of bigger littles will understand the frustration in finding a booster seat that works for their kid. Most boosters seem to have very narrow seat pans, making them uncomfortable for littles with larger thighs or bums.

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The Monterey XT is a well-fitting option for any child who is ready to ride in a booster seat, especially those with larger builds and those who prefer some extra padding. The Monterey XT is easy to install and use. The lower anchor connectors, cup holders, and adjustable width make the Monterey XT uniquely customizable to fit a wide variety of passengers. While it is bulky and won’t work well in a three across situation, the Diono Monterey XT is a great option for bigger littles and littles who prefer extra padding. Car Seats for the Littles® is a service mark registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Donate